gad.about.comAn Overview of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

-- Menu Verywell Mind Share Flip Email Search Search Clear GO More in GAD Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Coping Nervous Breakdown Agoraphobia Existential Angst Light Therapy Caffeine Addiction 5-HTP Disorders Addiction ADHD Bipolar Disorder Depression Generalized Anxiety Disorder PTSD View All Self-Improvement Stress Management Happiness Meditation Brain Health Relationships Inspiration and Creativity View All Psychology Theories History and Biographies Student Resources Therapy Emotions Sleep and Dreaming View All About Us Editorial Policy Privacy Policy Contact Us Visit our other Verywell sites: Verywell Health Verywell Fit Verywell Family Ⓒ 2020 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved GAD Print By Deborah R. Glasofer, PhD twitter linkedin Deborah Glasofer, PhD is a professor of clinical psychology and practitioner of cognitive behavioral therapy. Learn about our editorial policy Deborah R. Glasofer, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on July 08, 2018 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on August 20, 2019 Generalized Anxiety Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes Treatment Living With In Children In This Article Table of Contents Expand Who Gets GAD Signs and Symptoms Diagnosis Causes and Risk Factors Treatment Coping In Children For Loved Ones View All Anxiety disorders are a class of mental disorders that distinguish themselves from other problems with two key features: fear and anxiety . Fear is an emotion experienced in response to an imminent threat (real or imagined). Anxiety, on the other hand, is an emotional state experienced in anticipation of a potential future threat.   Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)—despite its name—is a specific type of anxiety disorder. The hallmark feature of GAD is persistent, excessive, and intrusive worry.   Verywell / Cindy Chung Who Gets GAD Though the median age of onset is 30 years, later than that of other anxiety disorders, GAD can occur at any point in the life cycle.   Women are about twice as likely to develop GAD in their lifetime as men. GAD is among the three most common psychiatric problems in youngsters (alongside separation anxiety and social anxiety disorders). Early onset anxiety disorders can put children and teens at greater risk for a range of other psychological issues in adulthood.   However, early detection and intervention can result in significant or full remission of symptoms and may protect against the development of other problems later in life.   GAD is also the most commonly occurring anxiety disorder in older adults. New onset GAD in older adults is commonly related to co-occurring depression. In this age group, GAD has historically likely been underdiagnosed and undertreated for a number of reasons .   However, as the field of geriatric psychiatry grows, so too does research about GAD in older adults and its treatment (including ways to overcome typical barriers to mental health care).   Signs and Symptoms To meet formalized diagnostic criteria for GAD, excessive anxiety and worry must be present most of the day more days than not for at least six months.   Features of excessive worry include:   worry even when there is nothing wrong worry about a perceived threat in a manner that is disproportionate to the actual risk worrying about something for the majority of your waking hours asking others for reassurance about your specific concern, but continuing to worry anyways worry that shifts from one topic to another Worries may manifest differently in adults versus children , but in both cases, they tend to be about typical life circumstances or stressors (e.g. health issues, financial matters, starting a new school or job). For people with GAD, the worry is very difficult to control and is associated with multiple physical or cognitive symptoms such as:   restlessness or edginess fatigue poor concentration (sometimes with memory problems ) irritability (sometimes observable to others) muscle tension or soreness impaired sleep Many people with GAD also experience other uncomfortable markers of prolonged anxiety, including sweating, stomach upset, or migraine headaches. Symptoms Throughout Life People with GAD will often describe themselves as feeling anxious or on edge for most of their lives. The expression of symptoms appears consistent across age groups. However, the content of the worry does tend to change across the lifespan.   Younger individuals may worry more about school and performance,   while older people focus more on physical health, finances, and family’s well-being.   For those meeting the threshold of the formal diagnosis, symptoms tend to be chronic but wax and wane between full- and sub-threshold forms of the disorder across the lifespan.   Though remission rates are low overall, GAD symptoms are known to improve substantially when treated either with psychotherapy or medication. Treatment can provide the tools necessary to help individuals with GAD successfully navigate subsequent periods of high stress and transition. Diagnosis GAD can be challenging to accurately identify because anxiety is an emotional state that everyone experiences from time to time in response to the stresses of everyday life.   In fact, moderate anxiety can be quite helpful in a range of ways —for example, providing us with motivation to get things done or to respond to actual threats to our safety if they occur. The diagnosis of GAD occurs, however, when anxiety crosses a threshold of excessiveness and stays there for extended periods of time. The anxiety, worry, or other symptoms make it extremely challenging for an individual to fulfill responsibilities on a daily basis.   This can result in a strain in personal relationships or problems at work or school. GAD is typically diagnosed by a mental health professional or a physician. During an evaluation, the clinician will ask you about your symptoms and may use clinical judgment or standardized assessment tools to make a diagnosis. You may be asked to undergo or provide records from a physical exam by a medical doctor to ensure that physical and cognitive symptoms are unrelated to other medical problems.   Speaking openly with your provider is critical—it’s simply the best and fastest way to arrive at an appropriate treatment plan and get some relief from your symptoms. As part of a thorough evaluation, your clinician will ask a range of questions about symptoms or behaviors that may or may not apply to you. This might include questions about your mood, eating behavior, substance use, or history of trauma. Your answers will help your healthcare provider to rule out other psychiatric problems or decide that your symptoms are better explained by a different diagnosis. Generalized Anxiety Disorder Discussion Guide Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor's appointment. Download PDF Newly Diagnosed Receiving a diagnosis of GAD—or any psychiatric disorder—is an important step towards feeling better because diagnoses are used to guide treatment recommendations. Participate actively in a discussion with the diagnosing clinician to understand your treatment options and evaluate the best place to start.   If you are considering psychotherapy as a first-line treatment, educate yourself about evidence-based approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy   and acceptance and commitment therapy and about what you can (and cannot) expect from the talk therapy process overall. If you are interested in a trial of a medication to treat your GAD symptoms, talk with your prescriber to decide about the options. He or she will help you to evaluate the relative risks and benefits of taking a new medicine in light of your particular medical and psychiatric history.   Differential Di...