Which condition involves persistent excessive worry and anxiety across various aspects of life?

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by a pervasive pattern of excessive worry and anxiety that is not confined to specific situations or circumstances. Individuals with GAD often find it challenging to control their worry, which affects multiple areas of their lives, including work, health, and personal relationships. The anxiety is usually disproportionate to the actual events, leading to significant distress and impairment in daily functioning. This condition is different from other anxiety disorders, such as social phobia, which is specifically related to social situations, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, which involves intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors rather than generalized anxiety. Understanding GAD's broad impact on a person's emotional and mental state is crucial in recognizing and differentiating it from other types of anxiety disorders.