Generalized anxiety disorder

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What is generalized anxiety disorder?

An anxiety disorder characterized by free-floating, persistent, and excessive worry for at least six months. Symptoms are variable but include complaints of persistent nervousness, trembling, muscular tensions, sweating, lightheadedness, palpitations, dizziness, and epigastric discomfort.



Common symptoms reported by people with generalized anxiety disorder

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
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Treatments taken by people for generalized anxiety disorder

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Talk therapy)
Type
Psychotherapy
How many have tried
11018
Treatment name(s)

(Effexor XR)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
6750
Treatment name(s)

(Cymbalta)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
4262
Treatment name(s)

(Lyrica)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
2071

Data from patients with generalized anxiety disorder, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
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Compare treatments taken by people with generalized anxiety disorder

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Talk therapy)
Perceived effectiveness
for generalized anxiety disorder (13 evaluations)
Side effects
emotional lability feeling abandoned 2 more
Total evaluations
17
Treatment name(s)

(Effexor XR)
Perceived effectiveness
for generalized anxiety disorder (16 evaluations)
Side effects
increased anxiety dizziness 34 more
Total evaluations
18
Treatment name(s)

(Cymbalta)
Perceived effectiveness
for generalized anxiety disorder (20 evaluations)
Side effects
decreased sex drive (libido) weight gain 10 more
Total evaluations
21
Treatment name(s)

(Lyrica)
Perceived effectiveness
for generalized anxiety disorder (6 evaluations)
Side effects
fatigue unrefreshing or poor sleep
Total evaluations
10
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

Data from patients with generalized anxiety disorder, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
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Who has generalized anxiety disorder on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 78 new patients joined this month
  • 6725 say GAD is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 102
20s 2485
30s 8040
40s 11338
50s 11073
60s 6664
70+ 2159
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 5865
20-29 years 2933
30-39 years 2147
40-49 years 1341
50-59 years 529
60-69 years 90
70+ years 21

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 10502
Female 31547

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 18213
Not Diagnosed 2944

These charts show data from GAD patients who have completed their condition history
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