Symptoms

Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms can vary. They may include:

• Persistent worrying or anxiety about a number of areas that are out of proportion to the impact of the events
• Overthinking plans and solutions to all possible worst-case outcomes
• Perceiving situations and events as threatening, even when they aren't
• Difficulty handling uncertainty
• Indecisiveness and fear of making the wrong decision
• Inability to set aside or let go of a worry
• Inability to relax, feeling restless, and feeling keyed up or on edge
• Difficulty concentrating, or the feeling that your mind "goes blank"

Physical signs and symptoms may include:

• Fatigue
• Trouble sleeping
• Muscle tension or muscle aches
• Trembling, feeling twitchy
• Nervousness or being easily startled
• Sweating
• Nausea, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome
• Irritability

There may be times when your worries don't completely consume you, but you still feel anxious even when there's no apparent reason. For example, you may feel intense worry about your safety or that of your loved ones, or you may have a general sense that something bad is about to happen.

Your anxiety, worry or physical symptoms cause you significant distress in social, work or other areas of your life. Worries can shift from one concern to another and may change with time and age.

Symptoms in children and teenagers

Children and teenagers may have similar worries to adults, but also may have excessive worries about:

• Performance at school or sporting events
• Family members' safety
• Being on time (punctuality)
• Earthquakes, nuclear war or other catastrophic events

A child or teen with excessive worry may:

• Feel overly anxious to fit in
• Be a perfectionist
• Redo tasks because they aren't perfect the first time
• Spend excessive time doing homework
• Lack confidence
• Strive for approval
• Require a lot of reassurance about performance
• Have frequent stomachaches or other physical complaints
• Avoid going to school or avoid social situations

When to see a doctor

Some anxiety is normal, but see your doctor if:

• You feel like you're worrying too much, and it's interfering with your work, relationships or other parts of your life
• You feel depressed or irritable, have trouble with drinking or drugs, or you have other mental health concerns along with anxiety
• You have suicidal thoughts or behaviors — seek emergency treatment immediately

Your worries are unlikely to simply go away on their own, and they may actually get worse over time. Try to seek professional help before your anxiety becomes severe — it may be easier to treat early on.