Generalised anxiety disorder

A disorder characterized by excessive, difficult-to-control worry about various areas of life – work, health, relationships, or everyday situations – persisting for most of the day. The anxiety is not limited to a specific trigger and is accompanied by physical symptoms such as muscle tension, sleep disturbances, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.

Symptoms

• Worry (also: Excessive worrying about everyday matters, Excessive worry, free-floating anxiety, constant worrying, worrying about children, health, finances, work)
• Anxiety (also: Persistent anxiety unrelated to a specific situation, Anxiety, feeling of tension, inner restlessness, constant feeling of nervousness)
• Impaired attention/concentration (also: Attention/concentration, Difficulty concentrating and mind going blank, Difficulty concentrating, problems focusing, attention distracted by worry)
• Irritability (also: Increased irritability and emotional hypersensitivity, Increased irritability or hypersensitivity to situations, irritability, easily irritated, increased irritability)
• Muscle tension and pain without clear physical cause (also: Muscle tension and pain without clear physical cause, muscle tension, muscle stiffness, tense muscles, increased muscle tension)
• Hypervigilance (also: Hypervigilance and exaggerated startle response, Hypervigilance and exaggerated response to unexpected stimuli, hypervigilance, increased alertness, excessive attentiveness)
• Sleep problems (also: Sleep disorders (difficulty falling asleep, restless sleep), Insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, anxiety insomnia, waking up at night)
• Autonomic symptoms (trembling, sweating, rapid heartbeat) (also: Trembling and sweating without somatic cause, hand tremors, body trembling, sweaty palms, excessive sweating)
• Autonomic symptoms (palpitations, dizziness, epigastric pressure) (also: Autonomic symptoms, palpitations, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, epigastric pressure)
• Worries about health or safety of loved ones (also: constant worry about child, worries about partner health, fear that loved ones will have an accident, catastrophic thoughts about family, anticipatory anxiety about loved ones)
• Difficulty relaxing (also: Difficulty relaxing and unwinding, unable to relax, perpetual tension, no respite, constant feeling of tension)

ICD-11 diagnostic criteria

• nadmierny lęk lub zamartwianie się dotyczące wielu spraw
• objawy utrzymują się przez co najmniej kilka miesięcy
• trudność w kontrolowaniu zamartwiania się
• istotne pogorszenie funkcjonowania

How to recognise

In the ICD-11 framework, the core symptoms taken into account when recognising Generalised anxiety disorder are:

• nadmierne zamartwianie się

Differential diagnosis

When diagnosing Generalised anxiety disorder, the following ICD-11 disorders should be considered in the differential diagnosis:

• Zaburzenie lękowe z napadami paniki (6B01)
• Zaburzenie depresyjne z pojedynczym epizodem (6A70)
• Zaburzenie depresyjne i lękowe mieszane (6A73)

Synonyms and related terms

Excessive worrying about everyday matters, Excessive worry, free-floating anxiety, constant worrying, worrying about children, health, finances, work, worries about health of loved ones, unwarranted fears, anticipating disasters, constant worry, catastrophic scenarios, imagining worst-case scenarios, difficulty stopping worry, excessive worrying, worrying, constant concern, fears, worries, obsessive worrying, Persistent anxiety unrelated to a specific situation, feeling of tension, inner restlessness, constant feeling of nervousness, persistently present anxiety, feeling threatened without cause, general feeling of unease, anxiety without cause, Attention/concentration, Difficulty concentrating and mind going blank, Difficulty concentrating, problems focusing

Frequently asked questions

What are the symptoms of Generalised anxiety disorder?

Symptoms associated with Generalised anxiety disorder (ICD-11 6B00) include: Worry, Anxiety, Impaired attention/concentration, Irritability, Muscle tension and pain without clear physical cause, Hypervigilance, Sleep problems, Autonomic symptoms (trembling, sweating, rapid heartbeat), Autonomic symptoms (palpitations, dizziness, epigastric pressure), Worries about health or safety of loved ones, Difficulty relaxing.

How is Generalised anxiety disorder diagnosed according to ICD-11?

According to ICD-11, the diagnostic criteria for Generalised anxiety disorder (6B00) include: nadmierny lęk lub zamartwianie się dotyczące wielu spraw; objawy utrzymują się przez co najmniej kilka miesięcy; trudność w kontrolowaniu zamartwiania się; istotne pogorszenie funkcjonowania.

What disorders are in the differential diagnosis of Generalised anxiety disorder?

The differential diagnosis of Generalised anxiety disorder (6B00) includes: Zaburzenie lękowe z napadami paniki (6B01), Zaburzenie depresyjne z pojedynczym epizodem (6A70), Zaburzenie depresyjne i lękowe mieszane (6A73).

WHO ICD-11 source

View this entry in the official WHO ICD-11 browser: 6B00 – WHO ICD-11