Introducing myself

[women coping well dot com]

Hi. I have suffered with general anxiety disorder for as long as I can remember. I grew up with it and had no idea that everyone else in the world did not feel the same as me. I always felt nervous, anxious, butterflies, body aches all over, etc. In my 30's I mentioned something to a friend about aching all over and she asked me what I was talking about. Through my discussion with her I realized it was not normal to hurt all over. I found out from my doctor that deep body aches occur when a person has suffered with anxiety for a long time. With the right medication, I am thrilled to say that I no longer have the body aches. I cannot believe I lived in so much pain my entire life and did not know that it was not normal. I just grew up with it and did not know anything different. I did tell my pediatrician about my pain over and over but he just kept saying it was growing pains. I knew I was not still growing when I was in my 30s (wide, maybe)! I am sure that my pediatrician had no understanding of anxiety and its effects on a person's body.

I have a great family -- wonderful parents and four amazing brothers. My life was good, so I do not understand why I have, and had, general anxiety disorder even as a small child.

I still suffer with general anxiety disorder. I have plenty of understanding as to why I still have this problem as an adult. Adult life is not always so kind! But, I have decided to try to learn as much as I can about anxiety in order to help myself and to help my readers of my website understand what they are going through.

It would be so nice to get rid of anxiety completely. I am not holding my breath for that though, even though I am hopeful!

I am looking forward to meeting all of you.