How long ago did your Anxiety Disorder start?

[tailspin]

I'm just curious when people first realized they had anxiety issues. Looking back and after talking with my Mum, I see that I was a very anxious child and in particular I had a lot of separation anxiety (didn't want to be separated from my Mum). I also developed a couple of phobias early on in life. Yet nothing traumatic happened to me in childhood. It's like I was just born this way, with this pre-disposition for exaggerated anxiety. It's been an ongoing theme - off and on - my entire life, though there have been long periods where it wasn't too much of a problem.

I was interested to hear how it's been for others here. Whether your anxiety issues started early on and whether they started randomly, or if there was a specific event that triggered the anxiety.

Thanks for sharing, if you feel like it.

[Anthony Mendez]

My first real panic attacked happened in a hot summer day 7 years ago in Downtown Los Angeles. You can read about that day for free here http://amzn.to/1cbFSQt

I to was a worrier as far as I can remember and my mom has told me many stories of how I could not sleep at night. In my book I give some funny stories about it as well as deep rooted fears.

[Sockpuppet]

I have been anxious for as long as I can remember! I do have a memory when I was 6 or 7 being shitscared of talking in front of my classmates and being an overall anxious child. Am pretty sure my dad has social anxiety and his father too, makes the odds stacked against me however Im determined to improve my coping strategies and the negative thoughts. Also grew up feeling inferior to others and never had enough experiences to challenge/debunk this.

How much of my anxiety is inherited v's learned I don't know but I certainly have a predisposition towards anxious thinking. I went on meds at 22 and had stabilised to finish uni and work but its always been there. Think I used meds as a 'band aid' and was a bit 'in denial'!! I've now fully accepted this episode as being inevitable due to the fact I've 'existed' but not addressed my fears. Too many stressful events (baby, surgery, health scare, job stress etc) and whammo...more anxiety than ever before!

Despite always feeling anxious I do have the belief things can be better. Reading people's experiences on here is helping me too, it's good to know am not alone. Sometimes anxiety can make you feel so alone and isolated, whether you're around people or not & just knowing others are struggling too helps. Think we anxious types are sensitive, prone to worry and intense thinkers.

Just my 2 cents....

[Dax]

Since I was 7.

[anxiousashley]

Mine became a full blown in November 2007. But all these years later, working through this disorder and looking back on my life, I realize I did experience some general anxieties and phobias as a child as well as night terrors for many years. Though I am not sure if that has anything to do with my anxiety disorder.

[Anthony Mendez]

Mine became a full blown in November 2007. But all these years later, working through this disorder and looking back on my life, I realize I did experience some general anxieties and phobias as a child as well as night terrors for many years. Though I am not sure if that has anything to do with my anxiety disorder.

Hi

I can tell you your really taking a detailed look at your self. Keep it up, I found that this looking deeply and honestly at yourself helps tremendously and is a what I did to start out my journey into smoothing my panic attacks out. You can read all about my story here http://amzn.to/1aN5YeN if you have time click on the book and you can read my first few paragraphs.
~Anthony M

[JustAnotherAttack]

I've had anxiety problems apparently for years, but never knew exactly what they were. I was diagnosed with PTSD when I was a kid, but was never told about it until a couple of months ago.
I'm 26 now, so for years I never knew that I suffered from that.
I had my first anxiety attack a couple of years ago and it was a bad one. Since then I've had them almost daily since.

[tailspin]

Thanks for the feedback, guys!