Imagine you are about to give a speech in front of all the peers you see every day. You are nervous and have a lot of stress before the presentation. Once the presentation is over, you feel the stress start to melt away. For 3% of the population this stress does not disappear and what caused it is not even caused by a specific event. Over time the anxiety can cause chest pains or nightmares, sometimes the anxiety is so severe that it makes the child anxious about everyday things like going to school or even going out with friends and maybe spending the night . Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayThe unknown becomes more and more scary for children, and they worry more and more about something that they don't need to worry so much about. Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder feel this way almost all the time. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent and excessive worry about a number of different things. People with GAD worry and often think about things like disasters and may also be overly worried about a number of different things such as school, health, danger, and other issues. Children with GAD may have difficulty controlling their anxiety and may often worry too much. They may have excessive anxiety about certain topics or events and anticipate the worst when there is no reason to worry. GAD affects millions of children, and women are twice as likely to be affected. Children with GAD tend to have more anxiety, often and at a more severe level than other children. Children worry, but children with GAD worry even more. Generalized anxiety disorder has a gradual onset and can begin at any time in an individual's life, although the highest risk occurs during childhood, adolescence, and middle age. Although the cause of generalized anxiety disorder is unknown, there is evidence that factors such as family history and life experiences, especially stressful ones, play a role in the manifestation of GAD. For an individual suffering from GAD, the thought of making it through the day produces symptoms of anxiety. People with GAD don't know how to stop the cycle of worry and feel that the worry is out of their control. Most individuals with GAD may realize that their anxiety is much greater than the situation or even may require. All anxiety disorders involve having a feeling of unstable anxiety when faced with uncertainty. An individual with generalized anxiety disorder has a mild to moderate diagnosis, can function socially and live a meaningful life, and may even be fully employed. many with GAD may avoid putting themselves in certain situations because they are trying to avoid stress or anxiety. They may not take advantage of opportunities due to their preoccupation with some social situations, travel or sports. When the diagnosis is severe, a child may have trouble getting through the day and doing even the simplest tasks we do every day. Treatments such as cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) specifically target the thoughts, physical symptoms, and behaviors, including the excessive preparation, planning, and avoidance that characterize GAD. Mindfulness-based approaches and acceptance commitment therapy have also been studied with positive results. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay All therapies, sometimes in different ways, help people change.