What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) you ask? According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, GAD is “characterized by persistent and excessive worry,” that typical includes a variety of things and issues all at the same time. “GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, in any given year.”
As a woman who has been diagnosed and suffered with GAD for many years, looking to address it in the best possible way is the outcome desired. When I first was diagnosed nearly two decades ago, I was experiencing the “Biomedical Model Approach” as our textbook states. (Gruman, Schneider, Coutts, 2017), breaks down the biological processes which create the imbalance in the brain, looks into the genetic factors of where GAD might come from and have passed this down, and how things function. Having GAD under this model is like an impairment, and not seen as “well” or healthy. This type of approach medication is usually a go to solution that may or may not fix or really “band-aid” the situation. I don’t believe it fully addresses the underlying issues one experiences with GAD.
I believe addressing GAD using the Biopsychosocial Model Approach helps an individual take more control, and understand what caused the contributing factors that lead to the diagnosis, as one may inherit this genetically, but typically their are other social and environmental factors that affect persons with GAD and make their lives more difficult if it is not dealt with.
In our textbook, Biopsychosocial Model Approach looks at many other contributing factors that can be the cause or reason behind the disorder. The biological (genetic make-up), psychosocial, which are persons, things, and environments and other social factors that can explain having this disorder, per our textbook. (Gruman, Schneider, Coutts, 2017)
For a person that has tried and utilized the Biomedical Model Approach, which also had me feel I was not my best, not in control, more ashamed, etc., I feel that approach did not properly address the issues, which created or explained the disorder. I felt I didn’t have control and handled things in such a stressful manner, often feeling very frustrated and stressed out on certain matters that attributed, and this affected my functioning level, which absolutely was not my best, even on medication. Medication assisted to a point, but the underlying issues were still NOT addressed.
By years later, especially in past few years, that I switched to trying the Biopsychosocial Modeal Approach, I feel I have regained my life! The genetic factors of course contributed from my mother, but the psychosocial and environmental factors played a heavy part in how difficult things could become for me dealing with GAD.
Using the new approach, I have learned by speaking with a life coach, who is a nurse with many specialties, and also experienced in a holistic approach, and a breakdown of contributing factors helped me see areas of needed focus and learning to understand the why behind it through my own awareness and taking my own responsibility and applying my own action-steps to make the necessary changes to really self-govern. This has enabled me to be removed from anxiety medication completely, and be happier and really regain my life by feeling not only have I taken control, but I have the power within and I have learned techniques to see and understand triggers, and tools, tips and resources to prevent, prepare, and change the narrative for myself.
As I conclude that addressing GAD through the Biopyschosocial Model Approach is more complete, one of the great resources I have gained through this approach was Posturing Up, meaning choosing in the direction of my best self; daily! I get on the Posture Up call daily at 9am as my reminder to myself, which sets the tone for my day at any given time I can change it and I am the creator. I have deprogrammed old thinking, which gave me my control back. I am grateful!
Resource for any, not just myself, but ANY area of life for any individual wanting to live their best life is The Posture UP call, which is for men and women, and is daily at 9am (brief intro), and start 9:03a EST daily Monday through Sunday. The number to call-in is 605-468-8000, access code 600526# (press mute once connected). This is a great tool to use for any area as it has been highly beneficial to me in many areas.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2018, Accessed February 13, 2020. https://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/exploring-anxiety/content-section-1.1.3
Gruman, J.A., Schneider, F.W., & Coutts, L.M. (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Shift the pattern of how you think, which begins to shift it all
Your mindset has everything to do with how your day goes.
Hi. Thanks for your response and I too am happy to hear that you have done the same. Exercise is great too. I am restarting a regular routine next week. I had to regain my focus to begin the new semester. With everything prior, surgery, death, etc., and my GAD, I struggled and end up being suspended from school. I worked hard to develop a plan, especially working on me to get back in and finish what I started. I was exercise in the summer/fall and walking the nature trails at our community college grounds. I ended up to 5 miles and would have never believed I could do that and I did that in about hour and 45 minutes! When I started it wasn’t that, but I kept going and felt great and better each time. So glad to hear that is working for you. It is definitely very helpful.
I also understand what you pointed out and the why the Biomedical Model is often used first. I welcome you to try the call I put in blog. It is a free resource that is not just for GAD but for anybody, male or female. 🙂 Best of luck to you and have a great semester. 🙂
Depending on the type of practitioner a person sees for a mental illness truly depends on whether or not they are going to throw the biomedical approach to you or the biopsychosocial approach. I think many doctors like to originally start with the biomedical model because it seems to be the straightforward quicker version. In our textbooks it states that according to the biomedical model, it explains illness by examining a person’s biological functioning, processes and biochemical imbalances (Gruman, Schneider, & Coutts, 2017). I feel especially with generalized anxiety disorder because it is so common among the population, it is much easier for doctors to diagnose after isolating the problem and then treating with medication. They look at your history and instead of trying to get to the route of the problem and fixing it in other ways, correcting the chemical imbalances seems more important. I get that as well because I too suffer from GAD and have tried both approaches.
The biopsychosocial model at least is more of the “Open minded” approach. It incorporates the psychological and social factors with the biological as well (Gruman et al, 2017). It makes me so happy to hear you have regained your life trying a different approach other than the biomedical approach. I did the same thing. Going to therapy and exercising is something that I use to clear my mind and make me happier, along with medication. Taking control of your life is the best medicine, and it seems as though you have done that through your life coach and yourself.
Gruman, J.A., Schneider, F.W., & Coutts, L.M. (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.