Anxiety Returns

[Outdoorsman37]

I've had anxiety off and on for a couple years. When it first started I really struggled. I decided to get professional help and they recommended counseling. I didn't try it since mental health care is very limited in my area. It took some time, but I eventually started feeling less anxious. I exercise daily, watch my caffeine intake, keep busy when I'm anxious. What I don't get is I get times where I feel like I don't have anxiety at all. Then suddenly it appears out of nowhere again. I feel down when it hits, have stomach issues, trouble staying asleep, odd dreams, etc. I honestly wish I knew what causes me to feel this way.

 

[Jonathan123]

Looking for causes in a hard way can be counter productive. Causes are often deep rooted in the unconscious. Something, some event, a sight, a smell or an odd feeling can 'trigger' anxiety. Looking for causes yourself is very difficult. In an anxiety state being objective is nearly impossible. The key still lies in accepting what comes without adding fear to fear. You may be anticipating it, so you are already keyed up which is fertile ground for anxiety. Also, anxiety is a very 'up and down' problem. Just when we sigh and day to ourselves, that's it, it's gone, it strikes again. Let it. Let it do its worst but without reacting to it. You struggled at first. Stop struggling or trying to fight it off. There's no way you will ever win that way. Anxiety thrives on apprehension and the 'what ifs' and the 'OMG's. ACCEPTANCE is still the answer.

 

[MATD]

“It’s Only Anxiety” by Carl James available on Amazon. $11 plus shipping.

 

[suzzeeb]

I have always thought and been told by counselors that anxiety is a result of our thoughts causing fears, but lately I've been wondering if it is more likely something that flares up without us or our past being responsible for it, like other diseases such as arthritis flare ups or MS flare ups, or migraines, or whatever. Maybe our brains just have times where they malfunction without us having anything to do with it and then we spend all this time trying to figure out why it just came back out of nowhere or how we can prevent it or make it better. For most people it starts very early in life which makes it seem like we were born with it like other people are born with certain illnesses that they have no control over. So maybe the fearful thoughts we have don't cause the anxiety but are because of it? I don't know if I'm explaining it very well, but its just something I've been wondering about lately.

 

[Phillies Phan]

“It’s Only Anxiety” by Carl James available on Amazon. $11 plus shipping.

Are you, in fact Carl James?

 

[Jonathan123]

The law of physics applies to anxiety as to anything else, physical or mental. For every effect there has to be a cause. For every cause there will be an effect. You describe physical illnesses that seem to come 'out of the blue', but do they? Any physical illness will have a cause. The medics may not have worked out all the causes yet but they are there. No one is born with anxiety. We arrive here with a clean slate. Physical illnesses can be inherited but anxiety is laid on us by those around us. Teachers, parents, siblings etc. Yes, serious forms of mental illness can be inherited, but I have never regarded anxiety in the same category. It is possible to make a full recovery from anxiety. Not so possible with serious mental disorders. Looking for and resolving causes is, in my opinion, the best way. But this can be difficult without skilled counselling. The situation in anxiety is the old 'chicken and egg' one. Does anxiety cause bad thoughts? Of course it can. But the bad thoughts have caused the anxiety in the first place. Cause and effect! Once anxiety sets in it can run away with us. 'Free flouting anxiety' will fasten on to anything the least bit fearful, especially so in HA. Persistent acceptance can lighten the load.

 

[suzzeeb]

Ok so that makes sense, but I think about my daughter, who also has anxiety (she is 30 now), not as bad as I do, but I saw signs of it when she was a baby. She had a super sensitive nervous system and cried for hours and hours every day for no reason and had nervous tics at a very young age, which she outgrew, but there were other signs very early on that she had anxiety. l also had anxiety from as early on as I can remember - afraid of people, super shy, nervous habits, etc, etc. My mom had anxiety so I guess I could have picked up on that but who knows. It runs in families so often that it seems like it's just something genetic. My sister had the same experiences at home that I did and she was outgoing and had no symptoms at all of anxiety ever. My niece showed symptoms of anxiety as a baby, her twin didn't and they are 20 now and she still has anxiety and her sister does not and one parent has it and my sister does not so I feel like that points to genetics. I guess I won't ever know for sure or if it really matters.

 

[Jonathan123]

We are getting into deep waters. Anxiety can and does run in families, but it is not genetic. It's because of dysfunctional households. Your mother was anxious and so were other members of your family. So from an early age you may have been living in an anxious environment. Babies and small children are subject to a negative atmosphere without realising it because they can't reason. But nothing is lost. Memories stick.
The fact that someone brought up in the same environment does not get anxiety is because they may have a different temperament, and from the beginning see things differently than the anxious ones. They may also be less sensitive. The majority of anxiety sufferers are sensitive people and easily upset by negative things they see or hear. As far as I am aware, no one has found an anxiety gene in anyone's DNA.

 

[suzzeeb]

So is the sensitivity or temperament genetic? And highly sensitive people cannot be "cured" of their sensitivity so can the anxiety go away in those people? I've never really heard of anyone with significant anxiety being fully recovered I guess. It's all pretty interesting to me. I wish that were true because that would give me some hope, but I've had it so long that I don't believe I could ever be rid of it anyway. It's a normal feeling for me, but twice in my life have had a major episode that caught me off guard and ended up with depression that I am still dealing with now although better than when the whole thing started.

 

[Jonathan123]

Carl Jung called us being born with a clean slate the 'tabla rasa'. Complete blank. Remember, we are dealing with the mind not the body which is separate. The body can inherit diseases, that is well known. Children can also be born with generic brain disorders, that is also well known. But that is not anxiety. A seriously sick child with a mental disorder may not feel in the least anxious. Look at some of them. They laugh and appreciate what is being done for them The brain is an organ like any other and subject to disorders. Anxiety is, to me, separate from that. This is only my opinion from the observation of my patients in counselling. Always there is some background cause that causes anxiety. Some life trauma we have repressed and think we have forgotten.
I do not believe sensitivity or temperament are generic. It's the luck of the draw. Now that is not very scientific I know. It may not be a very good analogy but it's like being dealt a hand of cards. It's not what the hand is but how we play them. A hand full of twos can be a winning hand. Your belief that you can never get rid of it just adds to the tension in the mind. I have seen sufferers of over 30 years get well again.
Dorothy Rowe in her books on depression talks of the depressed person being in a prison cell with an open door. They can leave wherever they want, but stay in the cell. After all, why not? The prison guard brings food and water and all the creature comforts we want and we get attention. Why go out into the world of uncertainty and responsibilities when it's comfortable in prison? The human mind is extremely complex.

 

[suzzeeb]

Once someone gets into a state of severe anxiety or depression I think the chemicals in the brain change and it is very difficult to walk out of the open door. I really think it is much more complex than anyone knows. I certainly don't want anyone to have to take care of me. At my worst point over the last year I forced myself, many days on no sleep, to get up, shower, clean my house, make dinner every night, but I was exhausted, fearful, and miserable. I have always wanted to be like everyone else. It's embarrassing to get attention for having anxiety or depression. I really don't believe that people want to live like that. I really think there is a genetic component, and there is no way to prove one way or the other. Every counselor I have seen has said it is a combination of genetics and environment. That seems to make the most sense in my opinion.

• Anxiety is partially genetic — if one of your family members has an anxiety disorder, it's more likely that you will, too.
• However, your life experiences — including family upbringing and any stressful or traumatic events — will also play a major role in determing whether or not you develop anxiety.
• This article was medically reviewed by David A. Merrill, MD, PhD, psychiatrist and director of the Pacific Brain Health Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John's Health Center.
• This story is part of Insider's guide on Anxiety.

Scientists have long debated the importance of nature versus nurture in terms of human development and illness. We now know that genetics play a significant role in the development of anxiety. Particularly, researchers have found that genes on chromosome 9are associated with anxiety.
But your experiences within your environment — including family upbringing and major life events — are also important factors. Here's what you need to know about how genes and life experiences contribute to anxiety.

I just found this online. I think they are starting to find proof of genetics and anxiety.