Anxiety - Introduction

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe. Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety at some point in their life. For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam or having a medical test or job interview.

Feeling anxious is sometimes perfectly normal. However, people with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and often affect their daily life.

There are several conditions for which anxiety is the main symptom. Panic disorder, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder can all cause severe anxiety. These pages are about generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

GAD is a long-term condition which causes you to feel anxious about a wide range of situations and issues, rather than one specific event.

People with GAD feel anxious most days and often struggle to remember the last time they felt relaxed. GAD can cause both psychological (mental) and physical symptoms. These vary from person to person, but can include feeling irritable or worried and having trouble concentrating or sleeping.

How common is it?

GAD affects approximately 1 in 20 adults in Britain. Slightly more women are affected than men, and the disorder is most common in people in their 20s.

Outlook

GAD can significantly affect your daily life, making it difficult to perform everyday tasks. However, several different treatments are available to ease your psychological and physical symptoms.