Generalised anxiety disorder, often shortened to GAD, is about ongoing anxiety rather than occasional worry. Most people worry sometimes. With GAD, the worrying doesn’t really switch off.
It isn’t always tied to one specific thing. In fact, that’s often what confuses people. You can feel anxious even when nothing obvious is wrong. The anxiety moves from topic to topic, or just sits there in the background.
People with GAD are often described as “overthinkers”, but that doesn’t quite capture it. It’s more like the mind is always scanning. Looking for problems. Trying to stay ahead of anything that might go wrong.
That constant alertness is tiring.
The anxiety can be mental, physical, or both. Thoughts racing. Difficulty relaxing. A sense of unease that doesn’t have a clear source. In the body, it might show up as tension, restlessness, a tight chest, stomach issues, or feeling on edge most of the time.
Sleep is often affected. Either it’s hard to fall asleep because the mind won’t slow down, or sleep feels light and unrefreshing. Even after resting, the anxiety can still be there when you wake up.
Many people with GAD are very capable. They plan. They prepare. They often look organised or responsible from the outside. Inside, though, there can be a constant feeling of pressure, as if relaxing would mean letting something slip.
Because of that, GAD often goes unnoticed. Others may see someone who’s “just a worrier” or “a bit anxious”, without realising how much energy it takes to live like that.
A common misunderstanding is that people with GAD are worrying about nothing, or that they should just calm down. The anxiety isn’t chosen, and it isn’t easily turned off. Telling someone to relax usually makes them feel more frustrated, not better.
Another misconception is that anxiety always has a clear cause. With GAD, the feeling often comes first, and the mind looks for reasons afterwards.
People manage GAD in different ways. Some find it helpful to talk things through with others. Some use structured support like therapy. Others use a combination of approaches over time, depending on how intense things feel.
Professional support is often involved when anxiety is constant, starts affecting daily life, or feels unmanageable alone. Seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s often a practical response to a system that’s been under strain for a long time.
Many people live with GAD quietly. They cope, function, and keep going, while feeling anxious most of the time. Reading about it can help make sense of feelings that never seemed to have a clear explanation.
This kind of information doesn’t diagnose anything. It just describes a pattern that many people recognise themselves in, often long before they have words for it.
It isn’t always tied to one specific thing. In fact, that’s often what confuses people. You can feel anxious even when nothing obvious is wrong. The anxiety moves from topic to topic, or just sits there in the background.
People with GAD are often described as “overthinkers”, but that doesn’t quite capture it. It’s more like the mind is always scanning. Looking for problems. Trying to stay ahead of anything that might go wrong.
That constant alertness is tiring.
The anxiety can be mental, physical, or both. Thoughts racing. Difficulty relaxing. A sense of unease that doesn’t have a clear source. In the body, it might show up as tension, restlessness, a tight chest, stomach issues, or feeling on edge most of the time.
Sleep is often affected. Either it’s hard to fall asleep because the mind won’t slow down, or sleep feels light and unrefreshing. Even after resting, the anxiety can still be there when you wake up.
Many people with GAD are very capable. They plan. They prepare. They often look organised or responsible from the outside. Inside, though, there can be a constant feeling of pressure, as if relaxing would mean letting something slip.
Because of that, GAD often goes unnoticed. Others may see someone who’s “just a worrier” or “a bit anxious”, without realising how much energy it takes to live like that.
A common misunderstanding is that people with GAD are worrying about nothing, or that they should just calm down. The anxiety isn’t chosen, and it isn’t easily turned off. Telling someone to relax usually makes them feel more frustrated, not better.
Another misconception is that anxiety always has a clear cause. With GAD, the feeling often comes first, and the mind looks for reasons afterwards.
People manage GAD in different ways. Some find it helpful to talk things through with others. Some use structured support like therapy. Others use a combination of approaches over time, depending on how intense things feel.
Professional support is often involved when anxiety is constant, starts affecting daily life, or feels unmanageable alone. Seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s often a practical response to a system that’s been under strain for a long time.
Many people live with GAD quietly. They cope, function, and keep going, while feeling anxious most of the time. Reading about it can help make sense of feelings that never seemed to have a clear explanation.
This kind of information doesn’t diagnose anything. It just describes a pattern that many people recognise themselves in, often long before they have words for it.
