Generalised anxiety in children
Children with GAD often worry about performance at school or sporting events, punctuality, natural disasters or war. They may:
- be over-conforming
- be a perfectionist
- be unsure of themself
- need to re-do tasks
- seek regular and frequent approval and assurance from parents, teachers, siblings or friends
- ask 'Yes but, what if…?'
More information
Find information and support for managing anxiety in children.
Other conditions related to generalised anxiety
If you have GAD you may also have other anxiety conditions such as social anxiety.
It’s also common to have both GAD and depression.
People experiencing GAD may also:
- misuse alcohol or drugs
- have physical health problems such as headaches or bowel complaints.
Effective treatments for generalised anxiety
Evidence-based support is available. Research shows that the most effective treatments for GAD are:
- cognitive behaviour therapy
- online therapies (also known as ‘e-therapies’ or ‘computer-aided psychological therapy’
- antidepressant medication – for severe GAD.
Learn more about Treatments for anxiety.
Should I get support?
You may be feeling unsure about whether you should seek support.
Our anonymous mental health check-in can help you understand whether your anxious feelings are the kind of worries that will go away on their own, or whether it’s time to get more support to help you feel better.
It’s an evidence-based tool which asks you 10 questions about the feelings you’ve been having over the past 4 weeks. It’s sometimes called the “K10” and is widely used by GPs and mental health professionals.
Mental health check-in