One of the most frustrating things about the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder is how easy it is to mistake many of them as being due to an assortment of other, more common ailments including the common cold and influenza.

The problem is that as the severity of the condition grows so does the severity of the symptoms. It creates another problem though because often times it is difficult to pinpoint when the real symptoms began in order to identify the triggers of your generalized anxiety disorder. When the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder begin to impact the places you go, events you attend, and how you spend time with friends and loved ones, it is time to take action.

So, what are these symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and what impact can they have on you?

Muscle aches - Muscle aches are easy to misdiagnose, since this is a symptom common to many different ailments as well as being attributable to fatigue or physical overexertion. This is the symptom of generalized anxiety disorder which is most often taken to be symptomatic of something else entirely.

Insomnia - This is one of the most problematic of the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Since insomnia naturally leads to fatigue, the patient suffering from this symptom has an even harder time coping with the other symptoms of GAD they may be experiencing, as well as simply making it through the day.

Overpowering dread - If you always think of the worst case scenario first, if you are constantly stressed about bad things happening, and these thoughts are constantly impacting your ability to get work done or to focus on the task at hand then it is probably one of the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder that you really need to seek treatment for. This is one symptom that is more easily recognized for what it is and one that you should definitely pay attention to.

Irritability - Feeling constantly on edge can be a symptom of GAD. While it doesn't necessarily indicate any particular problem if you have this symptom for a day or two, if this condition persists it can be a sign of generalized anxiety disorder.

Unable to relax - If you can't take a breather and relax for a long period of time you might find that GAD is a plausible reason for doing so. Times are stressful right now for everyone. If you are unable to enjoy some of the simple things in life because you are constantly worried about money, work, family, or if you are worried about the things that other people worry about–in other words worrying for the sake of worrying?then you might want to consider this one of the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.

Whether you are experiencing one or many of these symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder it is a good idea to seek help as early in the process as possible. While one or a few of these symptoms by itself doesn't mean you absolutely have generalized anxiety disorder, a combination of these symptoms may very well be a strong indication that you may suffer from this condition.