What is it?
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) can be defined as a disorder in which the sufferer feels in a constant state of high anxiety and is often known as ‘chronic worrying’ or a ‘free floating’ anxiety condition.
People who suffer with GAD often describe themselves as suffering with ‘free floating anxiety’ which can be likened to the ‘whack the crocodile’ game at an arcade – they resolve one issue but no sooner has this been done when another worry pops up. We all suffer with worry from time to time, but the thing that makes GAD different from “normal worry” is that the worry is prolonged (it lasts for over 6 months), and the level of worry is out of proportion to the risk. For example, if a partner is an hour late from work (without calling) a GAD sufferer may think ‘they must have had an accident’, rather than any other just as likely scenario, e.g. ‘they have been delayed in traffic’ or ‘they have popped to the pub with a colleague’.
GAD is a particularly difficult disorder to live with as it is constantly on the sufferer”s mind – there is no respite as the anxiety is not tied to a specific situation or event. It can cause problems with sleep, ability to maintain a job as well as impact close relationships.
DIY self diagnosis
If you can answer YES to most of the questions it is likely that you are affected by GAD.
During the past 6 months:-
- Do you feel that you have been nervous/on edge most days over the past 6 months?
- Did you have problems falling asleep
- Did you feel tension in your muscles because of feeling on edge?
- Did you frequently feel tense and irritable?
Anxiety UK strongly advises that people seek further information and guidance from their GP who will be able to make a formal diagnosis.
How we can help
Anxiety UK is a user-led charity with more than forty years experience in supporting those living with anxiety. By becoming a member of Anxiety UK, you will have access to a range of benefits, including:
- Access to reduced cost therapy within two weeks of submitting your therapy request
- Access to our helpline (available Monday-Friday, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm) staffed by volunteers with personal experience of anxiety
- Receipt of four issues of Anxious Times, our quarterly members” magazine
- Access to the members only section of our website, featuring regular support surgeries facilitated by anxiety experts
- Access to specialist helplines, including the psychiatric pharmacy helpline and the psychology information helpline
And many, many other benefits that will help you manage your anxiety long term. To become a member of Anxiety UK click here or ring 08444 775 774 today.
Want to know more?
The Anxiety UK site has information on a range of resources to provide more detailed information and help.
Recommended reading
Overcoming Worry is available in the Anxiety UK shop for a more detailed overview of GAD and techniques for overcoming it. Click here to purchase this product or other Anxiety UK products on GAD.
Pfizer pharmaceuticals have sponsored the production of a booklet on GAD that is available as a free download on this site. Please click here.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has produced a guide to self help resources for people living with GAD. You can download it here.
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Anxiety UK relies on donations to keep its services running. If you found this information useful please make a donation – no amount is too small.
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Useful information
Our mission is to improve the quality of life for people suffering from psychiatric and neurological illnesses.
Lundbeck is unique in that it focuses entirely on finding new and effective therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. This strategic focus allows us to establish strong links with academics, health care professionals and patient organisations with interests in CNS disorders including anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Although a listed company, our major shareholder is the Lundbeck Foundation, which owns 70% of the company’s shares. The Foundation was established in 1954 by the widow of our founder, Hans Lundbeck. The Foundation is also one of the largest private contributors to natural science research in Denmark.
For more information about Lundbeck and the work we do, visit www.lundbeck.co.uk
Date of preparation: May 2011
UK/ESC/1105/0234
This page is sponsored by Lundbeck.
Personal experience
Do you suffer from GAD and want to share your experience with other people? Post your personal experience in the comments box below where it will be sent to our moderator for approval. Many people find this part of the site very useful when trying to understand their disorder so your comments really do make a difference. Please note, all comments submitted to the Anxiety UK website may be used by Anxiety UK for (but not limited to) publicity and promotional material.
I have always had anxiety problems…
however, in January of this year I went to my GP for help because anxiety had taken over my life for far too long. In March, I started to see a psychologist and was diagnosed with GAD. Seeing a psychologist has changed my life around. I still suffer from anxiety and accept that I probably always will, but I have learnt new ways of thinking and coping.
The first steps are the hardest – the hardest thing for me was seeing my GP and that first meeting with the psychologist. However, its true what they say – a problem shared is a problem halved…. I now realise I am not alone in how I feel and hope to soon be starting a self-help group. Anxiety is controllable and you are not alone. Best wishes.
Cheryl
I have been suffering with GAD for around 1 year now.
I must say the hardest thing I have found with an anxiety disorder is family members and friends playing it down and the all pervasive guilt we can feel for anything we’ve ever done wrong in our past, and the setbacks. It’s the highs and the lows that are hard to deal with but with a good CBT practitioner and education, these disorders can be overcome.
Marvin
I have to agree. With increased public awareness campaigns addressing depression this illness is now ‘socially acceptable’, people can admit to their friends and workmates that they have depression and receive the support and acceptance they deserve.
This is not my experience with anxiety – I’m told by others to pull myself together, get over it, that its my fault or that I should just try harder – which makes matters worse and compounds the guilt I feel and the things I tell myself. I could never tell my friends or workmates for fear of being laughed at, gossiped about or seen to be performing poorly. More needs to be done about raising awareness of anxiety in the community, workplace and the media as a serious clinical illness, not the butt of everyone’s jokes as it seems to be at the moment.
I couldn’t agree more with the above posts. It feels good to finally realise that my worries are not normal and something can be done about it. I’ve had anxiety problems for years but didn’t realise it – the prime example is thinking my boyfriend has had a major accident when I can’t get hold of him on the phone, etc. It finally came to a head this last month when I almost fainted at work due to the feeling that I just couldn’t cope with so much worry. For about 10 years now I’ve just been told to ‘calm down and stop worrying’ and ‘you just need to stop worrying, just stop thinking about things, it’s easy’. That whole situation made it worse as I felt that there was something badly wrong with me. After discussing things with my GP, I realised that there could be a way out of this after all. Let’s hope!
I totally agree. I am 16 and have had it for one year and at first my mother was totally supportive and I got a bit better. However, when she was round people talking about it she was saying “oh, she’s being silly” and it has gotten so so much worse. I am just not going to talk to her about it and deal with people we actually can help. My brother in law specialises in this so its really helpful.
I was 9 when I first developed anxiety disorder. At first the doctors diagnosed it as depression, so I received treatment for that for many years until I started High school and had a major panic attack on my first day. My mother looked up the symptoms online and we began searching for a ‘cure’. I fought against it for years, desperately trying different methods for one that would work. It wasn’t until I discovered the ‘Charles Linden method’ that I actually began to get any better, It’s amazing and has genuinely changed my life. I’m 18 now and although I still have wobbly days, they aren’t as scary. Please don’t give up, it may seem insurmountable now, but it will get easier.
Kat x
i know that feeling well i have suffered for 6 yrs now , it did get easier for a couple of yrs there with medication and my family think all is well but ive been getting worse again for a couple off months now and scared to say anything cos all i get is pull urself together you have kids do you want them to see you in this state !! dont give them a terrible life theres nothing wrong with you its all in your head !! i know that but getting it out my head is hard all i want to do is cry , my gp has given me medication, i have stopped going out as i feel safer at home as i feel nothing can happen to me or my family here .
I have been suffering from GAD for nearly 2 years now.
I am no better now than when I was first diagnosed, and I have to say, that I ended up feeling very alone and afraid. My own personal experience within the NHS dealing with this condition is traumatic to say the least. I have only just managed to beg a locum at my GP’s office to refer me to a behavioural therapist. None of the other doctors had heard of behavioural therapy and one of my GP’s actually said that he did not believe in ‘alternative therapies’. I am on disablity living allowance due to the severity of my symptoms. I’ll list them in the hope that someone else suffering will see them and realise that they are not alone:
* Palpitations
* Chest pain
* Back pain
* IBS
* Stomach pain
* Breathlessness
* Pains in arms and legs
* Constant feeling that I’m going to die
* Insomnia
* Headaches and feelings of tightness in the head
* Blurred vision
There are just too many symptoms to list them all. GAD can manifest itself in so many different physical ways that you end up not knowing what is real and what is part of the anxiety. I have been given tablet after tablet over the course of the past 2 years. Beta blockers for tachychardia, diazepam, seroxat and more. None have worked. I am no better and now feel no longer able to go to the GP. I have had an endoscopy and colonoscopy. I have had over 20 ECG’s and a 24 hour monitor. I only received the ECG’s because I ended up going to casualty thinking I was having a heart attack, so many times. I am now told by my GP nurse (who was the only one who took me seriously and arranged to refer me), that I have been referred to a behavioural therapist. I can find no groups of sufferers within my area and continue to believe my symptoms have physical causes. The fact that I’m even writing this shows that somewhere inside, I must be aware that my severe anxiety is causing it. There are just too many symptoms for it to be one physical illness. Doesn’t help when your’e sat on your own going through it. If I can help anyone, it is by saying that you must be the first person to help yourself. Be stronger than I have managed to be and demand the help you need. This is a real illness and I have been told that it is second only to depression in this country, and yet I cannot find the help I need.
Suzanna
Suzanna I have had these symptoms for nearly 6 years (it is like my life is on hold) I went to the hospital two nights ago, I had an eco talked to a GP and I felt fine until I went to my recently acquired job (working nights) which thought had limited contact with people which always triggers a powerful attack. Now I feel like I need to quit but I need this job for so many reasons. There is no real support from the NHS when I go to my GP he just wants to Hypothesis me, he describes it almost as a game and started smiling at the possibility my participation. I have real concerns for this as a form of treatment as when I am in a state of annx confusion and misinterpretation is paramount. The NHS constantly lets me down and I too do not know where to go form here.
Hi Maxwell,
Its Cat here at Anxiety UK – just to say, we always try and advise people to stay in work if they can. I know how hard it can be (I have had anxiety myself), but leaving work gives you a lot more time to sit and think about how bad you feel. If there is anything we can do please let me know.
Cat
Interesting you day that as my anxiety is triggered by work. The whole idea of working day in day out just makes me want to run for the mountains (and that’s on a good day). My doctor’s latest answer is to put me on antidepressants and that I need a job in Tesco. This is not a joke in any way, that was his advice. As a result, I am ‘on hold’, I have been for the last 10 years now. I cannot push forward and now without the support of a doctor I feel that there is literally no way out. I’ve had CBT – doesn;t really help when I’m being treated alongside people who are scared of getting on a bus. Getting on a bus you can practise slowly – going to work is something I HAVE to do to live and I have to do it on my own every day and be on top of my game when I’m there (I work part time now in 2 schools). I have also had counselling but only 6 sessions at a time which doesn’t do anything. So I really feel I have no way of living.
i was relieved to read your symptoms.. My daughter died at 40 hours old a month ago from a rare disease. We knew prior to her birth but her chances were 70% at life. I suffered anxiety before but not this severe. This past week, have had headaches with blurred vision, fear of death, all sorts of aches and pains. I am so frightened all the time but at least I know I am not alone
I am 33 yrs old,in the same boat as u,and tld it anxiety,i do wnder can anxiety do al tis 2people,it wit me constant pains everwhere,it a nitemare,gt 2ecgs,echo,xray al clear,i feel 4 u,take care
I am no expert on the matter , but Adrenalin pumps around the body with sufferers of Gad ,everything goes into overdrive.My thought patterns are rapid too.With Anxiety comes tension , this is why your muscles ache , because your muscles are tense .Warm baths and massaging the body helps immensely .
I feel almost exactly like you. It would be nice to have someone to talk to who understands, if you want to chat?
Lucy x
Lucy ,you still out there ? we can chat here x
Lucy , and Justine , and everyone .Has any one taken steps to help themselves ? .Justine , Have you sort help from your Doctor ? .To admin , I cant figure out how to private message , do i need to become a paid member ?
hello, i’d have a chin wag, be great to discuss with others exactly what we are going through. facebook?
Any personal details giving here will be deleted , and i cant fathom out how to private message .Can you private message me ?I cannot express enough the importance of seeking help .
I d love to have a chin wag on face book .
To the guys and girls that monitor this here , How do i private message ? .Do you have a face book page ?
This is exactly how its been for me. Its got worse over the past two months and i’m even worried about leaving my own home. I’ve also been rushed to emergency twice now as it felt like was having a heart attack and again i’ve also had many ECG’s. I feel like i have no one to talk to as no one listens and they think i’m being stupid or after attention. All i really want to do is cry. I also have a little girl and i’m a single mother so I have to struggle with this and try and do everything best by my daughter. I honestly feel like i’m breaking down day by day and I just want to be strong for her. I hope you’ve managed to cope with it as I’ve just noticed your post is over a year old. I’m going to the doctor soon so I just hope they can help.
I when having GAD wake with my heart pumping , that’s when i know i need help .I am not an advocate of medicine , but there is help out there. Usually this can come with depression .
Emma ..YOU MUST APPROACH YOUR DOCTOR !!! .There is help out there ! .My GAD is under control with medication.Feeling ” CALM ” is so very precious .
I cant say it more loudly .HELP IS OUT THERE ! GO GET IT ! YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO IT !! .DONT SUFFER IN SILENCE ! .XXXXXX.
See it as an emergency ( dont call 999 thou ),but seek help as a matter of urgency !!
Hi Diane,
I have read your post saying YOU MUST APPROACH YOUR DOCTOR.
I have never sought medical help and i am slowly getting worse.
I recently moved house and so i need to register with a new doctor, i am just so scared of talking to them because i am scared that they will think my worrys are pathetic.
I am not sure how to expalin how i feel, any help woould be much apprecited.
Justine,
Tell me how you feel ? .Are you down ? nervous ? panicky ? heart racing ? .tense ? .Are you like it all day ? .How long has this been going on for , weeks , months ? .Do you have negative thoughts ? .These thoughts blight your day to day living .!
Do not feel weak and a failure , this is a common condition , your GP is there to help you . They will not think you pathetic , trust me , if it is getting worse , your Dr can help , and you NEED help .It can initially be controlled ( maybe with a medicine ) , then you could have therapy, and learn relaxation techniques . PLEASE PLEASE GO SEE YOUR DOCTOR …SEEK HELP .. BE STRONG XX
It does not mean medicine will be giving to you , that for the Gp to decide .
I’d like to say that there is NO help out there. Ive had depression and anxiety again for 18 mths. Changes doctors and still no help!
Hi Brenda,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve not been getting help from your GP, it must be a difficult and frustrating time for you, but there is help available. Anxiety UK offer therapy services that you may be interested in, information can be found at http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/get-help/what-kind-of-treatment-is-best-for-me/ . You can also call our helpline on 08444 775 774 if you would like to speak to someone.
Best wishes
Neil (Anxiety UK Helpline Volunteer)
I too have given up trying to get help. I have dosulepin for depression and Promazine to help with anxiety but nothing helps really. Anxiety is soul destroying.
I’m sorry to hear this, but if this is something that affects your life and holds you back then you shouldn’t give up. Have you tried the therapies available to you? There are many people who find that therapy helps more than medication however this is of course entirely up to the individual. We have many therapies on offer from us at a subsidised rate that can be found here http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/get-help/what-kind-of-treatment-is-best-for-me/ although you must be a member if you want to use these services. I hope that you find something that can help you and you can always call our helpline 08444 775 774 to discuss options futher if you wish to take them.
Best wishes
Chris
Hi Kate
Anxiety is often the result of irrational thoughts/beliefs/fear and negative thinking. These thoughts can alter our behaviours, moods and feelings, and trigger our bodies to react. If you want to manage the anxiety and depression, you really need to address these thoughts and behaviour properly. Managing anxiety and depression is also about having faith in yourself and those who are helping and supporting you, and staying positive and proactive and do not give up. You can’t expect a therapist or other professionals to come knock on your door, you need to reach for them and get help yourself. Medication can only address these symptoms caused by anxiety and depression without really treating the anxiety and depression.
Andy
Suzanna – I can totally sympathise. I have exactly the same as you – same symptoms and same history of hospitals. It is so debilitating. I saw a new doctor today who was angry noone had helped me before and I now have a referal to an anxiety clinic. Good luck to you
I’ve a friend, ‘Sarah’ he was diagnosed with severe anxiety 2 years ago. History- She had a brain tumour
this gave her epileptic fits. The tumour was glued in the early 90′s which reduced the fits but never stopped them.
She is a gutsy lady, full of live and up for anything; today she is not the same person. Family and friends gave the usual response – pull yourself together. Husband has now left to stay with his daughter. Every one is singing from different hymn sheets. At first when the attacks started she was on a hell of a lot of medication, she took the tablets by the handful. Every time she saw her GP her tablets were changed, when she saw the doc’s treating her tumour, they changed what the gp prescribed. When she saw the A&E doctors (called 999 for a fit) so the A&E doctors changed her medication. You can see where this is leading to. Round and round in circles. She then went to Sheffield to have a device fitted, similar to a pacemaker but this device warded off the fitting. She had to press it when she thought she was going to have a fit. At the last visit to the docs they told her she had used it hundreds of times, even though she should have pressed it only a few times. The underlying cause is the fear of fitting. When she has a grand mal she is fully awake.
Then she goes round in circles again. For two years ‘Sarah’ was convinced it was withdrawal symptoms from one of her many tablets. Even though the community psychiatric team told it was severe anxiety it
was understandable to think it was withdrawal from valium or whatever because they have the same symptoms. My friend needs her husband back, her children back, and her grandchildren back. She deserves better.
She is coming to stay with me what advise can you give us?
refrain tumour
Hi Margo
Sorry to hear what your friend has gone through. Anxiety is often the result of irrational thoughts/beliefs/fear and negative thinking we have in our mind. These then trigger our bodies to react (ie.e panic attack) and change our behaviour (e.g. coping behaviour). I would strongly recommend your friend to speak to a therapist or a psychologist about her anxiety. Medications can only address the symptoms caused by the anxiety but addressing the nagtive thinking and irrational thoughts would help your friend Sarah to understand her anxiety. A therapist will be able to do that with her and help her to manage the anxiety and the coping behaviour She can ask her GPs to refer her to see a psychologist from the NHS but waiting is generally very long. Alternatively, Anxiety UK offers therapy services to member with a small cost and waiting list is normally two weeks. Please visit our Get Help session for more information on the help and support available to you and your friend Sarah.
Andy
I have found Prozac very effective with anxiety ,I would advise anyone to really bang the drum with their DR ,this is a terrible condition to live with .I am not a fan of drugs , but sometimes it is necessary.Its got to be better than living in an anxious state from the minute you wake , till the end of the day .
Hi Diane
Thanks for sharing with. We don’t recommend people to give medical advice or suggest medication to others because everyone is different. I do believe speaking to your GPs is a great idea however speaking a mental health practitioner, i.e. a therapist, who is specialised in treating anxiety is ideal. Medication can help you to clear your mind and ease the symptoms but shouldn’t see it as a long term treatment to anxiety. Have you thought about cognitive behavioural therapy?
Andy
Oh dear Suzanna, I’m sure you are a beautiful person who doesn’t deserve to feel this way! I have just logged on to this site today because I’m worried about myself, have felt anxiety for a few years now, I just feel too scared to go to my GP. On reading your message I cried for ages but you have given me the strength to take that step and go to my doctors. It’s hard to push for anything in this life but to do it when feeling depressed is a huge achievement! Well done you! When I see how much the government take out of my wages each month, I should benefit from a good NHS service if I need it! Keep pushing Suzanna, and I would be more than happy to provide emotional support as I totally understand where you are coming from!!! I sincerely hope you feel better since writing that message and I await you response eargerly as I do have the best family but they don’t seem to understand why i’m feeling this way (I don’t either to be honest). Jo
I am 29 and I have all of your symptoms. Its horrific. I hate it. I felt better for a while but back to square one again. How did you get on with the specialist?
You certainly are not alone!
Try looking into the Linden Method. It definitely works. Il try and relay its principles. Sufferers of anxiety disorders have reached a stage where the individual may have had many situations in their life which have been stressfull and anxious. The bodies way of dealing with this is to produce adrenaline and prepare the body for a ‘fight or flight’ situation. If this has happened a lot the brain begins to ‘learn’ and ‘think’ that this is a normal way of dealing with situations, even non stressful every day situations, to the point that symptoms can manifest themself every day in extreme cases. The brain has pretty much wired itself into the habit of thinking negative thoughts and producing the anxious physical reactions. The neural pathways have to be ‘rewired’ to stop this. The amygdala is a part of the brain that regulates mood and emotions and anxiety sufferers need to ‘retrain’ the amygdala to normal levels and to not produce the ‘fight ot flight’ stimulus at times when it is not needed. The physical results of this can manifest themselves in many many ways. Mental thoughts can also be affected. The methods for treating the disorder are in the form of breathing techniques and ‘retraining’ the brain with thought exercises and adopting the idea of ‘distracting’ your brain from the chance to think negative thoughts or think itself into its habitual way of producing anxious responses physically and mentally.
I have been living a life of constant worry for the past year and sometimes I feel I can’t go on any more.
I have always been a worrier but until last year I had been extremely successful in both my studies and my career. Now I feel I’ll never be a success again. I can’t do anything without worrying. I have lost my ability to think logically and I can’t concentrate on anything. I feel so guilty about everything bad I have done in my past. My anxiety feels like a punishment. I have been referred for CBT but it feels like I have been waiting forever on the NHS. I just hope that it works and I can finally get over this life of constant fear.
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth, this is the first time I’ve looked at this website, I feel the need to reply to you though because you’ve described exactly how I feel, and how I would describe it word for word and I really feel for you.
I think I’ve had excessive worrying for most of my life and it feels like it has taken a lot away from me. I can relate to you saying that you were a success as I was a high achiever in education, but haven’t progressed in my career as I think i feel I don’t deserve it because I feel guilty all the time – like I’ve done something wrong and I don’t know what. So I don’t know if our backgrounds have caused us to expect too much from ourselves.
My most awful time was not sleeping properly for about 4 years and it became an obsessive thought that I wouldn’t be able to sleep and so I couldn’t sleep!
Anyway, this probably isn’t very helpful but I just wanted you to know your not alone and I’m sure you will get through it – I’m sure we both deserve to even if we don’t feel it!
Elizabeth , Have things improved ?.I feel very concerned for everyone who has this , and its controlling their life’s .
I wonder if a face book group exist or can be formed .It would help greatly .
I feel strong right now , and so wish to support everyone !! .
I personally feel Adrenalin , that kicks in for the bodies flight or fight response, reaches a peak and does not know how to shut down .It NEEDS help to be able to get it back on the right track .Its the Adrenalin that creates many of the symptoms .
A person will experience something in their life that will cause them stress and worry,this escalates and builds up ( along with the Adrenalin ) .You then are in a bad state feeling so very very un calm ! .When you are constantly feeling anxious , sometimes even on waking , and its gone on for weeks or months , its time to take control .Its time to SEEK HELP ! .It is a common disorder ..YES ; COMMON ! ..Pick up that phone and RING YOUR GP .STOP THIS FROM BLIGHTING YOUR EXISTENCE ! XX
I have been diagnosed with GAD and I have had this condition now for years.
I am on a waiting list for CBT but of course as I am not seen to be ‘at serious risk’ i.e. I’m taking trazadone and am coping – just, the waiting list seems to be going on forever. I wake up each morning with chronic stomach churning and it lasts all day – why is my stomach churning? I don’t know why. If I won the lottery my thoughts would be: ‘what if I buy a fast car and crash?’ or ‘what if I buy a posh house and get burgled?’. This condition is basically a damned nuisance now and it spoils everything. I can’t enjoy anything or relax unless I have a ridiculous amount of alcohol and that’s no answer. So to other sufferers out there – you’re not alone but I don’t suppose that’s much of a help to you. I’m angry and fed up with it and I’m sure you are too.
Debbie
hi i wanted to say that this is just how i feel alot of the time my anxiety comes and goes in waves . at the moment it is bad i wake up feelin wired ,my eyes are sore from lack of sleep , my mouth is dry all the time i feel like there are dangers everywhere and taht i am the worst person in the world . i hav 3 kids and 3 step kids so i soldier on i hav seen the gp and had several bouts of counselling and take Sertraline at present which were working but seem to have lost effectiveness now i just want a magic cure so i can get on and enjoy my life for a change
What is Cbt ? .Your thoughts are how mine can be , very negative , and usually at a quick pace .Try talking to yourself , replace the bad thought with a good one .Say it out loud if you have too .When you feel your thought pattern slipping , think positive things .I know its not easy , but it will help .Meditating helps calm the mind too .
Adrenalin is the cause of this .I believe the body dos not regulate it under certain conditions .Everything goes into over drive ! .I would say high anxiety/extreme nervousness and racing thought of the not nice kind , is the worse symptoms .
Hi Diane
That’s true. Anxiety is the result of irrational thoughts/beliefs/fears and negative in our mind. These thoughts then trigger our bodies to react hence we get all sort of physical symptoms. The release of (excess) adrenalin is one of the symptoms called by extreme stress, anxiety and/or threat and this is called “fight or flight response”. You can look this up on wikipedia. Excerise can help to use up some of these excess adrenalin. However, the ideal treatment is to talk to a therapist and get professional help on how manage the anxiety and all these irrational thoughts and negative thinking. We do provide cognitive behavioural therapy which is very effective in treating anxiety, and I would recommend that to anyone with anxiety.
Andy
I have suffered with GAD for the past 10 years and have found that it only gets more extreme with time.
What started simply as worrying about going to school over time developed into constant anxiety and dread. I am now 21 and each day I worry constantly about anything and everything and it is difficult to get out the house. I have tried SSRI’s but got bad side effects and counselling didn’t work at all. I have been told that CBT could help me but unfortunately the waiting list is too long.
If I had one piece of advice to give it would be ‘don’t suffer with GAD in silence, don’t be embarrassed to seek help, it is an illness. Go and seek help as soon as you can as it only gets worse with time’. I only wish I had got help sooner; I have missed out on so many opportunities in my life due to anxiety. Don’t let anxiety hold you back. Take control of your life. Life is yours to live.
Claire
I have suffered from anxiety for 9 months.
I am pleased to say however that after three sessions of cognitive therapy I feel that I am in control of my anxiety and am slowly bringing myself back to full health. The best advice I can give is to not give up hope of a full recovery; you will have your good & bad days. I also recommend reading as many self help books as you can and try as many available treatments that there are because as I found anxiety & depression can be controlled. I hope this information helps..
David
I have always been a worrier, but it wasnt until September 2005 that normal worrying turned into GAD.
The symptoms I had at first were:
* waking up with my stomach knotting
* inability to be at ease
* waking up earlier and earlier each day
* tension & tension headaches
* dry mouth
* cold hands and feet
* adrenaline rushes & sweating
* loss of appetite
At the start I was completely uneducated on this topic and of course that made it worse, because I couldn’t understand why I felt like this.As I’ve managed to tackle the physical symptoms, I’ve realised that underlying all of this is having a mind of negative thought patterns and key to complete recovery is dealing with those thoughts – no matter how small you think they may be.
I have been really lucky to have the support of great family, friends and work. I’ve also had a supportive doctor and got a psychologist before any of this started due to earlier stress which now I see was a sign of the upcoming anxiety.
If I can give some advice it would be:
* Don’t believe that you cannot beat this
* Fight tooth and nail to get yourself a psychologist
* Help yourself – getting better relies on you wanting to get better
* MAKE YOURSELF do the hard things – they sound cliched but exercise, vitamin supplements, relaxation sessions are all crucial
* Understand that you will be better on some days and worse on others
* Enjoy the good times and celebrate every little thing you do
* If you can invest in just one book, I’d recommend the overcoming worry book (see the recommended reading section of this website)
Good luck … we can do it
Craig
Hi Criag
Many thanks for your positive words. I have recently been diagnosed with GAD, which was worrying in itself! I’m at the beginning of a road to what I hope will be recovery or wellness and found your words really encouraging.
One thing I would say though, is that although the book you recommend – Overcoming Worry is excellent, it actually made me worse, because my symptoms are quite bad and I found myself over analysing to such a degree that I really thought I was loosing the plot. Fortunately I did see my GP, asked to see someone specialising in mental health problems and was taken seriously, given some SSRIs and put on the (long) waiting list for CBT.
I’ve started a blog about getting better, because I hope I will and I find it really useful to read about others who are getting better. Its at http://generalisedanxietydisorder.wordpress.com/ Hope this is useful too.
WELL SAID CRAIG ! .All the little things add up .This condition needs to attacked from all corners .From diet to relaxation ,to a body massage to seeing a therapist .Plus sharing , and realising you are not alone can greatly help.
feel free to message me if you fancy a chat .I really want to help !
I have been trying to figure out what is wrong with me for ten years now.
I thought I had OCD because of the constant worrying that preoccupies my thoughts. I had one year of CBT and spent 2 years on Lustral – a form of SSRI antidepressant. I felt better then but a couple of years after coming off these tablets the constant worrying returned. I constantly worry if I have hurt someone’s feelings and keep going over the conversation in my head. I try to concentrate on what my friends and family are saying but the current obsessive thought is always there and I don’t often hear what they are saying to me. My worrying can cause severe anxiety at times when I am under pressure or stress. I get panicky and sweat and often end up with a severe migraine and have to go to bed. Since reading this website about GAD and other people’s experiences I do not now feel alone and just writing this is helping relieve the knot in my tummy that I woke with this morning. I saw a GP yesterday and have been referred to a counsellor for stress and anxiety counselling. I feel I have been so used to behaving in a certain way that I need help to break the cycle of worrying about irrational things which are having a serious effect on the things that matter most in life. I have been prescribed diazepam for when I am at my worst but have been told Xanax is good to calm you down. I ah however looking forward to the counselling which I hope will treat the constant worrying that I have about anything and everything. I am also looking forward to my first holiday where I am not sat on a hot sunny beach somewhere worrying about if I have left the TV on or whether I have locked the door etc. What I recognise is that I have a mixture of both OCD and GAD like symptoms.
Claire
I diagnosed myself with GAD after many visits to my GP with physical and mental problems.
I was prescribed Venlafaxine (Effexor) which I have found to be very effective, along with visiting a therapist. I have just finished the NHS ‘Stresspack’ course which was very informative and designed to be accessible for people with anxiety problems.
Ray
I have just discovered your site listed in a book I recently read on panic and anxiety, and having read the experiences of others, especially Suzanna, I could be reading my own life story.
My problems started 10 years ago, when, at the time I was approaching the menopause, I started having palpitations and missed heartbeats. I was also under a considerable amount of stress at the time, which I suppose did not help and the result was a complete breakdown. Like Suzanna, I have had a multitude of medical tests, ECGs, visits to casualty, etc over the years. The first five years were the worst, with depression, some agoraphobia, panic attacks etc, and my experience of the medical help available is comparable to Suzanna’s. I am an intelligent person and I know from reading and research that I suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder with the addition of panic attacks and phobias, but at no time over the last ten years has any doctor ever told me this. Similarly, although I have had numerous heart investigations, all they tell you is that ‘there is not a problem’, which is not enough. I feel that the major thing which keeps my anxiety alive and feeds it all the time is my heart phobia. I need to know why it misses beats all the time, sometimes singly, sometimes in a great run of beats (these are the worst) and afterwards I feel light headed, very cold, nauseous, and it can last for ages. In spite of all the years and all I have read on the subject I have never conquered this overwhelming fear that I am going to drop dead when this happens, and it can so easily escalate into a full blown panic attack. You feel so alone, as if no one in the world can help and I remember many times when I was just in floods of tears just saying over and over ‘please someone help me’. I don’t think anyone who has not experienced it can understand that overwhelming fear, and to everyone else you look normal. After 10 years I have learned to live with it to a degree but I regard my life as far from ‘normal’. I worry constantly over the smallest thing; I cannot cope with even minor problems, I am reduced to tears at the drop of a hat and I am constantly aware of bodily feelings such as heart palpitations or missed beats, or a pain anywhere (if it is in my chest it can send me into immediate panic) Indeed, any bodily symptom, and I think I have something dire. I have recently been referred for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, will it help? Who knows? The psychologist said that my whole attitude is too negative, I basically don’t believe that I will ever be any different I suppose. For anyone who is at the beginning of this illness or has never read them, I have found the biggest single help in the whole awful business to be the books and tapes of Dr. Claire Weekes, she is dead now unfortunately, but I feel she understood the illness better than anyone else.
Sharon
Im 19 years old and i’ve been having exactly the same things as you! Im constantly on edge about my heart, even though i’ve been to the GP and had ECG’s and blood tests and they’re all fine. Im constantly aware of my heartbeat and the slightest change or pain that i get in my chest can send me into a panic attack. I KNOW that i’ve got Generalised anxiety disorder but that doesn’t really help. Right now im trying some hypnotherapy lessons on the internet and im also trying to exercise more to take my mind off of it. What i say to everyone who suffers from constant worrying every day is to go for a walk and change your scenery because that always helps me. Finally and most importantly you should never give up and just accept it because you deserve a life without constant worrying!
I have just read all the emails about GAD with great interest.
I am now in my 40s and have been a sufferer – well forever it would seem. Certainly from the age of about 14 I struggled so much that I had to stop school for a while – whilst I tried to cope with panic attacks and globus hystericus – lump in the throat. I have had many setbacks over the years and my most recent involved ‘missed heartbeats’ as Sharon explained in her email. These go on for days at a time, often with no let up and they make me feel dizzy, sick and physically weka. Mentally I feel like a small child. The doctors are very dismissive saying that there is nothing to worry about – but even though this might be the case – I still have to cope with the symptoms. I constantly worry about all sorts of things on a daily basis and don’t really feel it will be any different for me. I would say however that I did see a psychologist a few times who practiced in CBT. This proved to be wonderful and gave me a few years relief on and off. Unfortunately my GP will not let me have more help through the NHS due to having had therapy before. Dr Clare Weekes’ books have also proved to be invaluable as has Dr Roger Baker’s book: Understanding anxiety and panic. My particular fear is of fainting and anything that can trigger this can me me feel anxious and low very quickly. For example, seeing stars when I get up too quick, or having a dizzy spell makes me anxious for weeks. I mistrust my body and misinterpret a whole raft of physical symptoms that are associated with the anxiety that I experience. Having had some great years of being anxiety free as a result of receiving good quality CBT, I do now know that it is entirely possible to live calmly – so never give up. I am also learning a musical instrument which is a great therapy in itself as it is helping with my breathing and plus, I have to concentrate therefore you cannot be worried at the same time and have the anxious thoughts. Antidepressants help some people but unfortunately I wasn’t able to tolerate their side effects. The main thing for me though was as I said, talking therapy – in particular CBT.
Louise
After reading through these comments I am so glad to see that I am not alone.
I’ve always been a worrier, as has my Mum, but after work got really stressful because of staffing issues and I had to do two people’s jobs as well as my own, and just after being promoted, the GAD started. At first I just thought that I was being silly and that it would pass after I moved house as my home life was also stressful but it just got worse. I now have a mixture of physical symptoms that accompany the anxiety including:
* palpitations
* chest pain
* blurred vision
* difficulty breathing
* pains in arms and legs
* difficulty sleeping
I went to my doctor who didn’t even listen to what I was saying and prescribed my beta blockers. I could not believe I was taking beta blockers at 23 years old. They didn’t work by the way. I now realise that I need therapy to beat this thing and remember how to relax and enjoy life rather than being convinced every five minutes that I am taking my last breath. It’s horrible when it gets that bad. I haven’t told my boss or anything – sometimes I wonder how I manage to do my job. I hope that everyone else using this site gets the help that they need in order to get rid of their anxiety.
Jenny
Hi Jenny
I’m 27 and have been experiencing all of the symptoms you describe. I have felt like this since May last year when I had to have a mole removed and convinced myself (through ill-advised internet research) that I had skin cancer. A week after I had my all clear from the dermatologist, I had to go back to my GP as I found blood stains in my bra. After an examination, the GP found a lump and I was referred to the breast clinic. My mum has had breast cancer and I was terrified. Luckily it turned out to be nothing more than a harmless lump. A few days later I started have terrible headaches and pain around my eyes. One night I fainted and my boyfriend took me to A+E. The doctor I saw gave me some pain killers, told me to go home and come back in the morning if I felt no better, and they would arrange a brain scan! When I returned the next day, the doctor I saw diagnosed a bad case of sinusitis. Whilst I was relieved, I have been in pain ever since and had to battle with my GP to refer me to an ENT specialist.
In October I started experiencing chest pain and heart palpitations. I went to my GP who did thyroid tests (clear) and put me on beta blockers. I have been on them ever since.
I have a blood disorder which means the platelets are more ‘sticky’ than normal. I take asprin daily as I had a small blood clot in my eye 10 years ago. Everytime I get a pain in my arms or legs, I assume I have a blood clot and worry for days until the pain goes away.
I am convinced that I have GAD, but my GP does not take me seriuosly, telling me to relax. Whilst I am sure this is good advice, it doesn’t really help.
I recently got engaged and am due to get married next year. All I can think about is all the things that could go wrong. I want to enjoy my life again, but at the moment I feel like I am just getting through the days as best I can.
Reading everyone’s stories has made me feel much less alone x
I really don’t know how long I have been suffering with GAD but on this occasion it has been about three months.
I have been suffering with depression for about six years on and off. I think thats why the anxiety started with me worrying that I will be suffering with depression forever. I have never been great in the mornings but they are torture at the moment. I wake up and immediately start to be anxious about the day ahead. I am taking the anti-depressant Mirtrazapine at the moment which at least enables me to sleep and eat both of which I seem unable to do without medication. I have been given a great book by Dr. Claire Weekes which lays out just how I am and I’m sure many others are feeling. Basically it is simple, we all fear the feeling of fear and the distressing physical symptoms it brings. I am working on what she advises which is to face the fear, accept it, float through it and let time pass. I am practicing it as often as I can and hope one day to be free of fears tight grip.
Lynne
Hi there,i am on Mirazapine as well,how do you find it,has it been a help? I have been taking it since the 2nd week of Jan 2011. I am constantly anxious and not much seems to help me.
ask your doctor for olanzapine, it will take the edge off your anxiety
Thanks what is that,is it an anti-depressant?
I can’t remember not feeling anxious. Ever. My symptoms are quite varied.
The lesser of the symptoms are Obssessive Compulsive Disorder, focussed around even numbers. Palpitations. Crying on and off, not everyday but on my particularly bad days. Flicking from one problem to the next. Scared of my door being knocked on. Struggling to sleep or even go to bed. Putting things off, making plans and not following through on them, not just on an unreliable scale. I really want to do these things but when it comes round to it I just can’t. The more severe of these sympoms are panic attacks, struggling to breathe and having suicidal thoughts. These are far less frequent than the lesser symptoms but are far more frequent than I would like. Every few weeks sometimes for short periods (2-3 days) and sometimes even longer between.
I really want to go to see my Doctor but I’m so worried because last time I went to hospital having a panic attack they kept me in all night and wanted to admit me for a while. When I refused I went to see my Doctor after and he was so unsympathetic, he just prescribed me with drugs and pretty much fobbed me off.
I just really don’t want it to start affecting my work!
Rant over, apologies.
I have had problems with my nerves for 40years and about 12years ago my parents bothe died very close in time .my marriage broke up shortly after . Before this i had had nerve trouble for about 30 years. Anyway after my parents died i had a breakdown and was in hospital for a month and was put on carbamazapine 400mg a day I have been fine up to december last year when my only friend died i dont know if that has anything to do with it. But since december i have had this anxiety since dec i have been given a tape to listen to which i think is working.
up to date i have had bad days but if i carry on listening to the tape i think it will help.alan warner
I have only just developed what I think is anxiety, I have seen my GP and she is referring me to be assessed by a mental health practitioner. I am so afraid that these negative feelings will never go away that I feel like I can’t wait. I really don’t know how to deal with it at the moment. My life is being destroyed by this.
This is how I feel exactly. Although it feels like this now though I am hopeful that it wont always be like this. I think it’s important to think positively. I find this impossible in the short term but am trying to focus on a less anxious future!
I have had problems with anxiety for a few years now but this time it has hit me hard.i suffered a mild heart attack back in march at work.since then i have had 2 more hospital admissions.despite going bk to work i worry constantly that its going to happen again whilst at work and therefore have suffered a few anxiety/panic attacks.my gp has signed me off sick for now and i am waiting to see a member of the mental health team.have got the added worry now that i may lose my job.have tried talking to the people manager but all i got back from her was not very helpful.she told me that she thought id brought it on myself.this made me feel even worse and made me start to question myself.am so glad i looked up your website because i now know im not alone in how im feeling and the thoughts im having.
Hello Julie. I’m glad you are finding comfort in our website. Have you tried calling the helpline to learn about what resources we have in your area? Give us a ring on 08444 775 774. All the best! Terri (Anxiety UK)
Hi there. I’ve been anxious for over six months now, mainly over a relationship that I am in. I think that I have both GAD and OCD, as I obssess about everything to do with this person and the situation.
I am losing weight like there is no tomorrow, unable to concerntrate at work and constantly am close to being sick…not to mention the palputations, the dry mouth, the headaches, the constant exhaustion…
I am seeing both a CBT therapist and have also had some sessions of hypnosis. I am also on anti-depressants…though I had to fight to be put on them…
It is such a lonely place feeling like this…
I think i have GAD, i haven’t been diagnosed but from what i have read this is exactly what i am going through, although it seems like i’ve had it forever i’ve never developed it. My mum also has it i think but she’s learned to deal with it all her life and says this is what i should do. I’m sixteen and just doing my A levels and my work to be fair has been brilliant over the past few years, the anxiety mainly affects my social life although some of it is my workload. I get anxious all the time, i don’t think i ever am not feeling anxious, feeling guilty as though i have done something wrong but i don’t know what and the slightest thing will set it off, i have alot of trouble sleeping and have been to see the doctor separately about this but they didnt do anything, have times where my heart beat and breathing rate just increase suddenly randomly, although i don’t think it is a full on panic attack it could be something of the sort, and i also suffer from migraines frequently which again i have been to see the doctor separately about. I also have low blood pressure and whenever i stand up after sitting down for over an hour i go light headed and dizzy and can’t see for a minute, and what makes it worse is my anxiety thinking im about to faint :(
im going to go to the doctors and see about this CBT as this seems to be the main solution and hopefully my doctor won’t be like many on here, but im glad to actually have found the cause of this anxiety as i always thought this was normal when i was younger, i used to regularly think why am i feeling guilty when i haven’t done anything wrong? and never got in trouble because of the sheer pain it would cause me from the anxiety and guilt. Reading through all of this, every time someone wrote down a symptom i was just like yes, that’s exactly right! thank god its actually something diagnosable because my mum makes out it is just daily life whenever i discuss it with her, and i hope this will help the condition because it really annoys me that i know i shouldn’t be feeling this but i do and i don’t know how to stop it myself yet.
just thought i would say my piece :)
Carly :)
I have had GAD for about two years now along with depression,although much of the time its hard to tell the two apart! I usually wake at between 4 30am and 5 and my mind goes into overdrive right away.The physical sensations I get are horrendous-
A weird fluttering feeling in my chest and arms
Feeling sick
Like everything is a dream and Im looking through a gauze and cant see properly
Does anybody else have these feelings? I feel so alone most of the time even with my family around me.My wife has tried to be understanding but I know shes sick of it now.Even if I dont talk to her about it she can see it in my face when Im worrying and feeling like screaming!
Are there any support groups or therapists than can help me in the Leeds West Yorks area? Thanks
I see this is an old post but if your stuff suffering with these problems you can mail me. It is really scary not having anyone who understands.
I have been through similar myself and seen a therapist in the Leeds area.
The ‘dreamy’, spaced out feeling your describing is called derealization / depersonalization.
I have been reading with interest some of the emails. Tonight is the first time I have heard of GAD but it may be what my doctor is missing. What do you guys think? I am 29 and have been experiencing the following for the last 4 years:
* Migranes
* Loss of appetite
* Palpatations
* Dizzyness
* Tinatus
* Shortness of breath
* Chest pains (especially when in stressful situations)
* Crying for no reason
* Lump in throat
* Emotional disattachment
* Lack of motivation
* Forgetfulness
* Dry mouth
* Back pain
* Trapped wind
Is this normal and after so long of being treated by Ear Nose and Throat, for dizzyness and ringing in my ears, will my doctor believe me if I ask him to investigate GAD?
Please help – Worried
Hi,
Please stay positive but i know how hard it can be, the better and longer you are able to stay positive the better you will be moving forward.
Please consider nutritional therapy, stress issues with blood sugar problems lead to feelings of low, negative moods. The body naturally will release adrenaline to increase blood sugar and then insulin to counteract this – this cycle continues. As a result of this, it creates panic and anxiety as a by product symptom because the feelings of the body not in a relaxed state and adrenaline being released when its not required I.e. tense, restlessness, shortness of breath, sweaty palms etc¢â‚¬Â¦
Avoid alcohol and other stimulants like caffeine, exercise and eat good food, combining protein with (where possible) complex carbohydrates to release sugars into the blood slowly.
Many of you may have unstable blood sugar, once this is addressed you can start to feel more stable and positive and then combat the unnecessary awful thoughts as these should become less and less frequent over time.
Hope this helps.
Have any of you suffered from numbness with your anxiety?? I am relatively new to all this. Only sought help in July and was put on the waiting list for CBT (STILL waiting!). Things came to a head yesterday and the GP has prescribed amitryptilin. My left breast has been completely numb for over 24 hours. I suffered a similar thing last year with the right breast, had physio, scans, all sorts, and nothing untoward was found so was advised it was probably a trapped nerve. It faded over time but the aches and pains came back a few days ago and now more numbness. I have read a bit about numbness being associated with anxiety but don’t know much about how long it lasts. Of course, one of the main things with anxiety is that I am constantly worrying I am ill. Am I really ill and it will be dismissed as a symptom of the anxiety?? Or is the anxiety playing tricks with my mind?? It’s a vicious circle! I do take comfort though from how many of you have commented that CBT is beneficial, fingers crossed it will work for me too.
Yes, I’ve had numbness with anxiety in the past. A few years ago, when I was having a very bad period of anxiety, I experienced numbness in different parts of my body. Over time (several months), as the anxiety subsided, the numbness gradually subsided too.
I have suffered with anxiety for most of my life. I have come to understand that anxiety itself is the problem, rather than whatever I happen to be worried about at the time. Even so, it is difficult to deal with. However, over the years, I cope with it better and have long periods when I am free of it. Meditation is a wonderful help for me, so it might help for you to try it too.
Best wishes to everyone suffering from this difficult illness.
I have suffered from anxiety for 18 months and have in the past 6 months seen a CBT which has helped, the only thing I can say is if you get referred you need to ensure that you put the effort in….. If you don’t it won’t work…… The toughest part of CBT is actually sitting with the experience, not running, the fight or flight of anxiety….. I recently decided to attempt to take control and actually sit and experience the anxiety attack.. CBT teachers you to experience the anxiety… The chest pain, short of breathe, heart palpations and the feeling of something major happening…. A heart attack….. Very very hard but it has started to build my self confidents and belief that all is well….. Still feel like the worst will happen but getting a lot more comfortable and not as serious…….
iv got severe anxiety,have had it for two years now and its awful the doctor put me on betablockers they help abit .iv had counselling and cbt never really worked for me .iv had a lot of stress in my life and i have always been a worrier