by Links:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Healthline
Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Verywell Mind
Resources at Anxiety & Depression Association of America
Anxiety disorders can be as vague as abdominal pain, and anxiety tends to be classified as a symptomatic response to stress, although sometimes it happens for seemingly little reason, if any. That's called "Generalized Anxiety Disorder". Sometimes GAD has triggers, like social settings or particular phobias (fears) and sometimes those triggers are difficult to identify, being so shrouded in other events in one's life. Anxiety can range from anywhere between mildly inconveniencing to extremely distressing, having a major impact on one's daily life and activities, such as their academics, career, social functioning, and hobbies.
Anxiety essentially feels like a noticeable sense of dread, worry, and/or nervousness that hangs around in your feelings most of the time. This can interfere, quite often, with your focus at school/work, with your family & friends, and sleeping at night. It can make doing these things and other daily activities in life much more stressful, overwhelming and difficult, sometimes sabotaging them entirely.
Some symptoms of generalized anxiety are:
- overwhelming feelings of dread or worry that impede your daily functions
- excessive worry
- fear
- crying, agitation or other emotional displays
- shortness of breath
- worry about disaster, safety/security, work, finances, family, friendships, etc.
- panic attacks
Sometimes, anxiety can be accompanied by panic attacks, although not everyone with anxiety experiences them, and some people who do not have anxiety get panic attacks, and even recurrent ones. Panic attacks feel like an overwhelming feeling that you're going to die/dying, going crazy something absolutely dreadful, causing you to hyperventilate, feel a tightness in your chest, and be unable to calm down. If you've ever had one, you know just how awful they feel! Some people even think that they're having a heart attack or stroke because they can be so horrible-feeling! I've heard many accounts of people being taken to the emergency room for them, recently, which has surprised me, as I never have. I didn't know that was a thing, but apparently, it's something that happens quite frequently.
The best thing to do during a panic attack is try to get to a safer location, and try your best to breathe normally, and ground yourself. Don't try to make sense of it immediately or force it to pass. You may just have experienced something new and frightening, and are experiencing a shock to your mental stability and understanding. Sometimes, it might be because you didn't know how to process the scenario, and just took in the raw feeling associated with it, which was a resoundingly negative one. In any case, try to do your best to calm down, and realize that things are going to be okay.
The major indication that this is a disorder is whether or not it causes you significant distress and impedes your daily functioning. Everyone worries from time to time, but that doesn't mean they necessarily have an anxiety disorder!
There is also a branch of anxiety that is particularly phobias, or fears of specific things like acrophobia (fear of heights), claustrophobia (enclosed spaces), hydrophobia (water), and agoraphobia (embarrassment or helplessness is public/social settings) just to name a few. On Google, there are lists of hundreds different possible phobias (full list here). Essentially, the main aspect of a phobia is that it is considered an irrationally extreme fear of something, when, upon exposure, the sufferer experiences many of the following symptoms: a panic attack, a state of extreme fear, or dissociation, shaking, trembling, sweating, hot/cold sensations, difficulty breathing, tightness or feeling of choking, nausea, and an overwhelming need to desire to escape the situation.
Needless to say, phobias aren't your average, everyday fears. They are advanced fears, and have usually developed for some reason, such as a traumatic event, or being exposed to material that would indicate that this thing is an object of extreme danger or chaos. This is why they need to be dealt with in a therapist's office, typically. Some of the therapy one may receive for phobias might include CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), exposure, and acceptance therapy/therapies.
Now, there are some different ways you can calm down and manage your anxiety on a day-to-day basis, whether or not you are currently seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist.
meditation
creating/enjoying art/music
breathing exercises
mindfulness & grounding exercising
exercise
making soothing tea
taking a hot bath
smelling lavender
talking to a trusted family member or friend
be honest with yourself and others about how you're feeling
being patient and compassionate with yourself, and not trying to force yourself to feel a certain way or recover at a certain rate
My personal approach to the anxiety, or anxious thoughts in particular oftentimes is to try to reason out the feeling or thought to see if it makes any sense in regards to what I believe and what the reality of the situation is. Sometimes it's simply irrational fear, but there are times where I've found meaning behind some fears I've had much later in life. Reflecting on things as an adult has given me some insight, somewhat, onto how my personal mental disorders work and effect my life. I would advise personal reflection for any adult who is experiencing mental disorders.
As well as rationalizing the anxious thought, I also like to allow it to pass through my mind, observing it, trying to understand its purpose, but trying not to let it effect my mood or peace, like seeing a prowling animal close-by in the scope of your vision. Size it up, get somewhere safe, and don't get involved!
"Random" fact: Human senses have developed to easily spot snakes. Snakes are some of the first predators to humans (whether you believe in Eden or not, as it's said that our genetic ancestors evolved cognitively around recognizing and snakes as predators and avoiding them...or not avoiding them!).
One grounding exercise that is becoming popular is the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise.
5 things you can see
4 things you can hear
3 things you can touch
2 things you can smell and
1 thing you can taste
It's even kind of fun when you're not panicking like an I-Spy game!
Although most anxiety is not correlated to anything in particular, sometimes it is, and it's a good idea to try to get to the root of what's really bothering you so you can deal with it. Sometimes, it is stuff that is beyond your personal control, so you must learn to be at peace regardless of what's happening in your life, surrendering control to God or the forces of the universe, or whatnot, and sometimes there are things that you must take control of and fix. Sometimes, this is the most difficult part of dealing with anxiety because it can require you to face certain things you'd rather leave covered. If you're okay with having anxiety or taking medicine for it, then that is always an option. You shouldn't be judged for your choice either way.
Most of the time, though anxiety is present despite your control over your life and scenarios. Usually, it's just a part of your personal brain chemistry that was present even prior to your birth, as with most mental illnesses. In that case, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication are usually necessary to drastically improve functioning, but it's still a good idea to practice self-help.
Sometimes, people with anxiety may be people who have hypersensitivity, and are reacting more strongly to situations than others normally would; they have a more active response to stress. This can make people who have more mild forms of anxiety good at dealing with situations that other people would not excel in, such as careers and situations where you have to notice more, be on higher alert, and be responsive to certain situations, like an emergency responder or detective. This might also make them more prone to taking the job personally, though. Life hack: there are pros and cons to just about anything you can think of, no matter how bad it seems! They say women who score higher on neuroticism in studies have a tendency to be viewed as better mothers, as well (though this is not always the case, obviously).
Notably, this website is not meant to replace professional therapy! If you are having issues, please, please see a professional about it! They will be able to diagnose you properly and administer the proper help for you. These forums are merely meant for support, and to be a place for neuro-atypical people to share their experiences, chat, hang out, make friends, recover, vent, and not feel so alone in this frequently overwhelming world.
If anyone has any recommendations, suggestions, feedback or additional information, please feel free to reply!
Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Healthline
Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Verywell Mind
Resources at Anxiety & Depression Association of America
Anxiety disorders can be as vague as abdominal pain, and anxiety tends to be classified as a symptomatic response to stress, although sometimes it happens for seemingly little reason, if any. That's called "Generalized Anxiety Disorder". Sometimes GAD has triggers, like social settings or particular phobias (fears) and sometimes those triggers are difficult to identify, being so shrouded in other events in one's life. Anxiety can range from anywhere between mildly inconveniencing to extremely distressing, having a major impact on one's daily life and activities, such as their academics, career, social functioning, and hobbies.
Anxiety essentially feels like a noticeable sense of dread, worry, and/or nervousness that hangs around in your feelings most of the time. This can interfere, quite often, with your focus at school/work, with your family & friends, and sleeping at night. It can make doing these things and other daily activities in life much more stressful, overwhelming and difficult, sometimes sabotaging them entirely.
Some symptoms of generalized anxiety are:
- overwhelming feelings of dread or worry that impede your daily functions
- excessive worry
- fear
- crying, agitation or other emotional displays
- shortness of breath
- worry about disaster, safety/security, work, finances, family, friendships, etc.
- panic attacks
Sometimes, anxiety can be accompanied by panic attacks, although not everyone with anxiety experiences them, and some people who do not have anxiety get panic attacks, and even recurrent ones. Panic attacks feel like an overwhelming feeling that you're going to die/dying, going crazy something absolutely dreadful, causing you to hyperventilate, feel a tightness in your chest, and be unable to calm down. If you've ever had one, you know just how awful they feel! Some people even think that they're having a heart attack or stroke because they can be so horrible-feeling! I've heard many accounts of people being taken to the emergency room for them, recently, which has surprised me, as I never have. I didn't know that was a thing, but apparently, it's something that happens quite frequently.
The best thing to do during a panic attack is try to get to a safer location, and try your best to breathe normally, and ground yourself. Don't try to make sense of it immediately or force it to pass. You may just have experienced something new and frightening, and are experiencing a shock to your mental stability and understanding. Sometimes, it might be because you didn't know how to process the scenario, and just took in the raw feeling associated with it, which was a resoundingly negative one. In any case, try to do your best to calm down, and realize that things are going to be okay.
The major indication that this is a disorder is whether or not it causes you significant distress and impedes your daily functioning. Everyone worries from time to time, but that doesn't mean they necessarily have an anxiety disorder!
There is also a branch of anxiety that is particularly phobias, or fears of specific things like acrophobia (fear of heights), claustrophobia (enclosed spaces), hydrophobia (water), and agoraphobia (embarrassment or helplessness is public/social settings) just to name a few. On Google, there are lists of hundreds different possible phobias (full list here). Essentially, the main aspect of a phobia is that it is considered an irrationally extreme fear of something, when, upon exposure, the sufferer experiences many of the following symptoms: a panic attack, a state of extreme fear, or dissociation, shaking, trembling, sweating, hot/cold sensations, difficulty breathing, tightness or feeling of choking, nausea, and an overwhelming need to desire to escape the situation.
Needless to say, phobias aren't your average, everyday fears. They are advanced fears, and have usually developed for some reason, such as a traumatic event, or being exposed to material that would indicate that this thing is an object of extreme danger or chaos. This is why they need to be dealt with in a therapist's office, typically. Some of the therapy one may receive for phobias might include CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), exposure, and acceptance therapy/therapies.
Now, there are some different ways you can calm down and manage your anxiety on a day-to-day basis, whether or not you are currently seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist.
meditation creating/enjoying art/music breathing exercises mindfulness & grounding exercising exercise making soothing tea taking a hot bath smelling lavender talking to a trusted family member or friend be honest with yourself and others about how you're feeling being patient and compassionate with yourself, and not trying to force yourself to feel a certain way or recover at a certain rateMy personal approach to the anxiety, or anxious thoughts in particular oftentimes is to try to reason out the feeling or thought to see if it makes any sense in regards to what I believe and what the reality of the situation is. Sometimes it's simply irrational fear, but there are times where I've found meaning behind some fears I've had much later in life. Reflecting on things as an adult has given me some insight, somewhat, onto how my personal mental disorders work and effect my life. I would advise personal reflection for any adult who is experiencing mental disorders.
As well as rationalizing the anxious thought, I also like to allow it to pass through my mind, observing it, trying to understand its purpose, but trying not to let it effect my mood or peace, like seeing a prowling animal close-by in the scope of your vision. Size it up, get somewhere safe, and don't get involved!
"Random" fact: Human senses have developed to easily spot snakes. Snakes are some of the first predators to humans (whether you believe in Eden or not, as it's said that our genetic ancestors evolved cognitively around recognizing and snakes as predators and avoiding them...or not avoiding them!).
One grounding exercise that is becoming popular is the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise.
5 things you can see
4 things you can hear
3 things you can touch
2 things you can smell and
1 thing you can taste
It's even kind of fun when you're not panicking like an I-Spy game!
Although most anxiety is not correlated to anything in particular, sometimes it is, and it's a good idea to try to get to the root of what's really bothering you so you can deal with it. Sometimes, it is stuff that is beyond your personal control, so you must learn to be at peace regardless of what's happening in your life, surrendering control to God or the forces of the universe, or whatnot, and sometimes there are things that you must take control of and fix. Sometimes, this is the most difficult part of dealing with anxiety because it can require you to face certain things you'd rather leave covered. If you're okay with having anxiety or taking medicine for it, then that is always an option. You shouldn't be judged for your choice either way.
Most of the time, though anxiety is present despite your control over your life and scenarios. Usually, it's just a part of your personal brain chemistry that was present even prior to your birth, as with most mental illnesses. In that case, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication are usually necessary to drastically improve functioning, but it's still a good idea to practice self-help.
Sometimes, people with anxiety may be people who have hypersensitivity, and are reacting more strongly to situations than others normally would; they have a more active response to stress. This can make people who have more mild forms of anxiety good at dealing with situations that other people would not excel in, such as careers and situations where you have to notice more, be on higher alert, and be responsive to certain situations, like an emergency responder or detective. This might also make them more prone to taking the job personally, though. Life hack: there are pros and cons to just about anything you can think of, no matter how bad it seems! They say women who score higher on neuroticism in studies have a tendency to be viewed as better mothers, as well (though this is not always the case, obviously).
Notably, this website is not meant to replace professional therapy! If you are having issues, please, please see a professional about it! They will be able to diagnose you properly and administer the proper help for you. These forums are merely meant for support, and to be a place for neuro-atypical people to share their experiences, chat, hang out, make friends, recover, vent, and not feel so alone in this frequently overwhelming world.
If anyone has any recommendations, suggestions, feedback or additional information, please feel free to reply!
