Generalized anxiety disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that can cause people to experience excessive, persistent anxiety about a variety of things, including everyday events.
It’s absolutely normal to experience anxiety from time to time. You may feel anxious when you prepare for a speech, exam, presentation or any other situation that requires you to perform in front of others.
Or, you may feel worry and anxiety during a stressful situation involving family members, money or your physical or mental health.
Experiencing occasional anxiety doesn’t mean that you have generalized anxiety disorder. It’s a very normal, routine part of life that occurs for everyone.
People with generalized anxiety disorder feel excessively nervous and worried in situations that wouldn’t normally cause these feelings. They often experience anxiety when there’s no reason to feel stressed or nervous.
For example, people with generalized anxiety disorder may anticipate disaster after a relatively small, inconsequential event. They might expect the worst in certain situations and worry about a certain, negative outcome more than seems reasonable.
For some people, this ongoing anxiety can interfere with everyday activities and make it difficult to live a normal life.
