I'm not sure how many people truly understand the impact anxiety disorders have on the lives of the people who are most affected by them - the people who have the anxiety disorders as well as their friends and family. I've been operating under a high level of anxiety since at least the 9th grade. That's been about 18 years. That's when I recall the really extreme, frequent symptoms emerging. But I do have many memories of extreme levels of anxiety occurring within myself long before that. It would truly take me days and days to try and explain how severely my anxiety has affected my life physically, mentally, and emotionally. I didn't come close to realizing the full scope of it until I started therapy for the first time a few years ago...and it's all-encompassing.
A few examples: I've clenched my jaw almost constantly for at least the past 20 years, which has resulted in my jaw not being aligned properly. The clenching not only resulted in a misaligned jaw, but also the accompanying frequent discomfort and occasionally extreme pain. My upper back and neck are in constant discomfort; one shoulder is higher than the other from my being physically and mentally tensed up all the time. Every time I roll my shoulders I hear loud popping and grinding sounds. I experience uncontrollable facial twitches (usually my eyes) a couple of times per year. I worry excessively on a regular basis. I am unnecessarily hard on myself as a norm; I often feel so hopeless and frustrated that I think my friends and loved ones would be better off without me in their lives. I have the urge to urinate frequently. I sweat excessively... and when I say excessively, I mean just that. Depending on the level of anxiety I'm feeling, I can sometimes sweat so much that within 30 minutes a huge patch (think 10" x 10") of sweat can form under my arms. And that adds anxiety, since I then have anxiety about sweating so much. I used to get sick frequently. So often that good friends would say things like, "Oh my gosh you're sick all the time! What's going on with you?" Stress lowers your immune system in addition to lots of other unpleasant side effects: weight gain, blood pressure increase, muscle aches, fatigue, etc. I also have mood swings that can range from mild to very extreme. Oh, and stress can also make your allergies more severe. I've had horrible allergy issues since high school, and they have only improved since I started therapy and got to a good ENT who put me on allergy drops (like shots except much more effective and safer!).
I am often told by people that I seem like a total extrovert: friendly, approachable, witty, outspoken, a social butterfly, charming, etc. People have had this impression of me since at least high school. But the way I've felt inside as long as I can remember clearly has been quite different: painfully shy, reserved, insecure, inferior, and awkward (it depends on the particulars of each situation, but by and large I have a huge amount of social anxiety and anxiety in general).
I have discovered since starting therapy in recent years that the condition I have is referred to as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). I also have been diagnosed with depression, but the therapists I have seen agree that my depression is largely anxiety-driven.
I'm not going to go into more detail about my own struggles with anxiety (and depression) right now. What I want to impart in this blog entry is how important it is for people to educate themselves about psychological disorders. If you need a concrete reason because you don't understand the impact psychological disorders have on the lives of those who have them and their friends and loved ones, please consider that a shockingly large number of our veterans commit suicide. These brave, self-sacrificing women and men commonly suffer from psychological disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression (and sometimes both).
Here are some links to reputable websites you can use to educate yourself and others about anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders:
National Institute of Mental Health
A few examples: I've clenched my jaw almost constantly for at least the past 20 years, which has resulted in my jaw not being aligned properly. The clenching not only resulted in a misaligned jaw, but also the accompanying frequent discomfort and occasionally extreme pain. My upper back and neck are in constant discomfort; one shoulder is higher than the other from my being physically and mentally tensed up all the time. Every time I roll my shoulders I hear loud popping and grinding sounds. I experience uncontrollable facial twitches (usually my eyes) a couple of times per year. I worry excessively on a regular basis. I am unnecessarily hard on myself as a norm; I often feel so hopeless and frustrated that I think my friends and loved ones would be better off without me in their lives. I have the urge to urinate frequently. I sweat excessively... and when I say excessively, I mean just that. Depending on the level of anxiety I'm feeling, I can sometimes sweat so much that within 30 minutes a huge patch (think 10" x 10") of sweat can form under my arms. And that adds anxiety, since I then have anxiety about sweating so much. I used to get sick frequently. So often that good friends would say things like, "Oh my gosh you're sick all the time! What's going on with you?" Stress lowers your immune system in addition to lots of other unpleasant side effects: weight gain, blood pressure increase, muscle aches, fatigue, etc. I also have mood swings that can range from mild to very extreme. Oh, and stress can also make your allergies more severe. I've had horrible allergy issues since high school, and they have only improved since I started therapy and got to a good ENT who put me on allergy drops (like shots except much more effective and safer!).
I am often told by people that I seem like a total extrovert: friendly, approachable, witty, outspoken, a social butterfly, charming, etc. People have had this impression of me since at least high school. But the way I've felt inside as long as I can remember clearly has been quite different: painfully shy, reserved, insecure, inferior, and awkward (it depends on the particulars of each situation, but by and large I have a huge amount of social anxiety and anxiety in general).
I have discovered since starting therapy in recent years that the condition I have is referred to as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). I also have been diagnosed with depression, but the therapists I have seen agree that my depression is largely anxiety-driven.
I'm not going to go into more detail about my own struggles with anxiety (and depression) right now. What I want to impart in this blog entry is how important it is for people to educate themselves about psychological disorders. If you need a concrete reason because you don't understand the impact psychological disorders have on the lives of those who have them and their friends and loved ones, please consider that a shockingly large number of our veterans commit suicide. These brave, self-sacrificing women and men commonly suffer from psychological disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression (and sometimes both).
Here are some links to reputable websites you can use to educate yourself and others about anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders:
National Institute of Mental Health
- main page http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad/index.shtml
- Suicide Prevention http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml