Why now?

[Araminta]

I am 66 years old today and my doctor says I have GAD. Throughout my life I have been through many of life's worse experiences, early deaths of my parents, loss of a child, divorces and so on and have come through them. Only now when I have no elderly parents to worry about, no financial worries, no work pressures as I am retired, healthy and loving husband and daughter and incredibly supportiveneighbour and friends do I find myself in this state. Why??

[Hidden]

You know, Araminta, it is the very fact that you have been through all those experiences that is now causing your anxiety. When you were going through all that stress did you think about yourself and your own feelings? I doubt it. You unconsciously suppressed them. Something has 'sensitised' you and the emotions you may have felt then are now emerging. Emotions dont go away. They get buried. To suppress emotions is like trying to push a cork under water, it keeps bobbing up. Don't waste energy trying to find reasons. You have to deal with the present situation. They say that nature abhors a vacuum. In your life there has not been a vacuum because you have been very busy. Your mind has always been occupied. Now you have time and a lot less to worry about you feel anxious as if something has been taken from you. GAD is not something to be afraid of and is eminently curable. Mild medication from your GP and ACCEPTANCE is the answer. Try and accept how you feel for the moment. Don't add more fear. It is an old cliche but a true one. 'You have nothing to fear but fear itself'. TRY to accept is all you can do at the moment but give it time. You WILL get well again, believe me. Best wishes. jonathan.

[Hidden]

By the way, birthday greetings!! j.

[Hidden]

Hi Araminta

Maybe you now have the time to reflect upon the problems and losses you have experienced in your busy life and are feeling what perhaps you did not have the opportunity to express at the time?

Have you tried writing down your life story? It can be helpful and sort of let's it out...getting old can be stressful, I know that from experience!

However, now you have the opportunity to look back, put down and move on...this is a new life for you which you can enjoy...don't be frightened, what you are feeling is normal...it is when things are good that we often feel sad and anxious. Please be kind to yourself, you have suffered in your time...give yourself a pat on the back and a hug..xx Babushka

[Araminta]

Dear Jonathon, you may be right. I have always been considered a strong even cold person and people always seem to have said oh don't worry about her, she'll cope, she will be fine and I DID seem to making sure everyone else was OK and maybe didn't deal with all these experiences properly at the time. Maybe a period of quiet reflection is due. Thank you again for your constructive and helpful thoughts.