Can GAD be Good?

[GuinepSeed]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to introduce a lighter topic since we all know that most of the symptoms of GAD are bad.

I have noticed that since I have developed GAD I am able to tell instantly if I am walking on an uneven surface, or even if my shoes are wearing unevenly. I have also been able to park my car straight in parking lots, as I am overly aware of my orientation. Any other good/unique experiences out there?

By the way, I am having a terrible night. I just took an assessment at my gym and just the thought of the blood pressure cuff and heart rate monitor have triggered a spate of anxiety related symptoms, even after the fact.

[konwayeast]

Sometimes reflecting on anxious experiences can be just as bad as the experiences themselves, right?
As far as unique skills I've acquired due to my anxiety, I don't think I can pinpoint any, but I do think we learn a lot about ourselves through our anxiety experiences. Without pain, we would not have the same appreciation for the good times. Also, as any parent will tell you, it builds character:)

[GuinepSeed]

Very true indeed. About embracing the good times, I am doing that to the fullest now. I am not a Christmas-loving type of guy, but living through the anxiety attacks of the past year has made me so appreciative of the season that I erected my first live Christmas tree. I am really trying to make the best of each moment now.

[MerlinwithanM]

There are good sides to GAD. I've tried over the years to steer my paranoia into being able to identify real threats, problems, weaknesses in systems where other people have glossed over any issues. Many common people just don't think about what could go wrong, even when they try. But for someone with GAD, it's possible to focus in on a complex process, say in a large business, and easily find issues that need to be addressed. I've always tempered this seeming negativity (many people in the professional world can see it like that) by surrounding myself with good natured people whom I trust. I'm upfront with them about my personality style, and then I use their optimism and sense of creativity to temper my own ability to find what's wrong. In this way, I use them to tell if the problems I've found are really as significant as I may want to believe.

Another upside is that I've found I can research topics to a degree that others are unwilling or unable to do, and I can typically easily recall the information. This is again helpful in a business setting when one is never certain when a topic may become relevant, however remote the subject.

[Bamboo31]

I just had to weigh-in on your comment about the heart rate monitor and blood pressure cuff. I am so with you! It makes me nervous just reading your comment. I am so sorry for your anxiety symptoms, but it is good to know we are not alone. This may be the only place where we can openly share and connect with fellow sufferers.     

I think a positive of GAD has been my ability to be a more empathetic, compassionate person than I probably would have been without this condition. I may not be happier, but I think I am a better person for it.     

[GuinepSeed]

Wow MerlinwithanM! That was a great example of how GAD actually helps. Thinking of new and interesting ways to channel that negative energy is probably something that we, collectively, should do more in order to improve our miserable existence.

[GuinepSeed]

Bamboo31, thanks so much for coming forward. It helps me tremendously knowing that I am not alone even though it feels that way. I am so paralyzed by any monitor that I refuse to check my heart rate even when I run on the treadmill.
Also, thank you for your empathy. I cannot tell you how much better it has made me feel. Thank you! Thank God for Anxiety Zone!

[Bamboo31]

GuinepSeed, thank YOU! You made my day, seriously!! I don't think there is anything worse than feeling like no one  understands and the isolation which that brings.  It makes me happy to think, just by sharing my feelings here, that you felt better and not so alone.