[TheatreKid]

So I just found out today that I've been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. You need to have the symptoms for more than 6 months for it to be diagnosed, and I've been anxious forever, but I go through periods when it's worse, like right now, especially at night. I'm not medicated for it, my pdoc tried Zoloft but it didn't play well with bipolar disorder. Occasionally if I haven't slept for a few days I will take 1 mg of Ativan at night for about a week to get through it, but I dislike benzos and studies show they're actually worse long-term.

I'm a little nervous because part of the way GAD manifests in me is through health anxiety, so now every complaint gets written off as "just anxiety" and someday I might have a real thing wrong with me.

If I ever manage to get back in therapy I might try some CBT because it's been helpful in the past, but other than not sleeping I feel like I can manage my anxiety - I'm an actor, I can't be THAT anxious in front of people. I love socializing. It's other things, little things that make me anxious. Like my health. I have unfounded anxiety that I will get hurt and not be able to get help. I was diagnosed with social anxiety in the past, but not any more - it's more general, socializing doesn't scare me, but little things like whether I should knock on the door or go right in, or whether I should go to the front door or back door make me avoid some social situations.

In any case, while it does affect the quality of my life, I am concerned that I'm racking up a bunch of labels. The point of life is not to collect as many diagnoses as you can.

[pisces22]

I hope you feel better soon! You should get more therapy if it has helped you before. Good luck!

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