Feeling anxious? Does it worry you that things are not looking or feeling right? For a minute, a day, or a week, you are on pins and needles, unable to sit still, breathless, and agitated, but for the life of you, you have absolutely no idea why it is happening, or how to explain what you are going through to the people around you? Does this mean you are going “mental” as a modern slang term would describe going crazy?

Before you start assuming anything, know that there are other reasons for your feelings. Generalized anxiety disorder can develop, and there is no way you can prevent it.

There is no medicine, food, or treatment that can stop generalized anxiety disorder from happening to you. You just need to know if you have it by going to the doctor. Similarly, if there is no prevention, there is also no known established cure.

What you can do is minimize its effects by considering the different treatment methods available. Some have been around for generations, like the Cognitive Behavioral Treatment, or the medicines for depression or anxiety. Others are more modern in approach with a no-medicine treatment method like yoga, relaxation and breathing exercises.

You can also prevent generalized anxiety disorder from reaching critical levels by watching your diet. Avoid food and drinks that can cause you to get excited and experience a sugar or caffeine rush. If you can handle a bland diet, without soda, too much sugar and salt, less fast foods, and alcohol, that would help in minimizing the anxiety attacks.

Preventing frequent generalized anxiety disorder attacks can also be managed by staying away from volatile situations, and high flying activities. Limit your social life to quiet dinner parties, and less of the rowdy, loud night club bars and discos.

If you enjoy being around people, this should not pose as a problem. However, you should choose your friends based on their acceptance of your condition, as well as tolerance if you choose not to join any of their more boisterous events. Of course, that does not mean you should not join any – you should allow yourself to experience these once in a while, taking care to drinks your medicine properly at least a few days before the event, and on the event itself.

Proper care and attention is still the best way to handle generalized anxiety disorder. It may seem like the end of the world because some people will shun you due to your anxiety attacks, but then why would you want to be around people who judge you for something you have no control over?

Learn to depend on some vital people in your life – family members, your therapist, and your doctor. These people will be your lifeline especially when you start to feel an anxiety attack coming on.

Since preventing a generalized anxiety disorder from victimizing you is not possible, you can take the next step and minimize its effects. It does not have to control your life if you do not let it. Neither should you be crippled with its effects. There are ways of managing this disorder.  You need to make an effort to find the one that will best suit your lifestyle and degree of your generalized anxiety disorder.