Does anyone else think this way

[tricia56]

hi ive had GAD for 7yrs now or more and i am scared to let go of this anxiety and i dont know how to let go of it as i think to myself that because ive had it so long its apart of me and if i didnt have it and get my life back then some thing will happen to me i know it probly sounds silly to alot of u but i cant help thinking this way ive tried challenging this thought but it still scares me and i dont know how to change this thought can any one tell me if they think the same or any advice on how to stop thibnking like this thks

[Munki]

Hi Tricia,

When we've had anything like this for a long time it actually starts to form part of our identity and the thought of living a 'normal' life can seem terrifying. We have thoughts of 'am I good enough when I'm normal' and 'what if people don't accept me as I am' and so on. Our anxiety/depression almosts shields us from letting people know the real us and when we fear a lack of acceptance we can use our disorder as a front. This isn't always the case, of course, but it's something that many of us do. I'm an anxiety sufferer and I have the same concerns, that I won't be liked if I recover, that I won't be good enough. This alone can make us feel anxious and so the cycle continues.

I believe that it's a process of confidence building and allowing yourself to believe that you ARE good enough without your GAD. It has been a part of your life for a long time but hey, life's all about identity transitions. As you grow you're perfectly entitled to grow out of your anxiety.

My advice would be to stop thinking about it to much and just 'be'. If you become anxious then deal with it as you do best. Meanwhile, you may find that you actully start to relax and enjoy yourself more :)