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

[startingnew]

Hello Lici

How are you going?

Urgh how frustrating how studies! your lecturer doesnt sound like they explain things very well! im hoping she got back you by now though and your on your way with it now with a better understanding.

it sounds liek your on the right track with your mh though with meds and monitoring those as well as getting a mhcp soon too. yes dissociation can be quite surreal really. it can be quite scary too. having a lot of stress can bring them on too though or get into that sort of state- it might not be so much dissociation though. mh is can be so complicated sometimes cant it!

I find my anxiety sky rockets too if i dont understand something and feel like im going in circles without help, it sounded like it mightve been the same for you too. remember to take a few deep breaths and if you need to just walk away for 10 minutes instead of continuing to stress and panic over it.

Hugs to you too xo

[Lici]

Hi startingnew,

I'm doing good. Got some grades back for two of my psychology assignments. A distinction and high distinction! I'm pretty damn happy with myself lol how are things with you?

The lecturer never got back to me, she probably never will. I understand the part I was stressing over now though so it's ok. I get that they only want us to know certain important bits, and other people are probably fine with it, but I need to know the whole picture to understand it lol the lecturers probably find me super annoying because I ask so many questions!

Yeah I'm not sure if it's actual dissociation. Mh really is complicated! Everything is just normal for the person and then it's not until someone explains what's going on that the person even realises that something's wrong!

I think you're right about the anxiety. I've just always been like this for as long as I can remember so having the gad diagnosis is starting to open my eyes as to what's anxiety and what isn't. So surreal! I'll definitely take deep breaths and take a break now that I'm aware of what it is. For the past two and a half years at uni I've just gone through getting more and more stressed until it clicked and I understood whatever I was having difficulty with. It's really silly that I never saw it for what it was considering everything else I've been through. Just goes to show that you can be really self aware with some things and completely oblivious to others!

Hope you're having a good night!

Hugs

Lici

[startingnew]

Hi Lici

Well done on your accomplishments lately! Keep up the great work!

Everyonr is of course different though we can always find similarities so we can connect with others.

Oh yes we can often go through life struggling but never understanding it. Its amazing what a little bit ok knowledge and self awareness can do isnt it?

How are things going for you? Have you been able to manage your anxieties the past few days?

[Lici]

Hi startingnew,

Thing's are going somewhat ok I guess. It's a super stressful time of the year so it's hard to tell what's anxiety and what's just normal exam stress lol. I only have one assignment to go and two lectures to watch and then I'll be starting exam revision. I'm always worried that I won't remember stuff that I need to and that I won't do well on exams. The anxiety comes in because I've done well on exams so far so I rationally know I'll probably be fine, but hard not to worry about it, especially with the neuropsychology and genetics parts! Ugh there's so much content it's hard to work out what's important!

Having knowledge and self awareness certainly helps with managing mh! From everything we've spoken about to do with mi this semester, it's not something a lot of people have, so I'm glad I'm lucky in that respect!

How are things with you?

Lici

[startingnew]

Hi Lici

Wow it is a busy time for you. The stress of studies and doing well and worrying about exams can really exacerbate those anxious feelings cant they!

Im sure youll do well in your exams but i know me saying that wont help all that much

Are they your final exams?

Remember not to overload. When i was studying i actually made a study plan for the few weeks i had to revise everything. Maybe thatll help you?

I alternated my study between Q&A palm cards, worksheet questions and just reading over the notes. I tried to alternate between hard and easy so i wasnt over loaded on a daily basis.

Im on a roller coaster atm. Shooing the SI thoughts away and just riding the ebs and flows.

[Lici]

Hi startingnew,

These are final exams for these topics, then I'll have new topics next semester with their own set of exams and those exams will be the final ones for those topics and my bachelor's degree. I'll be graduating at the end of the year!

After that I'll hopefully get into honours and then that will have exams too... I feel like I'll be taking exams for the rest of my life! 😂 it will be worth it in the end though!

Thanks for your suggestions, I've got quizlet quizzes I'm using but apart from that I don't have a plan yet. Could you give me some more information as to what you mean by worksheet questions? Do you mean questions they provided you in class?

Sorry to hear you're on a roller coaster! Hopefully everything calms down for you soon! Feel free to talk about it in here if you need to. Hugs

Lici

[startingnew]

Haha i think your right there it seems like all your doing are exams but as you said worth it in the end 🙂

So my course was more given the work read through and then take the exam at the end. No assignments or anything. So i made up my own. I went through the notes and made up my own questions. Mine was all medical terminology amd mostly breaking down words and their meanings so was easy to do might not be so easy for your course though. But thats just an example. For you they could be the questions theyve asked you in class as well write them down on paper and answer them without looking then have a look and see if you were right.

I guess studying is only limited by your imagination. You could ask some people to ask you a question or 2 out of your notes-get them to make it up so it puts you on your feet abit. Does that make sense? Hoping that helps abit..

[Lici]

I think I'll be able to make up my own questions. We have a lot of psychological theories, brain parts and their functions etc so making up questions from that stuff should be fairly easy to do. I also try to link as much stuff as I can to my own mental health experiences and my own therapy experiences as well. Then I discuss what I've learnt in lectures with my boyfriend and family (they're probably sick of it by now!) Then I use the quizlet app which uses flash cards and multiple choice quizzes etc. Hopefully it's enough!

I'm trying to work out the best approach to study it all leading up to the exams. I have one on the 18th then one on the 19th and then the last on the 28th. Thinking about how to remember it all for all three topics is what stresses me out the most! I'm thinking of studying one topic per day so by the third day I'm back to the first topic. Gah! I hate exams!!

[Chloe_M]

hey lici

1stly good luck 4 exams xx hope all goes well

2ndly sorry i havent responded i am very busy and am struggling atm

3rdly how r u going?

x chloe

[startingnew]

Hey Lici

How are you going? Hows the study going?

Hi Chloe

Sorry to hear your struggling did you want to talk about it. Will keep an eye out on your thread.