Graham
06-05-06, 13:19
Hello everyone. This is my first post on this site and it’s a long one too!
I have had GAD symptoms since I was about 19. Over the last few years it’s been OK, but not great. It was with great interest that I found out about GAD. I’ve always put my condition down to being permanently stressed. I personally referred to it as ‘Ambient Stress’, which actually seems quite apt.
Previously I thought I was suffering with something called Neuro-Developmental Delay (NDD) - http://www.inpp.org.uk/INPP_3_1_NDD.php, which is to do with brain development in infancy. My mother had treatment for this and it really helped her.
Over the last few weeks I have come to believe that my Mum is suffering from GAD too. I was particularly interested in some of the facts relating to the condition being hereditary. When my Mum was younger she had electric shock therapy for depression and GAD type symptoms. Ironically the NDD treatment she had later in her life may well have helped. NDD treatment looks at conditioning the brain to develop new neuro-pathways using specialist exercises [it is recognised as being successful at treating anxiety disorders, particularly in children.]
My disorder has been considerably worse in the last few weeks. I now have developed a full-blown Health Anxiety. I put this down to several factors. Firstly, my Uncle died in January from early stages of motor neurone disease. He was 71 and had symptoms for six months previously. Secondly, I have been under a lot of pressure from work and moving home [I am a company director with my own successful business, having around 10 staff and all the stress that goes with it.]
My Uncle dying affected me greatly. I believe that the symptoms I have now are directly down to a subconscious worry about developing a degenerative disease myself.
I have a lot of classic anxiety symptoms that I can deal with. Namely: coldness, loss of feeling/pins and needles in one arm – or both, dizziness, tense shoulders/neck, shaking and trembling, dry mouth, lump in throat [which is sore from too much swallowing]. However, what has scared me is the slight loss of feeling in one arm at certain times and my speech? I find that talking I get confused and can’t select the right word, or really have to concentrate on what I’m saying. I’m not speaking garbage, but sometimes it’s a real effort to speak – I get a pang of fear in my gut when I get it wrong or mumble/stutter/slurr etc…
Obviously, like a lot of people on this site, you dwell on the fact you’ve had a stroke, or are developing a number of other degenerative diseases. I understand that chronic anxiety can introduce a lot of confusion in the mind, which may affect speech. I guess I’m looking for some reassurance – anyone else found his or her speech impaired?
On a more positive note, this site is great. I know that people have put up other forums and sites relating to GAD etc... I guess that’s a good thing too, but what I like about this site is that it feels like a community – much more so than others. It’s a credit to the people that started it [looks lovely on my iMac too].
I will beat my anxiety. Now I know what I’m dealing with I will take steps to control it rather than the other way round. There are plenty of things I can do and try. However, reassurance and encouragement from others makes a huge difference.
MY TOP TIP! Get plenty of Smoothies in the fridge [Innocent are the best]. If you can’t eat they usually contain your whole fruit and veg intake in one go. It means that your body will at least get some nutrients when you’re feeling low.
Thanks for reading my mammoth post. I look forward to your replies.
All the best,
Graham [Guildford, Surrey. UK.]
It is a poor heart, and a poorer age, that cannot accept the conditions of life with some heroic readiness. RLS.
I have had GAD symptoms since I was about 19. Over the last few years it’s been OK, but not great. It was with great interest that I found out about GAD. I’ve always put my condition down to being permanently stressed. I personally referred to it as ‘Ambient Stress’, which actually seems quite apt.
Previously I thought I was suffering with something called Neuro-Developmental Delay (NDD) - http://www.inpp.org.uk/INPP_3_1_NDD.php, which is to do with brain development in infancy. My mother had treatment for this and it really helped her.
Over the last few weeks I have come to believe that my Mum is suffering from GAD too. I was particularly interested in some of the facts relating to the condition being hereditary. When my Mum was younger she had electric shock therapy for depression and GAD type symptoms. Ironically the NDD treatment she had later in her life may well have helped. NDD treatment looks at conditioning the brain to develop new neuro-pathways using specialist exercises [it is recognised as being successful at treating anxiety disorders, particularly in children.]
My disorder has been considerably worse in the last few weeks. I now have developed a full-blown Health Anxiety. I put this down to several factors. Firstly, my Uncle died in January from early stages of motor neurone disease. He was 71 and had symptoms for six months previously. Secondly, I have been under a lot of pressure from work and moving home [I am a company director with my own successful business, having around 10 staff and all the stress that goes with it.]
My Uncle dying affected me greatly. I believe that the symptoms I have now are directly down to a subconscious worry about developing a degenerative disease myself.
I have a lot of classic anxiety symptoms that I can deal with. Namely: coldness, loss of feeling/pins and needles in one arm – or both, dizziness, tense shoulders/neck, shaking and trembling, dry mouth, lump in throat [which is sore from too much swallowing]. However, what has scared me is the slight loss of feeling in one arm at certain times and my speech? I find that talking I get confused and can’t select the right word, or really have to concentrate on what I’m saying. I’m not speaking garbage, but sometimes it’s a real effort to speak – I get a pang of fear in my gut when I get it wrong or mumble/stutter/slurr etc…
Obviously, like a lot of people on this site, you dwell on the fact you’ve had a stroke, or are developing a number of other degenerative diseases. I understand that chronic anxiety can introduce a lot of confusion in the mind, which may affect speech. I guess I’m looking for some reassurance – anyone else found his or her speech impaired?
On a more positive note, this site is great. I know that people have put up other forums and sites relating to GAD etc... I guess that’s a good thing too, but what I like about this site is that it feels like a community – much more so than others. It’s a credit to the people that started it [looks lovely on my iMac too].
I will beat my anxiety. Now I know what I’m dealing with I will take steps to control it rather than the other way round. There are plenty of things I can do and try. However, reassurance and encouragement from others makes a huge difference.
MY TOP TIP! Get plenty of Smoothies in the fridge [Innocent are the best]. If you can’t eat they usually contain your whole fruit and veg intake in one go. It means that your body will at least get some nutrients when you’re feeling low.
Thanks for reading my mammoth post. I look forward to your replies.
All the best,
Graham [Guildford, Surrey. UK.]
It is a poor heart, and a poorer age, that cannot accept the conditions of life with some heroic readiness. RLS.