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

[Lici]

Hi Geoff,

You didn't upset or confuse me so no need to apologise 🙂 I'm sorry if my words came across as harsh, they weren't meant to. I've been told I can be rather blunt at times and I sometimes come across harsher than I mean to. So if I came across as rude or grumpy I apologise.

Atypical antipsychotics are out of my depth too, I guess that's why I'm a bit concerned. I know they're usually prescribed for issues such as BPD and schizophrenia so it's rather alarming to have them prescribed when I didn't even realise I had a problem.

I guess that's what I find confusing, I'd expect anxiety to be something that you know you have, something that's obvious. For me, it seems that I have the physical symptoms without the anxiety and worry. Apart from when I have a deadline coming up for an assignment or exams coming up I have no obvious anxiety. I guess in the end if the doctor's correct then it's another experience to put in my bag of things to use to help people when I become a psychologist lol.

I shall make sure to update after the appointment 🙂

Kind regards,

Lici

[blondguy]

Hi Lici

Thanks heaps for posting back. You have an excellent understanding about anxiety and what you mentioned about avoidance too. I still have the avoidance now and again and its a pain for sure

You are a legend for giving your doc another go. It does take a while to get a 'handle' on our GP. You are fortunate as your GP is a supporter of Beyond Blue and that is great as he has an active interest in mental health as well as your welfare too 🙂

You dont have to hopeful about being a good Psychologist....You will Lici!

Great to have you 'on the air' with us

I hope your day was good to you too!

My kind thoughts

Paul

[Lici]

Hi Paul,

Today was an interesting day! I had two tutorials at uni today and the first one was going over an assignment that's comparing two treatments for PTSD. Anyway, they showed a video of someone with a phobia receiving exposure therapy as it's one of the treatments we have to look at. I'm sitting there watching it and all of a sudden start getting the physical symptoms of anxiety (sweaty palms, racing heartbeat, shaking, nausea). It was weird because I had no racing thoughts and could think rationally about what I was experiencing and why. I know exactly what would have brought it on, I had agoraphobia as a result of my PTSD and went through exposure therapy to get over it. I wrote down everything as I was experiencing it and felt ill for a few hours afterwards, it's the first time that's happened to me (my panic attacks in the past had no rational thoughts etc).

I know that it happened because of the reminder of the therapy and therefore the reminder of what happened to warrant the therapy, but was still totally unexpected. I ended up staying and pushing through and even giving my experiences as a real world example. Next week we're actually covering exposure therapy for agoraphobia so I'll have to mentally prepare myself before going in. I discussed it with the tutor after class and she's really awesome about it, (she's a provisional psychologist atm so it's great to be in an environment where everyone understands) she's going to make sure to give me trigger warnings if she thinks they're needed.

I've decided to make a few pages in my study journal dedicated to tracking how often I experience anxiety symptoms now that I'm fully aware that I can have physical symptoms without the panic. I'll bring it up with the doctor on Friday as well. I figure I've only seen him once and it's hard to find a good GP so I'll stick with him for a while and see how it goes.

How was your day anyway? I hope it was a good anxiety free one!

Lici

[Lici]

Ugh. Sometimes I really hate myself. I'm so bad with procrastinating! I have so many lectures to watch and I'm starting to get behind. I know that I shouldn't procrastinate and I should just watch them but I know it will take me all day to just watch one of them because I find it hard to focus and am always pausing to write notes or because I get tired.

I'm starting to wonder if this is part of anxiety? People tell me to "just do it and stop procrastinating" and it sounds so easy, but I find that it's like pushing through a brick wall. I'm the same with assignments and even housework sometimes. I'm constantly putting things off until the last minute which causes me stress but nothing I try seems to get around it! Sometimes I wonder if I'd get better grades if I just concentrated more and procrastinated less. It's not like I even get bad grades. I get credits and distinctions and my highest mark is 90%. But I find I'm always thinking I could have done better if I could just focus properly.

I know that many people probably aren't studying like I am, but I was wondering if anyone else with anxiety has similar problems with procrastination? Is there a mechanism behind why I procrastinate? What do people do to overcome it?

Anyway, I just needed to vent my frustration as I'm really annoyed at myself right now.

Thanks for reading,

Lici

[Chloe_M]

Lici hi 👋 Just going to read through your posts but just letting you know I'm here 😄🤗

xx

[Lici]

Hi Chloe 😊 welcome to my thread! read away! I'm still procrastinating 😡 so annoyed with myself! I just can't seem to focus on this lecture for more than a few minutes!

Feel free to chat whenever

Lici

[Lici]

Well what a difference that double appointment made!

It's so refreshing to find a gp who will actually take the time to sit down and break down things! And one who has actually put the time in to study psychology and mental health!

I feel so much more confident in starting the medication and with the diagnosis now. I'm going to start taking my medication tonight and see how I go over the weekend.

He discussed how my anxiety comes down to self- control and discipline and how my detachment fits into that because distancing myself from my emotions is a form of control and how my physical symptoms combined with that fit the diagnosis of GAD.

For anyone who may read this thread without posting and may be looking for a gp, I highly recommend finding one that is a mental health practitioner. I don't know about other doctors surgeries but mine has a website with a staff page that lists what each doctor specialises in. If you can find one that lists mental health practitioner, I recommend seeing them and booking a double appointment. It really was a completely different experience than any other gp I've been to.

Wow I can't believe how much better I feel just by going to that appointment!

[Chloe_M]

Hey Lici,

great that you feel comfortable with your GP! I am going to my GP on Monday. Did your GP diagnose you? Just wondering.

Good luck with the meds.

chloe x

[Lici]

Hi Chloe!

I hope you're doing well! It's such a relief to find a good gp! I've been struggling with gps since I was a teenager!

To answer your question, yes my gp did diagnose my GAD in the first appointment I had with him. It was a really quick appointment which is why I didn't really believe him at first. Today was a double appointment though and he went through things with me. I told him about my worries with the medication and he went through it with me and reassured me that I can stop them after the weekend if I'm too tired and we can look at something else.

Do you have a double appointment with your gp on Monday? Do they specialise in mental health too? I hope it goes well for you!

Lici

[blondguy]

Hey Lici

You have an excellent attitude and what an inspirational post(s) above too. I read about how you think during a lecture and thats understandable when our thoughts stray back to our own symptoms/feelings

Its great that your double appointment went well. This is a huge move forward to recovery by letting this GP take the reigns and good on you 🙂

I hope you dont mind if I quote what you wrote....many people will benefit from your pro-active attitude Lici

Lici mentioned "For anyone who may read this thread without posting and may be looking for a gp, I highly recommend finding one that is a mental health practitioner. I don't know about other doctors surgeries but mine has a website with a staff page that lists what each doctor specialises in. If you can find one that lists mental health practitioner, I recommend seeing them and booking a double appointment. It really was a completely different experience than any other gp I've been to"

This is serious Gold where helping ourselves is concerned Lici....Nice1

My day has been really good and thanks heaps for asking too 🙂

My kind thoughts

Paul