Lived Experience Forum

[Former-Member]

I'm new here, 44 year old female, and was officially diagnosed having generalised anxiety disorder and premenstrual disphoric disorder September 2013 and been ongoing since then but worse now that it's 10 years since last it started.

Doctor suggested I come here to talk with other people but don't know if there's a particular forum here for my conditions or just a general forum to get started talking.

[RiverSeal]

Hey @Former-Member 

Thank you for posting here on the Forums and sharing about yourself!

There are some threads you might like to try out posting in such as Our stories & Somethings not right. And just have a good look around and read some of what has been going on lately. The Forums are a community of peers supporting and getting to know each other here online.

Welcome, and thanks again for sharing!

Take care

RiverSeal

[Krishna]

Hi @Former-Member and welcome to the forum. Anxiety I can relate to but PDD can’t say I can, to any great extent anyway. Coincidentally by Generalised Anxiety Disorder kicked in 10 years ago with peri menopause and has been a long long road since. It’s certainly more common than I realised and some days, with tools I’ve picked up along the way, are manageable and then other days a complete mess. How are you managing so far?

[Boppa]

Welcome and thanks for sharing with us.

As a fella I don't know much about PDD but as a 50+ year old man living with CPTSD I know a lot about living with anxiety.

I have been through various types of medication and therapy. I prefer therapy. The best therapy I have experienced is what I currently do why my psychologist and it's called Internal Family Systems. If you want to understand what it is, there is a book "No Bad Parts" by Richard Schwartz or you can look up his videos on YouTube.

Another good book that I'm actually reading right now is "Feeling Great" by David D Burns, it is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and is really a self help book. If you follow the exercises and practices in the book, I have found them to have an immediate positive impact on my anxiety and pessimistic outlook.

I hope these ideas help a little and that you can find your good place again soon, take care.

[Former-Member]

Content/trigger warning

I have Generalised Anxiety Disorder not just Anxiety. PDD? I have PMDD - Premenstrual Disphoric Disorder. It's a much more severe form of PMS yet I feel like I'm losing my mind and having suicidal thoughts in the lead up to my period. Before all this started 10 years ago, my period wouldn't turn up until day 40 or 45 so from expecting it due from day 28, I went through the PMDD until period eventually turned up. Long wait time. Saw a Gyno, put me on an Oral Contraceptive Pill to regulate my cycle. Been on that for 10 years now but feel like it's not helping with the PMDD anymore. Don't know if maybe being 44 I'm Perimenopausal as Gyno can't test while I'm on the contraceptive. Doc even put me on antidepressant tabs 10 years ago. Had Insomnia day and night and tremors down my left arm and both legs. Stopped antidepressant after 4 days advised by doc. Everything that happened 10 years ago started up again September 2023. Doc put me on a type of benzo. Super sleepy but tripping over, falling over, forgetful during day, yet slept well at night. Doc said stop in case you call and get seriously hurt. Then was put on another antidepressant. Was on that for 10 days. Insomnia day and night, tremors in left arm and both legs. Was taken by ambulance in early hours of a Sunday morning a little over a week ago. Gave me more of the meds over a couple hours. Didn't stop tremors. Psych Registrar said stop med and antidepressant and started me on Sleeping pill each night. Been on those since 3rd Oct. Can get a full night sleep but tired during the day and grumpy late afternoon. Have an upcoming doc appointment next week but scared he will stop giving them to me. I have nothing else since the antidepressants haven't worked now or in the past.

[Former-Member]

Tried Cognitive Behavioural Therapy 10 years ago with a psychologist for the standard free sessions. Didn't work for me. She was like try being this way or try being that way. Try talking to your relatives you live with but they won't and never will adjust their ways. One is an elderly parent who is a Qanon addict, an anti government, anti vaxxer, anti 5G, whereas I have no issues with any of these topics. The other, older sibling, who has intellectual disability, adult autism, and possible, not diagnosed adult ADHD. Feel like at times I am nomal yet they are both not normal yet I have mental health and female reproductive issues.