Everyone feels anxious. Anxiety is the body's natural response to stress or danger, and in small doses can be useful, sharpening your focus before something important. However, anxiety becomes a problem when the worry is constant, hard to control, and starts to affect your sleep, your work, and/or how you feel from day to day.
If that sounds familiar, you don't have to decide for yourself whether it is "serious enough" to see someone. You can speak to a Healthway Medical GP about how you have been feeling, even if you are not sure it is anxiety. Your doctor can help you understand what may be going on and talk through what could help.
What is generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)?
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) involves persistent, excessive worry about different parts of everyday life. Someone with GAD might lie awake running through everything that could go wrong tomorrow, feel on edge without knowing why, and find that as soon as one worry settles, another takes its place. The worry can be difficult to control and may interfere with work, relationships, sleep and/or other daily activities.
GAD is a type of anxiety disorder. Other anxiety disorders include panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and phobias. These conditions can share some symptoms. A doctor can help establish what is behind your symptoms and recommend suitable care.
What are the symptoms of GAD?
GAD can affect both your thoughts and your body. The signs of anxiety are not always obvious, and physical symptoms may be the first thing you notice.
How it may feel:
- Worry that is hard to control
- Feeling restless, or on edge
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Feeling tired easily1
How it may show up physically:
- a racing or pounding heart,
- chest tightness,
- repeated dizziness,
- repeated headaches,
- repeated stomach discomfort / bloatedness, and
- muscle tension
These symptoms may overlap with several other conditions, so they do not definitely mean you have GAD on their own.
How is GAD diagnosed?
There is no blood test or scan that can diagnose GAD. Your GP will ask about your symptoms, how long you have had them and how they are affecting your life. They may use a questionnaire, such as the GAD-7, to help with the assessment. A questionnaire can help describe your symptoms, but it does not establish a diagnosis on its own2. Depending on your symptoms, they may also recommend tests to check for other possible medical causes, such as a thyroid problem.
Getting help with GAD
An anxiety disorder is a recognised medical condition, not something you should have to push through alone. If you think you may have GAD, a GP can help you understand your symptoms and determine the care you need. The team at our Mental Health GP Partnership clinics accredited for CDMP-MI can also check whether CHAS subsidies or MediSave may help with eligible treatment.
What is CDMP-MI?
The Chronic Disease Management Programme for Mental Illnesses (CDMP-MI) covers outpatient treatment for anxiety disorders and certain other mental health conditions, including major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Eligible Singaporeans can receive CHAS subsidies at clinics accredited for CDMP-MI under the Mental Health GP Partnership. MediSave may also help pay for eligible treatment, up to the applicable withdrawal limits3.
Here’s how to get started and what to expect along the way:
Step 1 — Book a GP appointment
You do not need a referral or an existing diagnosis to begin. Contact one of the participating clinics listed below and let the team know you would like to speak to a GP about anxiety. They can advise you on booking your appointment. Bring along your NRIC, and your CHAS, Pioneer Generation or Merdeka Generation card if you have one.
Step 2 — Get assessed
Your GP will ask about your symptoms and how they are affecting your life, sometimes using a short questionnaire such as the GAD-7. Most people with GAD are diagnosed when they have symptoms for more than 6 months. You can still seek help sooner if the symptoms are affecting you. Your GP can then explain what they think may be going on and talk through what could help. If more information is needed before making a diagnosis, the next steps will be discussed with you1.
Step 3 — Discuss your care and costs
Your GP will talk through suitable treatment options with you. If your diagnosis and treatment meet CDMP-MI requirements, the clinic can check your CHAS subsidy and how much MediSave you may use. The annual MediSave limit is generally $500, or $700 for qualifying complex CDMP care. A 15% cash co-payment usually applies to MediSave claims; it is waived for eligible CDMP treatment at your enrolled Healthier SG clinic, up to the applicable withdrawal limit4.
Step 4 — Continue care and review
Care for anxiety is usually continuous. Your GP will be able to review your response to treatment and adjust your care plan. If you need more support, such as talk therapy or specialist care, your GP can discuss a suitable referral to clinics like Nobel Psychological Wellness Centre.
Treatment for GAD
Talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), helps you recognise patterns of thinking that may sustain worry, and teaches you techniques to manage them5. Medication may also be an option, either on its own or alongside therapy. Your doctor can discuss what is suitable for you. A regular sleep routine, physical activity, reducing caffeine and alcohol, and managing everyday stress may complement treatment.
Take the first step
If worry has been weighing on you, it is not something you have to endure alone. Speak to a Healthway Medical GP about how you have been feeling and take the first step toward care and support.
Our participating Healthway Medical Mental Health GP Partner clinics include:
- Healthway Medical (Sunshine Place)
- Healthway Medical (Bukit Batok West)
- Healthway Medical (Fajar)
- Healthway Medical (Novena Medical Centre)
Frequently Asked Questions About Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Worry can be a normal response to life’s stresses. If it feels hard to control or begins to affect your sleep, work or daily life, it is worth speaking to a doctor. They can help assess whether it may be a natural reaction to stress, an anxiety disorder or another medical condition.
Yes. Under the national Mental Health GP Partnership, GPs are trained to assess, diagnose and manage mild to moderate anxiety, and can refer you to a counsellor or specialist if more support is needed6.
Anxiety disorders, including GAD, are covered under CDMP-MI. If your diagnosis and treatment qualify, CHAS subsidies may reduce the bill at a participating Mental Health GP Partnership clinic. Singapore Citizens can qualify for CHAS regardless of income, although the subsidy amount depends on their card tier. MediSave may help pay eligible remaining costs, up to the applicable withdrawal limit. The clinic can check what applies after your GP assessment3 4.
Treatment for anxiety varies from person to person. Some treatments take time to work, and your progress will depend on your circumstances and care plan. Your doctor will review your progress and adjust your care as needed.
References
- National University Hospital, Anxiety Disorders (symptoms). https://www.nuh.com.sg/health-resources/diseases-and-conditions/anxiety-disorders
- Singapore General Hospital, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (diagnosis). https://www.sgh.com.sg/patient-care/conditions-treatments/generalised-anxiety-disorder
- Ministry of Health, Mental Health Services (For the public). https://www.moh.gov.sg/seeking-healthcare/find-a-facility-or-service/mental-health-services/for-the-public/
- Ministry of Health, MediSave for the Chronic Disease Management Programme; and Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). https://hpp.moh.gov.sg/guidelines/medisave-for-chronic-disease-management-programme/ and https://www.chas.gov.sg
- Singapore General Hospital, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (treatment). https://www.sgh.com.sg/our-specialties/psychiatry/generalised-anxiety-disorder
- Agency for Integrated Care, Mental Health GP Partnership. https://www.aic.sg/Care-Services/Mental-Health-GP-Partnership-Polyclinic
