New Here - Help Dealing with GAD

Hello,

I am a 27-year-old male that has recently been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I've had anxiety problems since I was about 12. Around that time, I was diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes and had numerous bad incidents happen, including my mother passing away when I was 14. I think that my anxiety mixed with fear of having low blood sugars and caused me to have incapacitating panic attacks out in public. My panic attacks always have made me feel jittery and clammy, with a sense of dread inside of me. They also make me feel a depersonalization or desensualization feeling, where I become almost detached from reality until the panic attack goes away. For years, I went to counseling on-and-off and started up again earlier last year. I managed to deal with my anxiety for a long time, and didn't have full blow panic attacks. However, I would develop patterns of anxiety that would come and go. Basically, about a week-and-a-half ago, I experienced a bad panic attack while driving. I had to pull over and get my girlfriend to drive us to dinner. I had one in the restaurant as well, but I managed to work through it. I couldn't bring myself to hardly drive the rest of the weekend.

Last Monday, I went to my general doctor. After consulting with him, he determined that I've had Generalized Anxiety Disorder and that treatment with medication will really help me. He gave me Buspirone, which I started that Monday. I increased my dose last Thursday, and will increase it again this Thursday. He also gave me Alprazolam in case I have any bad panic attacks. So far, I've only had one that made me take an Alprazolam, but it was from driving. Since then, I haven't been able to drive. I only was able to work about less than half of the week last week, but came into work today feeling okay. My doctor told me that it can take 2+ weeks for the Buspirone to really begin to fully work.

My questions to all of you are dealing with this disorder: if any of you are on medication treatment, has it helped to get you back to a normal mental state? I used to love going out and doing things, and now I feel almost trapped in my house this past week. Also, do any of you also feel that depersonalization or desensualization feeling during a panic attack? I think they are what are most disconcerting when I have a panic attack. It's those feelings that drive me to the most fear I have about panic attacks. Now, I'm dealing with anticipatory anxiety whenever I know I have to do anything that involves leaving the house. I also have some anxiety when I step into a situation that has a different sensory experience, like going from a dark loading dock into a brightly lit warehouse. I'm really looking for any similar experiences and help getting through all of this. Thanks again for any responses.

Dear wolfzie1:

My comment is regarding this part of your post: " do any of you also feel that depersonalization or desensualization feeling during a panic attack? I think they are what are most disconcerting when I have a panic attack. It's those feelings that drive me to the most fear I have about panic attacks"

yes, depersonalization, this non-reality experience is what I experienced my whole life, and a whole lot of it. I learned recently that it is the natural Freeze response to perceived danger. I will explain: when animals perceive danger, a predator, they have the option of Flight (run away) or Fight. If neither is possible, the animal will Freeze. Sometimes it works for the animal because the predator may not want to eat the animal, thinking it is dead.

When an animal Freezes, certain physiological processes take place: the body shuts down: way less oxygen gets to the blood so the brain gets foggy, spaced out. Everything seems slow motion. Less glucose is in the blood, the animal is overwhelmed with fatigue, unable to move (hence freezes)- same with people.

I suffered from a lot of anxiety and often, I froze- so I was spaced out, foggy and exhausted most of the time. My memory was weak, my cognitive abilities compromised- brain and body where shut down, not completely, but a lot.

Unlike other animals, we can and do observe ourselves. So when we freeze, we are alarmed. I was, thinking: what is wrong with me? Why am I feeling so unreal? etc. And the Freeze scared me even more.

I suggest, next time you experience Freeze, notice how it feels and say to yourself that it is a natura response, passed on through millions of years of evolution, the body functions are minimized.

Does this help?

atina

That definitely helps, and it goes along with what I've talked about in therapy. I think what I hate the most is that depersonalization feeling. It's horrible, and it really screws me up. I'm hoping that the medication and continued therapy will greatly reduce these feelings. That "freeze" feeling is tough to overcome when you feel it.

Dear wolfzie1:

When you feel that depersonalization/ freeze feelings don't be alarmed. Instead notice the specific feelings, the (in my case) slow-motion-feel, the exhaustion, the foggy brain, and say to yourself: this is a natural freeze reaction to fear. Animals experience it. It is natural. It feels uncomfortable and it will pass. I literally say to myself: "Shhh.." calming myself. "it is okay." "I am okay... there is nothing wrong with me, I am just afraid. And frozen. I will be okay.

atina