In retrospect I think I have suffered from anxiety my whole life but I've never wanted to admit it. Chronic depression was my biggest worry. My mother was a very timid woman with social anxiety. I suffered mental and physical trauma living with an alcoholic as a teenager but had a successful healthcare career. I'm now 59 and retired due to work-related illness. I find that many things cause me stress and now that I'm not working I can't channel it into productivity. I feel my heart pounding and feel stressed about many things, including social interactions.

I'm excited about a number of things in my life but that excitement mixed with stress means I don't get to sleep until 3 a.m. I take 1 or 2mg of ativan/lorazapam in the evenings but need to supplement with other meds like benadryl, sublinox, or imovane in order to get to sleep. An on-line test result = G.A.D. I don't have a regular doctor anymore and the walk-in clinic doc wants to put my on Paxil as I do not have tolerance for Cexlexa. I've always been a problem solver and hate this sense of spinning out of control, but Paxil has a bad reputation, and I recall having trouble getting off it in the past. sorry for the rant. any thoughts?

Hi akimbo,

I'm really sorry that your anxiety is affecting you so much right now. I understand your reluctance to use the Paxil from the Doctor at the walk in clinic.

Is there any way that you can see a Psychologist either privately or at a hospital? That really would be better for you to be seeing someone who can diagnose you correctly and also you could perhaps try some cognitive behaviour therapy.

Some people do well just with the CBT. It usually is done over a number of sessions and there can be homework involved. Some people do better with a combination of CBT and a medication, but finding the right medication can be trial and error as you've perhaps already found.

There are other options besides the meds like Celexa and Paxil. Some people seem to respond to Propranolol which is a Beta Blocker. The problem with the Beta Blockers I found is that although they can treat the actual physical symptoms that appear when in a state of heightened anxiety, they are more of a 'band-aid' approach and don't work on the cause of the anxiety.

The lack of sleep would not be helping you at all. Have you tried any non-drug methods to help you sleep. Everyone is different but I find that taking Tryptophan can help me stay asleep. (You can't take that if you're taking SSRIs though!) Other times I take magnesium. I also try to have a wind down time prior to sleep. Whole body relaxation exercizes can help with that. You can try lying down on the bed and start at the feet and tense your toes, then hold that tension briefly and then relax. Continue that all the way up your body. You'd be surprised how relaxed it feels after doing that regularly.

Learn to breathe. Most of us who deal with anxiety tend to not breathe very well when under pressure.

Please see if you can get a regular Doctor or a Psychologist who can diagnose you correctly and go from there.

Well, keep talking. Let us know how you're doing.

Hi akimbo

I agree with what Lara has written.

I live with anxiety though I have not been formally diagnosed with GAD.

I don't know if this is an option for you but finding a psychologist who has experience of using CBT methods with his/her clients could well help. My psychologist taught me CBT - she calls that my "toolkit". By that she means that if I am experiencing anxiety or if I notice that things are not right with my clinical depression I can choose the right CBT tool and put it into action - almost always this works.

I also agree with Lara about breathing. I am not meaning to diminish your feelings of anxiety but often they can have a physiological basis - breathing shallowly can lead to an accumulation of CO2 in the blood. Deep breathing exercises can help here.

Finally, whole body relaxation exercises are a great idea. I do them every night in preparation for sleep - they work for me.

All the best.

The recommendations are one the money
I just fired my shrink after seven years
I am a ssd recipient due to a botched
POST CERVICAL DISTECOMEY FUSION @ 5/6-6/7
And then the domino effect took over

I am fifty five suffers with OCD all my life
I was a high functioning independent woman
Mother of four
Suffered many issues
Such as a suicide my father
A mother who I BELEIVE did her best
But her true colors came to fruition after his death
Astranged we are

I have been put on Xanax by my cardiologist
Way back in the area of 1994ish
Do not have him anymore
Problems with the help and scheduling
And he took the word of the office manager
It mattered because I was at the beginning my menopausal
changes
With the decision to wean off of Xanax I pray that now knowing of my mutation (MTHFR DNA MUTATION) explain away so many things
But now awaiting my DEPLIN and the broad symptoms as a result of my mutation
By the way 50% or more have this mutation
Will be a huge deal to MY BODY
IT MAY HELP WITH MANY OF MY SYMPTOMS
that include depression and anxiety
This morning I feel the affects of the decrease in my morning dose of meds
I wish there were more talk about being ones own advocate
Breathing helps this body and mind
Just the act of paying attention to my breathing means a lot
Hope you get some resolve
It isn't easy when one suffers OCD
TAKE GOOD CARE
me

Xanax withdrawal is a "B***H
I want it out of my system
And know of the residuals affect
And this part is my struggle
And it will take some time before I feel better
Hope is what I have
My OCD keeps me going a bit when I can
As my hands determine what I can and can't do
But "it" keeps me going
So it help a bit in my case
I lost my municipal job
To my illness
Bummer
I miss working
Me

My blood pressure taken before two o'clock dose was
142/89 pulse 94
This at resting state
My heart and the sweats until it gets into my system
is a B***H
A tough ride it is
Something I must do
I cannot see this to be the rest of my life
I want it out of my body
Much calmer now
Lying down
As my body experiences spasms
This is what my pain specialist told me Thursday
It is scary
I am frightened
I do not want to be the reason I induce a heart attack
I have my daughter home with me
I am hydrated and had a awesome breakfast
Will keep sharing
My experience strength and hope
Me