Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by feelings of just not doing well. People who experience this disorder can’t really put their finger on what is wrong, but they know that something is. Sometimes they attribute the feeling to something they are doing at the time, such as taking a stressful class or preparing for an exam.

If the discomfort is tied to a specific event, however, the anxiety should improve once that event has passed.

It’s not surprising that more individuals are struggling with feelings of anxiety or even depression. It seems that our world is going to explode with all the natural disasters and bad things that occur each day.

I don’t know if there is more evil and uncertainty in the world today than there ever has been, but we certainly have the technology today to bring those things up close and personal all the time.

A century ago, we had to wait to read about a tragic event in a newspaper. Reading about it may have shocked us or made us feel sad, but we were removed from the event.

Later, we could hear about things on the radio (and even later, on T.V.), but the images and messages were carefully sanitized so as to be more appropriate for general consumption.

By the late twentieth century, we received an overload of information from T.V., on our computers, and on our cell phones.

Now, we can receive instant, up-to-the-minute, unfiltered accounts directly to our cell phones.

As the filters have come down, anxiety, for some, has gone up.

Anxiety is a real phenomenon, and it can affect how you feel and how healthy you are. We in Student Support Services want you to know that if you feel anxious, or if you have other issues that are negatively affecting your life, you can talk to us about what is going on.

We house licensed counselors who can work with you to help you find solutions and feel better.

At times, anxiety disorders can limit people’s abilities to function well both in the classroom and in everyday life.

If you have been diagnosed with anxiety that interferes with your personal or academic progress, speak with the assistant director of Disability Services who is also housed in Student Support Services.

As always, our services are free and confidential, so come by and see us.

—Mary Turner
Learning Support Specialist