What is a major symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?

The major symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is excessive anxiety and worry. Individuals with GAD experience persistent and uncontrollable worry about various aspects of their lives, including health, work, social interactions, and daily routines. This constant state of anxiety can feel overwhelming and disproportionate to the actual situation, leading to significant distress and impairment in functioning.

Unlike symptoms such as persistent sadness, which is more indicative of depression, or social withdrawal and uncontrollable anger, which may relate to other mental health conditions, the defining feature of GAD is the pervasive nature of anxiety and worry. People with GAD often find it difficult to control their anxiety even in situations where there may be little to provoke such feelings, making it a key characteristic of the disorder.