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Generalised Anxiety Disorder

Understanding Generalised Anxiety Disorder

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a long-term condition associated with excessive worry, which can considerably impact a person’s personal life, family, and work.1,2

GAD Overview

GAD is a distressing condition associated with excessive worry. In adults, the excessive worry tends to be about everyday things. These worries often relate to responsibilities, finances, or health – whether their own health or that of a loved one.3 Children with GAD tend to worry about their competence or quality of their performance.3

 

GAD is different from normal worries in that the anxiety is greater, lasts longer, and is often not caused by one specific worry.3

Facts about GAD

GAD is a distressing condition associated with excessive worry, which can considerably impact a person’s personal life, family, and work. These worries often relate to responsibilities, finances, or health – whether their own health or that of a loved one.3

People with GAD experience feelings of worry most of the time which seem out of proportion when compared with the actual likelihood of something bad happening.3

Symptoms

GAD can affect people both mentally and physically.2 The person’s worries seem out of proportion when compared with the actual likelihood of something bad happening, yet they find it difficult to control their feelings.3 If one worry is resolved, the person is likely to shift to worrying about something else.1

 

In addition to excessive worry, people with GAD may have symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, feeling on edge, becoming tired more easily, and feeling irritable.2 People with the disorder may also experience physical symptoms such as sweating, nausea, and shortness of breath.2

 

The severity of symptoms varies across individuals. Some people may only have 1 or 2 symptoms while others have many more.2
 

5%

of the UK population is estimated to be affected by GAD.1

35-59 years

is the age range that GAD is more commonly found in.1

51%

of people globally with GAD for 12 months (n=2,883), reported severe disability that affected aspects of their home, work, relationship or social life.4


Epidemiology and burden

GAD is a common condition and in the UK it is estimated that 5% of people are affected by it.1 The disorder is found to affect women slightly more than men.1 Most people diagnosed with GAD are middle aged, but symptoms occur across a range of ages.1

 

A global study of 2,883 people with GAD found that 51% are severely disabled in some aspect of their home, work, relationship or social life.4 People with the disorder miss an average of 8 days of work or activities per year.5
 

Facts about GAD

GAD is slightly more common in women than in men.1

People with GAD miss an average of 8 days of work or activities per year because of their disorder.5

Diagnosis and Care

GAD can be difficult to diagnose as it is sometimes difficult to distinguish from other mental health conditions such as depression.6

 

Although GAD is a long-term condition, a number of different treatments may be offered to help improve symptoms such as talking therapies, relaxation therapies and medication alongside guided self-help.6
 

Charity Links

The work that UK charities undertake helps to provide patients with access to support, information and education.

  1. Generalised Anxiety Disorder Overview: NHS Guide. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/overview/ [Accessed March 2022]
  2. Generalised Anxiety Disorder Symptoms: NHS Guide. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/symptoms/ [Accessed March 2022]
  3. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013
  4. Ruscio et al. JAMA Psychiatry 2017;74(5):465-475.
  5. Alonso et al. Mol Psychiatry 2011;16(12):1234-1246.
  6. Generalised Anxiety Disorder Diagnosis: NHS Guide. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/diagnosis/ [Accessed March 2022]
  7. Generalised Anxiety Disorder Treatment: NHS Guide. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/treatment/ [Accessed March 2022]
     
Masashi Fujisawa, Living with Generalised Anxiety Disorder

I Could See, I Could Think, but I Couldn’t Move at All

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