Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) can be described as a persistent sense of worry and anxiety. These individuals may spend much of their time worrying about things that are out of proportion to the actual thought or fear. They may ruminate on fears such as fear of failure, loss of control, death, rejection, and/or being unable to cope. This ever-present anxiety may cause individuals to experience fatigue, irritability, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping. These worries can be so overwhelming that they can take a toll on individual’s daily functioning; occupationally, interpersonally, and socially. These worries can fluctuate with intensity due to various environmental stressors. 

The preferred treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), one such tool being the Automatic Thought Record (ATR). The ATR allows individuals to recognize the events which trigger their thoughts causing increased anxiety, while learning how to challenge these maladaptive thoughts and replacing them with more realistic, objective ones.