Anxiety that interferes with daily activities

Feeling worried or nervous is a normal part of everyday life. Everyone frets and feels anxious from time to time.

Mild to moderate anxiety can be an effective means of helping you focus your attention, energy, and motivation. When anxiety is severe, you may have feelings of helplessness, confusion, and extreme worry that are out of proportion with the actual seriousness or likelihood of the feared event.

Generalized anxiety disorder is a condition of excessive anxiety and unrealistic worry for at least 6 months. The anxiety and worry occur with at least three of the following symptoms, although children with anxiety disorder may have only one of the following:

• Problems with personal relationships at home, school, or work, such as:
  • Repeated absences from work or school or poor performance related to anxiety
  • Getting suspended or expelled from school; getting fired
  • Neglect of family or home
• Feeling restless, irritable, and on edge
• Fatigue
• Inability to concentrate or make decisions; "your mind goes blank"
• Increased muscle tension, such as a clenched jaw or a stiff neck
• Sleep problems, such as:
  • Inability to fall asleep
  • Inability to stay asleep
  • Waking early
  • Restless or unsatisfying sleep

Women have generalized anxiety disorders twice as often as men. This problem can occur at any age. Many people with a generalized anxiety disorder say they have felt nervous and anxious all their lives.

Generalized anxiety disorders often occur with other problems, such as depression or substance abuse. Anxiety disorders can also be caused by a physical problem, such as heart or lung disease.