Can anxiety last for a year?

[sicknote123]

I've been suffering pretty much the same symptoms for a year now: heart palpatations (atrial ectopic beats), random pains in chest and abdomen, body vibrations, random muscle twitching, restless legs, muscle soreness, tiredness all the time, wake up feeling more tired than when I went to bed, plus many more.  Initial diagnosis was stress and anxiety.  The only thing making me stressed was my symptoms!!  Then I got depressed because I really thought something was terribly wrong (despite medical reassurance) and I was being mis-diagnosed.  Was put on various anti-depressants.  Went to see a clinical psychologist for 'talking therapy'.  Have tried supplements, acupuncture, meditation and massage.  Trying to maintain a reasonable exercise regime (jogging, golf, Wii fit) although tricky due to tiredness.  Had three months off work, but back now full-time and soldiering on despite feeling fairly pants most days.  Thought for ages that I must have ME or MS or something worse.  Hard to accept that all this is just 'anxiety' or 'psychosomatic'.  I really am trying very hard to lead a normal life, but the symptoms just won't go away.  Quite often I don't even feel 'anxious' i.e. no panic attacks, no hyperventilation etc.  Can this really be 'anxiety' or is that what docs say when they don't really know what is wrong?

[Jikan]

Namaste,

Unfortunately, anxiety and a variety of other psychological disorder can last a lifetime and can produce physiological symptoms which mimic those of  various conditions.

That said, there is hope. With proper treatment, which may include use of medication(s) and or adjunct therapy, anxiety and other psychological disorders can be controlled in most individuals to such a point that that person is functional in todays' society.

To look at me or speak with me you wouldn't know that I suffer from a multitude of psychological disorders and although to you I look "normal" I'm torn up inside trying to deal with maintaining a conversation or controlling my shakes.

Successful treatment does not come with sacrifice. That sacrifice being time. It has taken me over 6 years to fet to where I am today and I'm still not "normal" by societal standards and never will be, but my symptoms are somewhat under control.

This was achieved only after years of trying various medications and combinations thereof in addition to some adjunct therapy, such as "talk therapy", meditation, tai chi, proper diet, etc.

Time is subjective. You choose how to live your life and do have control of what you do to improve your quality of life.

Eventually, if you keep trying you'll find the proper treatment plan that works best for you.

"The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration." Confucuis

Good luck!

Michael(Jikan)

[stacey555]

Hey you had mentioned in another post about ssris being toxic I believe, do you really think they are that bad?  The reason Im asking is because I have been taking cymbalta and it is helping so much but I feel like I look horrible.  Like maybe I cant metabolize it or something.  My face is very puffy I dont sleep well and I just look tired.

[fuzzy882]

I have to say in my situation,that my anxiety stayed around as long as I let it, entertained it, fought it.  I have to totally agree with Jikan, this is not something that will come overnight nor will it come without sacrifice. But eventually, as long as your working on it, it will come to you.

Don't give up...

[JSGeare]

Look at it this way:

Anxiety, panic, agoraphobia and all the other wonderful syndromes that pal around together are not like a cold virus, a broken leg, the flu or a mosquito bite. That is, they don't come from somehwre outside, they are not germs, not accidents.

They are entirely the work of your own brain. And so, to ask if it can last for a year or a life or any particular time period is sort of like asking if breathing is a permanent condition. Your brain will continue to serve up anxiety and panic until it doesn't need to do so any more. And so, to put a stop to it, you've got to change what's in the brain. And that usually means therapy and often some medication. A kind of psychic surgery, as it were, with YOU being he surgeon.

Hope that helps.