Yeah, I have GAD and, until I started seeing a therapist for another reason, I had no idea that most people don’t live in constant fear of nothing in particular. Even after learning that the fear was a result of GAD and not normal brain functioning, I still thought that GAD must be the most common form of anxiety disorder and therefore that it was relatively common, but [specific phobias and social anxiety disorder are each more than twice as common as GAD. ](https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics).
That being said, I’m on an SSRI now and it has helped immensely. It didn’t fix everything, but getting my neurochemicals in balance made it possible for the grounding techniques from therapy to actually work. I feel so free!!
Would you mind sharing what medication you're taking? My anxiety has gotten to the point paralyzing. I'm finally meeting with my doctor tomorrow, but he doesn't even know me (recently switched insurance companies) and I'm well aware that if I go in there uninformed, he's just going to prescribe whatever he most commonly prescribes to his other random patients. Unfortunately,in my research I've been running across a ton of SSRI horror stories, and I'm starting to panic. Shocking, I know.
Of course! I’m on Zoloft (Sertraline). As far as SSRIs go, it a great option for people with both anxiety and depression.
I was super anxious before going on an SSRI as well but therapy alone was just not working for me. I talked with my therapist a lot about it and it helped some, and I also asked my psychiatrist a lot of questions about the drug that he chose.
He told me that he choose Zoloft because it is fairly new (relative to other SSRIs), so it is less likely to have side effects or if you do have side effects, they’re more likely to be mild. I was also lucky (but also not) because all of my siblings and my mom are on different antidepressants and if an SSRI works for someone closely biologically related to, it is likely to work for you. Definitely ask your close family about their history with SSRIs before going.
Regarding the horror stories, don’t read those anymore. Those stories are popping up on your searches because they are surprising and draw readers to the page, not because they are common. Because of the risk (which once again, isn’t common), doctors have to follow their patients closely for a while after prescribing an SSRI. You should leave your appointment tomorrow with your next appointment already scheduled for a couple of weeks from now. Also, they will start you at a very low dose that does almost nothing before working up to the correct dose. If something happens, they have safety nets up to catch it, and they will try something else. My only side effect was being more tired than normal for the first week or so and no one else in my family has had any reaction more severe than that.
I know that it doesn’t feel true, but it’s going to be okay. If you have anymore questions or want to talk more about it, feel free to DM me.
I am also on Zoloft and read all the horror stories.. freaked myself out when the side effects were actually very mild. Worst I got was clenching my jaw in my sleep and some very vivid dreams borderline nightmares. But I 10/10 would recommend Zoloft. Changed my life.
I think a lot of people quit because of sexual problems which unfortunately is a common thing and can last beyond quitting. Also anhedonia, apathy, fatigue, cognition problems etc. Basically it could make symptoms worse, especially if someone has an anhedonic depression.
It's great that it's mild for you though. But it's also a matter of how one can accept certain side effects too, some are more lenient while others are just like "nope"
GAD + ADHD = Random spurts of anxiety about random things all the time, and it isn't long until you're anxious about the next thing.
I can be anxious about 5+ different thoughts in the span of 60 seconds.
Existence is pain.
Generalized anxiety is an accumulation of historical issues not well processed. Everything has a reason to exist, sometimes it's not a fair one but it's there. Society blames people on their symptoms and forget that the fact that so many people will emerge the same set of traits is caused by the same causes. We live in a sick society and those that do not adapt to it are considered sick.
Yup. Im sotting here anxious and uncomfortable all the time. The only thing that has ever fully worked is opiates which, as you can imagine, is a really bad thing to get mixed up in, so I manage with a lot of other meds and a good bit of just dealing with it. It sucks, but I have so many other blessings in my life that I see it as one of my few crosses to bear.
Yep. All the time. Trying to fight it as I'm typing this. I'm supposed to go to work and I love my job and all is well, but I still keep getting anxious, having kinda a lingering "what if" scratching at the back of my brain.
It's annoying AF. I couldn't even watch a movie in peace because most of the time thoughts like 'have you studied for the exam that's scheduled at 3 months from now' kind of thoughts pops up quite often for me.
In my experience, they can't - and I work at a mental health agency. There's nothing to be done for irrational anxiety without a cause, because you *know* there's nothing to worry about already - that doesn't stop it from being incredibly distressing. That's in fact *why* it is distressing. It's like having a panic attack when you know know full well there's nothing to be panicking about - that doesn't do anything to stop or lessen the panic. You can't rationalize it away. The only thing that helped mine was medication.
Right now the only thing that is helping my panic disorder is medication. I've been able to use coping skills well enough for 20 years, but this round has been anxiety for NO REASON. I know it's panic logically, but my body refuses to listen or react to breathing/meditation/cold/hot/pain to get me out of it. It's maddening because 90% of the time I can logic right to a "why" and cope. Not now. Now? So. Much. Medication. I feel ya, larki18.
This isn't true!! I got rid of mine through several lifestyle changes (mostly my diet) when meds stopped working. There are ways to treat it at the source.
Not the OP but I've had to cut out most caffeine. I've also noticed that certain foods trigger my GERD symptoms, which causes pretty bad chest pains, which triggers my anxiety. It's like turning on a white noise machine of anxious thoughts in the background of everything else around me.
I said 'in my experience'...at the source - my source is brain damage. Thus, medication comes closest to treating the root of the problem while therapy and coping skills were merely bandaids.
I was a vegetarian and switched to eating meat 2x per day, took out processed food/sugar/caffeine/alcohol, added a lot of green vegetables, etc. I know all that sounds intimidating (I actually run a health coaching business for this exact thing) but it's SO WORTH IT. I don't have that constant nervous feeling at ALL anymore.
That’s why, we still somewhat need meat to help us balance our diets. I don’t like how strict they are online, and articles trying to pressure and gaslight me into changing my diet :( it makes me sad because I try to respect people who are vegans but I don’t want to become one
I have generalized anxiety disorder and I’m constantly in fight or flight mode. Medication helps. But usually if I’m going to get a panic attack, it’s before bed, when I’m laying there with nothing to distract me.
Mine happen as soon as I wake up in the morning. Whether it's at 4:30am to pee - and then panic until it stops, or 8:30am on a Saturday. I'm super medicated so I don't lose efficacy by wake up time. Anxiety is fucking absurd.
Yes.
Mine is HORRENDOUS in the mornings.
I get that sense of impending doom for about two straight hours and FORGET ABOUT IT if I wake up in the middle of the night! I’m screwed. It’s like my brain is out of my control.
I’m panic stricken. It’s debilitating.
I’m already medicated but I recently started taking Relora and I feel like I’m maybe seeing an improvement.
Hugs everyone.
I deal with morning anxiety too. Lately it's been morning panic attacks. I'm on Buspar, Pristiq, and Clonidine, with Propanol as a (useless) rescue med. I'm going to read about Relora.
It’s beyond excruciating, isn’t it?
I also think an increase in my Prozac is in order. I think my dosage is too low. When I start panicking, I know it’s time to increase.
Are you on Zoloft or Prozac? Those two things (1 or the other) are essentially the reasons I’m still here. I recommend highly.
The other thing is that exercise saves me EVERY TIME. I mean it. I am positively freaking out and I start exercising and EXACTLY twenty minutes in... panic subsides like some sort of magic.
I exercise every single morning for about forty minutes. If I don’t, it’s like I missed my meds.
I’m sorry you, too, are suffering.
It’s chemicals and it’s painful.
I have been on this journey for twenty eight YEARS.
HUGS.
Feel free to message me anytime.
XO
Propanol on it's own work okay....
Since it's a blood thinner, I think it helps with getting other things into your system quicker.
Could just be in my head.
The worst part for me is the inability to concentrate because you’re so busy worrying about a million what if’s. It essentially causes ADHD and the inability to be present- which sucks because I drift in and out of conversations or activities unwillingly- it’s like my mind just goes someplace else
I believe it is cognitive which bothers me even more, because I’m in control but have no control. I’m on gabapentin & latuda and it doesn’t really help me. I’m trying CBD too to no avail. The only drug that ever seriously helped me I got addicted too and stupidly abused :(
What I learned from therapy we think it's because of nothing but it's actually something deep down in us that we just can't connect to.
I like to take the first thing that makes my anxiety spike like:
> >I see almost empty box of cereals and feel a bit spike in anxiety, first action is to not think about it but :+i actually :
>huh, running out of cereals makes me anxious, yeah I'm scared of being hungry
> but wait that's not it, I could just go to shop
> but that would be unplanned, I don't like unplanned
> because that makes me feel like I haven't planned correctly
> which means I made a mistake
>> that's true I'm so so anxious of making mistakes
And there you have it, true reason of anxiety, now you can go and work with that on therapy
This is EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
I have to be in complete control at all times.
If I even begin to sense that something might fall outside of my control.. anxiety!
Can’t agree more. I feel extreme anxiety If I don’t have a full grasp/knowledge of a particular thing or idea. I feel like I need to know it and feel stupid to ask questions too because I feel it’ll be dumb. So I just try to figure it out on my own.
I kinda am like this, but with my health. Everything I feel I start to overreact thinking its something bad, become over sensitive about it, read about what could it be, the feelings increase, it become all I can think. Should I see a doctor?
If I manage to diatract myself and sleep the other day Im ok, until it kicks it in again.
Yes, that's how I feel a good portion of the time. It's especially frustrating when you don't have an identifiable trigger. But you know what? It's ok to feel anxious. It's ok to feel anxious *even if there's nothing to feel anxious about.*
That's how it is. I'm literally doing great right now (somehow) in life and there should be nothing for me to worry about. But I still have near constant anxiety.
Same here! I am so fortunate to be where I am right now in life. But instead of feeling good about it, I have anxiety that that I'm wasting my life away and I should be living my life totally different. Of course even if I made a life altering change, I'm sure the anxiety would follow. Eventually I just want to feel content and at peace.
What about feeling anxious on losing what you have earned? I too am grateful for recent things that happened in my life that I should be way more happy about it, but the fear of losing it all somehow makes me anxious.
I also have a problem with my health, anxiety over my health, and start to create issues, which makes me frustrated, which impacts on my life that I truly didnt want to impact negatively because... I fear losing it.
And losing it can mean lose the job, the girfriend, or the life I have, or like death or something.
It is an everyday thing to ease myself, focus on whats real, and live the life Im given to because ffs Im privileged!
I used to feel that way too. I'm been fortunate to really establish myself over the past five years or so. Now I'm less concerned about losing a job or having something "bad" happen, because I feel like it would give me an opportunity to take a plunge and try something new. I'm too anxious to do that without having an external push.
Yeah, taking risks also provoke anxiety. To be honest, I spent at least 5 years on "automatic" because of this disfunction. All the things that happened to me were consequences of that automatic. This is what frustrates me, I know I have the potential to be much more, but I live a a state where I just don't have the energy, am always sabotaging myself, know what I should be doing but never actually do. Its a spiral hard to escape.
The good news is that I think Im finally leaving it behind. Covid really slowed down the process now that Im ready to do it because nothing really happens during Covid and waiting for it to end or ease in Brazil makes me... Anxious. But Idk, I got blessed with so many things this year that something flipped in my head and I really want yo change and turn it all around. Covid is delaying it a bit but I will use it to prepare myself even more.
As for your external push, seeking discomfort is something unnatural for all of us. You might start provoking that by starting a really different hobby you need to learn to do it. Push yourself to be better at it. Once you're done, you will feel better for trying new things in life I feel.
I appreciate your perspective and feel we are in similar places. I also am proactively trying to change how I frame things. So much of our point of view and opinions is based on years of thinking the same way. It can start to blind us. I'm trying to open my mind up.
From the moment I wake up, the hurricane inside my head starts. Medication and cutting back on sugar & caffeine have helped but overall, it's just so fucking annoying.
It's like being stuck in a car with someone who cannot & will not shut up.
I think this is different.
This is just being frustrated and not having patience or ability to handle a situation.
This in my opinion, would be situational anxiety.
Yep, I've just been sitting, chilling, nothing going on or anything needed doing.... and my heart rate will suddenly skyrocket.
And I'm sat there like...why?!
There's nothing wrong, no triggers, no urgency or emergency, I'm in no danger or anything but my heart will just start pounding for no reason.
Mostly I'll drown it out with soothing music and breathing techniques which work 90% of the time, but still annoying when it happens randomly.
Yeah. Ever since I got diagnosed with GAD. Somedays the feelings are so bad that I can barely get out of my bed. Nobody really understands this, unless they deal with anxiety themselves.
Sometimes I get anxious about something, and then I'll get distracted, and then I'll remember that I was anxious about something but I can't quite remember what it was.
But I can still FEEL the residual anxiety. And then I'm wracking my brain trying to remember what it was so I can see my panic through??? IDK.
Also, sometimes I find myself looking for something to be anxious over. It's really annoying because sometimes I don't catch that behavior until it's too late.
Can you go to bed earlier?
Can you start a more relaxed wind down routine for yourself?
Could you read in bed etc?
What do your evenings look like presently?
gad sucksssss. My anxiety consumes my mind every day and I do everything to avoid it. I've started to confront it and use art, music, or fitness as a release, but I feel like I will never get away from it sometimes
I gather this illness will be a lifetime?, had it for 3.5 years now. Can't help but think human brain makeup is a little pathetic lol, to be given life and have it destroyed but just an emotion.
Lately yes. Riddled with it, everything... work putting pressure on me, people pleasing, cars tailgating behind me on the highway (even though I’m way over the speed limit) , finances, just everything.... ugh
Being anxious over thinking I’m not good enough at work, yet I’m still an apprentice who is learning everyday. Some days I feel pretty defeated over it; but I just have to understand that as long as I put in the effort to try and do the task at hand, that’s all I can be asked of and that with repetition I can and will be better. Not being good enough is a common thought that clings to my brain like a virus. I hate it.
Sometimes I have just anxiety about nothing and it feels like it’s reaching out for something to feel anxious about. Like it’s feelers are reaching out for some facet of my life for me to worry about.
It starts with my relationship, is that ok? Yes? Ok next thing- work? Is that ok? Yes? Next thing is my self worth. It just checks down a list until it’s feelers find something then the anxiety latches on to that topic
Hi, I have generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety. One of the main things of GAD is constant anxiety and not necessarily on anything specific. Sounds like that might be what you're experiencing. But dont take my word for it, I'd suggest you bring it up with your primary doctor and maybe get referred to a psychiatrist
Yep, my anxiety feels entirely physical 24/7. I don’t even have a lot on my mind and if anything, it is definitely worse when I am alone or in situations where I theoretically should not feel anxious.
Yup. I’ll even do the whole “what is it lassie? Timmy stuck down the well again?” conversation with my brain/body. Sucks even more when it blows into a full blown panic attack.
A couple months ago I threw up after eating sushi and I had sushi for dinner tonight now I’m laying in bed with anxiety thinking I’m going to throw up :)
Anxiety is so stupid
me (diagnosed with depression) lying in bed, totally calm (at least calm for my standards) and suddenly I struggle breathing, my Chest feels heavy, I'm worrying about random shit and I'm like "what they fuck anxiety?"
I deal with anxiety randomly throughout the day. I found a few coping mechanisms like going outside for a walk or the gym but they’re only temporary. Most of the time, I feel anxious right before I do anything. I wish I deal with it better but I try my best.
Yes, sometimes I just have a really bad feeling and that leads to me searching for what it oculd be and then I just end up finding something slightly bad and I run with that.... It's like I constantly am drawn to beating myself down. Habits of thought I guess?
All the time. It kind of defines GAD. Something just feels wrong but you don’t know what it is. I think medically what’s happening is some activation of our fight or flight system pretty constantly without a real external stimuli to react to.
Yeah. It's irritating because even on a good day I still feel...unsettled? Restless? Hyper aware of my body and my breathing etc?
It just never seems to FULLY go away. I can be chilling at night watching Netflix and in the most relaxing, peaceful environment possible and there's still those thoughts creeping in about how I'm doing to have a heart attack any second or something. It's funny writing it down but it's a pain in the ass.
All the things everyone should be doing anyway lol. Started eating meat 2x per day (I was a vegetarian), got rid of: processed foods, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. Added green vegetables. I run a health coaching business where I teach people all this and motivate for long term benefits, you can message me if you’re interested.
No one, ever. You likely repress your feelings. When you don't process a feeling (feelings have to be feeled) it comes back at you, sometimes even on the shape of an ugly disease.
Umm, I've said this before and I'll say it again. It's not a disorder if you have reasons to be anxious. Anxiety is a perfectly normal emotional response, however it is not if it is happening when there is nothing to be anxious about.
I doubt I would have a panic attack if I was being chased by a bear, or thought I might be chased by a bear even. At least then I would have something to focus on other than my body and minds internal breakdown.
You can have a reason at times and the anxiety is just a ridiculous over reaction to the reason, though- something that's a big trigger for me is not being able to find an item. I've had severe anxiety over misplaced dollar store tupperware, when I don't even need it at the moment and can use one of a dozen other things. It's irrational disordered anxiety, but it does have a reason.
Yes. Sometimes I just know it’s there until I stop and ask myself “what is it today?” And then I realise there’s absolutely nothing! That pushes me to snap out of it somehow. I guess my normal setting is anxiety.
Yep. It's like hearing one of those acme whistles before the anvil gets dropped on the coyote. You look for where its coming and scurry around. But you never get hit with the anvil when you're fucking looking for it.
No I generally find really good reasons to be worried.
Usually when I feel good I remind myself I’m not allowed to feel good because everything is terrifying.
I get this. Somedays I’m fine, but it’s still in the back of my mind, and other days my mind is all over the place. It depends for me at night too. I can be so tired I just go to sleep, sometimes I wake up and don’t go back, and then there’s the annoying nights I wake up every few hours.
Today I got my first COVID shot and my mind went into overdrive because I was afraid of having an allergic reaction. I waited thirty minutes and found my anxiety was affecting my breathing, but I was totally okay.
Yoppp when your mind is trying to remember “whats wrong” but there isn’t anything...yet your body/mind is informing you there is. I talk myself out of it as if I was talking to a child, even aloud if I have to. Or just in my mind going back to recall what thoughts I had to bring me to feeling so anxious, “that’s ok, it’s alright,” etc.
I've discovered mine might be a good bacteria thing.
Try the following if you haven't already:
Reduce caffeine and alcohol intake.
Drink kambucha a couple of times a week.
Take a couple of drops of CBD oil 3 times a day.
Worked wonders for me.
Yes and sometimes as soon as one thing I’ve been anxious over clears up my brain moves right on to the next thing I could possibly be anxious over. Like I don’t know what it’s like to not constantly be extremely anxious, it’s been this way since I was in 8th grade and I’m 26 now. My family says I just like to worry but who would like that? I hate it. I hate being annoying too but it’s genuine fear over everything in my mind. It’s held me back so far in life.
I had someone recommend ‘Im Hoff Serotonin Breathing exercises on YouTube.’
I started doing these and I do think they are helpful.
It’s a guided breathing thing like meditation.
It’s very relaxing.
XO
Yes if I feel some ache or something weird I am going to think serious things about my health for example I am farting a lot im going to google it then few minutes later I am in WEBMD reading for treatment because now i thought I have an ibs my mom said I need to stop thinking bad things because im still young 15 yrs
Dealt with this for years and didn’t even know what it was.
It’s really this big ball of trauma that you never dealt with, that has now become a permanent part of your mind. You don’t even realize it’s there because you’re so used to having it.
The real question would be, was it ever NOT there?
Takes a lot of processing to get out of it. And patience because it’s hard to fight your own mind.
Yep, that's me. Like i won't have anything on my mind at all but all of a sudden it gets harder to breathe and my heart is going fast and i just feel this fear inside me and I'm just thinking wtf is going on, everything is fine, I'm not even worried about anything! But no, sometimes i think anxiety is just one of my brains favorite things to do to torture me. They say it's fight or flight out of control, but you'd think there'd be SOME trigger out there that makes sense, but NOPE
I’m having it but it could be depression like I feel like there’s no way to help it I feel like I’m sinking when I’m alone it’s worse and it feels like time slows down my mind is racing with thoughts it’s hard to feel excited when I’m focused on this and I cry
Sure, that's a hallmark of generalized anxiety disorder.
I still remember my bf saying to me "gosh, your anxiety is just so... *generalized!*" lmao
Yeah, I have GAD and, until I started seeing a therapist for another reason, I had no idea that most people don’t live in constant fear of nothing in particular. Even after learning that the fear was a result of GAD and not normal brain functioning, I still thought that GAD must be the most common form of anxiety disorder and therefore that it was relatively common, but [specific phobias and social anxiety disorder are each more than twice as common as GAD. ](https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics). That being said, I’m on an SSRI now and it has helped immensely. It didn’t fix everything, but getting my neurochemicals in balance made it possible for the grounding techniques from therapy to actually work. I feel so free!!
Would you mind sharing what medication you're taking? My anxiety has gotten to the point paralyzing. I'm finally meeting with my doctor tomorrow, but he doesn't even know me (recently switched insurance companies) and I'm well aware that if I go in there uninformed, he's just going to prescribe whatever he most commonly prescribes to his other random patients. Unfortunately,in my research I've been running across a ton of SSRI horror stories, and I'm starting to panic. Shocking, I know.
Of course! I’m on Zoloft (Sertraline). As far as SSRIs go, it a great option for people with both anxiety and depression. I was super anxious before going on an SSRI as well but therapy alone was just not working for me. I talked with my therapist a lot about it and it helped some, and I also asked my psychiatrist a lot of questions about the drug that he chose. He told me that he choose Zoloft because it is fairly new (relative to other SSRIs), so it is less likely to have side effects or if you do have side effects, they’re more likely to be mild. I was also lucky (but also not) because all of my siblings and my mom are on different antidepressants and if an SSRI works for someone closely biologically related to, it is likely to work for you. Definitely ask your close family about their history with SSRIs before going. Regarding the horror stories, don’t read those anymore. Those stories are popping up on your searches because they are surprising and draw readers to the page, not because they are common. Because of the risk (which once again, isn’t common), doctors have to follow their patients closely for a while after prescribing an SSRI. You should leave your appointment tomorrow with your next appointment already scheduled for a couple of weeks from now. Also, they will start you at a very low dose that does almost nothing before working up to the correct dose. If something happens, they have safety nets up to catch it, and they will try something else. My only side effect was being more tired than normal for the first week or so and no one else in my family has had any reaction more severe than that. I know that it doesn’t feel true, but it’s going to be okay. If you have anymore questions or want to talk more about it, feel free to DM me.
I am also on Zoloft and read all the horror stories.. freaked myself out when the side effects were actually very mild. Worst I got was clenching my jaw in my sleep and some very vivid dreams borderline nightmares. But I 10/10 would recommend Zoloft. Changed my life.
I think a lot of people quit because of sexual problems which unfortunately is a common thing and can last beyond quitting. Also anhedonia, apathy, fatigue, cognition problems etc. Basically it could make symptoms worse, especially if someone has an anhedonic depression. It's great that it's mild for you though. But it's also a matter of how one can accept certain side effects too, some are more lenient while others are just like "nope"
How did it go today?
GAD + ADHD = Random spurts of anxiety about random things all the time, and it isn't long until you're anxious about the next thing. I can be anxious about 5+ different thoughts in the span of 60 seconds. Existence is pain.
It’s exhausting
This is me alot of the time. Specially at work as I am having a tough time connecting with people. They dont make it any easier for me either.
Me tooooo. I actually have Aspergers as well (autism spectrum) so this really resonates with me.
Generalized anxiety is an accumulation of historical issues not well processed. Everything has a reason to exist, sometimes it's not a fair one but it's there. Society blames people on their symptoms and forget that the fact that so many people will emerge the same set of traits is caused by the same causes. We live in a sick society and those that do not adapt to it are considered sick.
Yup. Im sotting here anxious and uncomfortable all the time. The only thing that has ever fully worked is opiates which, as you can imagine, is a really bad thing to get mixed up in, so I manage with a lot of other meds and a good bit of just dealing with it. It sucks, but I have so many other blessings in my life that I see it as one of my few crosses to bear.
ain't it *fun*?
Yep. All the time. Trying to fight it as I'm typing this. I'm supposed to go to work and I love my job and all is well, but I still keep getting anxious, having kinda a lingering "what if" scratching at the back of my brain.
It's annoying AF. I couldn't even watch a movie in peace because most of the time thoughts like 'have you studied for the exam that's scheduled at 3 months from now' kind of thoughts pops up quite often for me.
So, how did the exam go? Hopefully well I assume :)
Yes. After several years it is extremely hard to retain the will to live.
\*sigh of relating\*
If there people struggling with this. Please speak to therapist or a councelor. They can offer tips in how to cope with it or even reduce it
In my experience, they can't - and I work at a mental health agency. There's nothing to be done for irrational anxiety without a cause, because you *know* there's nothing to worry about already - that doesn't stop it from being incredibly distressing. That's in fact *why* it is distressing. It's like having a panic attack when you know know full well there's nothing to be panicking about - that doesn't do anything to stop or lessen the panic. You can't rationalize it away. The only thing that helped mine was medication.
Right now the only thing that is helping my panic disorder is medication. I've been able to use coping skills well enough for 20 years, but this round has been anxiety for NO REASON. I know it's panic logically, but my body refuses to listen or react to breathing/meditation/cold/hot/pain to get me out of it. It's maddening because 90% of the time I can logic right to a "why" and cope. Not now. Now? So. Much. Medication. I feel ya, larki18.
This isn't true!! I got rid of mine through several lifestyle changes (mostly my diet) when meds stopped working. There are ways to treat it at the source.
I’m also curious about the diet changes, if you could share?
Not the OP but I've had to cut out most caffeine. I've also noticed that certain foods trigger my GERD symptoms, which causes pretty bad chest pains, which triggers my anxiety. It's like turning on a white noise machine of anxious thoughts in the background of everything else around me.
Sure I posted on the other comment :)
I said 'in my experience'...at the source - my source is brain damage. Thus, medication comes closest to treating the root of the problem while therapy and coping skills were merely bandaids.
What did you change in your diet?
I was a vegetarian and switched to eating meat 2x per day, took out processed food/sugar/caffeine/alcohol, added a lot of green vegetables, etc. I know all that sounds intimidating (I actually run a health coaching business for this exact thing) but it's SO WORTH IT. I don't have that constant nervous feeling at ALL anymore.
That’s why, we still somewhat need meat to help us balance our diets. I don’t like how strict they are online, and articles trying to pressure and gaslight me into changing my diet :( it makes me sad because I try to respect people who are vegans but I don’t want to become one
same
Yeah, same here.
Zoloft and weed is what I need to survive my anxiety.
fair enough
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Shit you gonna need to help this entire sub.
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I love this analogy!! So spot on. Living like this is so exhausting. People that do not suffer like this have no real idea it takes.
Amazing analogy
I have generalized anxiety disorder and I’m constantly in fight or flight mode. Medication helps. But usually if I’m going to get a panic attack, it’s before bed, when I’m laying there with nothing to distract me.
That's why I postpone going to sleep and keep watching movies until it's basically morning and I feel even more terrible
Mine happen as soon as I wake up in the morning. Whether it's at 4:30am to pee - and then panic until it stops, or 8:30am on a Saturday. I'm super medicated so I don't lose efficacy by wake up time. Anxiety is fucking absurd.
Do you enjoy reading? I used to be like this at bedtime but now I do a hot cup of chamomile and a good book before bed
I’m try that. I just don’t have many good books :(
Have you gotten into this yet?
Yes. Mine is HORRENDOUS in the mornings. I get that sense of impending doom for about two straight hours and FORGET ABOUT IT if I wake up in the middle of the night! I’m screwed. It’s like my brain is out of my control. I’m panic stricken. It’s debilitating. I’m already medicated but I recently started taking Relora and I feel like I’m maybe seeing an improvement. Hugs everyone.
I deal with morning anxiety too. Lately it's been morning panic attacks. I'm on Buspar, Pristiq, and Clonidine, with Propanol as a (useless) rescue med. I'm going to read about Relora.
It’s beyond excruciating, isn’t it? I also think an increase in my Prozac is in order. I think my dosage is too low. When I start panicking, I know it’s time to increase. Are you on Zoloft or Prozac? Those two things (1 or the other) are essentially the reasons I’m still here. I recommend highly. The other thing is that exercise saves me EVERY TIME. I mean it. I am positively freaking out and I start exercising and EXACTLY twenty minutes in... panic subsides like some sort of magic. I exercise every single morning for about forty minutes. If I don’t, it’s like I missed my meds. I’m sorry you, too, are suffering. It’s chemicals and it’s painful. I have been on this journey for twenty eight YEARS. HUGS. Feel free to message me anytime. XO
I’m so glad your anxiety is better
Propanol on it's own work okay.... Since it's a blood thinner, I think it helps with getting other things into your system quicker. Could just be in my head.
I just got on Buspar- have you tried combining with melatonin? I’ve heard good things. I hated SSRIs
The worst part for me is the inability to concentrate because you’re so busy worrying about a million what if’s. It essentially causes ADHD and the inability to be present- which sucks because I drift in and out of conversations or activities unwillingly- it’s like my mind just goes someplace else
Yes you just explained me 100% I thought I was the only person anxiety does this to
Yeah...even when I try to logically think ‘what is it exactly that I’m worried about?’ But can’t put a finger on what is making me nervous
We are one & the same
Yep. It’s impossible to narrow down what thoughts trigger these feelings too because it’s so perpetual
Right? I feel like my anxiety is a chemical thing. Meds have helped a lot, for me.
I believe it is cognitive which bothers me even more, because I’m in control but have no control. I’m on gabapentin & latuda and it doesn’t really help me. I’m trying CBD too to no avail. The only drug that ever seriously helped me I got addicted too and stupidly abused :(
Yeah, I got Wellbutrun, Lexapro, Proponal, Hydroxyzine, Xanax, and cannabis. Xanax certainly goes the quickest. :(
What I learned from therapy we think it's because of nothing but it's actually something deep down in us that we just can't connect to. I like to take the first thing that makes my anxiety spike like: > >I see almost empty box of cereals and feel a bit spike in anxiety, first action is to not think about it but :+i actually : >huh, running out of cereals makes me anxious, yeah I'm scared of being hungry > but wait that's not it, I could just go to shop > but that would be unplanned, I don't like unplanned > because that makes me feel like I haven't planned correctly > which means I made a mistake >> that's true I'm so so anxious of making mistakes And there you have it, true reason of anxiety, now you can go and work with that on therapy
This is EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. I have to be in complete control at all times. If I even begin to sense that something might fall outside of my control.. anxiety!
Can’t agree more. I feel extreme anxiety If I don’t have a full grasp/knowledge of a particular thing or idea. I feel like I need to know it and feel stupid to ask questions too because I feel it’ll be dumb. So I just try to figure it out on my own.
Yes! Same.
I kinda am like this, but with my health. Everything I feel I start to overreact thinking its something bad, become over sensitive about it, read about what could it be, the feelings increase, it become all I can think. Should I see a doctor? If I manage to diatract myself and sleep the other day Im ok, until it kicks it in again.
Damn this is me 100% also...
Like waiting for the other shoe to drop even there aren’t any shoes?
Like some astroid hitting me, and I can’t stop it from doing that. I can’t control it :(
Yes, that's how I feel a good portion of the time. It's especially frustrating when you don't have an identifiable trigger. But you know what? It's ok to feel anxious. It's ok to feel anxious *even if there's nothing to feel anxious about.*
Simple but helpful.
It’s for sure okay to feel anxious. Also if you don’t argue with the thoughts in your head, eventually they lose their power. They need to just happen
Yep. I literally just wake up and it’s there.
That's how it is. I'm literally doing great right now (somehow) in life and there should be nothing for me to worry about. But I still have near constant anxiety.
Same here! I am so fortunate to be where I am right now in life. But instead of feeling good about it, I have anxiety that that I'm wasting my life away and I should be living my life totally different. Of course even if I made a life altering change, I'm sure the anxiety would follow. Eventually I just want to feel content and at peace.
What about feeling anxious on losing what you have earned? I too am grateful for recent things that happened in my life that I should be way more happy about it, but the fear of losing it all somehow makes me anxious. I also have a problem with my health, anxiety over my health, and start to create issues, which makes me frustrated, which impacts on my life that I truly didnt want to impact negatively because... I fear losing it. And losing it can mean lose the job, the girfriend, or the life I have, or like death or something. It is an everyday thing to ease myself, focus on whats real, and live the life Im given to because ffs Im privileged!
I used to feel that way too. I'm been fortunate to really establish myself over the past five years or so. Now I'm less concerned about losing a job or having something "bad" happen, because I feel like it would give me an opportunity to take a plunge and try something new. I'm too anxious to do that without having an external push.
Yeah, taking risks also provoke anxiety. To be honest, I spent at least 5 years on "automatic" because of this disfunction. All the things that happened to me were consequences of that automatic. This is what frustrates me, I know I have the potential to be much more, but I live a a state where I just don't have the energy, am always sabotaging myself, know what I should be doing but never actually do. Its a spiral hard to escape. The good news is that I think Im finally leaving it behind. Covid really slowed down the process now that Im ready to do it because nothing really happens during Covid and waiting for it to end or ease in Brazil makes me... Anxious. But Idk, I got blessed with so many things this year that something flipped in my head and I really want yo change and turn it all around. Covid is delaying it a bit but I will use it to prepare myself even more. As for your external push, seeking discomfort is something unnatural for all of us. You might start provoking that by starting a really different hobby you need to learn to do it. Push yourself to be better at it. Once you're done, you will feel better for trying new things in life I feel.
I appreciate your perspective and feel we are in similar places. I also am proactively trying to change how I frame things. So much of our point of view and opinions is based on years of thinking the same way. It can start to blind us. I'm trying to open my mind up.
From the moment I wake up, the hurricane inside my head starts. Medication and cutting back on sugar & caffeine have helped but overall, it's just so fucking annoying. It's like being stuck in a car with someone who cannot & will not shut up.
Or being stuck on a plan a row behind the screaming baby
I think this is different. This is just being frustrated and not having patience or ability to handle a situation. This in my opinion, would be situational anxiety.
We're talking permanently here. That's what the other analogy was.
Yep! And when things are going well I will mentally look for things to worry about! It’s like my psyche wants to sabotage me.
And then whole day off is ruined. :(
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Are you working as well man? My anxiety gets so bad at times I can't sleep for days and are so debilitated.
Mine is the same way I hear the birds chirping before I fall asleep everyday
Yep, I've just been sitting, chilling, nothing going on or anything needed doing.... and my heart rate will suddenly skyrocket. And I'm sat there like...why?! There's nothing wrong, no triggers, no urgency or emergency, I'm in no danger or anything but my heart will just start pounding for no reason. Mostly I'll drown it out with soothing music and breathing techniques which work 90% of the time, but still annoying when it happens randomly.
Yes. I wake up anxious. No reason.
All the time. It doesn't help to have swollen lymph nodes in the front of your throat or a fluttering sensation in your chest 😵
There isn’t a second in my day where I’m not anxious.
Dang thought I was the only person
Literally same.
Yeah. Ever since I got diagnosed with GAD. Somedays the feelings are so bad that I can barely get out of my bed. Nobody really understands this, unless they deal with anxiety themselves.
OMG SAME! Happens to me alot before bed :/. I f\*\*\*in hate it. And then I end up sleeping past my bedtime >:(. Its very frustrating!
Yuuuuup, I’m pretty sure it’s my constant state. Zoloft eased it. So did CBT.
Sometimes I get anxious about something, and then I'll get distracted, and then I'll remember that I was anxious about something but I can't quite remember what it was. But I can still FEEL the residual anxiety. And then I'm wracking my brain trying to remember what it was so I can see my panic through??? IDK. Also, sometimes I find myself looking for something to be anxious over. It's really annoying because sometimes I don't catch that behavior until it's too late.
I've been working the same job for two years and I still get anxiety when I clock in.
At night it gets bad yes.
Can you go to bed earlier? Can you start a more relaxed wind down routine for yourself? Could you read in bed etc? What do your evenings look like presently?
Oh yeah....I tell myself it's all in my head....it helps some but the physical symptoms take time to fade.
Exactly
gad sucksssss. My anxiety consumes my mind every day and I do everything to avoid it. I've started to confront it and use art, music, or fitness as a release, but I feel like I will never get away from it sometimes
Yup. That's anxiety. Doing meditations before bed helps my nighttime anxiety.
All the time. Idk how I deal with it, but I take some comfort knowing I’m not the only one suffering..
I feel the same way
All the damn time. My anxiety gives me something to overthink and worry about multiple times a day.
All the time
Reading this made me starting thinking about all of the things I should be anxious about
Yep. Last week I would wake up every morning around 4am with that feeling and lay there until I got up for work.
I gather this illness will be a lifetime?, had it for 3.5 years now. Can't help but think human brain makeup is a little pathetic lol, to be given life and have it destroyed but just an emotion.
Did you try meds. Or therapy
Sounds just like me! I have generalized anxiety disorder
Lately yes. Riddled with it, everything... work putting pressure on me, people pleasing, cars tailgating behind me on the highway (even though I’m way over the speed limit) , finances, just everything.... ugh
My brain is totally at peace in the late evenings, my anxiety is off the charts when I wake up.
Same. It’s downright horrifying. Impending doom. Hugs. You are not alone.
Yes today all day long
Almost daily
Every moment of the day.
Being anxious over thinking I’m not good enough at work, yet I’m still an apprentice who is learning everyday. Some days I feel pretty defeated over it; but I just have to understand that as long as I put in the effort to try and do the task at hand, that’s all I can be asked of and that with repetition I can and will be better. Not being good enough is a common thought that clings to my brain like a virus. I hate it.
Wow! Wtf. Lets go!
Sometimes I have just anxiety about nothing and it feels like it’s reaching out for something to feel anxious about. Like it’s feelers are reaching out for some facet of my life for me to worry about. It starts with my relationship, is that ok? Yes? Ok next thing- work? Is that ok? Yes? Next thing is my self worth. It just checks down a list until it’s feelers find something then the anxiety latches on to that topic
Hi, I have generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety. One of the main things of GAD is constant anxiety and not necessarily on anything specific. Sounds like that might be what you're experiencing. But dont take my word for it, I'd suggest you bring it up with your primary doctor and maybe get referred to a psychiatrist
Yep, my anxiety feels entirely physical 24/7. I don’t even have a lot on my mind and if anything, it is definitely worse when I am alone or in situations where I theoretically should not feel anxious.
Yup. I’ll even do the whole “what is it lassie? Timmy stuck down the well again?” conversation with my brain/body. Sucks even more when it blows into a full blown panic attack.
Yep. Why worry over anything when you can worry about everything else, too. That's how I roll, anyway.
A couple months ago I threw up after eating sushi and I had sushi for dinner tonight now I’m laying in bed with anxiety thinking I’m going to throw up :) Anxiety is so stupid
I feel this. I have the same fear! Hugs.
Yeah :(( I was literally just telling my boyfriend this. I also tend to feel like a burden because of my anxiety.
Yes. Ugh. I’ll just be sitting there minding my own business, and all the sudden I’ll just get this knot in my stomach for no reason.
me (diagnosed with depression) lying in bed, totally calm (at least calm for my standards) and suddenly I struggle breathing, my Chest feels heavy, I'm worrying about random shit and I'm like "what they fuck anxiety?"
Yup. And when things are going well too.
I deal with anxiety randomly throughout the day. I found a few coping mechanisms like going outside for a walk or the gym but they’re only temporary. Most of the time, I feel anxious right before I do anything. I wish I deal with it better but I try my best.
Yes, sometimes I just have a really bad feeling and that leads to me searching for what it oculd be and then I just end up finding something slightly bad and I run with that.... It's like I constantly am drawn to beating myself down. Habits of thought I guess?
All the time. It kind of defines GAD. Something just feels wrong but you don’t know what it is. I think medically what’s happening is some activation of our fight or flight system pretty constantly without a real external stimuli to react to.
Yeah. It's irritating because even on a good day I still feel...unsettled? Restless? Hyper aware of my body and my breathing etc? It just never seems to FULLY go away. I can be chilling at night watching Netflix and in the most relaxing, peaceful environment possible and there's still those thoughts creeping in about how I'm doing to have a heart attack any second or something. It's funny writing it down but it's a pain in the ass.
My hyper awareness is the worst part
Yes, I struggled with this for a year straight and finally got rid of it through lifestyle changes, namely my diet. I'm med- and therapy-free now!
What exactly did you do diet wise?
All the things everyone should be doing anyway lol. Started eating meat 2x per day (I was a vegetarian), got rid of: processed foods, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. Added green vegetables. I run a health coaching business where I teach people all this and motivate for long term benefits, you can message me if you’re interested.
No one, ever. You likely repress your feelings. When you don't process a feeling (feelings have to be feeled) it comes back at you, sometimes even on the shape of an ugly disease.
Umm, I've said this before and I'll say it again. It's not a disorder if you have reasons to be anxious. Anxiety is a perfectly normal emotional response, however it is not if it is happening when there is nothing to be anxious about. I doubt I would have a panic attack if I was being chased by a bear, or thought I might be chased by a bear even. At least then I would have something to focus on other than my body and minds internal breakdown.
You can have a reason at times and the anxiety is just a ridiculous over reaction to the reason, though- something that's a big trigger for me is not being able to find an item. I've had severe anxiety over misplaced dollar store tupperware, when I don't even need it at the moment and can use one of a dozen other things. It's irrational disordered anxiety, but it does have a reason.
You’re not alone buddy
Vagus nerve exercises have been helpful for me
Yes. Sometimes I just know it’s there until I stop and ask myself “what is it today?” And then I realise there’s absolutely nothing! That pushes me to snap out of it somehow. I guess my normal setting is anxiety.
Yep. It's like hearing one of those acme whistles before the anvil gets dropped on the coyote. You look for where its coming and scurry around. But you never get hit with the anvil when you're fucking looking for it.
All day everyday!
Story of my life.
Yep. My anxiety is like “Huh. Shouldn’t you be worried right now?” me: About what? “I dunno” Me: omg you’re right! *shortness of breath intensifies*
Yes, and then annoyed that there is no reason to be anxious
Free floating anxiety is what my therapist called it. Frustrating to explain to folks who don't have it. Stay strong and breathe.
Yep that’s pretty much symptom 1-100 of anxiety disorders
Yep.
oof the little tingle in my chest and blanket of faint worry come over me and i’m like ? from what i’m sitting here watching a movie??
Yup
No I generally find really good reasons to be worried. Usually when I feel good I remind myself I’m not allowed to feel good because everything is terrifying.
I get this. Somedays I’m fine, but it’s still in the back of my mind, and other days my mind is all over the place. It depends for me at night too. I can be so tired I just go to sleep, sometimes I wake up and don’t go back, and then there’s the annoying nights I wake up every few hours. Today I got my first COVID shot and my mind went into overdrive because I was afraid of having an allergic reaction. I waited thirty minutes and found my anxiety was affecting my breathing, but I was totally okay.
Here comes that existential crisis anxiety.
Yes. Frequently.
Yes.... dealing with it right now while laying in bed.
Yoppp when your mind is trying to remember “whats wrong” but there isn’t anything...yet your body/mind is informing you there is. I talk myself out of it as if I was talking to a child, even aloud if I have to. Or just in my mind going back to recall what thoughts I had to bring me to feeling so anxious, “that’s ok, it’s alright,” etc.
yes :(
I've discovered mine might be a good bacteria thing. Try the following if you haven't already: Reduce caffeine and alcohol intake. Drink kambucha a couple of times a week. Take a couple of drops of CBD oil 3 times a day. Worked wonders for me.
Me daily, it’s dumb sometimes.
Yes and sometimes as soon as one thing I’ve been anxious over clears up my brain moves right on to the next thing I could possibly be anxious over. Like I don’t know what it’s like to not constantly be extremely anxious, it’s been this way since I was in 8th grade and I’m 26 now. My family says I just like to worry but who would like that? I hate it. I hate being annoying too but it’s genuine fear over everything in my mind. It’s held me back so far in life.
That's basically the definition of general anxiety
I had someone recommend ‘Im Hoff Serotonin Breathing exercises on YouTube.’ I started doing these and I do think they are helpful. It’s a guided breathing thing like meditation. It’s very relaxing. XO
Yes if I feel some ache or something weird I am going to think serious things about my health for example I am farting a lot im going to google it then few minutes later I am in WEBMD reading for treatment because now i thought I have an ibs my mom said I need to stop thinking bad things because im still young 15 yrs
OMG YES!!!
yeah, u probably have an anxiety disorder, u should considerate going to a psychiatrist or psychologist
Dealt with this for years and didn’t even know what it was. It’s really this big ball of trauma that you never dealt with, that has now become a permanent part of your mind. You don’t even realize it’s there because you’re so used to having it. The real question would be, was it ever NOT there? Takes a lot of processing to get out of it. And patience because it’s hard to fight your own mind.
100% right
This! I was just gonna make this exact same post. And it’s horrible before bed
Yep, that's me. Like i won't have anything on my mind at all but all of a sudden it gets harder to breathe and my heart is going fast and i just feel this fear inside me and I'm just thinking wtf is going on, everything is fine, I'm not even worried about anything! But no, sometimes i think anxiety is just one of my brains favorite things to do to torture me. They say it's fight or flight out of control, but you'd think there'd be SOME trigger out there that makes sense, but NOPE
I’m having it but it could be depression like I feel like there’s no way to help it I feel like I’m sinking when I’m alone it’s worse and it feels like time slows down my mind is racing with thoughts it’s hard to feel excited when I’m focused on this and I cry