Generalized Anxiety Disorder does not stop me from being high achiever and even continue research on psychophysiology

[Abadar]

I am a medical doctor, turned medical teacher and researcher. Living with a full spectrum of Anxiety signs and symptoms. I will be sharing personal experiences, remedies and published evidence about many things like depersonalization, derealization, somatization, flight phobia, Agoraphobia, flight phobia and of course my best friend the GAD. Summary I have benefited immensely from this disease of mine, I wonder if GAD was not there would I have been so successful in my profession.

[Hidden]

BonnieSue are you ok? That was a bit of a weird reply.

[Abadar in reply to Hidden]

It "synced" very well!

[BonnieSue in reply to Hidden]

Yes, that was a weird reply and I think I was incredibly sleepy when I wrote it. Abadar, I apologize for that comment, even though you think it "synced" very well!! How good natured you are!

It is great that you will be researching GAD from the researcher's point of view as well as the patient's. That should be very interesting and contribute to the research results in a new way. I am most happy to hear that you have been successful in your profession despite the GAD.

I have been successful in my life as well, despite the GAD, but I must admit that taking a benzo for 29 years has affected my short and long term memories and ended my working days long ago. May I ask how you have managed your GAD and for how long?

[Abadar in reply to BonnieSue]

Thank you BonnieSue. Anxiety is my life long partner. The history is very typical and "text bookish" verbatim . A positive family history, bullying at school, physical as well as emotional 🙈 abuse in childhood, a mom pushing for excellent grades, landslide during a high altitude expedition, accident with injury followed by long time bed rest....and so on. The result, anxiety, GAD, phobias (many types), panic attacks ....and so on

"She", my dear anxiety, is my partner since 1979. As I have lived with her since long, therefore we have adapted to each other. I have been very lucky that being medical doctor 👨‍⚕️and well aware of benzodiazepines dependance I was able to avoid continuous medication and using "keep busy" as my major treatment. I use them before any potential trigger, like going to dentist, boarding a plane ✈️ and when I get a panic attack.

I will surely get u off regular benzodiazepines slowly....don't panic...yes you can! I will suggest alternates

To be continued and nice meeting you.

[BonnieSue in reply to Abadar]

I've already taken myself mostly off benzos from 4.0 mg per day 1 yr. ago to 0.25 mg per day today. I'm waiting for my body to adjust to the last reduction in dose and for it to send me a message to reduce further as it always does before I make another change. I've had no pressure from my doctor to reduce and things have moved along nicely and completely trouble free.

[Abadar]

Prrfect. Only strong minds can taper them off and u r the one. It is no sin to take medicine when we need them in emergency. You are already there. I am so happy for u.

[Anxiousdina9d]

Hi. I’m trying to get support from others who have anxiety. My anxiety is now 1 year old, panic attacks etc and I’m so worried that it is turning into depression. I’ve been to therapy cbt but I don’t think it helped just a therapist talking telling me not to control my thoughts. I have no idea how to do that. I also read several books which are interesting but I couldn’t apply to myself.