Generalized Anxiety Disorder Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is much more than the normal anxiety people experience from day to day. GAD is more than the normal nervous response in stressful situations. Such as, the sweaty palms, a racing heart and the butterflies in the stomach one feels before a big test, a board meeting, or addressing a group for the first time. However, people with GAD can't seem to shake their concerns and are unable to relax. An individual that has this disorder is always anticipating disaster and they worry excessively. The psychiatric diagnosis of GAD is chronic, exaggerated wor