Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: marge on April 17, 2018, 02:37:17 PM
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Is anxiety an illness like clinical depression, that you are predisposed to, or do we bring it on ourselves with worrying about health/circumstances/family etc.
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It can be both. Any one can get it, due to life circumstances, but some people are more prone. One of my sons has 'general anxiety disorder'. He first has symptoms in his mid teens. Luckily most of us only have it for certain periods of time, or if very lucky, not at all.
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It is an illness. Clinical depression is caused by situations that people find they can't alter. Organic depression is when the brain doesn't get the correct chemicals to keep it 'happy' and healthy. I have both.
I have never subscribed to the 'pre-disposed' idea. Similar to nature or nurture as to how people turn out.
I had my first panic attack at the age of 3. Something happened to me shortly after birth that triggered a certain response which I have never 'grown' out of as it's engrained. Anxiety is a natural response to danger, i.e. fight/flight but knowing that doesn't help any when it strikes me.
Worry for me it totally different but can trigger anxiety.
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Why did you stop if it was suiting you, if you had diabetes you would keep on the with medication ::)
My gut is the first place anxiety strikes :'(
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So you could manage? I found over the years that if I stopped an AD if I re-started the same, it never worked :-\.
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I think that pre-disposition plays some part in anxiety and depression. Both conditions can also be brought on or worsened by life events. The main thing is that both can be managed through a range of different things- lifestyle, self care, meditation, medication, talking therapies, etc. Different things work for different people.