According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders affect about 40 million American adults. These disorders are different than anxiety caused by a stressful event. People who have an anxiety disorder are filled with fearfulness, uncertainty and worry on most days for more than six months. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most common form.

In addition to emotional issues, GAD can cause physical symptoms such as gastrointestinal complaints, headaches and nausea. The anxiety can become all-consuming and interfere with a person’s quality of life. Treatment often includes a combination of behavioral therapy and prescription medications such as benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Ativan) or antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor); however, these drugs have side effects such as dependency, insomnia, weight gain and reduced libido.

Researchers from the University of Georgia wanted to see if exercise therapy could reduce symptoms of worry in patients diagnosed with GAD. The study featured 30 sedentary women age 18 to 37 who were divided into either a group that did lower-body weight lifting or a group that did cycling. Each group exercised twice a week.

After six weeks, the researchers found that the weight-lifting group had 60 percent fewer set backs that required medication and the cycling group had a 40 percent reduction in the number of setbacks. The findings were published in the February 2012 issue of the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.

The researchers conclude that exercise, in particular resistance-exercise training, may be an effective short-term treatment for GAD or a long-term complimentary therapy along with drug treatment. Please note: never discontinue a prescription medication without first consulting with the doctor who prescribed it. 

For more information on anxiety disorders, click here.