Is this GAD

[saintanselm]

Dear All,

I have been diagnosed with GAD and was wondering if any of you have had these symptoms.

I'm a teacher, or I have just finished my first term teaching at University. At the end of the term my 50 students or so had to give feedback anonymously. I did get to see the feedback and it was nearly universally positive. That stated now term has come to an end I feel I have done an awful job and that everyone thinks the worst of me.

I also get very anxious when people don't reply to e-mails. Again a part of me thinks its because they hate me etc etc

Its very frustrating. Does any one have the same problems after they've finished work etc

[almamatters]

I was diagnosed with GAD ten years ago, I am constantly worrying I have not done things well enough, used to get home from work and over analyze everything that had happened, one small mistake would reduce me to tears and sleepless nights. like you if a friend of colleague did not reply to a email or phone message, I would then assume they had fallen out with me and then start to ring them asking if things were ok with us!!:blush: I think I am hopeless at my job, despite being told I am fine, and generally have serious low self esteem concerning everything about me. I am now on medication, which seems to help,and I have found as I have got older I have got a bit better. Sending you hugs :hugs:

[Mark13]

Yep. Lack of self belief, esteem, confidence. Paranoia, everybody hates me, I'm rubbish at everything.

Thing is I am :)

I'm making fun of myself not you, if I didn't it would drive me crazy...

Could be a little bit of depression too IMHO.

Do you look to put yourself down when you get praised too? Along the lines of they say "you did a great job" and you reply either "oh, it was nothing", "I was lucky" "so and so helped me", "I got the easy task" etc?

If you got 49 items of feedback saying you were great, and 1 saying you could do better, would you ignore the 49 and obsess over the 1?

If so, yes it's part of GAD.

[saintanselm]

Thanks. Yep, that's me. One student was unhappy with her essay mark and I'm obsessed about that :) The fact of the matter is that it is IMPOSSIBLE to please all the students. If you did you probably wouldn't be doing a good job. GAD really is rather annoying. I'm on some mild anti-d's, have some diazepan for emergencies and I'm start a course of EMDR in the New Year. I'm determined to beat it. I had two bouts of PTSD in 2004 and 2006. It was the last bout that left me with GAD. I think.

[Thumbelina]

Haya,
I have also been diagnosed with GAD 6 years ago, though had it longer.
The little things bug me as well and can send often in a a cycle of anxiety which will be only gettig more and more intense.
I have periods totally free from any anx symptoms like the past 1,5 years until 1 month ago. I am slowly trying to recover now and started medications again. Cipralex 5mg.

So i can say that there is a way to totally be free from anxiety and constant worrying at least for certain periods.
I call it thinking discipline - that what i am trying to do with myself when i start spinning in constant worrying over some small thing - such as you are saying worrying about other peoples opinion.
You just gave to do lots of self talking and to talk yourself to understand that the worry we have is dispoportional and magnified to the actual size of the matter. I just try to mentally look at the trigger from the different persons point of view, with different set of eyes.
Sometimes it makes me laugh later when i realise how baseless the subject to the anxiety is.
Its not funny though at the moment of the full blown anx attack ....
Its gettig better though for me day by day now so there is a hope for sure - with all the remedies you use: if its CBT, medications, talking to people on this site - its all will help definately within the time.
Take care.

[Mark13]

Thanks. Yep, that's me. One student was unhappy with her essay mark and I'm obsessed about that :) The fact of the matter is that it is IMPOSSIBLE to please all the students. If you did you probably wouldn't be doing a good job. GAD really is rather annoying. I'm on some mild anti-d's, have some diazepan for emergencies and I'm start a course of EMDR in the New Year. I'm determined to beat it. I had two bouts of PTSD in 2004 and 2006. It was the last bout that left me with GAD. I think.
Me too, unfortunately, which is why I could see it in you.

I'm off work and every email I get from my boss seems sarcastic, as if I'm faking it or that anxiety disorder isn't a real illness. Thing is some of the emails are more condescending than sarcastic, but it winds me up because:

I feel guilty for being off
I'm hyper-sensitive to criticism, even when I'm only imagining it
I'm angry at my belief that work aren't taking my illness seriously.

It's because, deep down, I think I'm worthless despite evidence to the contrary (I've been married for 12 years, worked for the same employer for nearly 30 years, been promoted twice).

You're right GAD sucks :)

[saintanselm]

@ Mark. That's horrible that work don't take it seriously. It seems to me that people are much more clued up in the United States and people in the United Kingdom see anxiety as a form of ' weakness,' its not. I don't consider myself to be a weak person. Far from it. I've done some incredibly brave things for my work as a journalist. Unfortunately that work led to two bouts of PTSD and GAD and I can no longer work in that environment anymore, hence a change of career which has triggered the current anxiety but its part of who I am. I don't know if this will help but one person told me the American serenity prayer: ' F&*k em,' or put another way those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind! I try and think about it like that. If someone wants to judge me for having an anxiety disorder they are probably not very nice. I'm starting a course of EMDR. Apparently its the best in treating anxiety.