What is a common symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

Persistent excessive worry is a hallmark symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Individuals with GAD find themselves overwhelmed by anxiety and worry that is difficult to control and is focused on multiple topics, such as health, work, social interactions, and other everyday concerns. This worry is often disproportionate to the actual situation and can be accompanied by physical symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances. The chronic nature of the worry differentiates GAD from anxiety disorders that might present with more situational triggers or acute episodes of anxiety, making excessive worry a key feature of GAD.

In contrast, experiencing a single panic attack is more indicative of panic disorder, while feelings of impending doom are often associated with panic attacks or other anxiety disorders but are not specific to GAD. Manic episodes are characteristic of bipolar disorder, not GAD.