When Worries Never End…
Understanding Anxiety
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
What is Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)?
Generalised Anxiety Disorder is more than “being a worrier.” It usually involves:
Regular, intense and hard-to-control worry
Worrying about many areas of life – work or study, money, health, relationships, everyday tasks
Anxiety that lasts for at least six months and interferes with daily life
Someone living with GAD may notice:
Their mind quickly jumps to “what if?” scenarios
Worry feels impossible to switch off, even when they know it isn’t rational
The body feels constantly “on edge”
How GAD feels in everyday life
For a person with GAD, the mind and body often team up to keep anxiety going. Common experiences might include:
Emotional and cognitive signs
Persistent worry about big and small things
Difficulty concentrating or “blanking out”
Irritability or feeling “snappy”
A sense of dread, even when nothing specific is wrong
Physical signs
Tiredness despite “doing nothing”
Muscle tension, especially in the shoulders, jaw or hands
Tingling sensations or shaky hands
Shortness of breath or tightness in the chest
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Over time, this ongoing anxiety can affect work, study, relationships, and physical health. It can also show up alongside other mental health conditions, such as depression — which may make things feel even heavier.
Why GAD can be so confusing
Many people living with GAD are highly responsible and caring. They worry about loved ones, do their best at work or study, and often push themselves to meet expectations.
Because of this, they may:
Feel ashamed of how much they worry
Judge themselves for being “too sensitive”
Minimise their struggles because “others have it worse”
But GAD is not a character flaw. It is a genuine mental health condition, with psychological, biological and social factors involved. And importantly, it is treatable.
How counselling can support someone living with GAD
Professional support can help a person:
Understand why their anxiety shows up the way it does
Learn practical tools to calm the body and steady the mind
Untangle patterns of harsh self-judgment and unrealistic expectations
Build a kinder relationship with their thoughts and emotions
At Joseph Counselling + Psychotherapy in Sydney, and online across Australia, therapy can be tailored to each person’s experience of GAD. Evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help reduce distress and build a more fulfilling, values-based life.
If you recognises your story in this description of GAD, you do not have to keep quietly “pushing through.”
Joseph Counselling + Psychotherapy in Sydney offers in-person and online support Australia-wide for people living with generalised anxiety.
Counselling can provide a safe, non-judgemental space to:
Make sense of overwhelming worry
Learn new ways to respond to anxious thoughts
Reconnect with what truly matters
To explore whether therapy for GAD might be a good fit, you can contact Joseph Counselling + Psychotherapy to arrange an initial appointment.