Comment from: BKSG, 35-44 Male (Patient)Published: September 09
I have been suffering with general anxiety disorder (GAD) for almost 20 years now. The worst thing that I have found is "doing nothing at all." One of the things that has really helped me has been physical exercise, namely running. If I am able to put in about 20 miles per week, that significantly reduces my anxiety. A relatively low dose of Clonazepam at bedtime has dramatically increased my ability to sleep. Although I have read many books on anxiety, and gone through the "Attacking Anxiety and Depression" series, the relatively new therapy called ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is a very effective general approach to relieving some of my avoidance tendencies and not letting anxiety interfere with general life. Finally, deepening a spiritual walk of life through meditation and prayer has helped heal some of my past stressors. My experience with anxiety has been that there are both biochemical and environmental aspects to this problem, but it can be managed with some mindful awareness. People who have known me for years say that I am much more "laid back" than I have been in the past. It is "work," but the payoff in living a joyous, effective life has been worth the energy.
Comment from: girlygirl30, 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: September 16
I have had anxiety since I was 17. I am now 30. I do pretty well at controlling it on my own, but at first, I thought I was dying. My doctor put me on Wellbutrin, and it works great. If I need medicine now for my anxiety, that's what I get.
Comment from: alichiarae, 19-24 Female (Patient)Published: August 22
I'm 20 years young and had my first anxiety attack a couple of years ago following graduation. For the longest time I did not know what it was. I thought I was dying and about to have a heart attack. I start trembling, getting chills all over and sometimes it feels as if I'm being choked and can't breathe. My doctor put me on Zoloft a year ago. I stopped taking it and the anxiety got worse. After my grandmother passed away and a lot that has happened this year in my life. I need to go back to the doctor!
Comment from: miara26, 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: August 19
I have had anxiety for years now and I'm only 26 go figure. The very first panic attack I actually realized was when I was at work. I almost past out. I went to the ER and they said I had anxiety. Apparently I've had it for quite sometime before someone realized that's what I had. I still have it bad. I just started taking Lorazepam and Klonopin a year ago and I try not to take it unless I really need it. I try to manage it myself which is really hard and took years of therapy to try and manage it without meds but still I end up having to take a pill at one point during the day. My anxiety is from being in the military. I thought I would have been fine but I guess not. It's hard having a lot of anxiety because I have to rearrange my life just to have a decent day. Before I used to be able to do anything and everything and not have any worry, but now I worry about everything. I can't even hardly drive cause I panic, let alone walk in a store by myself without feeling like I'm loosing my balance or going to pass out. I been to the doctor a million times swearing up and down something is wrong with me because I constantly lose my balance and feel like I'm going to faint, but its nothing but my anxiety.
I alternated back and forth with Xanax, Ativan and Klonopin for more than 20 years and was able to function. These drugs gave me a life. I now have no health insurance and am pretty much a miserable hermit. I tried the SSRI drugs, and they only made me mentally sluggish and confused.
Comment from: louiesangel24, 25-34 Female (Patient)Published: September 16
I have struggled with anxiety and depression for 18 years. Effective treatments for me have been Valium, Xanax, Lorazepam, and Lithium. Lithium works by itself but not combined with anti-anxiety medications.
Comment from: Frustrated in Texas, 35-44 Male (Patient)Published: September 16
I have had anxiety for about 10 years. I have the biggest problem with people not understanding my anxiety, even family. My second biggest issue is my job driving professionally. The medication I take for this disorder does not effect my job, but I can't pass the drug testing. I have taken every antidepressant there is, and they do not work for me. The only medication that works for me is Valium.
Patient Discussions are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on MedicineNet. The opinions expressed in the comments section are of the author and the author alone. MedicineNet does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.
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Gas or "intestinal gas" means different things to different people. Everyone has gas and eliminates it by belching or farting (passing it through the rectum).
Muscle spasms are involuntary muscle contractions that come on suddenly and are usually quite painful. Dehydration, doing strenuous exercise in a hot environment, prolonged muscle use, and certain diseases of the nervous system may cause muscle spasms. Symptoms and signs of a muscle spasm include an acute onset of pain and a possible bulge seen or felt beneath the skin where the muscle is located. Gently stretching the muscle usually resolves a muscle spasm.
Panic attacks are sudden feelings of terror that strike without warning. These episodes can occur at any time, even during sleep. A person experiencing a panic attack may believe that he or she is having a heart attack or that death is imminent. The fear and terror that a person experiences during a panic attack are not in proportion to the true situation and may be unrelated to what is happening around them. Most people with panic attacks experience several of the following symptoms: racing heartbeat, faintness, dizzyness, numbness or tingling in the hands and fingers, chills, chest pains, difficulty breathing, and a feeling of loss or control. There are several treatments for panic attacks.
Lyme disease is a bacterial illness, which is spread by ticks when they bite the skin. Initially the disease affects the skin causing a reddish rash associated with flu-like symptoms. It takes weeks to months after the initial redness of the skin for its effects to spread throughout the body. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics. Lyme disease can be prevented by using tick avoidance techniques.
Fibromyalgia, formerly
known as fibrositis, causes chronic pain, stiffness, and
tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints without detectable inflammation. Fibromyalgia patients have an unusually low pain threshold. Symptoms of fibromyalgia include fatigue, abnormal sleep, mental/emotional disturbances, abdominal pain, migraine and tension headaches, and irritable bladder. Treatment of fibromyalgia involves patient education, medication, exercise, and stress reduction.
Rosacea is a skin disease that causes redness of the forehead, chin, and lower half of the nose. In addition to inflammation of the facial skin, symptoms include dilation of the blood vessels and pimples (acne rosacea) in the middle third of the face. Oral and topical antibiotics are treatments for rosacea. If left untreated, rhinophyma (a disfiguring nose condition) may result.
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by markedly reduced appetite or total aversion to food. Anorexia is a serious psychological disorder and is a condition that goes well beyond out-of-control dieting. With anorexia, the drive to become thinner is actually secondary to concerns about control and/or fears relating to one's body. There are psychological and behavioral symptoms as well as physical symptoms of anorexia including: depression, social withdrawal, fatigue, food obsession, heart and gastrointestinal complications, kidney function, flaky skin, brittle nails, and tooth loss (this list is not exhaustive).
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS or restless legs syndrome) is a common cause for painful legs that typically eases with motion, and becomes worse and more noticeable at rest. This characteristic nighttime worsening can frequently lead to insomnia. Treatment of the symptoms of restless leg syndrome is generally with medication as well as treating any underlying condition causing restless leg syndrome.
Dyspepsia (indigestion) is a functional disease in which the gastrointestinal organs, primarily the stomach and first part of the small intestine, function abnormally. It is a chronic disease in which the symptoms fluctuate infrequency and intensity. Symptoms of dyspepsia include upper abdominal pain, belching, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating, early satiety, and abdominal distention (swelling). These symptoms are most often provoked by eating.
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is also also known as "click murmur syndrome" and "Barlow's syndrome." Mitral valve prolapse is the most common heart valve abnormality. Signs and symptoms of mitral valve prolapse include: fatigue, palpitations, chest pain, anxiety, and migraine headaches. Echocardiography is the most useful test for mitral valve prolapse. Most patients do not need any treatment, however, patients with severe prolapse may need treatment.
Suicide is the process of intentionally ending one's own life. Approximately 1 million people worldwide commit suicide each year, and 10 million to 20 million attempt suicide annually.
Bipolar disorder (or manic depression) is a mental illness characterized by depression, mania, and severe mood swings. Treatment may incorporate mood stabilizer medications, antidepressants, and psychotherapy.
Colic is crying or fussing that begins suddenly, lasting for a total of three hours a day and happening more than three days a week for about three weeks. Symptoms include the baby's face turning red, the belly is distended, the feet may be cold, the hands clenched, and the legs may alternate between being flexed or extended. Treatment may involve ruling out other causes of the fussing and the doctor prescribing anti-gas bubbly medicine.
Borderline personality disorder is a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and the individual's sense of self-identity. Originally thought to be at the "borderline" of psychosis, people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) suffer from a disorder of emotion regulation.
Dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder or split personality disorder) is a mental illness in which a person has at least two distinct personalities. Symptoms and signs include lapses in memory, feeling unreal, blackouts in time, hearing voices in their head that are not their own, not recognizing themselves in the mirror, and finding items in one's possession but not recalling how they were acquired. Treatment usually involves psychotherapy, medications, and sometimes hypnosis.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that lasts 6 months or longer, is not improved by bed rest, and may be worsened by physical or mental activity.
Drug addiction is a chronic disease that causes drug-seeking behavior and drug use despite negative consequences to the user and those around him. Though the initial decision to use drugs is voluntary, changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self-control and ability to make the right decisions and increase the urge to take drugs. Drug abuse and addiction are preventable.
Rabies is a potentially fatal viral infection. Rabies symptoms include fever, headache, myalgia, and can progress to more serious symptoms such as seizures, coma and death. The rabies vaccine (rabies treatment) should be administered immediately after the person or pet has been bitten.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that causes a person to suffer repeated obsessions and compulsions. Symptoms include irresistible impulses despite a person's realization that the thoughts are irrational, excessive hand washing, skin picking, lock checking, or repeatedly rearranging items. People with OCD are more likely to develop trichotillomania, muscle or vocal tics, or an eating disorder. Treatment for OCD includes psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and medication.
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) has many symptoms, signs, and causes. Therapy is one treatment option for antisocial personality disorder. It is closely related to other personality disorders (PD), such as borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder.
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars that people get in their late teens or early twenties. Impacted wisdom teeth that only partially erupt allows for an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause an infection, which results in pain, swelling, jaw stiffness, and general illness. Before your wisdom teeth are pulled, the teeth and the surrounding tissue will be numbed with a local anesthetic. Recovery from wisdom tooth removal depends upon the difficulty of the extraction.
Grief is the feeling one experiences after a loss (of a friendship, death of loved one, job). Complicated grief refers to grief that lasts for more than a year. Mourning describes the customs and rituals that help a bereaved individual make sense of their loss.
Jet lag (desynchonosis) is a temporary disorder that results from travel across time zones. Symptoms include anxiety, constipation, headache, nausea, dehydration, diarrhea, confusion, sweating, irritability, and even memory loss.
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that affects a number of different areas of the body at one time, and can be fatal. Causes of anaphylaxis can be food allergy, latex allergy, allergy to insect or but stings/bites, asthma, or other materials or conditions. Symptoms include flushing, itching, hives, anxiety, rapid or irregular pulse. Severe symptoms may be throat and tongue swelling, swallowing, and difficulty breathing. Some disorders appear similar to anaphylaxis such as fainting, panic attacks, blood clots in the lungs, heart attacks, and septic shock. If you think that you may be having an anaphylactic reaction, seek emergency care or call 911 immedately.
ADHD afflicts approximately 3 percent to 5 percent of school-age children and an estimated 60 percent of those maintain the disorder into adulthood. Symptoms of adult ADHD include chronic lateness, anxiety, low self esteem, employment problems, difficulty controlling anger, impulsiveness, poor organization skills, procrastination, chronic boredom among others.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder characterized by the symptoms hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Treatment for ADHD may involve behavioral therapy and psychostimulant or antidepressant medication.
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep; waking up too early in the morning; or unrefreshing sleep. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. Treatment for insomnia include lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.
Moderate to severe burning in the mouth is the main
symptom of BMS and can persist for months or years. For many people, the burning
sensation begins in late morning, builds to a peak by evening, and often
subsides at night. Some feel constant pain; for others, pain comes and goes.
Anxiety and depression are common in people with burning mouth syndrome and may
result from their chronic pain.
Other symptoms of BMS include:
tingling or numbness on the tip of the tongue or in the mouth
bitter or metallic changes in taste
dry or sore mouth.
Causes
There are a number of possible causes of burning mouth syndrome,
including:
damage to nerves that control pain and taste
hormonal changes
dry mouth, which can be caused by many medicines and disorders such as Sjögren's syndrome
or diabetes
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
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I have been suffering with general anxiety disorder (GAD) for almost 20 years now. The worst thing that I have found is "doing nothing at all." One of the things that has really helped me has been physical exercise, namely running. If I am able to put in about 20 miles per week, that significantly reduces my anxiety. A relatively low dose of Clonazepam at bedtime has dramatically increased my ability to sleep. Although I have read many books on anxiety, and gone through the "Attacking Anxiety and Depression" series, the relatively new therapy called ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is a very effective general approach to relieving some of my avoidance tendencies and not letting anxiety interfere with general life. Finally, deepening a spiritual walk of life through meditation and prayer has helped heal some of my past stressors. My experience with anxiety has been that there are both biochemical and environmental aspects to this problem, but it can be managed with some mindful awareness. People who have known me for years say that I am much more "laid back" than I have been in the past. It is "work," but the payoff in living a joyous, effective life has been worth the energy.
Related Reading: anxiety | Clonazepam | sleep