Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Someone who suffers from generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, experiences uncontrollable and continual worry about normal life circumstances, such as work or family issues, that lasts more than six months58.The worry experienced by people who suffer from GAD is a result of an abnormality in the amygdala’s circuitry and also contributes to difficulties in emotional regulation, which may be one of the reasons people with GAD may be quick-tempered59. This excessive worry interrupts their life, making healthy relationships, self-care, and completing tasks such as an MRI difficult58. Studies have shown that​​ worldwide 4% of the population suffers from GAD60. In the United States​​ 3.1% of the​​ ​​ population suffers from GAD, which accounts for 32% of the MRI exam failure rate19,48. The symptoms of GAD are different from other anxiety disorders in that they are not acute but continuous and include:

Figure​​ 4. Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms