Is this GAD?

[LiveAboveIt]

I find myself worrying about anything and everything, and at the same time nothing at all. I worry about the fact that Im worrying and I constantly feel overwhelmed because I feel like I cant control the worry. If im not fixated on something specific, then I have anxiety over the fact that I cant stop thinking about the anxiety or get it off my mind. It feels like I have no control over what I think, but I feel like maybe I cause this because Im so afraid of the state I am on. Things that used to cause me minor worry or anxiety are tenfold now and evoke dread, even though Im aware of how irrational it is, my thoughts feel so real. I dont know how to get back to a more logical state.

Im also experiencing a feeling of being in a fog, sometimes unable to think straight/rationally, memory issues/being on autopilot , just dont feel like myself. But the main symptom is that my anxious thoughts seem to run wild and I have this insane hyperawareness of my thoughts in general, unless I get accidentally distracted, then it all briefly goes away.

I think my lack of understanding is causing a lot of this fear and makes me feel crazy or like I wont ever get better. Can some veteran GAD sufferers school me on whats going on and if this is normal/how to beat it or feel more on control?

[NoPoet]

Yes, that sounds exactly like GAD. GAD is typified by a persistent sense of dread, worry or anxiety that isn't anchored to any one specific thing.

So for example a phobia would be an unreasoning dread of a specific thing; health anxiety would mainly focus on fear of illness or suffering due to a hidden fear of death; generalised anxiety can come and go, you resolve one issue then it all starts back up again as if nothing happened.

GAD can also mimic other things (you can go through phases of health anxiety, then social anxiety, then back to general anxiety) and it tends to change once you start attacking it: new worries spring up as old ones are defeated, new intrusive thoughts attack. GAD is clever and knows when it's under attack. It will infiltrate you under the cover of the fog you described. It needs you to fear it, because when you stop being afraid of it, it dies.

You can permanently recover from GAD. Do not allow yourself to get lost battling every symptom. As dreadful as they may seem, these are just "white noise" intended to scare you and distract you. You may have an underlying problem that triggers, provokes or reinforces this.

GAD is a hydra. Chop a head off, new heads grow and attack you. Kill the body and you kill the GAD.

Edited because I don't know how to correctly spell mimic.

[Shazamataz]

Yes, that sounds exactly like GAD. GAD is typified by a persistent sense of dread, worry or anxiety that isn't anchored to any one specific thing.

So for example a phobia would be an unreasoning dread of a specific thing; health anxiety would mainly focus on fear of illness or suffering due to a hidden fear of death; generalised anxiety can come and go, you resolve one issue then it all starts back up again as if nothing happened.

GAD can also mimic other things (you can go through phases of health anxiety, then social anxiety, then back to general anxiety) and it tends to change once you start attacking it: new worries spring up as old ones are defeated, new intrusive thoughts attack. GAD is clever and knows when it's under attack. It will infiltrate you under the cover of the fog you described. It needs you to fear it, because when you stop being afraid of it, it dies.

You can permanently recover from GAD. Do not allow yourself to get lost battling every symptom. As dreadful as they may seem, these are just "white noise" intended to scare you and distract you. You may have an underlying problem that triggers, provokes or reinforces this.

GAD is a hydra. Chop a head off, new heads grow and attack you. Kill the body and you kill the GAD.

Edited because I don't know how to correctly spell mimic.

Wow, that's an amazing way to describe it! I've only officially been diagnosed with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia but this explains exactly how I feel all of the time ever since the meds drove me mental at the beginning of the year. Thanks for this!

Live, sorry you are still struggling. I was so hopeful for you when you changed meds and seemed to be doing better. Hang in there buddy xo

[LiveAboveIt]

Yes, that sounds exactly like GAD. GAD is typified by a persistent sense of dread, worry or anxiety that isn't anchored to any one specific thing.

So for example a phobia would be an unreasoning dread of a specific thing; health anxiety would mainly focus on fear of illness or suffering due to a hidden fear of death; generalised anxiety can come and go, you resolve one issue then it all starts back up again as if nothing happened.

GAD can also mimic other things (you can go through phases of health anxiety, then social anxiety, then back to general anxiety) and it tends to change once you start attacking it: new worries spring up as old ones are defeated, new intrusive thoughts attack. GAD is clever and knows when it's under attack. It will infiltrate you under the cover of the fog you described. It needs you to fear it, because when you stop being afraid of it, it dies.

You can permanently recover from GAD. Do not allow yourself to get lost battling every symptom. As dreadful as they may seem, these are just "white noise" intended to scare you and distract you. You may have an underlying problem that triggers, provokes or reinforces this.

GAD is a hydra. Chop a head off, new heads grow and attack you. Kill the body and you kill the GAD.

Edited because I don't know how to correctly spell mimic.

Thank you for this explanation, this is exactly whst I struggle with. Im doing my best to do as you said and not battle every symptom, as it does seem to constantly jump around on me. Your post made me feel loads better now that I know everything I am experiencing is normal. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

---------- Post added at 09:50 ---------- Previous post was at 09:48 ----------


Wow, that's an amazing way to describe it! I've only officially been diagnosed with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia but this explains exactly how I feel all of the time ever since the meds drove me mental at the beginning of the year. Thanks for this!

Live, sorry you are still struggling. I was so hopeful for you when you changed meds and seemed to be doing better. Hang in there buddy xo

Doing my best! I am actually much improved since the med switch, but still struggling against the anxiety. Its a process, I guess. Thanks for the kind words.