Generalized Anxiety Disorder

About Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive, hard to control worry about a range of everyday matters, such as work, health, family or finances, occurring on more days than not for at least six months under DSM-5 criteria. The worry is out of proportion to the actual likelihood or impact of the feared events. Associated symptoms include restlessness or feeling on edge, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and disturbed sleep. It is one of the more common anxiety disorders, is diagnosed more often in women, and frequently co occurs with depression and other anxiety disorders. Unlike panic disorder, the anxiety in GAD is chronic and pervasive rather than occurring in discrete attacks. Cognitive behavioral therapy has strong evidence and helps people identify worry patterns, tolerate uncertainty and reduce avoidance. Medications used in treatment include SSRIs and SNRIs, buspirone and pregabalin, and antidepressants usually take several weeks to reach full effect. Benzodiazepines can relieve anxiety quickly but carry risks of tolerance, dependence and withdrawal, which limits their long term role. Lifestyle factors such as physical activity, sleep and caffeine intake are also studied in relation to anxiety symptoms.