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Step 1
Go public about the presence of general anxiety disorder in your own life or the life of a loved one. People who overcome the initial stigma and sense of shame about being afflicted with such a disorder often find that they can become especially effective at promoting awareness of the disorder.
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Step 2
Work with your local library or bookseller to create a special table or bibliography of current titles on general anxiety disorder. Ask them to give it prominent placement to help provide answers to those who may be suffering from general anxiety disorder and to help educate the general public about it.
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Step 3
Speak up about general anxiety disorder with professionals who may face the illness in the work, such as teachers, police officers and health care professionals, in order to raise awareness and sensitivity.
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Step 4
Contact the Anxiety Disorders Association of America to become an informed member and participate in the association's campaigns to build public awareness about general anxiety disorder (see Resources below).
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Step 5
Subscribe online to the ADAA newsletter to educate yourself about general anxiety disorder and keep up to date with research on this disorder. Although there is no single genetic test to identify causes of and tendencies toward general anxiety disorder, research is ongoing in the quest for such a test.
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Step 6
Deliver the clear message whenever possible that general anxiety disorder is a real and very serious illness that can be treated with positive results.
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Step 7
Donate to ADAA's efforts to support research about general anxiety disorders and the options available for treating them.
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Step 8
Order a supply of blue "Triumph" wristbands from the ADAA website so that you can wear them and provide them to others to help raise awareness about general anxiety disorder and to remove any stigma about discussing it.
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Step 9
Use your "Triumph" wristband as a conversation starter to multiply the number of people you speak to about general anxiety disorder.
