General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) affects 4 to 5 million people in the United States alone and is one of the most debilitating forms of anxiety. It has been found that on the whole, women have a higher incidence of GAD than men.

The symptoms vary from one person to another, however there are several symptoms that are common to most people who suffer from GAD.

Chronic worrying

Worry is a natural feeling that everyone deals with occasionally, but people who suffer from GAD worry incessantly, often without a specific event or situation to trigger it. This worry can ultimately cause them to withdraw from social situations and make it difficult to perform their day-to-day activities.

People suffering from GAD often realize they are worrying unnecessarily, but they are unable to overcome it and move on.

Physical Symptoms

Physical symptoms of GAD can include things such as headaches, lightheadedness, nausea and stomach pain, elevated heartbeat, shortness of breath and a lack of concentration.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder can also lead to sleeping problems such as insomnia as well as depression.

Emotional Symptoms

People suffering from GAD often exhibit symptoms such as irritability, unexpected mood swings and constant feelings of tension and stress.

A person who is dealing with GAD can have unexpected panic attacks. Because they often worry about when the next one will come, it merely serves to contribute to their feelings of anxiety. This creates a vicious cycle which can be extremely difficult to overcome.

Because the problem can feed on itself, and continue to get more serious, medical attention should be sought as soon as possible. The sooner the problem can be diagnosed and treated, the less severe the side-effects may be, and conversely the longer it goes untreated, the worse it can become - ultimately leading to very serious problems and side effects.