22nd February 2024

Presentation

GAD presents with excessive anxiety, worry, and somatic symptoms. These symptoms can include shaking, dizzy spells, palpitations, and sweating. These symptoms must occur on more days than not, for at least a 6-month period, for a diagnosis of GAD. The worry can be about anything and everything. It is not fixated on a particular thing, as is the case in other anxiety disorders such as anxiety induced by a phobia (phobia disorder), by embarrassing social situations (social anxiety disorders), fear of having a serious illness (illness anxiety disorder), or excessive worry due to the presence of one or more physical symptoms (somatic symptoms disorder). 

Patients with GAD are known to frequent healthcare settings, more so than the rest of the population. Their somatic symptoms often distract the patient and clinicians from the underlying psychological cause. Depression is often co-morbid in patients with GAD. However, GAD can also occur without any other comorbid mood disorders. If GAD occurs in isolation, it is referred to as “pure” GAD.