Differences between Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder

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Both disorders are recognized mental health conditions that are in the DSM and both are characterized by persistent feelings of anxiety. Sufferers with both conditions also tend to always expect the worst-case scenario and often experience physical symptoms that are associated with anxiety disorders, things such as muscle tension, headaches, or fatigue. In some cases, both conditions can also occur together, which increases a person's likelihood to experience depression alongside anxiety. Despite the similarities, GAD and SAD differ in terms of the thought content that is produced by sufferers. People that suffer from GAD tend to worry about major life issues such as their health, safety, finances, or the state of their relationships. Their thoughts tend to focus on the fear of failure as opposed to the thoughts of SAD sufferers whose thoughts tend to focus more on a fear of rejection and humiliation. People that suffer from SAD on the other hand tend to worry more about everyday experiences. They will worry about things like meeting new people or being observed, judged, or evaluated, and they'll have anxiety about speaking up in a group setting, in a work environment, or speaking in front of people. GAD is anxiety about the big picture, and SAD is anxiety about the here and now.