Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) involves chronic anxiety lasting at least six months, without panic attacks, phobias, or obsessions. It features persistent worry about multiple life issues (e.g., finances, relationships, health) on most days.
Symptoms include tension, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tightness, and sleep problems.
GAD can cause significant distress and impair daily functioning. Physical symptoms like tension headaches, IBS, high blood pressure, and insomnia are common.
It can develop at any age, with children often worrying about school performance and adults about various issues. The disorder is thought to stem from a mix of genetic, neurobiological, and childhood experiences.
-In any given week in England, 6 in 100 people will be diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (Mind)
-In the UK, over 8 million people are experiencing an anxiety disorder at any one time (Mental Health UK)
-Less than 50% of people with generalised anxiety disorder access treatment (Mental Health Foundation)
-An estimated 822,000 workers are affected by work-related stress, depression or anxiety every year (Health and Safety Executive)
Source:The anxiety &Phobia Workbook-Edmund J. Bourne.
Picture by Klara Kulikova on Unsplash
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