I have been suffering with general anxiety disorder (GAD) for almost 20 years now. The worst thing that I have found is "doing nothing at all." One of the things that has really helped me has been physical exercise, namely running. If I am able to put in about 20 miles per week, that significantly reduces my anxiety. A relatively low dose of Clonazepam at bedtime has dramatically increased my ability to sleep. Although I have read many books on anxiety, and gone through the "Attacking Anxiety and Depression" series, the relatively new therapy called ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) is a very effective general approach to relieving some of my avoidance tendencies and not letting anxiety interfere with general life. Finally, deepening a spiritual walk of life through meditation and prayer has helped heal some of my past stressors. My experience with anxiety has been that there are both biochemical and environmental aspects to this problem, but it can be managed with some mindful awareness. People who have known me for years say that I am much more "laid back" than I have been in the past. It is "work," but the payoff in living a joyous, effective life has been worth the energy. Published: August 27 ::

I was the sole caregiver for both my parents and have had severe anxiety and depression since they passed away. I have had so many physical symptoms including mental confusion; thinking I was having a heart attack; headaches; pain and muscle spasms in my back, neck, shoulders, chest and arms; indigestion including almost constant burping, insomnia, and more. My doctor recognized the symptoms and prescribed Xanax and Lexapro plus lots of prayer and exercise. It rarely goes completely away, and my whole life is affected by it, but I manage to do the things that have to be done daily. Published: October 12 ::

I alternated back and forth with Xanax, Ativan and Klonopin for more than 20 years and was able to function. These drugs gave me a life. I now have no health insurance and am pretty much a miserable hermit. I tried the SSRI drugs, and they only made me mentally sluggish and confused. Published: August 27 ::