Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a type of a long-term anxiety disorder in which a person worries excessively about a number of issues and situations rather than a specific one. A person suffering from GAD will feel anxious most of the time, has the tendency to catastrophize, feel continuously worried and on edge. The GAD-affected person might catastrophize or worry about day-to-day practical things and/or hypothetical scenarios (‘what if…’). For example, if their partner is not answering the phone, someone with GAD might think that their partner has been involved in an accident or has been severely harmed rather than any other likely scenario (e.g., was in a meeting, ran out of battery).
Another persistent characteristic of GAD is that worrisome thoughts never cease. As soon as a worry is resolved, another one pops u, leading to a never ending spiral of anxiety that slowly consumes the person’s life. Often a person with GAD might find it hard to identify why or what they are anxious about.
When to seek therapy for generalized anxiety disorder
If you suffer from generalised anxiety disorder, you are likely to experience some or most of the following symptoms:
GAD Physiological symptoms:
- Bladder urgency
- Blurred vision
- Breathlessness
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Irritable bowel
- Jelly legs
- Light headiness
- Muscle tension
- Nausea
- Palpitations
- Sleep difficulties
- Stomach churning
- Tension headaches
- Tunnel vision
GAD Psychological symptoms:
- A sense of dread
- Blank mind
- Depersonalisation
- Derealisation
- Dissociation
- Feeling on edge and tense
- Feeling numb
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Foggy thoughts
- Hallucination
- Intrusive, worrisome thoughts
- Irritability
- Racing thoughts
Therapy for GAD can help
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a type of a long-term anxiety disorder in which a person worries excessively & can become overwhelming. Dr Zach offers a wide range of therapies for GAD in his London clinic & online.