Anxiety every few years?

[LissaK]

Hello out there. I've been trying to find if this is "normal" or not, but haven't had much success finding anything so far. So, I thought I would put it out there to see if there are others who function like me. I was diagnosed with GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) in my early 20s, but I only have a touch of anxiety most of the time. Every few years though I get what I call "flare ups" where i feel jittery and anxious all the time. I don't like going out.. I don't like change. I get anxious driving. I feel kind of tingly, on edge, and weird all over. I excessively worry about every little thing, including diagnosing all my little aches or tingles or pain as some sort of illness. When it happens I get put on 5mg of Lexapro once a day.. And within 2-3 weeks (sometimes sooner) I feel back to normal. And on it goes for a few years before something triggers this funk. I don't struggle the majority of the time. I can function without medication.. I get anxious.. But I can bring myself out of it.. Distract myself.. Face things head on. So I guess I'm wondering if theres anyone out there like me who can go years with no problems.. Then have what feels like a constant anxiety dread outta no where for days straight.. Then back to normal. I guess I just want to know that it's not just me.. That it happens to others and Im not loosing my mind.

[Hidden]

Yes!! That’s me. I have 7 year cycles. I’m on Lexapro 5mg right now. I do see a correlation between major stressors and the flare ups, but it is pretty strange how I can manage life pretty well for a long period of time and be very resilient and then become completely fragile almost overnight. I’ve been doing a lot of work on myself trying to identify core issues that could be lurking behind all of this. I’ve uncovered a lot and so I anticipate that I won’t be subject to 7 years cycles if I maintain the better lifestyle I have now begun.

[LissaK in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for replying! You have no idea how much it helps to know Im not the only one doing this weird cycle thing. I'm going to try your approach and see if I can identify my core issues and see if I can stop these flare ups

[Hidden in reply to LissaK]

Codependents Anonymous and Celebrate Recovery have both really helped me, and I also go to therapy. Best of luck on your journey!

[Elfje]

They put me also on Lexapro I stopt jeezes what whas this

I had so more Anxiety

I have already so much stress

So stress give anxiety

So I am on Xanax because a anti depressant no not anymore

[craigsoota]

Hi there,

I see this post is from a few years ago, but I wanted to take a moment to reflect a shared experience.

I am 44 and likewise i experienced a first major anxiety 'episode' in my late 20's. When it comes on me, it's horrible and tends to last weeks - months, but then i move through it and i tend to get a few years where i am pretty much fine.

I've had what I call my episodes starting in 2005, then in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2018 and now in 2022..

One of the other responders comments that they can see a correlation to life stressors and the same is true, i can generally link to some extent to major events, though this year i cant relate to any one thing specifically, thinking more 2021 was generally full on. As the other person responded though I also feel like i cope pretty well mainly, then the episode starts and every day is a challenge.

It's not a fun condition and i think the out of the blueness just adds to the perplexion. Like you said though, it's reassuring to know others find that it is almost like a cyclical thing

I did therapy once and I likened it to maybe having a bucket of coping normally. Every bit of stress adds to that bucket which is coping, but once it fills, anxiety hits and you have to work through it to empty it again and so it begins again...