Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Persistent and excessive worry about many everyday things, lasting at least six months.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common anxiety disorders. It differs from normal worry in that the worry is constant, uncontrollable, and targets many different things simultaneously.
Symptoms
- Persistent, uncontrollable worry about many things
- Restlessness and tension
- Fatigue and exhaustion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Muscle tension and physical pain
- Sleep difficulties (difficulty falling asleep, waking up)
How does GAD differ from normal worry?
Normal worry targets concrete issues and subsides when the situation resolves. In GAD, worry is: - Disproportionate to the actual risk - Difficult to control - Continuous - one worry is replaced by another - Significantly burdensome in daily life
Treatment
- CBT has strong research evidence: identifying worries, building uncertainty tolerance, relaxation techniques
- Medication: a doctor assesses whether medication is needed
- Self-care: Regular exercise, mindfulness, adequate sleep
- Kela rehabilitative psychotherapy may be possible if the disorder threatens your ability to work or study and has been treated for at least 3 months