The criteria are different for each anxiety disorder, so be sure to tell your doctor, completely honestly, what kinds of symptoms you’re experiencing. For generalized anxiety disorder, these are the criteria:
- Excessive anxiety and worry most days about many things for at least six months
- Difficulty controlling worry
- At least three of these symptoms: Restlessness, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbance, and/or difficulty concentrating
These symptoms must significantly interfere with your life and must not be caused by medications, other medical conditions, or other mental disorders.