People with Generlized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) worry excessively and uncontrollably about daily life events and activities. They often experience uncomfortable physical symptoms, including fatigue and sore muscles, and they can also have trouble sleeping and concentrating. Show
What does “worry” look like?Worry involves thoughts about negative events that might happen in the future. It usually begins as a “what if” question:
What is “excessive and uncontrollable” worry?Obviously, everybody worries from time to time. This is normal. But worry becomes a problem when it happens almost every day, and becomes “excessive” and “uncontrollable”. What this means is that people with GAD worry too much, they worry more than others would, and they find it hard to stop worrying once they start. Some good questions to ask yourself if you think you might have GAD include:
What Do People with GAD Worry About?For the most part, people with GAD worry about the same things that others worry about, they just worry more and more often than other people. Some common GAD worries include: Worries about minor matters, such as punctuality and small decisions:
Worries about work or school, such as exams, performance at work or in class:
Worries about friends and family, such as relationships, getting along with others:
Worries about health, such as personal health or the health of loved ones:
Worries about the future and the world; such as the environment, war in the world
What Does GAD Feel Like in the Body?Although the main symptom of GAD is worry, most people first notice the discomfort they feel in their bodies, rather than the worrisome thoughts. In fact, many people with GAD will visit their family doctors because of their physical discomfort, and they often will not even mention that they worry excessively. Some of the physical feelings that worry can lead to are:
How Else Can I Know If I Might Have GAD?1. A common feature of GAD is that the worries often have a “chaining” effect, that is, one worry will lead to many others. For example, you might start off by thinking,
It’s easy to see how one worry, in this case about a work report, can lead to a chain of other worries that can last for hours. TIP: GAD worry can also be described as “scenario building”. That is, worry is often an attempt to try to think about every possible scenario in the future, and then trying to plan for it. For example: “What if I don’t have enough money to pay the bills? Well, I could probably borrow money from family or from the bank; but what if no one lends me the money? I might get another job; but what if I don’t find another job that pays more, etc. 2. Another way to recognize whether GAD may be a problem for you is to think about how long you have been worrying excessively. GAD is considered a chronic problem. That is, people with GAD have been feeling anxious and worrying excessively almost every day for at least 6 months. For the most part, people with GAD report either that they are “always worried” or that they “always worried after a stressful event”. TIP TO KEEP IN MIND: Remember that it is normal to worry more when there is a lot of stress in your life, or if you are experiencing some significant changes or difficulties. It is NOT GAD if you notice yourself only worrying when you are experiencing major stresses in your life. Although people with GAD will worry more at those times, they still worry even when everything is going OK. How Do People with GAD Act in Daily Life (Other than Worrying)?Perfectionism: Many adults with GAD are perfectionists. They can spend hours on a simple task, in an attempt to make sure that they have completed it perfectly. This might involve re-reading a school or work assignment repeatedly, or agonizing over small details at work or in the home (e.g. what kind of font to use in an e-mail, whether to try a new cleaning product at home). Intolerance of Uncertainty: People with GAD seem to be allergic to uncertainty. That is, they don’t like it when they are not 100% sure of themselves, others, their actions and decisions, or the future. Because of this, they will often engage in tiring and time-consuming behaviours designed to make them feel more certain, including:
My Anxiety Plan (MAPs)MAP is designed to provide adults struggling with anxiety with practical strategies and tools to manage anxiety. To find out more, visit our My Anxiety Plan website. Trina’s Story Donald’s Story Do I have GAD or just anxiety?When people experience normal anxiety, they tend to worry about things related to the anxiety-provoking situation or several other things that make them fearful. People with GAD tend to be described as "worrying about everything all the time.” If that describes you, it may be more than normal anxiety.
How do you test for generalized anxiety disorder?To help diagnose generalized anxiety disorder, your doctor or mental health professional may: Do a physical exam to look for signs that your anxiety might be linked to medications or an underlying medical condition. Order blood or urine tests or other tests, if a medical condition is suspected.
What generalized anxiety feels like?Generalized anxiety disorder is a condition of excessive worry about everyday issues and situations. It lasts longer than 6 months. In addition to feeling worried you may also feel restlessness, fatigue, trouble concentrating, irritability, increased muscle tension, and trouble sleeping.
Can you self diagnose generalized anxiety disorder?Mental health disorders can only be diagnosed by licensed health care professionals.
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