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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 1, 2008, at 10:12:35
It seems all the literature suggest people with anxiety are classified into GAD, which suggests that people are worriers and under tons of stress, etc.
In my case, none of that exhists. In fact, it's just the opposite. I have no stress other than the anxiety I get day in and day out. With this said, I honestly believe it is a chemical inbalance. And it runs in my family.
I just wonder why there isn't more literature on the chemical imbalance vs. Generalized Anxiety disorder.
Gary
Posted by Phillipa on June 1, 2008, at 10:41:02
In reply to Chemical Anxiety Vs. Generalized Anxiety, posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 1, 2008, at 10:12:35
Runs in my family too. How can you have no stress? Doing nothing like me is more stressful than being active. So I don't understand. I take benzos like other relatives did and some take ssri's and they work for them. Phillipa
Posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 1, 2008, at 10:59:00
In reply to Re: Chemical Anxiety Vs. Generalized Anxiety » Gary_SSRI_Guy, posted by Phillipa on June 1, 2008, at 10:41:02
My only stress is getting well and going back to work. I have two wonderful kids that keep my busy when they arn't in school. I go out despite the anxiety. Sometimes I need an extra fast acting Xanax, but I take 0.5mg of the Xanax XR, which seems to reduce the anxiety and get me through the day. Plus the beta blocker keeps my heart from racing. What I can't stand is the morning anxiety out of bed which resolves about an hour after I get up. I don't what that is about as I sleep like a baby.
Posted by torachan on June 1, 2008, at 14:43:27
In reply to Chemical Anxiety Vs. Generalized Anxiety, posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 1, 2008, at 10:12:35
> It seems all the literature suggest people with anxiety are classified into GAD, which suggests that people are worriers and under tons of stress, etc.
>
> In my case, none of that exhists. In fact, it's just the opposite. I have no stress other than the anxiety I get day in and day out. With this said, I honestly believe it is a chemical inbalance. And it runs in my family.
>
> I just wonder why there isn't more literature on the chemical imbalance vs. Generalized Anxiety disorder.
>
> GaryOh man, does this ever sound familiar to me. I first had panic attacks in my early adulthood, and for some reason developed this behavioral/living pattern which tends to shun occupational and social involvement. Financially I'm being supported by my Mother who apparently has no problem with it, even though I do feel guilty with this aspect. Consequentially, I don't have the typical stressors that normal people have ie; paying the bills, maintaining mortgage payments, dealing with work related stress, etc, and yet I still experience anxiety daily at barely tolerable levels at times.
I strongly believe too that it must be an ingrained genetic abnormality as I've always felt myself struggling with some form of anxiety and depression way back since early childhood. I think why my Mother have no problem supporting me is a combination of the fact I stopped breathing when I was a baby just born and had a high white blood cell count, and she always shielded me from any responsibility as child/teen, so when she know definitively that I had a problem once I had my panic attacks she made the connection. Also, I abused alcohol and drugs extensively as a teen.
But I do think there is some merit in what Phillipa said. The few times I had jobs or participated in post-secondary education--currently working towards a BA at age 36--I've felt my anxiety somewhat more manageable and my mood improves somewhat as well. But still, the aggravating day-to-day anxiety is still there, I just learn to cover it up better or ignore it better when socially involved.
John
Posted by Phillipa on June 1, 2008, at 19:11:42
In reply to Re: Chemical Anxiety Vs. Generalized Anxiety, posted by torachan on June 1, 2008, at 14:43:27
Age 24 first panic attack two little kids looked at my arm thought I had a rash and panicked. When I went to nursing school in thirties and had an Aerobic Dance Business before that and was a runner anxiety about disappeared as well as when working. Now home and it's much worse. Phillipa
Posted by Molybdenum on June 2, 2008, at 1:28:24
In reply to Re: Chemical Anxiety Vs. Generalized Anxiety » torachan, posted by Phillipa on June 1, 2008, at 19:11:42
Hi,
I haven't been able to classify my anxiety into Chemical vs GAD. Instead, I seem to have associative & dissociative angst. The former is when I worry about something bad going on in my life - something real & concrete, something that would probably make most people anxious. Xanax takes the edge off that quite nicely. If I take stimulants like methylphenidate or modafinil (or caffeine), this sort of anxiety usually gets worse.
The dissociative anxiety I feel is probably closer to what people call GAD. For example when I wake up early and just feel awful / anxious "for no apparent reason" or when I dread having to meet a group of people at parties or whatever. In contrast to the above, if I take stimulants under these conditions I can make this type of anxiety disappear.
For me, they sometimes overlap and then they're difficult to try to differentiate. Under these circumstances I avoid stimulants. I've never had "panic attacks", just the above types.
Regardless, recently I have found that taking 150mg Moclobemide when I wake up, very good at taking out 80% of my "anxiety feelings" without any noticeable side effects. I won't be throwing out my Xanax any time soon, but at least I don't "have to" take it every day as I was before the Moclobemide came along.
Take Care :)
M.
Posted by blueboy on June 2, 2008, at 11:38:07
In reply to Chemical Anxiety Vs. Generalized Anxiety, posted by Gary_SSRI_Guy on June 1, 2008, at 10:12:35
> It seems all the literature suggest people with anxiety are classified into GAD, which suggests that people are worriers and under tons of stress, etc.
>
> In my case, none of that exists. In fact, it's just the opposite. I have no stress other than the anxiety I get day in and day out. With this said, I honestly believe it is a chemical inbalance. And it runs in my family.
>
> I just wonder why there isn't more literature on the chemical imbalance vs. Generalized Anxiety disorder.
>
> GaryI don't know if I would call my own condition "chemical" vs GAD, but there certainly are types of anxiety that the DSM IV appears to be clueless about.
Take me. I just don't "worry" about things very much. In fact, I'm rather the opposite, prone to risk-taking and a bit careless about the future.
On the other hand, I have a bad case of, well, SOMETHING. I can't do a lot of things because they throw me into a gut-wrenching panic and I freeze up. These are generally things that I have done enthusiastically, and without anxiety, in the past. For instance, paying a bill or doing my taxes (both of which I'm good at and rather enjoy) will become impossible, or at best I get the job done in a state of utter fear -- "white knuckling" is what I call it, a term I borrowed from AA.
I have destroyed several careers this way. I was a partner in a good law firm; then, one day, I simply could not face work. I would close the door to my office to say write a brief, set out all the materials I needed, and just sit there sweating. I'd push the "start" button and nothing would happen.
So I look at the DSM IV under GAD and while I certainly have a paralyzing general anxiety disorder, the diagnosis fails (or does not reflect the seriousness of my condition) because I don't sit around worrying about anything.
Take paying my taxes. Let's say, I'm due a tax refund. I'm not worried about it. In fact, I am pathologically not worried about it. There is free money sitting there waiting for me to claim it. My anxiety level at doing it is so strong, the avoidance is so powerful, that I just am unable to worry about needing the money.
I've been diagnosed Bipolar recently, so maybe this will shed some light. I don't really understand what a "mixed episode" is and maybe that will help define my problem.
Posted by Molybdenum on June 2, 2008, at 21:13:39
In reply to Re: Chemical Anxiety Vs. Generalized Anxiety, posted by blueboy on June 2, 2008, at 11:38:07
Hi blueboy,
I tried to send you a msg but you have it turned off. Just checking that this is intentional.
Oh, and thanks for adding to my list of favourite expressions - "white knuckling" :)
Take Care
Molybdenum
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