Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
DEFINITION
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is defined as persistent excessive free-floating anxiety and worry about multiple general aspects of life (e.g., family/relationships, school/work, and health).
- Anxiety and worry are normal phenomena in response to stress.
- The anxiety and worry associated with GAD is:
- Out of proportion to the actual likelihood or impact of the anticipated event, activity, or situation
- Difficult to control
- Causes significant distress, with associated physical symptoms
- Interferes with psychosocial functioning
- The etiology of GAD is not completely understood, but biological and psychosocial factors appear to contribute.
- One-third of the risk of experiencing GAD appears due to genetic causes.
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Last updated: October 6, 2025
Citation
Felder, William, et al. "Generalized Anxiety Disorder." Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2025. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787058/8/Generalized_Anxiety_Disorder.
Felder W, Kimmel M, Zachik C, Speed T. Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787058/8/Generalized_Anxiety_Disorder. Accessed October 8, 2025.
Felder, W., Kimmel, M., Zachik, C., & Speed, T. (2025). Generalized Anxiety Disorder. In Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787058/8/Generalized_Anxiety_Disorder
Felder W, Kimmel M, Zachik C, Speed T. Generalized Anxiety Disorder [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. [cited 2025 October 08]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787058/8/Generalized_Anxiety_Disorder.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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PB - The Johns Hopkins University
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