Factors that may increase your risk of developing generalized anxiety disorder include:

• Female sex: Women are twice as likely as men to suffer from GAD.
• Childhood trauma: People who experience traumatic events as children are at higher risk for GAD.
• Serious illness: Having an illness such as cancer can make you feel anxious about the future, treatments, etc.
• Life stress: Stressful situations in your life, especially when they occur in bunches, can make you feel overwhelmed and lead to anxiety and, potentially, GAD.
• Personality traits: People with certain personality traits including those with unmet psychological needs or chronic insecurity, and those with some personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, may be at increased risk of GAD.
• Heredity: Some evidence suggests that GAD has a genetic component that causes it to run in families.

GAD tends to occur in tandem with several other disorders. In fact, it rarely occurs on its own. Common co-morbidities or dual-diagnoses include other anxiety disorders, depression, and/or substance abuse. It is important to treat these other disorders as well as the anxiety; otherwise the anxiety symptoms may keep coming back.