Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is diagnosed when someone has extreme, persistent worries that they can’t control and that don’t always have a distinct cause. According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, GAD affects up to 6.8 million people every year and women are twice as likely to be diagnosed.

While mild or moderate anxiety is part of everyday life and even tied to our prehistoric survival, GAD and other anxiety disorders are characterized by anxiety that doesn’t naturally ebb and flow; GAD anxiety is persistent and all-consuming. Symptoms might include feeling restless, fatigue, irritability, difficulty thinking, persistent and/or uncontrollable worry, increased heart rate, or sleep problems. 

Anxiety is a fluid concept and it can be hard to pinpoint a specific diagnosis because of the many conditions related to anxiety and, in many cases, the unknown specific causes. 

Risk Factors

Mild anxiety can be caused by anything that creates stress in your life, but the more serious GAD can be caused by any or all of the following:

• Trauma
• Illness-related stress 
• Triggered stresses and stress buildup 
• Personality and genetics
• Other mental health disorders
• Drugs or alcohol

This list is not exhaustive and in some cases, it can be hard to identify a specific cause of GAD. Very often, anxiety is related to other mental or physical illnesses. 

The Anxiety Family 

GAD is the most generalized form of anxiety, but there are many other kinds that might respond to specific triggers or treatments. Some examples include:

• Panic disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Social anxiety disorder 
• Separation anxiety disorder
• Other phobias

Anxiety also appears as a symptom for a wide range of other mental and even physical disorders, including:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Hyperthyroidism
• Respiratory disorders
• Drug or alcohol misuse or withdrawal
• Chronic pain or irritable bowel syndrome

In addition, anxiety is a possible side effect of numerous medications. 

Treatment

The intertwined nature of anxiety and disorders like GAD make them difficult to treat. It’s important to first understand the cause of the anxiety, if possible. Treating an underlying cause may help resolve the anxiety. 

If there’s no clear cause or the symptoms are unmanageable, then psychotherapy and/or medications are the next step.Therapeutic models like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help an individual discover new ways to think about and address their symptoms and the cause of anxiety, if identified. Medication, while not a long-term cure, can also help ease the symptoms of many anxiety disorders and allow counseling to have more of an impact. 

Do you think you might have anxiety? Take the anxiety assessment here.

Or visit the Mayo Clinic or the National Institute of Mental Health to learn more about anxiety disorders.