How long has everyone had their anxiety?

[Fuzyyy]

Hello everyone, I have been suffering from anxiety for nearly a month a now, on here I've read that many people have had it for years, so how long has every had theirs?
I also suffer from a lot of physical symptoms
Derealization
Chest tightness/discomfort
Racing heart
Feeling sick/stomach discomfort
These are just a few, what does everyone else get?

[EclecticJoe]

Does anyone get the whole what is the purpose of life or happiness wave that comes over them? I'm not talking about depression, I mean an intrusive thought that ruins your day that you would pay your life savings to make it go away?

Surely I'm not the only one with this.

[Fuzyyy]

I think I know what you mean. I have thought a few times, why are we here? Or what is the point of being here if we just end up dying one day? And it bugs me for the rest of the day. Depressing thoughts I know but it just happens?

[jwall378]

3 years now.

[angielee]

As long as I can remember, but it's not constant. I have went a couple years before with no major anxiety or panic attacks. I grew up in a very hostile environment as a child so that's where it came from. ...if I get really stressed or am not working not busy it tends to creep back up on me.

[heartstringz]

Offically diagnosed with GAD for about three years, but I'm pretty sure I've had it for most of my life.

[LindaRK]

Diagnosed in 1976 with GAD .... although, I go through periods where it's non-existent, but worse now due to hormones.

[jamie177]

Fuzyyy,

Is your chest discomfort 24/7? Mine is for 2 weeks now got it right after my first panic attack!

[ncmomma]

I believe off and on my whole life, but I have had it severly for about a year now. I've seen a therapist and I think I have anxiety with OCD. Not necessarily the repetitive kind but intrusive thoughts that i obbess about. There are some things I avoid doing or saying because I worry it will be a trigger for me to have anxiety. I would love to overcome this, and some moments I feel good but its just a matter of time before a negative thought creeps in and ruins it. Its usually stuff that is highly unlikely or unusual that would happen that I obbess over. I get to where I think if I dont worry about something then thats the time it will happen so instead I just worry about everything.

[Fuzyyy]

Jamie,
My chest discomfort/tightness isn't 24/7. I don't feel it when I'm doing activities like sport or going out with family/friends. But when I'm watching tv or something that doesn't really involve me moving or thinking that much, my derealization makes me worry and then my chest discomfort sets in. It makes me worry even more because I had really bad chest pain, like severe chest pain, one morning when I woke up a few months ago, I always think it's that coming back but it never does.
Hang in there buddy! 

[anxiousmedic]

over 15 years

[Pippy187]

Little over a year...

[AnxietyJoe]

Over 7 years

[dhoosee]

On/off for 20 years.   

[andidroi]

Does anyone get the whole what is the purpose of life or happiness wave that comes over them? I'm not talking about depression, I mean an intrusive thought that ruins your day that you would pay your life savings to make it go away?

Surely I'm not the only one with this.

I'm actually glad to see someone else that has that same thought. I spend far too much time trying to get rid of that thought.

[cutecat25]

I have had anxiety since 2005, which was Health anxiety and ocd.
But last March after a dizzy spell it trned into panic disordr and drealisation
@joe i get those existental thoughts all the time they ruin my life.

[spazzytastical007]

I have been dealing with anxiety my whole life. Didn't develop debilitating physical symptoms till about 5 years ago. I might have 2 or 3 days a month where I go through the day feeling mostly normal but the rest of the time there is always something, whether physical or crazily over analyzing everything.

[Lee Isaacs]

Hey buddy.

I was officially diagnose with GAD around 4-5 years ago but I had symptoms for a few years before that. I would estimate about 8 years or so I have had GAD now. It does get easier but I still to this day am affected by it on a daily basis. You find your own ways of coping though matey so keep that chin up and think positive when possible.

I also find that making a chart helps. Map out what times you have the worst of your anxiety, what you have eaten / drank, how much sleep you've had etc etc. Soon a pattern may show itself and you can work at helping subdue the symptoms from there.

I hope you feel better soon. Please feel free to inbox me if you feel like having a chat or just swearing at somebody to relieve tension. =)

Lee.

[jay8510]

Does everyone here have it every single day for years? I usually get anxiety for a few weeks and it goes away for a year or like an idiot I go off my meds and it comes back. But mine usually lasts a few weeks and goes away for a long time and than creeps back. I don't know if I had anxiety EVERY SINGLE DAY for years straight if I could survive. My symptoms have been back for almost 2 weeks and I am so exhausted all day.

[Lee Isaacs]

Does everyone here have it every single day for years? I usually get anxiety for a few weeks and it goes away for a year or like an idiot I go off my meds and it comes back. But mine usually lasts a few weeks and goes away for a long time and than creeps back. I don't know if I had anxiety EVERY SINGLE DAY for years straight if I could survive. My symptoms have been back for almost 2 weeks and I am so exhausted all day.

Hi, Jay.

Yes, some of us are unfortunate enough to have anxiety everyday. I myself have had anxiety everyday for 7 years or more now. It does have it's low points and it's high points of intensity but it never properly goes away for me. I am constantly exhausted and on edge.

It's good that you have some time per year to relax bud. I wish I could have a day with no anxiety. I honestly cannot remember a day without it.

[lcfrogs]

I started to develop social anxiety when I started puberty, in 5th grade. The social anxiety slowly improved as I matured, but I still deal with it in specific situations. I was officially diagnosed with GAD and social anxiety disorder 5 years ago.

[All1Spirit]

45 Years - severe at age 19 to 21 then off and on with good years - then 6 years ago total breakdown and not recovering

[HaileyAnn]

My entire life. My earliest memory is a panic attack over how creepy the dolls in my room looked. Not just a scared little kid thing- a literal, mature, full blown anxiety attack.

[Alecia6]

On and off since I was 14. I have long bouts of it being gone altogether, but as well..long bouts of it being difficult to deal with.
I wish I knew what I did differently to have the anxiety gone for long periods, but even after all this time, there isn't anything I can put my finger on.

[jay8510]

Does everyone here have it every single day for years? I usually get anxiety for a few weeks and it goes away for a year or like an idiot I go off my meds and it comes back. But mine usually lasts a few weeks and goes away for a long time and than creeps back. I don't know if I had anxiety EVERY SINGLE DAY for years straight if I could survive. My symptoms have been back for almost 2 weeks and I am so exhausted all day.

Hi, Jay.

Yes, some of us are unfortunate enough to have anxiety everyday. I myself have had anxiety everyday for 7 years or more now. It does have it's low points and it's high points of intensity but it never properly goes away for me. I am constantly exhausted and on edge.

It's good that you have some time per year to relax bud. I wish I could have a day with no anxiety. I honestly cannot remember a day without it.

Are you on medication?