Is generalised anxiety disorder a “milder” form of anxiety?

No. GAD does not come with dramatic episodes (such as panic attacks), but its constant, exhausting nature often makes it just as disabling. Many patients with GAD function at half their capacity for years without realising it.

Can I have GAD and still function well?

Yes. Many people with GAD are high-functioning, sometimes even high-achieving, because the anxiety pushes them to be excessively prepared. The cost, however, is high: chronic exhaustion, sleep problems, difficulties in relationships, and a risk of burnout and depression.

My worries seem trivial. Is it worth seeing a doctor?

Yes. If your worries wear you out and spoil your sleep or your day, it is worth talking to a specialist, however small they may seem.

I've always been a worrier. Can anything still change?

Yes. Even if worry has been with you for a long time, it can become easier to carry. Your specialist works out with you what helps.

Generalised anxiety disorder

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What is generalised anxiety disorder

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterised by excessive, persistent, hard-to-control worry about health, family, finances, work or the future. Unlike other anxiety disorders, the anxiety in GAD is diffuse and almost constant, with no particular situation setting it off.

It affects about 3–5% of the population at some point in their life. It is twice as common in women as in men and usually appears gradually, often around the age of 30–40.

How to recognise GAD

The key feature: you worry far more than the situation calls for, about too many things, too often. And these thoughts are hard, or even impossible, to stop.

Thoughts

you imagine the worst-case scenarios and prepare yourself mentally for them
you wake up at night with your thoughts racing and cannot get back to sleep
you worry about things that have not happened yet and might never happen
you worry that you worry too much
you feel that if you are not constantly vigilant, something bad will happen
even small decisions exhaust you mentally

In the body

constant muscle tension (shoulders, neck, jaw)
unexplained tiredness
recurrent headaches
a feeling of a “lump in the throat” or “tightness in the chest”
a “nervous stomach”, nausea, bowel problems
excessive sweating, especially under stress
a feeling of physical restlessness, as if you cannot sit still

In daily life

sleep problems: difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, unrefreshing sleep
difficulty concentrating
irritability
avoiding decisions
the need to keep everything under control, including what is not up to you

How GAD differs from everyday worry

Many people are anxious by nature. The difference that matters for diagnosis:

Natural anxiety	GAD
Appears in specific situations	Is almost permanent
Calms down when the situation is resolved	Continues even after situations are resolved
You can put it aside temporarily	You cannot stop it through willpower
Does not affect your sleep or health	Exhausts you physically and mentally
Helps you prepare	Paralyses you

For a diagnosis of GAD, the symptoms must be present for at least 6 months and affect everyday life.

When to see a specialist

A psychiatric assessment is worthwhile if:

for more than 6 months, you have been worrying far more than the situation calls for
your thoughts do not stop, especially at night
you feel exhausted, or have physical pain or tension, without a clear medical cause
you have difficulty concentrating or remembering things
your sleep is constantly disturbed
you have started to avoid decisions or responsibilities
you have turned to alcohol, sleeping pills or other substances to calm yourself down

With a specialist’s support, worry can return to a level that lets you live calmly.

The first step

If you recognise yourself in what you’ve read, book a conversation with one of our specialists. Together, we’ll look at what’s going on and what your options are.

Services: Psychiatry · Psychotherapy
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This information is for educational purposes and does not replace a specialist consultation.