Be Calm

We believe that anxiety disorders are treatable and that no one should have to live with excessive anxiety.


Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

What is GAD?

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common condition that affects about 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population in any given year. People with GAD experience chronic, difficult to control worry and concern in multiple life areas including work, relationships, finances, and health. GAD is also associated with physical symptoms, such as restlessness, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and disrupted sleep. The excessive anxiety and worry experienced often takes a toll on mental as well as physical health and well-being.

What are the Symptoms of GAD?

The main symptoms of GAD include:

  1. Excessive anxiety and worry more days than not for at least 6 months about several different things.
  2. The person finds it difficult to control the worry.
  3. The level of worry is out of proportion to the actual likelihood or impact of things the person is excessively worried about.
  4. The person experiences physical symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and disturbed sleep.
Doesn't Everybody Worry?

Yes. Most people worry about things from time to time. However, for people with GAD, worry affects their everyday life. They may try to control their worries by doing things like repeatedly asking others for reassurance, avoiding trying new things or taking on new challenges or opportunities, overpreparing for any potential event, visiting doctors frequently, or avoiding making decisions. People with GAD may find it difficult to focus on tasks at work or school, which can affect their productivity or performance. For others, the worry may cause feelings of irritability or exhaustion, which can make it hard to be around friends or family. Excessive anxiety and worry often takes a toll on mental as well as physical health and well-being.

Clinical Services

  • Diagnostic assessment for GAD.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

    • This treatment is on a fee-for-service basis. We offer a free initial assessment. For those enrolled in our research study, treatment is available free of charge upon completion of the study.

    Our Research
  • We are currently offering the Computerized Anxiety Management Program (CAMP) as part of a free home-based treatment program for individuals with GAD. CAMP is based on a combination of two treatments (Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy and Attention Modification Program) that have been shown to be beneficial in reducing symptoms of anxiety and worry. This study will test how much people can benefit from different combinations of a self-administered version of the two main components of CAMP discussed above. The program is entirely computer-administered in the privacy of your home and will take approximately 12 weeks to complete. Click here to find out more.
  • CBT treatment is available free of charge upon completion of the study.

    • Home-Based Clinical Trial for Worry (GAD) APPLY HERE

    Generalized Anxiety Disorder Resources

    National