Anxiety isn't considered a disorder in many peoples' eyes because, well, we all have it. Its a part of life, especially in America. Socially, there is a lot that expected from us, and it creates mass tension, fear, and frustration. That may be why 18.1% of the United States has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
I'm part of that 18.1%. I was officially diagnosed in 2005 with anxiety and was put on Lexapro. Well, after the medication made me too mellow, to a point where all I wanted to do was sleep and be alone, I stopped taking it and refused to go an anything else.
Things began to escalate. My weight was shifting dramatically, my sleep was irregular, my relationships were struggling, and I was constantly in fear. I started getting pains in my ribs, which later I found out was my diaphragm, which was hurting from irregular breathing from panic attacks. I would wake up in the morning, throwing up because I worked myself up so much about something, I made myself ill. I finally went to a counselor in 2007 due to the fact that my boyfriend was on the edge of giving up on me after the constant temper tantrums and mood swings due to the unneccessary stress I was putting on myself. I was rediagnosed with *Generalized Anxiety and was put on Prozac.
One mistake that my first doctor did was put me on medication and did not send me to a counselor. Medication is not the only way to get past anxiety. You have to change the way you think, or what my counselor says my "belief system." You have also pin down what has created all of the anxiety, and usually its from a past issue. Mine was my mother. She was the reason I tried so hard to please everyone around me because I was afraid of losing them like I lost her. Its even deeper than that, but its a very detail, personal thing and its way to much to blog about.
Anxiety is an ignored disorder, as I said before, because we all have it. But some people are dehabilitated by it. It doesn't mean they are crazy or insane, they are just driven differently. One thing that I had to drill into my boyfriend's head was you can't just "get over it." You can't just stop worrying. You tell yourself not to worry, but you do anyway, thinking of the worst case scenarios, sometimes thinking worrying will keep the bad from happening (it is a symptom of GA which is not listed below), and sometimes Obsessive Compulsive Disorder occurs from it.
Time has passed, and I still struggle, but I'm doing better. My boyfriend was deployed to Iraq, one of the most hardest things I have ever dealt with, but somehow, someway, I have handled it in a very different manner than I would before. Anxiety is no longer controlling my life. It still rears its ugly head and hurts me physically and emotionally, but between a few life changes and a few good friends who understand, I've managed to deal.
If you think you have an anxiety disorder, the first step is to go see a counselor. Do not go to the doctor, they seem to do quick fixes and just hand you any medication to shut you up. Work with a counselor and be honest of what you are feeling and dealing with. They will put you in the right direction. Also, find a friend or family member that you can confide in, to discuss the things you are feeling and helping them understand anxiety will help you understand it too.
Also, finding things that will help you relax is positive. Find an activity that you enjoy and set aside time everyday to enjoy it. It gives you time to reflect and relax, easing tension and stress. For me, its writing. And I write a lot. Either through blogs, journals, or writing stories for the paper. Its my savior, pretty much.
Visit: http://www.adaa.org/. This website is for the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. It is good resource to help you and others understand anxiety.
*Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent, excessive, and unrealistic worry about everyday things. People with the disorder, which is also referred to as GAD, feel that worrying is beyond their control and they are powerless to stop it. They often expect the worst, even when there is no apparent reason for concern. This anxiety or worry occurs on more days than not for at least six months. Exaggerated and unrelenting worry often centers around issues of health, family, money, or work, and it can interfere with all aspects of a person's life. Physical symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include the following:
~muscle tension
~fatigue
~restlessness
~difficulty sleeping
~irritability
~edginess
~gastrointestinal discomfort or diarrhea
-Courtesy of ADAA
I'm part of that 18.1%. I was officially diagnosed in 2005 with anxiety and was put on Lexapro. Well, after the medication made me too mellow, to a point where all I wanted to do was sleep and be alone, I stopped taking it and refused to go an anything else.
Things began to escalate. My weight was shifting dramatically, my sleep was irregular, my relationships were struggling, and I was constantly in fear. I started getting pains in my ribs, which later I found out was my diaphragm, which was hurting from irregular breathing from panic attacks. I would wake up in the morning, throwing up because I worked myself up so much about something, I made myself ill. I finally went to a counselor in 2007 due to the fact that my boyfriend was on the edge of giving up on me after the constant temper tantrums and mood swings due to the unneccessary stress I was putting on myself. I was rediagnosed with *Generalized Anxiety and was put on Prozac.
One mistake that my first doctor did was put me on medication and did not send me to a counselor. Medication is not the only way to get past anxiety. You have to change the way you think, or what my counselor says my "belief system." You have also pin down what has created all of the anxiety, and usually its from a past issue. Mine was my mother. She was the reason I tried so hard to please everyone around me because I was afraid of losing them like I lost her. Its even deeper than that, but its a very detail, personal thing and its way to much to blog about.
Anxiety is an ignored disorder, as I said before, because we all have it. But some people are dehabilitated by it. It doesn't mean they are crazy or insane, they are just driven differently. One thing that I had to drill into my boyfriend's head was you can't just "get over it." You can't just stop worrying. You tell yourself not to worry, but you do anyway, thinking of the worst case scenarios, sometimes thinking worrying will keep the bad from happening (it is a symptom of GA which is not listed below), and sometimes Obsessive Compulsive Disorder occurs from it.
Time has passed, and I still struggle, but I'm doing better. My boyfriend was deployed to Iraq, one of the most hardest things I have ever dealt with, but somehow, someway, I have handled it in a very different manner than I would before. Anxiety is no longer controlling my life. It still rears its ugly head and hurts me physically and emotionally, but between a few life changes and a few good friends who understand, I've managed to deal.
If you think you have an anxiety disorder, the first step is to go see a counselor. Do not go to the doctor, they seem to do quick fixes and just hand you any medication to shut you up. Work with a counselor and be honest of what you are feeling and dealing with. They will put you in the right direction. Also, find a friend or family member that you can confide in, to discuss the things you are feeling and helping them understand anxiety will help you understand it too.
Also, finding things that will help you relax is positive. Find an activity that you enjoy and set aside time everyday to enjoy it. It gives you time to reflect and relax, easing tension and stress. For me, its writing. And I write a lot. Either through blogs, journals, or writing stories for the paper. Its my savior, pretty much.
Visit: http://www.adaa.org/. This website is for the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. It is good resource to help you and others understand anxiety.
*Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by persistent, excessive, and unrealistic worry about everyday things. People with the disorder, which is also referred to as GAD, feel that worrying is beyond their control and they are powerless to stop it. They often expect the worst, even when there is no apparent reason for concern. This anxiety or worry occurs on more days than not for at least six months. Exaggerated and unrelenting worry often centers around issues of health, family, money, or work, and it can interfere with all aspects of a person's life. Physical symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include the following:
~muscle tension
~fatigue
~restlessness
~difficulty sleeping
~irritability
~edginess
~gastrointestinal discomfort or diarrhea
-Courtesy of ADAA
2 comments:
You were right, that was a great read. As you know, I have had my moments, particularly in 2005, of anxiety. You do right a good point. You do need someone to talk to, such as a friend or family member, to get through it. I honestly don't think I would be here right now if it wasn't for my close friends. I honestly still do have anxiety, but I tend to hide it from everyone. It's like the situation where you tell everyone you are okay, but in reality you're not. I know in the past I said that I couldn't go to a counselor, I think it's the fact that I don't want a stranger to know about what I had to deal with in my life and still do deal with, I don't know. A lot of people think anxiety disorders don't exists, but they do.
Well, I know its hard to go to a stranger to talk to them about things, but sometimes, its better, because in my case, I didn't feel very judged. Also, I was lucky to find a counselor in which I had an immediate connection with, she was an alum from RMWC.
But if you still feel uncomfortable, find that friend or family member that you can rely on. Do the research on ADAA and take time to work out your problems. Then maybe go to a doctor, but be careful. They will probably do a trial run on a drug and these trial runs are frustrating until you find something that works.
Thats why a counselor is good, because they understand the illness and know what will work the best for you.
If you have an anxiety disorder, dear, it needs to be treated.
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