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Patients who have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) expect the worst to occur in most or all aspects of their lives. As a result, they are generally tense and worry even when there are no signs of impending trouble. When a person feels anxious, the body releases hormones that prepare it to react to a threat. This is known as the “fight or flight” response.

Many patients with GAD experience insomnia, and may have physical symptoms such as:

• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Fatigue
• Trembling
• Muscle tension
• Chest Pains
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Stomach ache
• Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
• Diarrhea
• Sweating or hot flashes

Patients with GAD often experience other mental disorders, such as depression or substance abuse problems. However, patients with GAD are less likely to experience symptoms of autonomic hyperarousal (such as accelerated heart rate, shortness of breath or dizziness) than patients with other anxiety disorders.