could i have anxiety or am i overreacting

[Quo]

Hi, I'm not sure where to put this exactly or what to do, but I'm not sure what else to go or do. I don't mean to self-diagnose myself but I'm just not sure what to do.
I've been feeling quite bad for the past few years, I've had times where I don't have the motivation to get up or had such intense fear I'll purposefully not go to certain events (e.g. birthdays, bad lessons, etc.) because I have the feeling something bad will happen if I go, no one will want me there, or other such thoughts which make me feel nauseous, vomiting, and sick.
I've had times where I've felt so bad over messing up something simple, like baking a cake, that'll send me into spirals where I'm laying on the floor and hurting myself. My head will swarm with thoughts and I feel lost and confused.
I've had issues sleeping due to these thoughts, problems paying attention and as such my grades have been falling.
I went to a therapist two years ago, she told me I was pre-disposed to depression due to some traumatic events I've had in my past, and that what I do is known as 'catastrophizing'. However, she is unable to diagnose anything as this therapist was like a free one and they don't have proper training or qualifications or something. After a bit, she let me go as I was showing signs of improvement. I didn't tell her some of the thoughts I've had before, however. I was doing quite good for a bit, but then I got worse.
Often when I have a melt down I'll begin shaking, my teeth will chatter a lot, and so will my body. I don't feel like I can pay attention to anything. I'll feel constantly exhausted, like simple actions can take an effort, and I feel like I'm just dumb. I'm just overreacting, proper anxiety is much worse and I should just deal with it. I'm tired, and I'm wondering whether GAD could be an explanation for what I'm feeling. I'll feel even worse as my family will often leave me when I'm having these moments. Sometimes they'll be supportive and let me stay home from school, or events, but whenever they leave the house whilst I'm having these moments, or yell at me for overreacting, I'll feel awful. It sucks because my mother also has anxiety, but she used to dismiss mine. Recently she's wondered if I could have it, but it still feels like she doesn't really understand and she'll still laugh at me as I'm having these meltdowns and crying. It sucks, I hate it. I have been wondering whether I have GAD.

[Ggrand]

Hello Dear Quo,

A very warm and caring welcome to our forums...

I am really sorry about what you’re going through..

I don’t know your age...If your old enough I really want to gently urge you to make an appointment and reach out to your GP...so you can get a proper diagnosis and professional help from a mental health care plan..that your GP can get started for you...

If your to young to attend a GP...on your own please can you ask your mum to take you...Maybe sit down with your mum quietly and explain honestly and openly about how your feeling and thinking....

We are not professionals or Drs here...just people with our own mental health issues, who have lived experience to help you as best we can....

A proper diagnosis is very important so you can get the help you so much deserve...also dear Quo...it’s very very important to speak openly and honestly to you GP....We need to remember that a therapist/ psychologist or counsellor cannot read our minds and their for, don’t know the full extent of how we are feeling...unless we tell them what’s happening to us...

We are here if you feel to talk some more...

My kindest thoughts dear Quo, with my care.

Grandy..

[Sophie_M]

Dear Quo,

Hello and welcome to our forum. We are so glad you found the strength to write about your confusion. We are a helpful and supportive community, and we would like to welcome you here.

First, catastrophizing refers to the tendancy that we sometimes have of perceiving a situation as being much worse than it actually is, or that the outcome will be much worse than it actually will be. We understand that the tendancy toward catastrophizing is not actually a mental health condition, but might be more often there with certain mental health conditions. We also understand that only GPs, Psychiatrists, and Psychologists are permitted to make mental health diagnoses. However, Counsellors, Therapists, Social Workers, and other mental health workers are trained to help people who are struggling with different mental health conditions.

We also understand that mental health diagnoses performed by a qualified specialist can help us because the diagnosis might give us some comprehension around why things might be going so crazy for us. However, we also understand that people sometimes might think of themselves as the diagnosis, rather than as a full and complete person.

So, would you rather:

Think of yourself as a person with generalised anxiety disorder?

Or,

Think of yourself as a person who sometimes gets overwhelmed by all the stuff that is going on around you?

There is no correct answer, but we know that increased understanding of ourselves is often beneficial.

Please remember that we are always here for you.

Warm regards,

Sophie M.
 

[geoff]

Hello Quo, hi and welcome.

We can only suggest because we're not qualified to diagnose you, however, from what you have told us, it's certainly possible you may be suffering from this, especially as your mum has anxiety.

Your mum should have no reason why she would laugh at you, even if it's interrupted that way, because that's not something she would like people doing ith her, as mental illness is no laughing matter, it's a very serious concern.

Take care.

Geoff.