What is Generalised Anxiety Disorder?

There are times when we can all feel anxious or worried about something. And this is a normal human reaction.

But sometimes I get a patient who comes to see me, who says that they have been feeling anxious for as long as they can remember. And it is often not about one thing - they feel anxious and worried about pretty much everything.

Now when these feelings of permanent anxiety occur, one of the possibilities that a doctor will explore is a condition known as Generalised Anxiety Disorder, or GAD. When a patient says that their feelings of anxiety are really very strong, that they feel anxious most days or even every day, then we might start to think about GAD.

But how can we be sure that’s what it is? Are there any other symptoms that might give us additional clues? Well, GAD can also be associated with dizziness, stomach upsets, and with muscle tension. So, combine all these symptoms together and it can end up causing the patient quite a lot of distress. 

GAD occurs most commonly in people in their 20’s, although it can occur at any age. And it does seem to affect women more than men. Overall if affects about 5% of the population, that’s 1 person in 20, so it’s quite common.

Can it be confused with other conditions? Well, things like a panic attack for example are really quite different – these are much more intense, and it wouldn’t last so long. And GAD is not the same as a phobia – because phobias normally involve fear of a specific object or a specific situation.

However one of the things that makes diagnosis a bit more complicated is that people with GAD are often experiencing other issues as well. So for example, these can include depression, maybe social phobia, or possibly post-traumatic stress. And for these reasons it isn’t always easy to recognise Generalised Anxiety Disorder.