What condition is linked to experiencing excessive, uncontrollable worry typically lasting for six months or more?

The condition characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry that typically lasts for six months or more is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Individuals with GAD experience pervasive anxiety about various aspects of life, including health, finances, relationships, and other daily concerns. This worry is often disproportionate to the actual events or situations being feared, leading to significant distress and impairment in daily functioning.

In GAD, the worry is difficult to control, and patients often find themselves anticipating disaster or feeling that something bad is about to happen, even when there is no rational basis for these fears. This can result in physical symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.

Understanding GAD is crucial for differentiating it from other anxiety disorders, which have different characteristics and diagnostic criteria. For example, while panic disorder involves episodes of intense fear or discomfort known as panic attacks, and social anxiety disorder is predominately focused on fears of social situations and performance, GAD encompasses a broader range of concerns that are persistent over a longer duration. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, on the other hand, is primarily characterized by intrusive, obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors carried out to reduce anxiety.

Thus, Generalized Anxiety