One of the most common anxiety disorders that afflict many people today is a general anxiety disorder. Symptoms of anxiety disorders may have a rapid onset or may appear gradually over many years, inhibiting a person from conducting normal daily activities. Anxiety disorder is a term that is used to describe a variety of conditions; such as fear, phobias, abnormal or pathological anxiety, or nervous conditions.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is typically identified by consistent and uncontrollable concern over simple problems that can affect their daily life or even cause physical symptoms. GAD does not present itself like other anxiety disorders and have extreme symptoms such as unprovoked panic attacks, and can be difficult to diagnose. Generalized Anxiety Disorder must show almost daily symptoms for long periods of time, at least six months, before it is able to be diagnosed properly.
Below is a list of Generalized Anxiety Disorder symptoms, a person with GAD must frequently experience at least three of the following symptoms and at least one is required for children:
- Uncontrollable worry or anxiety over daily activities that lasts for a minimum of six months
- Inability to relive or lessen the worry or concern
- Unexplained irritability
- Difficulty concentrating or focusing
- Feeling tense or a feeling of restlessness
- Having trouble falling or staying asleep
- Finding it difficult to swallow
- Unexplained sweating or trembling
- Feeling light-headed or nauseous
- Easily fatigued
- Becoming out of breath for no reason
- Experiencing muscle tightness or aches
People who suffer from GAD do not focus on typical issues of anxiety such as weight gain, the fear of contamination, having a panic attack, public embarrassment, or experiencing a serious illness or physical complaints and does not occur during or after traumatic situations.
When GAD sufferers have high levels of anxiety, they are unable to perform the simplest of daily activities, but if anxiety levels are low, many can still function normally in their jobs and society. This condition can present itself at any age, but is most likely to occur between childhood and middle age. If you have generalized anxiety disorder symptoms it’s important you do something about it to stop it affecting your life.
