Your general or family MD can also tell you what kind of exercise program is safe for you, given your age, physical condition, and medical history. Not everyone should be out doing intense aerobic exercise, and overly stressful sessions could leave some anxious people feeling worse. Before talking about what else you can do to treat your anxiety, it's important to make sure that you do not suffer from panic attacks, because these may be treated differently from generalized anxiety. Panic attacks are sudden, overwhelming episodes of terror, accompanied by bodily symptoms like racing heart, shaking, sweating, choking sensation or dizziness. They usually last five to 20 minutes, and may come out of the blue.
Generalized anxiety is usually less intense and more spread out over many hours during the day.
In GAD, the person often feels restless, keyed up, or irritable. Muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, and insomnia are also common. GAD may be treated with medication, various forms of relaxation therapy, or both. CBT also teaches the person new ways of coping with stress. In addition to seeking guidance from your family doctor, you may find it useful to consult with a clinical psychologist to learn more about your options.