GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder)

Mental health
1

Having recently (today) realised that I look for reassurance in everything I do, say, wear, do my house up etc etc I looked up reassurance on the internet and looked at the symptoms related to GAD and I almost feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders knowing it is a true condition and not me just going mad. I have had a history of depression, the worst episode following the break up of a long term relationship.

Again, I have recently just broke up with my partner and struggling to find any motivation to do anything proactive or productive and experience anxiety both day and night (worry that I'll never find a partner to settle down with, live a lonely life despite having quite a wide circle of friends).

No doubt my condtition has helped break up my realtionship with constant insecurities about 'us'.

My work is very stressful having to deal with on the spot complaints from irate customers and having to think on my feet every time. My job relies heavily on motivating others, being very switched on and having an amazing memory.

I'm really struggling to remember the last 2 minutes or focus on the next task in hand let alone plan anything medium to long term. I'm just not able to concentrate at all.

I've read Cognative therapy helps but because I can work 12 hour days there really isn't the time to put inot this and I'd rather not take medication.

But I need to do something. And I need to do it quick as I'm anxious about my work suffering which then brings on anxiety about losing my job, my home, my life?

What do you suggest?

2

Hi there!

it certainly is a huge weight lift isn't it?! I've been suffering for some 15years now and been back and forth to doctors and mental health practitioners... diagnosed myself last month on internet and went to doctors straight away and she apologised for me being turned away by all other doctors.

She instantly put me on Citalopram. Now I have never been keen on taking pills that alter brain chemicals and hormones etc but I read something on the internet which very clearly stated 'you can not help yourself' scary thought at first and for me i felt like i was admitting defeat but actually its quite the opposite. I'm taking control!

for me its always been 'abandonment issues': relationship breakdowns, getting droppped off at school, going to my own bed and just being on my own for more than 30mins in general for me is scary.

I definitely agree that if i wasn't so busy worrying that my relationship would end perhaps i could have spent more time having fun in the relationship and inevitably it might not have ended.

As far as CBT is concerned...

because of the imbalance of seratonin in the brain which causes the worry and anxiety I have been advised to take the medication to correct the chemicals so that CBT works. There's no point in trying to train your brain into a new way of working if its not listening to you in the first place now is there? after I start my CBT I can start reducing my medication.

you mention that you work 12hours and would struggle to fit CBT into your life. All I have to say is this:

think of it as TLC time or YOU time.

An hour an evening of revising this method, is that really a sacrifice if it could save your job?

you need to prioritise that this is your health your talking about and the more you worry the more tired/stressed you become and the more you worry. vicious cycle. It stops when you finally crack.

I really recommend that you write down a generalised note of how you feel on a daily basis, what triggers your worries etc and take it to your doctor. thats what i did! She diagnosed me straight away and explained lots of options for me. Its very reassuring just to know that 1 out of 50 people in UK suffer from GAD although everyone has different triggers/reactions.

The best bit is.... YOUR NOT MENTAL! I'M NOT MENTAL! :wink:

we just have a different level of 'physical feelings' and 'worries'.

I hope that helped in some way... I feel I'm babbling and naturally with the lack of concentration, its taken me about 3hours to write this as i have to keep going back over your note and mine!

Anyways... take care you!

x

3

Hi Doodles,

Thank you for taking the time and concentration to respond to my post. I'll definately give your suggestions a try!

Thankd again and hope you've had a good Christmas.

4

Hi there Doodles.

I just read your note as I came on here to look for tips on controlling my anxiety. I was diagnosed with GAD a few years back but didn't really have any further treatment regarding it. My GP also gave me citalopram a few months back but they've just been sitting at home as I too felt like failing by taking them. However, your (empowering) response has changed my mind. smile

Thanks,

Cheezal.

5

Caffeine and alcohol...cause anxiety for me.....since cutting them out of my diet I'm a different person.

6

Diazepam is good in emergencies but not too much as it is addictive and loses it's effect...

7

Hi, I'm a 23 year old female with 2 children. I've recently been told that I am suffering from anxiety. I'm finding this so hard to believe as I'm having so many physical symptoms day to day. It started off at the beginning of last month, I had a random panic attack (never had one before and it came from nowhere) I found it so scary I was convinced that I was having a heart attack and I phoned myself an ambulance, the ambulance came, did an ECG and told me everything was fine. Then a few days later I started getting all these strange sensations (tingeling in my arms and legs, feeling really dizzy, feeling like I wasn't myself etc) so I took my self to the doctors, that's when I was told I had anxiety! I didn't at all believe her. I have no idea what could of caused this, I'm usually so happy and healthy, no money problems, have a good relationship etc. as the next few days went on the symptoms got worse and worse, I was suffering extreme tiredness, headaches, weakness, feeling dizzy, blurred vision, slight chest pains, aching muscles and lots more! So intentional the docs again, bloods were done and everything came back fine. After going to the doctors time and time again, they finally gave me tables (fluoxitaine) I've been taking these just over a week and my symptoms seem to have worsened. Can anyone relate to this? I'm so scared that it's more than anxiety and something is wrong, I just don't know what to do. I'm constantly getting up set and in a state. I just want to be back to my normal self!

8

Hi

I wanted to reply to your message as I kinda went through the same thing…. thats the thing with anxiety - it feeds off itself, so when you worry about what is happening you feed your anxiety more and therefore it becomes worse. I am on day 19 of taking fluoxetine for anxiety. I have taken it before though so do have a bit of experience. It does feel worse before it feels better, I have had 3 good days in 19, so it is slow progress, but each day, even by only 1% does get better. I ignored it for 10 weeks and then finally gave in and went to the doc, had the chest pains, tingling, sweaty feet, shortness of breath etc etc, had ecg done and all fine… unfortunately they are all typical anxiety symptoms and I just tried to fight it for 10 weeks, kinda hit roc bottom and now am having to get better.. its been a really really tough few weeks, but can only get better from here.

Fluoxetine is really good tablet for anxiety, but doesn't work for everyone, I've been on several different ones before until they found fluoxetine to work best, whatever you do, do not stop taking it unless you have spoken to your doc.

How are you getting on? happy to message and support each other smile x

9

Hi

Thank you for your reply, I've just worked out I'm on day 19 with fluoxetine too! I'm still not really feeling any better. Got a review with the doctor on Friday too. Also I have my 1st session of cbt tomorrow, I've been told that it really helps, have you tried anything like that? At the moment I feel the only way I'm going to start to feel better is by having every test under the sun to prove that I'm ok. I don't understand how doctors can put things like chest pain and extreme headaches down to anxiety if they have not done tests.

x

10

Hi.

I think that's half the battle is accepting that it is anxiety - once you have done that then you can start to figure out how to help yourself. Blood tests would show up a lot of things as would an ECG. I know how worrying it is and there was a part of me that just had to think I have to focus on getting better rather than what ifs. I have had about 12 weeks of counselling and it does really help to address issues and ways to work with dealing with situations before they get to a stage where you become anxious. Everyone reacts differently to anxiety too and it's about trying to deal with it before it gets too bad. Do you have support at home/ friends that you can talk to too. I'm 27 and married and my husband is great but can only understand it to a certain degree which is why haven a counsellor really helps x

11

Hi. I'm a girl in my final year at school. I can't face going in to school as I'm worrying so much about what will happen as I was off for two days due to a flu which has ended in me bring off 4 days instead as I'm so worried as to what teachers will say about me being off in the first place. I can't sleep at nights (it's currently 3.45AM) and I too have experienced a panic attack in the middle of a prelim exam a few weeks ago. I keep getting all hot and flustered all the time and have severe head aches a lot as well. My boyfriend is also a worry, we've been together a year and a half and I panic that he is fed up of me and that he's going to go out one night and find someone better etc and the more I think it I believe it and I keep saying to him about it and I worry that if I keep saying hell dump me because it's annoying but if I don't keep saying he won't believe me etc. I looked up my symptoms on the Internet and it came up with this. Can anyone help me? Do you think I might be suffering with this?

12

Hi

We all experience some level of anxiety through life, its when it affects our every day thoughts and feelings that it becomes a problem. I would say book to see your GP and discuss it with them. The sooner you speak to a GP the sooner you can sort the problem. they may suggest some counselling too which will help you look at why you are thinking about things in the way you are.

Although its easy to say please try not to worry about school, so many people experience anxiety that i'm certain they would have had several previous students who have gone through exactly what you are before. Do you have a personal tutor that you could speak to, even if you were to say you are having some personal problems and are booking to see then gp and will keep them up dated with progress, perhaps they can email you any work etc so you do not feel behind in that.

About your boyfriend, perhaps once you've seen the doctor and they have been able to explain exactly what you are experiencing and the way forward, it may be that you take some medication to calm the panic down short term and have some counselling to look at how to cope if this happens in the further, you will be able to explain this to him and he'll understand. Once you understand it you will be able to explain it far more rationally to someone else. Please do not feel ashamed of feeling like this. Its not something anyone choses to feel and its not a sign of weakness, its our bodies way of reacting to a situation/ stress/ and sometimes can simply be a chemical imbalance in our minds that just needs some mediation to help level out. By the sounds of yours, you are at a stressful time in your life and perhaps things have just got a little too much and this is your bodies why of saying 'give me a break'.

I hope this has helped a little, also look on the nhs website as it explains more about anxiety.

You would not believe how common feeling like this is. Do you have parents/ close friends that you could talk to and use as support as well as your gp (and potentially counsellor in the future)?

I hope you've managed to get some sleep and get that doctors appointment booked asap x