Is There A Cure For General Anxiety?

Question

My general anxiety triggered off when I was 11, I'm 26 now, I've tried everything under the sun, seen various mental health care professionals, tried various meds, read various books, Claire Weeks, Linden Method etc the list goes on but I still have it.

I lead a normal life,I have a wife and child, I go to work and all the rest but the GA makes me totally fed up with life.

Is there a complete cure, I thinking I'm the best I'm gonna be, it peaked at its worse when I was 18 since the it has fluctuated up and down but its always there, from I open my eyes til I go to bed

Answer 1

Sorry, but NO. There is no cure.
I have had GAD for well over 16 years. Like you I have hoped and even prayed for a cure but so far there is none. All we can do is take meds and try to cope. It's really unfortunate. Hopefully there will eventually be a cure - SOON!

Answer 2

Maybe a starting point will be to consider what's really meant by "general anxiety." I'm going to guess that it became an accepted diagnosis for anxiety disorders that could not be more fully diagnosed. I also suspect that the difficulty in giving a more specific diagnosis is that it often takes a lot of time and money to identify a cause. Medical doctors including psychiatrists, generally treat symptoms. This can be very effective in some cases and very much hit and miss in others.

I suggest, therefore, that rather than looking for a cure, which is like looking for a needle in a haystack, you first look for the cause of your anxiety and then decide how to remove it.

You have clues in its starting at age 11 and peaking at 18. This points to the sources lying in your life experiences during this time-frame. Is it coincidence this is period of puberty, adolescence and young adulthood? This is a time for identity formation and independence seeking. Were these attempts frustrated in some way?

Whatever conditioning occurred then will re-emerge in your response to triggering events. If you're not very aware of what it is that sets off your anxiety try to chart it. Note when it begins and ends and how strong it is, how it shows up and what's going on in your life at the time. If you don't already know the pattern you will soon find it.

When you've identified the trigger(s) and your responses the process gets harder. You will need to disconnect trigger and response. This means you will need to see how your responses were learned a long time ago and have nothing to do with the present, anxiety provoking situation. You will need to see that the trigger is only anxiety provoking because of an association you are making. The trigger is nothing more than a circumstance which you perceive to be the same anxiety-provoking source you experienced between 11 and 18. When you teach yourself this is not true, it is something quite unrelated except in your mind, your anxiety will lesson.

All that is detail compared with the real task and that is to rescue your identity to the extent you know who you are and are comfortable with that. Don't let your anxiety get in its way!

How do I know all this? I've been there. How do I know it will work for you? I don't but it did for me. Don't forget how long it took for you to be conditioned in this way and how long you have been reliving that conditioned response, so be patient with yourself as you try to change. Good luck!

Answer 3

I don't believe there is a complete cure. Some people are naturally more anxious than others. I have found that at the worst (panic attacks etc) Medication helps also yoga has helped me calm down a lot most likely because of the deep breathing exercises. Sometimes there is an underlying reason and if you see a therapist (if need be) this can perhaps reach the root of the problem. Anxiety is also a result of the lack of feeling in control and sometimes you need to learn that life is an out of control situation and you cannot prevent things happening but by being anxious you are making yourself worse. Then I repeat some people are naturally anxious as you get others that are almost too calm.

Answer 4

Eat right. Take vitamins. Drink organic green tea. You don't need caffeine if you drink mate' tea. White tea is really good for you. Exercise. Get a health checkup. I'm 46 and I've had so many problems that have been erased since I made these lifestyle changes just 3 months ago.
Five years ago I left a bad marriage. I'm now remarried to a wonderful supportive person.
Two years ago I left a stressful job. I'm now happy, I work at home, gardening and making bath salts and sugar scrubs and selling my products at a local farmer's market on Saturdays.
These are the changes that worked for me. Look for ways you can make major changes in your life. Your anxiety is a warning. Listen to it. Your mental health is the most important asset you have. Find what works for you and try to do more of what you love. People are very supportive when they see someone who is brave enough to follow his dream. Above all, your anxiety can be eased by treating your body well, both physically and emotionally.
Tea to help you relax: Chamomille (blends
taste better)
Read herbal remedy books. Use prescription medicines as a last resort.

Answer 5

When you are feeling anxiety it is either: 1.) a situation you should not be in 2.) a problem you need to resolve.

If it is a person, eliminate contact with them.
If it is a situation, it is a situation you either need to speak your mind or a situation you need to walk away from.

You aren't being yourself. That is the bottom line. Sometimes expressing yourself is saying nothing at all. Society is abnormal and is riddled with alienation. Realizing it gives one anxiety. Then follows depression. Depression is always aligned with anxiety. To relieve both do something charitable.Check out http://www.goodsearch.com It is a yahoo search engine (no spam) and for every search
1 cent goes to your choice charity, mine is The Elephant Sanctuary. There is also the animal site and http://www.thepetitionsite.com Being active, even at home, will aleve anxiety and depression.

Check out Cherie Carter Scott, specifically, " If Life is a Game, Then These Are the Rules." It is a book w/ a lot of insight.

Answer 6

my heart goes out to you mate, I'm 32 and had anxiety for as long as i remember, I'm currently taking cipramil which helps a lot but i just want to be a natural me if you know what i mean, i don't think ill ever be rid of anxiety even walking to the shop can be a drama for me some days and it is so frustrating, Ive had CBT which helped a lot but it is hard work sometimes when im suffering bad anxiety its hard to remember the therapy i had because the anxiety takes over, im currently on a waiting list to have more CBT you should try that, also discuss it with your friends and family a problem shared is a problem halved. Good Luck

Answer 7

There is a cure for GAD, it's called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT. It's a form of therapy which allows you to challenge your thoughts, beliefs and anxieties. It takes a lot of hard work from the patient because the cure essentially comes from inside the patient.

I am currently seeing a CBT professional for a OCD/GAD and Panic Attacks and who told me that CBT has around an 80% chance of helping patients get over their anxiety and I am SO much better than I was (I'm continuing to improve). I've seen various professionals and tried various techniques which did nothing or very little to help, but CBT is transforming my life.

The best thing I can advise you to do is go and see your GP who can refer you to a CBT therapist. Please read this link for further information on this type of therapy.

Good luck!

http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Making+sense/MakingsenseCBT.htm

Answer 8

I'm sorry you are suffering with GA. I too have the disorder and have tried many things to make it go away. Most recently I was on Paxil for it, which helped when I was on it, but I'd still have my bad days. Now that I am coming off of the Paxil, I wish I'd have never used it at all. The pain from the withdrawls from this sh!t is worse than any panic attack I've ever had.
I did try Lucinda Bassett's program...but it was too expensive for me to keep. Check out the website for it, maybe it'll be worth the money to you.
Good luck! (if you ever find a surefire cure, PLEASE tell me!)

http://www.stresscenter.com/

Answer 9

Hi there, I just laugh about my past 3 years of panic now. I was not able to go anywhere without carrying xanax. Fear of having another attack was the most important subject of my days.When i first found joe barry's web site i started to cry because of my happiness.

Free audio to end anxiety and panic attacks fast?

Answer 10

I don't think there's a complete cure, I found cognitive behaviour therapy helped but like you have good and bad days.
Try to do stressbusting, and cut out as much stress as you possibly can. Hang in there, make the best of the good days and just skate through the bad as far as you can.