Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a long-term condition that makes you feel anxious about a wide range of things, rather than one specific event. People with GAD feel anxious most days and often struggle to remember the last time they felt relaxed. The NHS estimates it affects up to 5 in 100 people in the UK.

Signs and symptoms

How you might feel:

• worried or uneasy most of the time
• unable to stop or control your worries
• restless, on edge or irritable
• finding it hard to concentrate
• expecting the worst to happen

Physical symptoms:

• a fast or pounding heartbeat
• muscle tension and aches
• headaches
• feeling sick or an upset stomach
• trouble sleeping
• tiredness and dizziness

Some people also have panic attacks: sudden, intense feelings of fear with physical symptoms such as a racing heart, shaking and breathlessness.

What causes GAD?

The exact cause is not known. It is likely to be a mix of things, such as:

• stressful or traumatic experiences, now or in the past
• long-term health conditions or pain
• genes and family history
• differences in brain chemicals that control mood
• using alcohol or drugs

Getting diagnosed

A GP will ask about your worries, how long you have had them and how they affect your life. They may use a short questionnaire called GAD-7. They may also check for physical causes, such as an overactive thyroid.

Getting help

In England you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP. See GAD treatment.