What Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Virtually everyone experiences anxiety symptoms, at least occasionally. But when these symptoms get in the way of everyday life and are out of proportion with the circumstances that they’re responding to, this could be indicative of an anxiety disorder such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).  

Here, we’ll focus on GAD, outlining the symptoms and rates of this condition as well as the most effective treatment options for those suffering from GAD. 

Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

The symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder can encompass a wide range of experiences we associate with anxiety, including the following mental and emotional symptoms:¹

• Excessive worrying about various topics
• Having trouble concentrating on tasks
• Constantly considering worst-case scenarios and attempting to plan for them
• Feeling nervous about situations regardless of how risky they are
• Struggling with uncertainty
• Indecisiveness caused by a fear of choosing incorrectly

Generalized anxiety disorder’s physical symptoms can also be debilitating at times, and can include:² 

• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Insomnia
• Shaking
• Sweating
• Feeling lightheaded or breathless
• Muscle tension and aching
• Digestive symptoms such as nausea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

How Does Generalized Anxiety Disorder Affect Daily Life?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “GAD can make daily life feel like a constant state of worry, fear, and dread,” causing those who have it to worry excessively about even everyday issues related to their health, family, money, school, or work, among other areas.³ These anxiety symptoms can be persistent and debilitating for months or even years at a time. 

What is the Difference Between Anxiety and Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

While having occasional anxiety is normal and extremely common, your symptoms might warrant a generalized anxiety disorder diagnosis if your worry gets in the way of your daily functioning.⁴  

In particular, if your anxiety is noticeably more severe than that of most people around you, you may have GAD. If your anxiety is disproportionate as a response to the circumstances in which it occurs, is triggered by a wide range of issues/experiences, and is completely uncontrollable even with coping techniques, you may also have GAD rather than run-of-the-mill anxiety.⁵ 

How Common is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

It is estimated that approximately 1 in 6 adults in the United States experience GAD at some point in their lives. In addition, at any given time, an estimated 2.7 percent of U.S. adults have had GAD in the preceding year.⁶ 

Rates of GAD also vary significantly by gender: the condition occurs in about twice as many women as men. Among adults living in the U.S., 3.4 percent of women and 1.9 percent of men were estimated to have had GAD in the preceding year.⁷ For this reason, experts from the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) recommend that women and girls above the age of 12 be screened for anxiety disorders on a routine basis.⁸ 

Treatment Options for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Treatments for generalized anxiety disorder can include various types of psychotherapy as well as several medication options.  

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for generalized anxiety disorder has been shown to be more effective, in some cases, than pharmaceutical treatment.⁹ CBT teaches you to reframe situations in new ways and helps you react differently to reduce anxiety and worry.¹⁰ 

Another form of therapy for GAD is acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which has less data backing it than CBT, but has also shown promising results in studies.¹¹ ACT focuses on mindfulness and goal setting as a strategy for managing anxious thought patterns.¹² 

Possible medications for generalized anxiety disorders include antidepressants such as SSRIs and SNRIs as well as anxiety-specific medications such as benzodiazepines and buspirone.¹³ A qualified medical professional can typically help determine which of these medications, if any, may be suitable for your situation. 

For those based in Florida and in need of services such as psychiatric evaluation, psychotherapy, and medication management to treat GAD, contact Inlight Psychiatry and Therapy today.