What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
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Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a state of chronic, widespread anxiety about many possible life areas. These people just seem to be always worried about something. Unfortunately, only a third of them will recover without treatment. People with generalized anxiety worry not only about specific things but also as a general defense mechanism. These individuals have difficulty tolerating even small degrees of uncertainty and have a tendency to expect the worst case scenarios about future events that, in reality, are very unlikely.
The worry functions as a kind of safeguard against these events, giving people with this disorder a false sense of control and reducing their degree of perceived danger. This process is self-reinforcing because the predicted events rarely (if ever) pan out as badly as they believe, so the individuals do not have the opportunity to test their predictions. The act of worry, therefore, helps them avoid the discomfort of uncertainty.
Hiding in plain sight
Unless you are close with the person, Generalized Anxiety Disorder can be difficult to notice because, in contrast with other anxiety disorders, there is no single point of anxiety. However, the emotional state of worry does have a few unique outward signs. People may appear tense and can frighten easily. At work they may doze off in meetings and appear sluggish with puffy, tired eyes. They have difficulty concentrating and appear distracted because their minds are preoccupied with repeatedly playing out negative scenarios.
GAD is a significant cause of workplace disability, with over a third of people reporting at least 6 days of reduced functioning in a given month. The rates of impairment are matched only by those in Major Depressive Disorder and are exceeded only when both occur together (almost 50% of these people are impaired for at least 6 days a month).