It’s perfectly normal to worry from time to time, but if this worry becomes so frequent or so severe that it interferes with your life, it cross the line into the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). For instance, if you tend to obsess over things that will almost certainly never happen, then it is entirely possible that your symptoms could be those of GAD and knowing what these symptoms are could help you to find treatment.
There are three different kinds of GAD symptoms: behavioral, emotional and physical. However, the overarching characteristics of generalized anxiety disorder are worry, fear and anxiety.
The emotional symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include constant worry and a frequent, even constant sense of dread. There may also be anxious thoughts which you can’t seem to banish no matter how you try. You might try to cope by trying to take control over every aspect of your life that you can and find any kind of uncertainty makes you even more anxious, although there is often a nagging sense of helplessness.
Physically, the symptoms of GAD include feeling edgy and nervous as well as muscle tension. You may experience difficulty sleeping, digestive trouble including diarrhea, nausea, a persistent upset stomach or heartburn. You might also find yourself experiencing muscle aches and pains as a result of being in a constant state of physical tension.
The most common behavioral system of any kind of generalized anxiety disorder is restlessness and an inability to relax. You may be unable to tolerate silence or being alone; focusing or concentrating on anything might also be difficult if you’re suffering from GAD. We all procrastinate sometimes, but people who are coping with generalized anxiety disorder tend to do it far more often because they often feel overwhelmed and may procrastinate or otherwise avoid places and things that could worsen their anxiety.
The symptoms of GAD are different in children. Adults deal with anxiety in one way, but children cope with generalized anxiety in a different way; children don’t usually understand that their anxiety is something they should be concerned about. In fact, they often simply assume that others feel the same way that they do, which is why it’s important for adults to watch children closely and to take action if their child’s anxiety is becoming a problem. Signs of generalized anxiety disorder in children include excessive worry, perfectionism and anxiety about being accepted by their peers as well as constant efforts to gain the approval of others.
