Anxiety vs Stress vs harmless?

[tailspin]

One of my pet peeves is when people - especially doctors - tell me what I'm experiencing is "just" anxiety and that it's "harmless". If that is supposed to make me feel better, it doesn't. It also makes no sense to me.

It seems to me that chronic anxiety is very much like chronic stress. In both cases our bodies are in a state of chronic tension and all kinds of physical symptoms result from the release of stress hormones. Yet nobody would say that living in a state of heightened stress is harmless. Chronic stress is known to be bad for the body and is related to all kinds of serious medical conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

Why then do people think that chronic anxiety is harmless, when it clearly stresses the body and has some of the same effects as stress?

I guess I just want more people - again, especially doctors - to take this condition seriously!!!!! I'm so tired of having this condition trivialized. I'm not talking about the odd bout of anxiety now and then. I'm talking about chronic long term anxiety which can be extremely debilitating and have all sorts of negative impacts on how a person is able to live their life. Not to mention adverse reactions to their health. No way is this condition harmless.

Of course, there are many things we can do to help ourselves. But one thing that would help me personally is if more people took anxiety disorders seriously and regarded them as harmful (not harmless) conditions/diseases that deserve the same level of attention and treatment as other medical conditions!

[anthonyjbro760]

Guess it means everyone is going to die young all human being stress bad these days

[Cobra]

I don't think they're dismissive of it. I just think there's little they can do for it. The only person who can cure you is you. Just my opinion.

[tailspin]

I agree . But also they are not trained in it .

I think it is best that you find the people that understand what you are talking about rather than try and convince people that cant and will never understand .

You have to of lived with anxiety to understand the full impact of it .

Anxiety is just stress on a higher level . It is fixable but you need to choose your battles and honestly trying to get people to understand that dont is just more headaches. Your better off to educate and fix yourself .

Good points! Yes, definitely can't argue with any of that!

[tailspin]

I have definitely been dismissed by my doc because of my anxiety issues and I've read that it's a common problem for people with anxiety problems to get blown off by their primary care physicians. You're right though, it could well be because they don't know what to do. But it certainly doesn't help when you're made to feel like it's all in your head and it just adds to the misunderstanding of of mental illness.

My pdoc takes me seriously, but I feel there needs to be a much better understanding of Anxiety Disorders and how they effect people physically, and in all areas of their life, by the general medical profession. Of course, we have to take responsibility for our own anxiety and I am not suggesting there is a magic bullet, but the truth is millions of people really suffer with this stuff and I don't think there is adequate understanding or sufficient treatment of it ("it" being anxiety orders specifically, and mental disorders in general).

[Dahila]

I have definitely been dismissed by my doc because of my anxiety issues and I've read that it's a common problem for people with anxiety problems to get blown off by their primary care physicians. You're right though, it could well be because they don't know what to do. But it certainly doesn't help when you're made to feel like it's all in your head and it just adds to the misunderstanding of of mental illness.

Different country, different doctors the same patterns. same situation. I had to trick the B-lady to refer me to psychiatrist. I am so lucky my Pdoc is awesome and she is really helping me. Finally)

[tailspin]

Different country, different doctors the same patterns. same situation. I had to trick the B-lady to refer me to psychiatrist. I am so lucky my Pdoc is awesome and she is really helping me. Finally)

Really glad you have a great pdoc, Dahlia! I like mine too. I just wish I had more confidence in my primary care doc!

[Cobra]

I was lucky in that my primary care doctor had suffered from anxiety. She prescribed me some meds to help bring it down a bit, referred me to a psychiatrist and talked to me a bit about her own issues. It was not super helpful, to be honest, because everyone is very confused and frightened when the anxiety attacks first start happening. Panic disorder has a steep learning curve, and unfortunately, by the time you realize what is happening to you, your brain has already set patterns of almost instinctive panic response to your triggers, patterns that have to be taken apart bit by bit, day by day, with a lot of willpower and determination. I am six months in and though I am able to shop and drive without too much anxiety now, I am still having a huge amount of trouble eating and paranoia about my heart. Anxiety is fear, fear that has programmed itself into your brain, and the only way to fight it is to be brave. You have to be brave in the face of the most horrible terror you've every felt in your life, and just keep fighting it and fighting it.

[tailspin]

I was lucky in that my primary care doctor had suffered from anxiety. She prescribed me some meds to help bring it down a bit, referred me to a psychiatrist and talked to me a bit about her own issues. It was not super helpful, to be honest, because everyone is very confused and frightened when the anxiety attacks first start happening. Panic disorder has a steep learning curve, and unfortunately, by the time you realize what is happening to you, your brain has already set patterns of almost instinctive panic response to your triggers, patterns that have to be taken apart bit by bit, day by day, with a lot of willpower and determination. I am six months in and though I am able to shop and drive without too much anxiety now, I am still having a huge amount of trouble eating and paranoia about my heart. Anxiety is fear, fear that has programmed itself into your brain, and the only way to fight it is to be brave. You have to be brave in the face of the most horrible terror you've every felt in your life, and just keep fighting it and fighting it.

Hi Cobra, Are you in therapy? Do you use a CBT type approach (working on your thinking and self-talk etc) or what approach are you taking? Are you still on meds? Definitely sounds like you making good progress, which is great. I'm at the point where I am exhausted from it. It just wears you down, ya know?

[Lin]

I agree that it is extremely difficult for anyone who has not experience it, or trained in it, to understand anxiety or depression.
It is a great shame to have it made to appear trivial by anyone, because on the Forum we all know how bad and desperate it can make you feel.
It is best to find a Dr and psychiatrist etc who understands and can help you overcome your problems.
Peer support groups in England are good - anyone suffering from any kind of mental health issues can go along and they are free except for donations. The Mental Health Forum run them in Dorset and we have recently started an evening one. Membership is slow, but the 4-6 of us at the moment who get together find it really beneficial to have 1.5 hours every Wednesday evening to talk to each other, and we all understand. I would recommend you see if you have a group in your area, it might help talking to people who understand.