generalized anxiety disorder taking over my life, how do i get rid of it?

[thomas hewitt]

hi, im a 19 year old male and i was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. for the past 3 years i feel detached from everything,that feeling started after i had a bad panic attack while smoking weed and ever since then it feels like everything is just a dream or not real. It's a strange feeling and nobody understands me. Ive been to a therapist and he didn't really know what it was. I just want to feel normal again and my shoulder, head and neck muscles are constantly tense like i am NEVER relaxed. I also have bad anxiety in public to the point where i can't even walk down the road and cross the street because my whole body gets tense and i start to walk funny and get paranoid that people are judging me and i start to shake. I just started school and ive been skipping because of my anxiety and im suppose to get a part time job and i have to drink before going anywhere to calm me down. Ive been drinking 8 beer a day for the past while but i'm trying to cut down. At this point i don't know what to do i feel hopeless and my life is going nowhere because of my anxiety. What should i do? whats the cure for generalized anxiety disorder and why do i feel fake all the time?

[SakuraFett]

Ok number one, seriously get a new therapist! The whole feeling like life is a dream/fake thing is called surreal. It is completely normal for people that experience panic attacks and generalized anxiety. Most super lucky(in my opinion they're lucky) only experience the surreal feeling for a few minutes during and immediately after a panic attack. Some people can have the surreal feeling last for years. My longest bout with it so far was 2 1/2 years. I am not sure what type of therapist you saw but they should definitely be able to identify the surreal feeling as it is in fact one of the symptoms of panic disorder as listed in the DSM V so maybe your therapist needs to hit the books some more.
And onto number two, this may sound frightening but you need to see your family doctor about your anxiety because there are some things that can cause anxiety and panic attacks but they are very rare. The most frequent being thyroid disorders which are usually very easily treated with medication. Any physical disease that causes anxiety is very rare though but it is always best to be safe with these things.
Ok the last bit of advice I am going to give might sound preachy but trust me when I say it is for the best. Do Not self medicate with alcohol. It is just a terrible idea especially at your age because you may be legally an adult but your brain is still developing and getting used to drinking that much alcohol every day to deal with anxiety could cause some serious problems down the road.
Anxiety is a total bitch but it can be manageable. Try looking up some deep breathing exercises on youtube until you can find yourself a therapist that works for you.

[michaelmyers]

Ok number one, seriously get a new therapist! The whole feeling like life is a dream/fake thing is called surreal. It is completely normal for people that experience panic attacks and generalized anxiety. Most super lucky(in my opinion they're lucky) only experience the surreal feeling for a few minutes during and immediately after a panic attack. Some people can have the surreal feeling last for years. My longest bout with it so far was 2 1/2 years. I am not sure what type of therapist you saw but they should definitely be able to identify the surreal feeling as it is in fact one of the symptoms of panic disorder as listed in the DSM V so maybe your therapist needs to hit the books some more.
And onto number two, this may sound frightening but you need to see your family doctor about your anxiety because there are some things that can cause anxiety and panic attacks but they are very rare. The most frequent being thyroid disorders which are usually very easily treated with medication. Any physical disease that causes anxiety is very rare though but it is always best to be safe with these things.
Ok the last bit of advice I am going to give might sound preachy but trust me when I say it is for the best. Do Not self medicate with alcohol. It is just a terrible idea especially at your age because you may be legally an adult but your brain is still developing and getting used to drinking that much alcohol every day to deal with anxiety could cause some serious problems down the road.
Anxiety is a total bitch but it can be manageable. Try looking up some deep breathing exercises on youtube until you can find yourself a therapist that works for you.

okay thanks for the response i really appreciate it, should i take zoloft? i heard that can help and also i have mild depression.

[SakuraFett]

I'm confused, you're not the person that started this thread...are you two the same person under different user names?