FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

GAD diagnosis

Lici
Community Member

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

174 Replies 174

startingnew
Community Member
Hi Lici


it realy is hard to prepare for, things can come on so suddenly. Sometimes we dont even know whats set it off!
Oh, im so sorry you had a childhood like that. Mine was pretty much the same too. Shutting down as youv descriped was how I coped and got through so I seems we have quite abit in common huh. Sometimes it is best to just let by gones be by gones and learn to live your life in the now and not the past even though it might still be affectng us. Its tricky one for sure as I question it too with some of the things that might need to be spoke about.


Hugs and hugs xox


Hi Chloe xox

Lici
Community Member

Hey Chloe and startingnew,

Chloe: I'm glad your excursion went well and that you had fun! I'm not surprised that you're starting to not want to be friends with your ex, it happens quite often. I never have a problem with dead things at a museum, education is important and museums are a great way to learn about things that you'd otherwise wouldn't know about.

My day was ok, I went to uni and was supposed to have a study group after class but everyone flaked out. It's really annoying because I was asked if I wanted to do a study group for the topic by the guy I'm "friends" with, yet Im the only one who seems to actually be serious about studying and getting good grades! I need to find a group who are high achievers like me so I'm actually surrounded by people who take stuff seriously and want to do well. It's so frustrating!

Startingnew: I had a feeling that you may have been through a similar childhood, child abuse is a good way to make sure that you feel crap about yourself for most of your life that's for sure.

For the most part I don't even think about the past, it happened and I can't change it. I more ask myself questions about things like "do I show emotions properly? Can I even feel emotions the same way as normal people? Do I show affection properly? What is affection? Do I even know what love is? I think I love people but do I love properly?" It goes on and on. I have never heard "I love you" from my parents and don't remember ever being hugged, so I've gone through life questioning if I even know how to feel positive emotions, is that weird? Hell it wasn't until my mum was in hospital earlier this year that she told me she was proud of me for the first time in my life. I thought to myself "she must be high on oxygen" 😂 (she had an asthma attack).

Hugs. Hope you had a good day xxx

 

startingnew
Community Member


Hello Lici,


how annoying re your study group! I am one of those people who actually want to study to, fun is good but constantly going off topic just gets annoying. Maybe you could ask around and see if theres another study group?


For sure, it makes us feel so crappy. All those questions I can certainly relate to!

how are you going today?

Lici
Community Member

Hey SN 😊

Yeah going off topic drives me nuts! This "study group" can't even seem to get itself organised enough to show up. There's another one going that actually has people who are getting high grades like I am and who are looking at doing honours as well, so I think I'll go to that one on Fridays and do the one on Tuesdays when they decide to bother.

Today I'm in such a mood! I'm not even sure why. I've been studying all day and I look at the class forum and I honestly don't know how some of these people don't get the topic content. It's like they don't bother to listen in lectures or take notes! It's driving me nuts!

I'm just frustrated and a bit grr. I think my anxiety is playing up because I've got tense muscles etc, it's probably because I've got assignment deadlines coming up and I haven't started the close reading assignment for my English class. I hate this close reading assignment. There's no actual set question, we have to "come up with an argument" I hate assignments with no clear instructions, they stress me out! Then the whole close reading part. I never have any idea of what they're actually looking for. I swear if I had known that the creative writing major was going to consist of more assignments like this one than actual creative writing I wouldn't have bothered.

How are things with you?

startingnew
Community Member
Hi Lici
that new study group sounds good, at least you can attend both groups too. Thats when the one your with now actually runs!
Ahh yes I use to get annoyed when I was in school, theys spend the lesson stuffing around then complain next lesson that they didnt know what to do.


Err yuk no guidelines are hard! You never know what they are asking and you could hit the nail on the head or really go right the opposite direction!


Seems like all the frustrations are causing you to have tense muscles and then in turn is making you grr and and in a 'mood'

Lici
Community Member

Hi SN,

That's exactly what I worry about when there's no clear question to answer with assignments, that my understanding will be completely off the mark. We're discussing the book that I'm going to do the assignment on tomorrow, so I'm hoping that I'll get some ideas then. It's hard because they're all old books too and I find the language hard to understand at times. It makes it hard for me to think about what to say when I don't even know if I'm understanding the book properly!

Anyway, better get to bed so I'm not too tired tomorrow.

Hugs

Lici

Chloe_M
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

Hey Lici,

How are you doing?

x

Lici
Community Member

Hey Chloe,

I'm doing good thanks 😊 have just been super busy with uni assignments so haven't been checking in here much. Got so much work to do! My assignments are done now but I've got a bunch of reading to do and I need to do my revision for psych so I may not be on here as much.

How are you? I hope you're doing well xx

Lici

Chloe_M
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

Hi Lici

I'm super busy with assignments too! I haven't been as active as well, its fine haha 🙂

I've been doing okay, not much going on atm

x Chloe

startingnew
Community Member
hi lici jsut wondering how your going?