GAD diagnosis

[Lici]

Hi, first time posting, hopefully someone can help.

So I went to a new doctor the other day (apparently he's registered with beyond blue) and he diagnosed me with GAD. The thing is I'm a bit dubious about this diagnosis as I don't excessively worry about things and have a previous diagnosis of PTSD which would fit most of my symptoms. His diagnosis consisted of asking me a few questions while I was there to see him for a shoulder issue.

I'm wondering if GAD can be diagnosed without the excessive worry and anxiety? The information that I can find on the DSM V diagnostic criteria states that the patient must have the excessive worry. The doctor has given me medication for treatment and I'm a bit nervous about starting a drug that's going to make me gain weight and be tied all the time while I'm at university (studying psychology funnily enough) and have spent a few years learning how to finally deal with things without medication. Should I ask to see a psychiatrist to get a definitive diagnosis before starting treatment? I'm really unsure what to do at the moment as I feel like the clinical psychologists and psychiatrists would have diagnosed me in the past if I had GAD.

Thanks for reading

[Chloe_M]

Hi Lici,

Yes i am distancing myself from him a little, not to much I don't want to ruin the friendship.

Thats really cool how your dating an ex from 14/15 yrs old. I'm 14 LOL I'm little haha 😄

You're right our MI doesn't necessarily mean there's something wrong with us. It does in some ways make us stronger. I saw this quote...

"The person who falls and gets back up is so much stronger than the one who never fell"

This is true. If it put this into my situation...

Something happens with my ex's new relationship.

Something crappy happens in my life.

I'm going to be able to deal with it better because I have dealt with so much more. I have been through things that he hasn't even imagined. I am stronger than the average person.

Hope you feeling okay today x

Chloe 🙂

[Lici]

Morning Chloe 🤗

I'm glad you're distancing yourself a little. Sometimes it's really the best thing we can do to deal with stuff like that.

Haha I figured you might have been around that age. Everyone loves our dating story hehe. I even used it for a romance story assignment I had last year and got 85% for it. It's strange how life turns out sometimes!

It's kind of funny that you're 14 though, the lecture I watched last night was about adolescent brain development. There's so much happening in your brain right now! I never knew the amount of changes that the brain goes through. I knew that there were changes in hormones (cause duh) but there's a huge amount of synapses being reinforced and dying of

[Lici]

Silly sleepy brain, I somehow pressed post before I was finished!

So as I was saying, there's a huge amount of synapses being reinforced and dying off in the brain during adolescence and this is in the areas responsible for emotion regulation, rational thought, motor activity (movement) etc. So if your emotions feel super all over the place, it's not just about MI but also about the changes happening in your brain!

Also, studies they did found that those with MI (ptsd in the study) in adolescence recovered better than those in childhood and adulthood which they concluded is because the adolescent brain is more susceptible to stress and if positive stress coping mechanisms are reinforced during adolescence, they become more resilient.

So going to a psychologist and sorting everything out is probably the best thing you can do at your age because your brain will reinforce the positive stuff you learn 😊

When it comes to MI in general, I see it as my brain is wired differently to a person who doesn't have MI. It's not broken etc, it's just different because of the things I've been through (considering I went through a lot when I was an adolescent I now know how true this is!).

You're right that you'll know how to deal with things better! I know that I can handle anything that life throws at me now because it's nothing compared to what I've been through!

As far as how I'm feeling, I'm feeling a bit better today. I've got my lectures down to 3 behind and I plan on getting through most of them today. I'm still a bit too sleepy to decide if I'm feeling anything yet, but I'm feeling a little more motivated which is good.

I got to lift my arm over my head for the first time in a year though! And tied my hair up for the first time in a year. After 10 days on my medication. It's still hard to believe that anxiety was the reason I couldn't move my arm properly for a year! It's still not 100% better, but it's 100% better than what it was!

I hope you have a good day today Chloe! Xx

Lici

[Chloe_M]

Hi Lici,

Thats so great about your arm! Its funny what anxiety does to us haha.

Hope you have a good day, im just off to my dance elective, i just finished commerce 😕 i hate my commerce class its so bad

[Lici]

Can't say I ever studied commerce in high school. Do they teach you budgeting? That's about the only relevant thing I can think of that I would have liked to have been taught in high school! Sounds boring though lol but yay for dance!

I'm about to watch a 2 hour lecture on cognitive ageing. I feel like I'm going to cognitively age just by watching it! Hopefully it will be interesting enough to keep me awake!

[startingnew]

HI Lici


it sure is funny how the brain woks sometimes.
Ah im feeling you with doing normal things! With my injury atm (been 8 weeks and will be longer) its such a struggle to do the normal everyday things! Im so glad to read that you were able to lift your arm up and tie up your hair! Thats really amazing!


It can be hard to know what is causing what sometimes thats for sure. Its important to keep up your self care and coping strategies none the less as everything contributes to how we are feeling.

Oh I definently understand the lack of help. Ive been told several times 'its all im ny head' and theres nothing wrong with me and even had the 'its your own fault you feel the way you do' from my family and a mh professional too. Its really hard isnt it.
Are you getting help now though? have you been able to find things that do help you? Its never to late to seek help for yourself.

[Lici]

Hi startingnew 😊

Not being able to do normal things drives you crazy doesn't it? I was so frustrated that I had to get my bf to do up my bra for me. I felt like a child! I wish you a speedy recovery for your injury!

I think having the GAD diagnosis was kind of the best thing to happen for me in a while. Being aware of what's anxiety related has really helped me notice when I'm having an anxiety reaction. I find just writing down my symptoms and when they're happening has really helped me understand my anxiety triggers. Before that diagnosis I thought everything was separate problems (especially the physical stuff).

As far as help goes, I haven't seen a psychologist for around 5 years now. I honestly thought I had a handle on things. Stopped my antidepressants because they weren't helping, started uni etc. I was completely oblivious to the anxiety so didn't think I needed help. I think because I've spent so long in my life doing everything by myself I tend to think that I'm fine doing it alone (if that makes sense?)

My gp did mention a mental health plan though so will probably be seeing a psych at some stage. Not sure what they can do that I can't do on my own though lol. It will be interesting to talk to one even if it's only about a few ideas I have as to why some things work for me while others don't. Talking doesn't help me as I dissociate from pretty much everything, it's like it all happened to someone else, so I'll have to look around for a psych that focuses on cbt.

Ugh I hate that line of talking (it's all in your head etc) as much as the "just think positive, get out in nature, yada yada" it makes me see red! Some people are so ignorant! And if they're mh professionals that's even worse! They should know better! This is why I want to become a psych, at least I actually know what it's like!

Unfortunately, when it comes to family we can't pick them. I have however removed a few family members from my life for my own mental wellbeing. The whole "blood is thicker than water" thing is rubbish. If a family member (even a parent) constantly downplays your mh etc, stop talking to them for a while lol you'd be surprised at how much better you feel (if you live with them then that's harder though)

Anyway, I hope you have a good day!

Hugs

Lici

[Lici]

Ugh I feel so frustrated and stupid right now! I can feel the anxiety muscle tension and I have a headache so I'm assuming that the wanting to cry is part of that too.

I just can't seem to wrap my head around this lecture I'm watching. I've almost watched it twice now. It's to do with molecular genetics and I have never studied genetics before. If I did then it was in high school and I don't remember anything from then apart from the bullying.

I know that there's going to be 24 questions on the exam for this part of the topic and I just feel like I'm going to end up failing the exam and not getting into honours and not become a psychologist all because I'm too dumb at this type of science to have any of it sink in!

I know that's the anxiety talking but wasn't the medication supposed to stop this stuff? What's the point in taking medication if I'm still going to have anxiety? Ugh so frustrating! I hope my lecturer gets back to me soon with answers to my questions. I just can't seem to concentrate when I don't even know if I'm understanding things properly. It's making me feel sick!

[startingnew]

Hi lici

its sounding really tough for you atm. im hoping today was a better day for you. your studies sounds hard! im glad you have a mentor to help you through it. hopefully you hear from them soon!

unfortunatly meds dont solve everything and you have to work with some more coping strategies- breathing, pros/cons list, distractions, journalling, mindfullness, meditation, self care, healthy living habits etc. are you able to speak to your gp/psychiatrist about medications? they may need to alter the dosage if your not finding it helpful atm.

With the psychologist- they can help you work through your stresses, you can vent and be heard and also be given different perspectives too. i often dissociate too, that could be something to work on. they can help you learn about why you dissociate and also how to kepe yourself in the present (some grounding techniques perhaps)

how has today treated you? how are you feeling?

[Lici]

Hi startingnew,

I'm doing much better now thanks 😊 I ended up watching about 4 YouTube videos to understand the lecture content better. The problem was that the lecturer left out a huge amount of the DNA translation process so I just wasn't understanding how it all worked. I guess the frustration lead to anxiety and I had the first anxiety attack I've ever had that wasn't PTSD related. The lecturer isn't a mentor as such and I never heard back from her which is kind of annoying.

I know that the meds don't solve everything. That was the anxiety talking. I saw the gp yesterday and he wants to give it a month to see how they are going and we're going to organise a mh plan then. There's really no point in assessing whether the meds are working or not during this time of the semester. With all the assignments and then exams coming up it's a highly stressful time!

I managed to get an assignment done and handed up over yesterday and today so only two more assignments and three exams to go before I can relax for a month!

I haven't actually ever spoken to a psychologist about the dissociation or know if that's what it even is. It's usually like I'm just numb inside for the most part. I can feel stuff on the surface so to speak, but most of the time I don't really feel much about anything unless it's stress or anxiety about uni lol. I'll have to bring it up when I organise it all.

For the most part I cope fine, I'll do cbt stuff for ptsd triggers etc and will get stuff done. The other day was just weird, I've never experienced anxiety like that over uni, then again I've found most of it easy to understand.

Today has been good. Currently trying to kill time before seeing avengers!

How are things with you?

Hugs

Lici