Re: [HeidiLiane] Re: Spinning out of control with General Anxiety Disorder

[Guest guest]

My daughter is crippled right now by her OCD. It is heartbreaking to watch, stressful to manage {another job} and requires great skill on our part as parents. She has a great team of people, finally and the goal is to get her ready to be able to attend therapeutic school in the early summer. I have spent her life trying to get people, school and professionals to understand this brilliant and talented child. It had to come to this for them to listen. Oh and a very expensive lawyer.

I say all this because I know Fibro and other said illnesses come with terrible anxiety. Having lived with anxiety all my life then being ill there was a brief time where it dared to get out of control. Having a child like Nell saved me { I had to be there for her }and I searched high and low for the help I needed. Having the DBT training and therapy helps me deal with my illness and my life as it is colored by all the things in it. Illness included. Anxiety can make you a prisoner, the pain you are in daily can make you a prisoner and then the fatique,the people who do not understand, the family/friends that leave you....how easy is it to be consumed by that anxiety. To sink down into it. To see the world as the enemy. To never be free. I think it is an issue as important as pain relief and diet. It can steal your

life.

Hugs,

Sue

From: Dominie Bush <dombush@...>Subject: [HeidiLiane] Re: Spinning out of control with General Anxiety DisorderHeidiLiane Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009, 6:06 PM

I understand. Besides anxiety, I've suffered with severe panic attacks, agoraphobia, and OCD. These brain disorders run on one side of our family. It is genetic. There are several of us like this, and we vary from mostly functional to completely disabled. - Dominie> > From: heidi <heidilhlokey@ ...>> Subject: [HeidiLiane] Spinning out of control with General Anixity Disorder> HeidiLiane@gro ups.com> Date: Friday, January 9, 2009, 7:11 PM> > > > > > > I get nervous at times and bit my nails but laely lettingthem gorw > out slowly theywer e bitten down below the skin the nail grows > over.Hubby promised me a manicure so when theygeta certain length I > willtellmy hair aldy shampoo hair

cut manicure nad pedicure and eye > bbrows done too butthat willbea couple ofmonths away.> > I wonder if my nervousness nd nail biting can bea form a of GAD??> heidi> > Many of us with invisible illnesses also suffer from anxiety > disorders. They are "overlap" syndromes that are probably also > related to neurotransmitter derangements. The s Hopkins site > above is an excellent resource!…Dr. Don> > Spinning Out of Control With GAD> > Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive, > recurrent, and prolonged anxiety and worrying. People with > generalized anxiety disorder typically agonize over everyday > concerns, such as job responsibilities, finances, health, or family > well-being or even such minor matters as household chores, car > repairs, being late for appointments, or personal appearance. The

> focus of anxiety may shift frequently from one concern to another, > and sensations may vary from mild tension and nervousness to feelings > of dread.> > Generalized anxiety disorder affects 6.8 million adults (3.1% of > adult Americans) each year. Although people with generalized anxiety > disorder know that the intensity, duration, and frequency of their > anxiety and worry are out of proportion to the actual likelihood or > impact of the feared event, they still have difficulty controlling > their emotions.> > Perpetual anxiety may impair concentration, memory, and decision-> making ability, decrease attention span, and lead to a loss of > confidence. Normal activities, such as working, socializing with > friends, and maintaining intimate relationships, may become difficult > or even impossible.> > Generalized

anxiety disorder may also produce a range of physical > symptoms, including heart palpitations, restlessness, sweating, > headaches, and nausea. Some generalized anxiety disorder sufferers, > not realizing that generalized anxiety disorder is a treatable > illness, become accustomed to their condition and assume that it is > normal to feel on edge all the time. But the constant anxiety can > lead to alcohol or drug abuse. The physical symptoms of generalized > anxiety disorder, along with alcohol or drug abuse, are often what > finally compel a person to seek treatment.> > Despite its more chronic course, generalized anxiety disorder > responds better to treatment than does panic disorder. Psychotherapy > helps many people, either by itself or in combination with > medication. In addition, relaxation techniques, such as deep > breathing exercises or

meditation, may relieve symptoms of > generalized anxiety disorder.> > The antidepressant medications duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram > (Lexapro), Paxil, and Effexor are FDA approved for the treatment of > generalized anxiety disorder, but other serotonin and norepinephrine > reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs, tricyclics, benzodiazepines, and BuSpar > are also commonly used to treat generalized anxiety disorder.> > The s Hopkins Depression and Anxiety Bulletin For readers > interested in acquiring even more in-depth information and guidance > for treating depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, L. > Swartz, Director of Clinical Programs at the s Hopkins Mood > Disorders Center writes our Depression and Anxiety Bulletin. In each > issue of this quarterly report, you'll read about late-breaking > developments for treating mood

disorders, first-hand reports from > leading medical conferences around the world, news of treatment > breakthroughs, in-depth reports on important topics in psychotherapy, > as well as answers to your questions about living with and treating > mood disorders.>