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Page 28
Herbal Treatments for Stress
Anxiety
When the level of stress goes beyond the point of being a healthy stimulant and starts to adversely affect our health, it often takes the form of anxiety. It might surface as fear, apprehension, or a wide range of bodily symptoms. These are most prominent in the early stages of the illness and represent a reasonable reaction to the onset of illness and the related uncertainties.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is much more than the normal anxiety people experience day to day. It is chronic and exaggerated worry and tension, even though nothing seems to provoke it. Having this disorder means always anticipating disaster, often worrying excessively about health, money, family or work. Sometimes, though, the source of the worry is hard to pinpoint. Simply the thought of getting through the day might provoke anxiety. People with GAD can't seem to shake their concerns, even though they usually realize that their anxiety is more intense than the situation warrants. They also seem unable to relax and have trouble falling or staying asleep. Their worries are accompanied by any of the physical symptoms listed on the following pages.

 
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