Hi, I am newly diagnosed (just this week) and have suffered from general anxiety for quite a few years now. I would like to know if there are others out there suffering the same thing? My anxiety is bad at the moment after starting the medication etc. and imagining every little twinge is something really bad.

Thanks.

Thank you Zena_Mary,

I am just very grateful for this forum and being able to share things that we all seem to understand.

I am so glad the nights are getting lighter and from that point of view there is light at the end of the tunnel as the winter nights are so long and seem to go on forever.

Roll on the summer.........

Lisamcb

Thank you Louisa

As you know you can feel pretty isolated and only others who have been through the same thing know what you are feeling.

I am heading to my youngest son's assembly later on today and am so looking forward to it.

Lisamcb xx

Thank you Louisa

The assembly was brilliant - they put such a lot of work into it and it was actually all about sleep.

I have had a better day today for some reason - just wish I could feel this positive and optimistic all the time.

I don't take anything for my anxiety so it can cause real demons in my mind.

Thank you for your post - it will lovely to keep in touch.

Lisambc xx

Hi Everyone

I'm not sure if it's the chicken or egg syndrome but I've found as I've got older, or is it since I've had RA, that my anxious nature has become more extreme. I did go to the doctor years ago about my feeling of despondency at times and she asked me if I did more then than I did at 30. The answer was of course yes. I now find at 67 that I have a mother of 92 who depends on me for shopping, banking, everything in fact. I also have a son of 39 with severe OCD who has hardly been out since before Christmas. He's finally agreed to start medication and there is a glimmer of improvement. My husband doesn't understand the condition so sometimes I feel I live in a battle zone.

I do get down often and feel overwhelmed but then I think that I am entitled to feel this way and perhaps I would be odd if I didn't. The best antidepressant we have is our 10 month old granddaughter so thank goodness for her. We see her and my daughter and son-in-law often so we are lucky in that respect.

I worry about my mother and my son but I keep telling myself that I can't fix everyone's life. In fact, all I'm doing is ruining my own. My friend's daughter once said to her that her brain would wear her out. How true is that for many of us. One thing that really annoys me though is that my mother tells everyone that she's got less wrong with her than I have!!! Unfortunately for me it's true.

The hardest thing I'm finding is that I feel isolated with my feeling as so many of you do I'm sure. If I voice them it sounds like I'm moaning and friends and family just don't want to hear. Nothing's going to change in the near future but it's nice to have a moan occasionally so thanks for 'listening'.

Keep well - Brenda

Hi Zena

Thanks for the reply. My son has battled with OCD since his teens. People thinks it's just a condition where people are obsessive cleaners or have to line up their possessions in a certain order but it's far worse than that. The World Health Oranisation list it in their Top 10 of debilitating conditions as it stops the person reaching their full potential. My son has two Degrees and a Masters so realistically he's intelligent enough to know when something isn't logical. Unfortunately, that's not the case with OCD and he's been diagnosed with a Severe form. Anyway the tablets do seem to be helping and he's looking much better. Perhaps he will soon be able to start getting on with his life again.

Barry and I went to the Manet exhibition at the Royal Academy this afternoon and we really enjoyed it. It was well worth visiting and I do feel better for the break. It's my son's birthday tomorrow and he's actually agreed to have a haircut before we go out with us and my daughter's family for dinner. A few weeks he wouldn't have done this so long may the improvement last.

Off to bed soon as my hips are really aching - love Brenda