There are several types of anxiety disorders or anxiety-related disorders. Some features of anxiety are consistent across all types of anxiety. However, each anxiety disorder is comprised of elements that are unique in some ways. In this post I briefly review some of the key components of Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD.

Health anxiety is awful. Anyone who has experienced it knows how exhausting it can be. The options of potential worst-case scenarios are endless. It is an ongoing experience of impending doom… waiting for that next symptom to pop up that threatens your life. AIDS, cancer, heart disease, meningitis, the list of potential diseases that you fear will ultimately claim your life is endless.

Intolerance of Uncertainty or IU is an actual thing. It is a construct in the anxiety empirical literature that has been studied extensively. IU is considered to be “transdiagnostic,” meaning that it is seen across a wide range of mental health disorders. However, it is most commonly experienced by those with generalized anxiety because of its high association with worry.

Anxiety is complex. Anxiety is simple. Wait, huh? 

The thing is… both of these statements are true.

Anxiety is complex in that we all experience different types of anxious thoughts, feelings and behaviors to different degrees and for very different reasons.