Anxiety...

[Morgan]

9 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

Anxiety is a horrible thing. Probably different for different people but even when things were going well in life I’d lie in my bed thinking up things to worry about. My mother was the same, getting worked up about something that might happen then in reality didn’t happen. Hard to explain it but it can really take over your life if it gets a hold of you. 

 

That, we think, is exactly what happened to our friend.  She was here on holiday twice in 2016 and that's when we became aware of the change in her.  One day she was high as a kite, the next she didn't even want to leave our house. She was terrified of doing simple things like going to the beach, or visiting a restaurant.  

 

1 minute ago, JudyJudyJudy said:

So true. " worrying about the day youll never see" really 

 

That, James, is almost exactly the expression that her doctor used to her.  👍

[JudyJudyJudy]

5 minutes ago, Morgan said:

 

That, we think, is exactly what happened to our friend.  She was here on holiday twice in 2016 and that's when we became aware of the change in her.  One day she was high as a kite, the next she didn't even want to leave our house. She was terrified of doing simple things like going to the beach, or visiting a restaurant.  

 

 

That, James, is almost exactly the expression that her doctor used to her.  👍

Its a saying ive used often. So true. 

[GinRummy]

Hope your friend gets better Morgan. A horrible thing to suffer from. 

[Gizmo]

7 hours ago, joondalupjambo said:

The use of the net has to be another related symptom, no? You seem to hear of so many folk under the age of 32 (my son's age) that does not have some form of anxiety.  If you count back that is birth dates of circa 1990 onwards and the early 90's was when the net really took off.   A fantastic tool in some hands but a disaster in others.  Just my thoughts.

Absolutely. In many ways, it's the single worst thing to happen to humanity, unfortunately. It amplifies bullying, it amplifies and feeds on our insecurities, it matches people with out-there or hateful ideas with many others. 

The amount of hours wasted doom-scrolling during lockdown and then not being able to sleep. It's also addictive and can reduce attention spans due to it serving up regular micro-doses of dopamine.

That isn't to say it's all bad, but as usual humanity will find the worst uses for the technology as well as the best.
 

6 hours ago, Spellczech said:

Yep mental health diagnosis is just done by a ticklist of answers to a set of questions. No kid is ever stupid now, it just has mental health issues and people seem to see "diagnosis" as an huge relief as they can now excuse behaviour with a "condition". Also the doctors are effectively the tools of the drug companies by which everyone makes money from these "diagnoses" and the pills to try to calm people's behaviour. 20 years ago an American told me that about >50% of Americans were on some sort of behaviour altering pill - I expect we are getting towards that ourselves now...

Perhaps in the US system, the incentives for prescribing X drug are high, is that the case here in the UK NHS?

In terms of diagnostic tools for diagnosing autism, it wasn't a simple tick-list when a family member was diagnosed. It required multiple appointments, discussions with a multi-discipline team and a full diagnostic assessment performed by a clinical psychologist.

Whilst I can see why some people would see it as an easy "excuse" for bad behaviour, how many kids in the 70s were just written off as trouble-makers or retarded when they had conditions that have life-long effects that could have been addressed? We never used to know dyslexia existed, for example, and would have labeled those kids unable to write or read properly, as stupid. 

From personal experience, research, and supporting autistic and neurologically divergent people, I know how important the diagnosis is - as it opens up treatment pathways and allows the affected person to understand their condition and make effective adjustments. 

[GinRummy]

23 minutes ago, the posh bit said:

 

Finding time for yourself to live in the here-and-now is important, but very difficult. 

 

Know someone who finds the 3-3-3 rule useful and does these mad deep breathing techniques that are something to see, swears by it though.

Whatever works for others is worth a try. I never really got help, just gradually over 30 odd years learned to catch myself at it and rationalise. When it was at its worst I probably couldn’t do that but eventually I learned to deal with it. 

[Morgan]

15 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

Hope your friend gets better Morgan. A horrible thing to suffer from. 

 

Thanks, GR.

 

At least she is now being dealt with professionally.

[Morgan]

13 minutes ago, Jim_Duncan said:

Indeed, Morgan. The internet appears to be both a haven and a curse for such folk. 

 

Such a shame.

 

Savage, in fact.

[the posh bit]

1 hour ago, Morgan said:

 

Savage, in fact.

 

😁

[Spellczech]

1 hour ago, Gizmo said:

Absolutely. In many ways, it's the single worst thing to happen to humanity, unfortunately. It amplifies bullying, it amplifies and feeds on our insecurities, it matches people with out-there or hateful ideas with many others. 

The amount of hours wasted doom-scrolling during lockdown and then not being able to sleep. It's also addictive and can reduce attention spans due to it serving up regular micro-doses of dopamine.

That isn't to say it's all bad, but as usual humanity will find the worst uses for the technology as well as the best.
 

Perhaps in the US system, the incentives for prescribing X drug are high, is that the case here in the UK NHS?

In terms of diagnostic tools for diagnosing autism, it wasn't a simple tick-list when a family member was diagnosed. It required multiple appointments, discussions with a multi-discipline team and a full diagnostic assessment performed by a clinical psychologist.

Whilst I can see why some people would see it as an easy "excuse" for bad behaviour, how many kids in the 70s were just written off as trouble-makers or retarded when they had conditions that have life-long effects that could have been addressed? We never used to know dyslexia existed, for example, and would have labeled those kids unable to write or read properly, as stupid. 

From personal experience, research, and supporting autistic and neurologically divergent people, I know how important the diagnosis is - as it opens up treatment pathways and allows the affected person to understand their condition and make effective adjustments. 

That is still a checklist. Makes no difference if it is 1,5 or 10 people brought into the loop - they are all just checking off beahviours by asking questions. Tick enough boxes and they'll diagnose a mental health illness.

[Gizmo]

1 hour ago, Spellczech said:

That is still a checklist. Makes no difference if it is 1,5 or 10 people brought into the loop - they are all just checking off beahviours by asking questions. Tick enough boxes and they'll diagnose a mental health illness.

Of course, it matters! What reductive absurdism you are indulging in to back up a tabloid-level viewpoint. 

[cazzyy]

3 hours ago, Gizmo said:

Absolutely. In many ways, it's the single worst thing to happen to humanity, unfortunately. It amplifies bullying, it amplifies and feeds on our insecurities, it matches people with out-there or hateful ideas with many others. 

The amount of hours wasted doom-scrolling during lockdown and then not being able to sleep. It's also addictive and can reduce attention spans due to it serving up regular micro-doses of dopamine.

That isn't to say it's all bad, but as usual humanity will find the worst uses for the technology as well as the best.
 

Perhaps in the US system, the incentives for prescribing X drug are high, is that the case here in the UK NHS?

In terms of diagnostic tools for diagnosing autism, it wasn't a simple tick-list when a family member was diagnosed. It required multiple appointments, discussions with a multi-discipline team and a full diagnostic assessment performed by a clinical psychologist.

Whilst I can see why some people would see it as an easy "excuse" for bad behaviour, how many kids in the 70s were just written off as trouble-makers or retarded when they had conditions that have life-long effects that could have been addressed? We never used to know dyslexia existed, for example, and would have labeled those kids unable to write or read properly, as stupid. 

From personal experience, research, and supporting autistic and neurologically divergent people, I know how important the diagnosis is - as it opens up treatment pathways and allows the affected person to understand their condition and make effective adjustments. 

 

Exactly the same as my experience but it's just a big book and a tick list apparently.

 

Good post by the way. 👍

[Robbo-Jambo]

20 hours ago, GinRummy said:

Anxiety is a horrible thing. Probably different for different people but even when things were going well in life I’d lie in my bed thinking up things to worry about. My mother was the same, getting worked up about something that might happen then in reality didn’t happen. Hard to explain it but it can really take over your life if it gets a hold of you. 

Resonates completely with me. Not pleasant to live with at all.

[Shooter McGavin]

Really struggle with anxiety on a daily basis. Started off with the usual checking doors are locked, checking that the cooker, plugs etc are switched off, but It's really spiralled in the last few years and it can latch onto almost anything.

 

Think one of my "new years resolutions" will be to get down the doctors to hopefully start getting it under control. After doing some reading, I'm open to CBT but would personally lean towards medication if it were offered.

[Gizmo]

31 minutes ago, Shooter McGavin said:

Really struggle with anxiety on a daily basis. Started off with the usual checking doors are locked, checking that the cooker, plugs etc are switched off, but It's really spiralled in the last few years and it can latch onto almost anything.

 

Think one of my "new years resolutions" will be to get down the doctors to hopefully start getting it under control. After doing some reading, I'm open to CBT but would personally lean towards medication if it were offered.

I'm not a therapist but that does sound a little like OCD. 

The treatment for this can be a combination of CBT (to understand the behaviour) and an SSRI like Clomipramine.
 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Gizmo
Can never remember the spelling

[Shooter McGavin]

1 minute ago, Gizmo said:

I'm not a therapist but that does sound a little like OCD. 

The treatment for this can be a combination of CBT (to understand the behaviour) and an SSRI like Colopramine. 
 

I'd think you may be correct.

 

Although I also think the anxiety fuels the OCD which fuels the anxiety etc. I haven't spoken to any professional about this yet but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that there's a bit of both in there.

 

I've put off seeing anyone about this for a while, but think it'll be really beneficial to see what options are available and use the new year as a fresh start.

[Gizmo]

5 minutes ago, Shooter McGavin said:

I'd think you may be correct.

 

Although I also think the anxiety fuels the OCD which fuels the anxiety etc. I haven't spoken to any professional about this yet but I wouldn't be surprised to find out that there's a bit of both in there.

 

I've put off seeing anyone about this for a while, but think it'll be really beneficial to see what options are available and use the new year as a fresh start.

From experience, I know that an SSRI for anxiety reduced OCD in someone I care for. I appreciate that's anecdotal but it took a very very serious situation for this person into giving them back their ability to get on with their life. 

Hopefully, you get a similar outcome. The efficacy for treatment for OCD is very high which is encouraging. 

[Spellczech]

18 hours ago, Gizmo said:

Of course, it matters! What reductive absurdism you are indulging in to back up a tabloid-level viewpoint. 

People will see what they want to see when there is no physical symptoms. Ask enough questions and you will eventually get diagnosed for some sort of disorder...I'd be interested to see the breakdown of referrals who get a diasgnosis compared to those who don't (If there are any)

[Shooter McGavin]

1 hour ago, Gizmo said:

From experience, I know that an SSRI for anxiety reduced OCD in someone I care for. I appreciate that's anecdotal but it took a very very serious situation for this person into giving them back their ability to get on with their life. 

Hopefully, you get a similar outcome. The efficacy for treatment for OCD is very high which is encouraging. 

Appreciate that, mate!

 

I'm quite open minded to both forms of treatment, or both at the same time. Sounds like the person you care for had struggles a lot worse than mine, but glad they're getting it under control.

[No Idle Talk]

Off work with this today. Just feel nervous and unsettled and like I don't want to interact with anyone. Being in a public facing job I just couldn't face it. 

 

Horrible feeling.