🧠 Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): What It Feels Like & What Actually Works

Let’s be honest — anxiety isn’t “just stress.”

It’s the buzzing in your brain at 2 a.m., the shoulder tension that never quits, the constant “what if” playlist looping in the background.

And baddie, you’re not broken — you’re human.

At Serene Restoration TLH, we treat anxiety like the real clinical condition it is — using DSM-5 criteria, modern evidence, and concierge-style care that gives you the space (and time) you deserve. ✨

📋 DSM-5 Criteria for GAD (The Real Deal, No Fluff)

According to the DSM-5-TR, Generalized Anxiety Disorder is defined by:

• Excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for ≥ 6 months about multiple areas of life (work, school, health, family, finances).

• Difficulty controlling the worry.

• Three or more of these symptoms:

  
  

  • Restlessness or feeling keyed up/on edge

  • Fatigue

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Irritability

  • Muscle tension

  • Sleep disturbance

  
  

• Clinically significant distress or impairment in daily functioning.

• Not due to substances, medical illness, or another mental disorder.

  
  

👉 Quick self-check: Take the GAD-7 screener. A score ≥ 10 often signals clinically significant anxiety and is a great reason to reach out for a professional evaluation.

💪 Evidence-Based Treatments That

Actually Help

We combine science 🧠 and soul ✨. Here’s what works best:

🧘‍♀️ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Gold-standard therapy that helps you break worry loops, face fears, and retrain your brain. Can be paired with mindfulness and relaxation techniques.

💊 First-Line Medications

SSRIs (like escitalopram, sertraline) and SNRIs (like venlafaxine XR, duloxetine) are top picks. Buspirone can be a great non-sedating option. Hydroxyzine can help short-term.

👉 Benzodiazepines are not first-line for GAD — they’re best reserved for short, carefully managed use if at all.

🌿 Lifestyle & Mind-Body Add-Ons

• Regular movement (even daily walks) = clinically proven anxiety reduction.

• Yoga, tai chi, or qigong = ✨ chef’s kiss for calming the nervous system.

• Sleep hygiene = critical for breaking the anxiety–insomnia loop.

  
  

🫶 What GAD Care Looks Like at Serene Restoration TLH

Forget rushed 15-minute visits. Here, you get:

• A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation using DSM-5 criteria and the GAD-7

• A collaborative treatment plan tailored to you

• Measurement-based care so we can track progress clearly

• Mind-body lifestyle supports that fit your real life

• A space where you’re heard, not hurried

We blend evidence-based medicine with the warmth of concierge care — because your mental health deserves that level of luxury. 💅

📞 When to Call in the Pros

Consider reaching out if:

• Your worry feels constant or overwhelming for ≥ 6 months

• You can’t “shut it off” and it’s impacting sleep, work, or relationships

• You’re avoiding important parts of life because of anxiety

• Your GAD-7 score is ≥ 10

You deserve real help, not “just relax” advice.

🌐 Ready to Heal? Here’s How to Start

👉 Book a consult — same-week availability across Florida (in-person Tallahassee or telehealth).

👉 Bring your current meds/supplements and any previous evaluations.

👉 Leave with a clear plan, practical skills, and real hope.

✨ Serene Restoration TLH — Concierge Psychiatry📍 Tallahassee

🌐 serenerestorationtlh.com 

📞 404-606-0617

In crisis? Call or text 988 (U.S.) or 911 for emergencies.