Generalised anxiety disorder makes you feel anxious about a wide range of situations and issues, rather than about a specific event.
People with generalised anxiety disorder worry unrealistically about everyday situations such as:
- school
- work
- relationships
- health
You may have generalised anxiety disorder if:
- worrying significantly affects your daily life, including your job and social life
- your worries are very stressful and upsetting
- you worry about all sorts of things and often think the worst
- your worrying is uncontrollable
- you've felt worried almost every day for at least 6 months
- you often ask unnecessary questions and need constant reassurance
- you're a perfectionist - for example, you take a long time to complete a task because you try to get it absolutely correct
People with generalised anxiety disorder feel anxious most days. You may struggle to remember the last time you felt relaxed.
Generalised anxiety disorder can affect your physical and mental health.
The severity of the symptoms is different from person to person.
Non-urgent advice: Talk to your GP if anxiety is:
- affecting your daily life
- causing you distress
Psychological symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder
Generalised anxiety disorder can cause a change in your behaviour and the way you think and feel about things.
This can cause symptoms such as:
- restlessness
- a sense of dread
- feeling on edge
- difficulty concentrating
- irritability
- muscle tension
- disturbed sleep
- racing thoughts
- feeling overwhelmed
- feeling detached from reality
You may withdraw from social contact to avoid feelings of worry and dread.
You may find going to work difficult and stressful. You may take time off sick. This can make you worry more and impact your self-esteem.
A sign of generalised anxiety disorder is having anxiety or worrying more than you need to - most days for at least 6 months.
This worry can be about a number of events or activities, such as work or school performance.
When to get help for generalised anxiety disorder
Feelings of anxiety at certain times are completely normal. It's important to talk to your GP if anxiety is affecting your daily life.
Your GP will ask about your symptoms and your worries, fears and emotions. This will help them to decide if you might have generalised anxiety disorder.
Physical symptoms
The physical symptoms you may have with generalised anxiety disorder include:
- dizziness
- tiredness
- a strong, fast or irregular heartbeat
- muscle aches and tension
- trembling or shaking
- a dry mouth
- excessive sweating
- shortness of breath
- tummy ache
- feeling sick
- a headache
- pins and needles
- difficulty falling or staying asleep
- grinding your teeth
Anxiety triggers
If you have generalised anxiety disorder, it may not always be clear what you're feeling anxious about.
Not knowing what triggers (sets off) your anxiety can make it feel worse. You may start to worry that there's no solution.
Sometimes anxiety is part of:
- panic disorder
- a specific phobia
If it is you'll usually know what the cause is.
Causes of generalised anxiety disorder
Many people develop generalised anxiety disorder for no obvious reason. But there are a few things that can play a role in causing generalised anxiety disorder.
They include:
- overactivity in areas of the brain linked to emotions and behaviour
- the genes you inherit from your parents
- a history of stressful or traumatic experiences, such as domestic violence and abuse
- a long-term health condition or living with pain
- a history of drug or alcohol use
- loneliness, social isolation or living alone
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE