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Meds or no meds? Cure or no cure?


14 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
And a very good rant it was!  I only have one comment and this is coming from a person who conciders himself cured. Every one has anxiety and they live with it till it turns into panic. So if you can stop the panic and get the anxiety down to where it's acceptable are you not cured. Diabetics live with there disease and Arthritics live with there disease so why not people with  GAD living with anxiety. A long as it doesn't turn into panic is it not Ok.

Davit
14 years ago 0 9 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
In response to your question i have to say i dont know if GAD is curable yet because i have it and im still recovering. Being prone to anxiety is like being diabetic- you have to change your lifestyle and your attitude in accordance with it. If youre cured or not just depends on taking the necessary precautions. Its like do you stop drinking because you get a hangover, most people prefer the effect of the alcohol so they drink even though they get hungover. Some people who hate the hangover stop drinking. So changing your lifestyle and looking after yourself in all ways is preventative of the anxiety. All people get ill at one point or other, thinking of the positives of GAD- in response to a diagnosis you look after yourself through nutrition/excercise better and this can reduce your chances of cancer or other incredibly painful diseases later in life.
 
On the subject of meds- i have tried everything LITERALLY, antidepressants (about 5 different ones) anti-anxieties (buspirone, diazepam) mostly because i was not ready in my head to tackle the causes of my anxiety. I believe it takes time for you to get to know your body and mind and find the best methods of coping. Taking drugs didnt make me less anxious in the long term, only the short term which is obviously a NO CURE answer. I regard myself as lucky because i started having anxiety in response to the medication and i decided enough was enough. Psychotherapy didnt help me, it just made me more anxious. 
 
Everyone is different, my cure is not your cure but if you keep searching you can find what works for you. Popping a pill may be fine for some people but it just seemed like a socially acceptable drug addiction to me. I had a CBT therapist who had suffered really badly with anxiety but she cured herself through meditation and CBT and general looking after herself which gave me hope to cure myself. I believe no therapist can do this for you, they can only give you the tools and the rest is up to your own determination to cure yourself.
 
There is no cure for anxiety because it is not a disease. Everyone feels anxiety its just that people with anxiety disorders feel too much. So therefore you learn to reduce your anxiety to a normal level and BANG! there you are, youre cured. Its hard to believe when youre new to anxiety but after a while you start to think "im fed up with this, im sick of popping pills, im sick of talking to people who dont understand what im going through, im going to cure myself"
 
And here i shall finish the rant!  

15 years ago 0 14 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thank you, Barbika.  You made my day.  Last week, I thought that I was out of the woods.  This week, it came back with a vengeance, and I am re-considering meds.  First, I need to find a psychologist or therapist who specializes in CBT.  Any suggestions? 
15 years ago 0 23 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Houston123
 
I definitely understand what you are going through, i myself ask these questions everyday with pretty much feeling to be on similar path as you.
 
I have not taken any medication so far suffering from GAD. I have read lots of self help books, currently in a CBTherapy...and things seemed to loosen up a bit, but the anxiety is still an everyday battle. But i feel that and try to believe that everything happens for a reason, and most probably anxiety has presented in my life most probably to teach me a lesson. And seems that i pretty much cause myself all these sufferings. But by day i try to look within and find the root cause of my fears. And untill i find it, the anxiety will be present.
And believe it or not...looking invard is the best help i got so far...
 
I also have a friend who suffered with GAD who is cured from the most painfull debth of this dissorder. She still gets some anxiety once in a while but that is normal...anxiety is normal and everyone experiences it. What matters is the extent and lenght of time you experience it.
 
So basically i understand and am positive that i wont be dealing with this anxiety forever, andif you are strong enough you will get out of it as well.
 
 
take care dear...

15 years ago 0 1693 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Heathab81,
 
Welcome to our wonderful support community, you have come to a great place
Please take the time to read through the program and to explore the tools and resources that are available to you through this site. Also, start reading through the forums. You will find that many members have and are going through the same thing as you. We are here to help and support you in whatever you need, so please stay close, and keep us posted on how you are doing.
 
Breanne, Bilingual Health Educator
15 years ago 0 14 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hello,
 
I am new here and don't have as much experience but here' my situation....
 
Basically, I needed meds (xanax- the lowest dose possible) to kind of break the grip that panic had on me. I hate taking meds have a hard time taking tylenol and such, but I needed the xanax because my mind would not give me a break from the panic. And it actually helped. After it wore I off, It was like I was able to re evaluate my situation and get a hold of what my next step would be. At no time did I think "I'm taking this for the rest of my life, I'm going to be on meds forever," my mind just needed a break from the anxiety and panic and thats what the Xanax did for me. I take it as needed and only take it if I am REALLY freaking out. It's helped me, but it is something that you should discuss with your doc too :)
 
As for panic being cured, I really don't have the answer to that. All I can do is try to stay positve and move foreward. I will never give up hope that I will get better because that is all I really have right now.
 
Hope that helps,
 
H
15 years ago 0 12049 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Houston,
 
Good for you for asking!
 
The members do have support and experience to share and will be along shortly.
 
 
Josie, Health Educator
15 years ago 0 14 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
   I know that the first question should be asked of a health professional; however, I am curious about people's experiences.  From reading the forums, it appears that meds help but that symptoms still occur.  For that reason, I am reluctant to start on them since it seems like I will still suffer from anxiety.  I have made progress from reading books on the subject and from doing CBT, so I think that I will avoid meds if I can.  Can someone comment on this from their own experience? 
 
Also, I've read that GAD is curable with time and treatment, but I have also read that it can only be controlled.  I want to believe that it is, because I can accept being wrong while I try to overcome it.  At least this gives me hope.
 
However, I feel that if I believe that it is incurable, then it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy because I will subconsciously give up trying.  I would appreciate your opinions from your own experiences.

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