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Everybody sitting down, good > let's talk about G.A.D.

Old 06-15-2011, 10:08 AM
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Everybody sitting down, good > let's talk about G.A.D.

I have suffered from it since age 8 (that I remember)...classic onset age of G.A.D.

Self-medicated with alcohol from age 23, onwards...to TRY to cope, obviously didn't work.

Been dry now for some weeks.

But very anxious.

Medication is not helping, at all, that I can see.

I see 8 of my SR friends are VIEWING this section of SR...so, without further ado....I await your comments....jump in, free for all!

Kelly
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Old 06-15-2011, 11:16 AM
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Interesting topic. I actually had to google it to see what it was.

I do believe after reading about it that I probably suffered from it at a very young age and it progressed with time and several significant traumas into PTSD although I do believe it may well still be an underlying current.

Not sure what else to say about it right now.
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Old 06-15-2011, 06:04 PM
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I have no experience to share Kelly...but I hope the meds start to help soon...if not I'd go back to your Dr

D
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Old 06-15-2011, 07:01 PM
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I'd love to see a definition, for starters. I've never even heard of it.
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Old 06-15-2011, 09:35 PM
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Hi Kelly according to my pyschiatrist I have generalized anxiety disorder. I think its just a constant worrying and anxiety during the day which never stops. I have had it all my life and have struggled and fought it for as long as I can remember. Medication has helped but it is and always will be with me for the rest of my life.

I started taking anti-depressants about 1 1/2 ago as well as deralin which is a beta blocker which is good for anxiety. I went through a very bad patch in my life for about 6 months it looked like suicide was good option but stayed strong and won my life back.

The reason I started on the beta blocker was because the anti depressants were making my hands shake and it gave me headaches as well as still experiencing anxiety and panic still even with the anti-depressant.

I get through the days better these days as well as taking sedatives when I'm really anxious or experiencing a panic attack which happens but i accept it and move on. I have social anxiety G.A.D panic disorder and agoraphobia. At my worst couldn't leave the house to go to the doctor to get help I was so full of panic and anxiety. In the end I'm winning now 55 days sober. I am also on anti-psychotic medication for psychotic episodes I have had while using marijuarna.

Life is tough but worth it these days.
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Old 06-17-2011, 06:48 AM
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I suffer from social anxiety and a specific phobia. I have never been diagnosed with GAD, but do suffer from it. As the poster above said "I think its just a constant worrying and anxiety during the day which never stops", this is why i know i have it, becoz the constant worry and thoughts create anxiety for me. I also have not been diagnosed with panic disorder, but due to the social and specific phobia, i am constantly having anxiety attacks where they come on very sudden and i worry about them happening again, becoz im 100% they will!!

I think that some anxiety disorders overlap.

I have tried several meds in the past. Tried various different therapies. And im begining to wonder, is this it? Am i gona have these disorders for life? Do i accept i will never be anxiety free? Or do i keep the hope that maybe one day something will change? As of now, where i am and have been for the past while is trying to keep positive and keep up hope. I will continue to keep doing this but im not sure how much longer it will take me to change and start thinking that this is it, anxiety will always be with me.

Anyway, GAD, as i said i think a lot of the anxiety disorders overlap. They have the same components; similar but different. I think this is linked to all anxiety disorders. Even OCD, i have obsessive thoughts, also known as intrusive thoughts, which create worry and anxiety for me. So most of the components i have in one disorder i have in others also.

One thing i do know for sure, is that i would well rather a life with no anxiety disorders, but for now i have to make do with what ive got. It can be very draining living in a hightned state of anxiety everyday and for that its important to look after yourself.
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Old 06-18-2011, 05:31 AM
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I have GAD too I've had it since I was 8-9 too. I'm all the time in a "flight or fight"-mode and it's exhausting. Medication didn't help.
I find that relaxation/meditation/visualization helps a bit, also Tai-chi or Qi-gong, when I can get myself to do the exercises.
I hope we can get better one day
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Old 06-18-2011, 07:36 AM
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Hi Kelly, I have recently been diagnosed with GAD, 44 yo male, professional, family man, and was self- medicating with alcohol, currently sober 9 days. The booze was exacerbating my anxiety which caused me to drink even more, a viscous cycle. When the anxiety overtook the ability of alcohol to counter it, i stopped drinking.

I am treating it with:

Daily exercise
Paxil 10 mg, started 5 days ago after never being on any meds
Cognitive behavioral therapy with a therapist
regular bed times
"Mindfulness" - John Kabat-Zinn books

Since it it early in my course, I am a work in progress. Will keep you and the board I formed as I progress.....
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Old 07-04-2011, 10:56 PM
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I have GAD, but the thing that bothers me are the physical symptoms in uncomfortable situations in life. I can handle everything else, but take medication for the symptom's sake.
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Old 07-21-2011, 10:24 PM
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so true what you all say, and thank you for being here-- cause i finally know i'm not the only one.
it's impossible to explain to family members--i never even tried. hell, they're a lot of the reasons i'm so fearful in the first place.
really maims to speak terrible words over children, cause they grow up & fulfill that word without knowing how it happened. (bad marriages, addictions, can't hold a job, ect.)
i understand now how i got this way, & it helps me find my way back.
truly, not being angry at whatever person hurt u is very healing.
even though they caused u 2 think you're a loser or worthless, you can still decide to change your own mind about it see yourself the way God sees you--as precious.
it takes time to reform your thinking, but the thoughts of God are peaceful, never harmful...
so begin there, & take His Word for it-- just agree with God that you're precious & that person who ragged on you was simply wrong & nasty. Amen
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Old 07-26-2011, 06:01 PM
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Hi I was diagnosed a few years ago and given an antidepressant plus ativan. Prior to that I had been using xanax for years after stockpiling it...i finally got to a place where i rarely took it but carried it just in case i had an attack. I lost my xanax dealer and once i ran low i went to the doc. I was so edgy sitting in the office palms sweating and shaking that he didnt need to see much more. Ran out of the scripts awhile ago but got scared to go back because I almost got denied life insurance due to it. So now im hoping staying completely substance free will lessen the anxiety, if not i hope to maintain at least till i can get more life insurance and then i will be back to the doctor. Anxiety is a huge relapse trigger for me and ive got lots of it. For me it tends to be worst upon waking up. Glad I found the anxiety specific room here this is great!
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Old 07-27-2011, 06:53 AM
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I too have GAD.It seems to me to be a Mountain of Anxious Moments
that happened over my lifetime up to this moment in time,held on to by my Subconcious.
I have been down all the mentioned Roads........Alcoholic..Drank for 25 years........Tranqualiser Addict..Took Pills for 25 years as well. I Was locked up In Mental Hospitals 15 Times.
I was never a bad person.......Just Suffered from Panic,Tention,Anger,Rage,.....all under the Banner of Anxiety.
I have attended AA,NA,Tranx Release,Grow,CR, and now ACA,Between them Clocking up, over 30 years of Therapy and Meetings.
Its ACA that has Pointed the Finger at what happened to me.........
Notice what I have Said,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,>Happened to me.
I did not Cause.......so no more Blameing Myself.
Best of Luck to all seeking Recovery......Its Slow I find.
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Old 08-01-2011, 12:20 PM
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I have anxiety too. It came out of nowhere, and I had been to the doctor for test after test after test because I was experiencing physical symptoms that kept being diagnosed as an inner ear infection and sinus infection. Come to find out I had severe anxiety as a result of abuse that happened as a child. I had repressed a lot of memories and pain from growing up in a heroin house. Something triggered some of these memories, and I had blocked out a lot of my past. The anxiety and attacks was a result of repressed memories that were being triggered by everyday activities. I have been going to therapy and dealing with the past that I hadn't even remembered, and now I haven't had an anxiety attack in 5 months!!
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