Average Age Here

[anxiousguy]

At this time in your life feeling your anxiety at it's worst, what age bracket do you fall in?

[vegasmomof4]

I am 43, I think mine has a lot to do with hormones.  I am sure I am perimenopause.  I have always been a worry wart but have noticed in these last few years it has gotten much worse.  During ovalation and a couple of days before my period starts

[kuteness82]

I am 24. I think alot of it has to do with the stressful situations I've been under since 2006.

[jcp]

I'm 26.

[sanderella]

I agree with others that it's often triggered by stress and/or hormonal changes. So you may not find much of a correlation with age as stress can affect you at any time. But having said that, there are stages of life when high stress is common - teens, quarter-life-crisis, new parenthood, etc.

[pippip]

I'm 15

[patty64]

Im 43 I agree it definitly has to do with hormonal changes.I too was always worried about health but for the last 10 months its been hell!!

[retrogurl88]

Under 21.  But I've had anxiety problems ever since I was a little kid.

[itsmeesindee]

Yep 43 here and all kinds of weird body stuff.

Cin

[anxiousguy]

I understand the hormone thing for you ladies, and this may sound really dumb...but do men have hormonal changes??

I had a preconcieved notion that the majority of health anxiety sufferers were middle-aged. I mean at least for me it seems you get to a certain point in life when it's not uncommon to hear more frequently of someone you knew or went to high school with dying, and subconciously you started to realize your own mortality.

Any feedback on this?

[Xalatimo]

This is my opinion on the age thing, you can acquire an anxiety problem as an adult, say over 30, triggers could be hormones or job security...or you can acquire an anxiety problem as a child or teenager.  As a child or teenager, from what i understand, anxiety seems to decrease in the adult years as you get more mature and you have kind of been through it all.  Depersonalization, a common anxiety symptom, if you read the information about it says usually by the age of 30 it resolves itself, so that means it tends to go away by this age.  This might be true with anxiety in general.  But yeah i think its more common for anxiety to develop in teens and young adults, where everything is still changing and there are a lot of triggers

[eversogreatfull]

 I'm 25 but have had secret hypo since I was 9. I didn't tell any one about my obsession with my health until I started to get worse. I didn't "come out" until I was 22 and thought I had a brain tumor.

[resting]

I'm 43 and I definitely think that hormonal changes have increased my hypo/anxiety/panic.  It's no fun at any age.

Resting

[AYKM]

Mine was much worse in my twenties. I am 33 now. I feel now that I have a better hold on trying to calm myself down and seeing things more rational. In my twenties I would hyperventilate, run out stores, run out of class...now I just sit back and do some deep breathing and I can usually get ahold of myself.

[King]

Anxiousguy,

Men do go through a "Menopause" during the years 50-70 and its called the Andropause - its when the production of testosterone declines and can start in late 40's. People dont know what brings it on as its not like the menopause which starts after all the eggs have been 'used up'.

Andropause can create such symptoms like impotence, general tiredness, mood changes, night sweats and sometimes palpitations. The night sweats and palpitations occur because of an overactive autonomic system in response to falling testosterone levels - but this isnt linked to anxiety.

Other hormones in men that can decline with age are adrenalin hormones (DHEA and cortisol) and melatonin. This is why men dont tend to get as anxious when they're older (>50) as the level of stress hormone is starting to go down. So even if the anxious older brain is saying "I'm stressed" - the body just doesnt respond like it used to.

Xalatimo, your point is a good one. I used to get alot of d/p in my teens and 20's but its subsided right down now.

Its good to know that its not all bad getting older...

[Kate1982]

I'm 24 but I've had serious bouts of anxiety on and off since I was about 4. 

[Folkwire]

I'm 18

(not that weird alice cooper song)

[diredis]

25 here. Had my first anxiety attack earlier this year after worrying about constant headaches I was getting. Stress related chronic tension headaches, gotta love em.

From most of the research I've done, it's very common for people in their 20's to have their first anxiety attacks, among other mental illness. I was listening to a debate earlier in the week (related to improsonment and the age at which you can be considered an adult), and a few people quoted a study which concludes that the brains cognitive function doesn't fully develop until your early to late 20's, meaning most people below this age bracket cannot fully interperate the consequences of a certain action or situation. It's quite possible that most of our health related anxiety in this age bracket is probably a result of the mind simply realising how fragile life really is, in a cognitive sense.

Any psych's around who'd like to pick that theory apart? :P

[wrdsilly]

I'm 42...almost 43.  I guess that's a vulnerable time!  Since I've been on a low dose of Zoloft I feel so much less obsessive about health, by the way, but I'm not really out of the woods, but I'm better by a long shot.

[nikkid5]

i'm 28, and i think it is worse in this part of my life than it has ever been.i can only hope it will get better from here.

[jcp]

I agree with you Nicki, worse year of my entire life, I hope it can get better!  I am 26. 

[Knightsaber]

31

Been having fun with this since I was 19 now. :)

[kellyyouse]

I answered "33-42," since I turn 33 in July.  I always heard your thirties were supposed to be the best years of your life. . .mine have just brought on a lot of anxiety, not to mention pounds. 

[Sarah44]

Guess I am the old lady of the group at 45.  When I had my kids in my 20s, I had my first symptoms of aches and pains, fatigue. Diagnosed with fibromyalgia and put on medication. I also started teaching aerobics then, so all of that pulled me out of it. In my 30s, I started having anxiety and went to a psychiatrist and again went on medication. Felt much better until last winter when I had stomach problems, back problems, tingling and numbness, anxiety again! Back to the doctor and on meds, lots of test because this time I thought I was really ill-probably felt worse than ever. Now I am a bit better and seeing a lot of it as anxiety (also getting older!). I guess the lesson for me is that I may  have to fight this always, but I have come out of it each time, so if you work at it, you will get better. You may always have to work at it though.

Now that I know I am the old lady of the group-swear I am young at heart though-I invite any questions. I am sure my vast and worldly experience will be in great demand!
Sarah

[peanut]

I'm 29