Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is excessive anxiety and worry occurring more days than not for at least six months, about a number of events or activities (such as work or school performance). The individual finds it difficult to control the worry. The anxiety and worry are associated with three (or more) of the following six symptoms:

*Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge.

*Being easily fatigued. 

*Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank.

*Irritability.

*Muscle tension. 

*Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep, or restless, unsatisfying sleep). 

As with all diagnoses, these symptoms have to be causing clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. 

Less clinically, GAD tends to be a pervasive sense of worry or anxiety, which could be described as “free-floating anxiety” which might have no particular focus or could be focused on the cares of daily life, such as one’s work, family, friends, health, etc.