Diagnostic Criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Your anxiety may cause physical symptoms such as muscle tension, restlessness, irritability, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. You may even experience chest pain or discomfort, abdominal pain, and other body aches and pains that have no relation to any discernable illness or medical condition. In fact, the discomfort from your physical symptoms, rather than the anxiety, may be why you initially seek treatment.
People with GAD are unable to control their anxiety and usually exhibit three or more of the following symptoms:
- restlessness
- fatigue
- impaired concentration
- irritability
- muscle tension
- impaired sleep
Simply because you have these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have GAD. A diagnosis of GAD is made when your anxiety results in significant distress and interferes with your normal routine or your ability to function at work, at social activities, or in relationships. Consult with your primary healthcare practitioner or other medical professional to rule out other possible causes of anxiety or other health conditions before making a diagnosis of GAD.
