Is it a permanent condition?

[Desimal]

I know this question has been asked a million times in this forum but please bear with me, i am in a tough spot right now. I have been struggling with generalised anxiety disorder for 2 years now and while i was doing better than when this all started thanks to cbt but during the last weeks i am struggling more and more with this condition.

What really scares me is the thought that this is an incurable condition and that i will have to manage it for the rest of my life, i do understand that anxiety is a normal part of life but what about the actual disorder? Am i really stuck like this for life? Will i be able to feel normal again?

Thanks you for your time.

[GadGirl]

I ask myself the same question, sufferer for 6 years but took a real bad turn I'm currently waiting for CBT to start to help me manage. I hope that we both can overcome this positive thoughts :-)

[MrAndy]

Yes you can feel normal again,three years ago I was in a psychiatric hospital but now recovered.Patience ,meds,counselling and sheer determination helped me get through the anxiety and depression.if I can do it so can you

[debs71]

Hi Desimal,

The short answer is yes, you may well have anxiety in the long term, BUT it is HIGHLY manageable and CAN be dealt with and lived with.

I had a nervous breakdown in 2003 and was diagnosed with depression, generalized anxiety and panic disorder. Since then I have had ups and downs with both depression and anxiety, but most of the time I feel fine these days (Thank goodness)

Anxiety you will find is much like a rollercoaster ride. Sometimes you will feel on a level, and then something will cause the anxiety to creep back again - sometimes for a short while, sometimes longer - but then you find it gets better again.

Having this happen, and being diagnosed does not in any way, shape or form mean you cannot feel normal again, or live a normal, productive life....that is entirely possible and probable in fact!

Having anxiety is also not a failure, it is just that with some of us we struggle more with our stress levels and ability to deal with anxiety, nothing more, nothing less.

The key is to find your own ways of combatting anxiety when it rears its head again, and the somewhat sad and ironic thing is that the more times you have had to face GAD and the longer you have had it, the strangely better things will feel and get for you, as you honestly DO reach a point where it becomes easier and less frightening to face and deal with, as you know that it is purely your GAD creating your symptoms. When you find those things - whatever they may be, be they breathing/relaxation techniques, distraction, etc. - anxiety becomes far less daunting and overwhelming to tackle, as you know what it is and can throw your weapons at it!

I can honestly say that being diagnosed with a mental health problem does not mean you cannot live a pretty normal life....just with the odd glitches and snags now and then, it is just that the nature of a high anxiety period makes us think that it will never go away, and will always be at a peak, but believe me when I assure you that that is NOT TRUE AT ALL!!

With time, some help - through further therapy or self-help techniques - you WILL feel better and more able to cope.x

[gregcool]

Well i was in a very deap whole at one point and thought i would never ever recover,but i did completly back to normal,like someone turned off a switch.i was my old self all over again....then 8 years on i was involved in something big that put me back in that whole again,but had a few years feeling myself again.i got stuck into my job and life...then latter lost my job and my wife,fell back again but not so deep,and have been slowly recovering again..with time it can happen and iv just shown you iv done it twice and now third time lucky..good luck

[kellie39]

oh i do hope so, ive never had anything like this before and have suffered for the last 4 weeks and all these symptoms both physical and mental have shocked me.
ive been told by lots of people on here that you can get better and things do settle down

[gregcool]

They do and will kellie.give it time and try not to dwell on things,the brain is very powerfull and can change very quickly..as i said iv been there three times and recovered..its scary the first time because its all new and you dont know what is going on,but it will calm down,be strong and remember that you felt normal before,you have not done any perminant damage,it will reverse back

[kellie39]

They do and will kellie.give it time and try not to dwell on things,the brain is very powerfull and can change very quickly..as i said iv been there three times and recovered..its scary the first time because its all new and you dont know what is going on,but it will calm down,be strong and remember that you felt normal before,you have not done any perminant damage,it will reverse back

thank you
thats what i keep telling myself, i didnt have any of these thoughts or feelings 4 weeks ago so i shouldnt worry. at times it just seems so hard and its so easy to concentrate on every little ache ect and just need the physical symptoms to settle down now as my mind is slightly calmer and i feel that if the physical bit settled down it would be one step closer to being back to normal

its good to know that it will get better
xx

[MrAndy]

The thing is Kellie is not to put a timescale on recovery it will only frustrate you
I read so many posts on here where people count the days on meds ,all it does is frustrate and demoralise you when you don't feel better
Try and take each day as it comes and accept the way you are for now,it can take a while to get better but I can tell you it's worth the wait

[kellie39]

The thing is Kellie is not to put a timescale on recovery it will only frustrate you
I read so many posts on here where people count the days on meds ,all it does is frustrate and demoralise you when you don't feel better
Try and take each day as it comes and accept the way you are for now,it can take a while to get better but I can tell you it's worth the wait

thanks

i know what you mean as ive had days when i feel like im getting somewhere and then the next day isnt as good and you get disappointed.
but slow and stead is always best i know.

xxxxxx