| Prevalence |
Approximately 9% of people will develop GAD in their lifetime. |
| Comorbidity |
GAD occurs very frequently with depression, with up to 80% of those having GAD also experiencing depression at some point (Judd et al., 1998). |
| Onset |
Approximately half the people with GAD develop the disorder before the age of 30. |
| Course |
People diagnosed with GAD report that they have felt nervous and anxious all their lives. Once someone has GAD, its course is likely to be chronic, with symptoms fluctuating in response to stress. |
| Gender Differences |
Twice as many women as men are diagnosed with GAD. |
| Cultural Differences |
The content of the worries of people with GAD is shaped by their culture, their personal experiences, and the environment in which they live. Some people worry about catastrophic events, such as natural disasters; others worry about human-caused calamities, such as nuclear war or terrorist acts. |
| Source: Unless otherwise noted, the source for information is American Psychiatric Association, 2013 |