Understanding Generalized Anxiety Disorder — Symptoms
What Are the Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder ?
The hallmark of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is excessive, out-of-control worrying about everyday things. Symptoms include:
- Persistent fear, sometimes without any obvious cause, that is present everyday
- Inability to concentrate
- Muscle tension; muscle aches
- Eating too little or too much
- Insomnia or other sleep problems
- Irritability
- Being easily fatigued
For school-age children, symptoms include:
- Fear of being away from the family
- Refusal to go to school
- Fear of strangers
- Fear of falling asleep or having recurrent nightmares
- Unnecessary worry
See Your Doctor About Anxiety If:
- Your anxiety seems irrational or more extreme than the situation warrants.
- Your anxiety interferes with work or your social life.
- Low-level anxiety persists for many weeks.
- Your symptoms suddenly become severe or uncontrollable. You may be experiencing a panic attack.
- Anxiety is accompanied by weight loss and bulging of the eyes; you may have a thyroid problem.