Generalized Anxiety Disorder...?

Let's see... I'm fourteen, and at about twelve I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and got prescribed Zoloft. At this point in time, the Zoloft has stopped working, and this "plague" is taking over my life. Even though my panic attacks are gone, I'm seemingly constantly worried. It's hard for me to be alone because I know that it'll be harder to cope with what I've got. Every little thing about my body is beginning to scare me. I can't sleep at night unless it's really late and I can't take it anymore. I've even been reduced to crying to myself for no apparent reason. My life is at a downward spiral it seems, and I don't think that a teenager should have to deal with this. The reasons I ask is for suggestions from people with it on how to deal, and I'd like to know that I'm not alone, because recently I don't think that very many people have this horrible condition. Thanks for reading anyway...

You are not alone. The anxiety that you feel is more common than you know. The problem that you have cannot be solved by psychiatry and psychoactive medications. They can only provide temporary and intermittent reductions in anxiety. The anxiety is not your problem, it is a symptom of your problem. You are anxious because the world is puzzling and strange to you. You believe that the world and it's people are or should be certain a way, but you do not see very much evidence that supports your belief. You wish for people and situations to be different, but see little way of affecting a change. Until you are willing to admit that everything you believe about the world, your place in it, it's people and their actions may be wrong, and seek the truth about all those things, your anxiety will continue to increase. Ask yourself, "Who or what created all this?", and "What is my relationship to this creative power?"

Hi your not alone ! I know how you feel because I grew up with feeling anxiety and also feeling omniscient to my body. This only really affected me when I was 10 and up to today I still feel as if i am imprisoned and it's so horrible that I even do cry and I would have periods when I feel so very hyper and happy 10 minutes and the next 10 minutes I would be crying- sounds crazy right?
I know you have heard this and you may be tired of hearing it - you have to fight hard and not let this problem take over your life - resort to ways of distracting your mind , may be you can paint out what you are feeling!
Contact me if you would like to at my online hot line if you wish to speak to me further.
ladyxhotline@hotmail.com
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the hotlines are not my personal emails

See anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris on pages 6, 3, 8, and practise daily, and when needed, one of the relaxation methods on page 2; read that page, and www.drugs.com I'd taper off it's use, with medical advice, and use those methods, and try the EFT.

Life in the pre-teen to early teenage years are the toughest years I can remember. I was undiagnosed for some 10 to 15 years, starting when you did. Finally, here I am at 42, and I can tell you CAN do it. Its all about day by day, and trying to keep things in perspective. It might be a few years before you start to take yourself a little less seriously - takes a bit more maturity.
As for the Zoloft - its been my saviour for the past 8 or 9 years. Yes, anxiety does break through from time to time. I've tried coming off a couple of times, and believe me, you might not believe just how "good" you feel right now until after you've washed out. Be careful thinking the meds aren't working. You might need a dose adjustment or an other agent in the same or different class of drugs. Relaxation therapy is a great idea too. But I dare say that people who think relaxation is a cure-all probably don't suffer biochemically as your brain just might.
Bottom line - hang in there and keep fighting!

You are not alone. Talk to your Dr. about this. Maybe your meds. need adjusted. I have dealt with what you are going through but suffered alone for a long time. I was to ashamed to admit I had a problem. I admire you for looking for answers. One thing that has helped me is prayer. Another thing that helps is finding some positive things I really like to do and doing it everyday to have something to look forward to and get my mind off worries for a little while. It helps me (and some others I've talked to) to limit exposure to news, movies and shows that cause a lot of anxiety. I'm not saying shut yourself off from the world, but there is a limit to how much bad news and violence our brains can handle! Focusing on others a lot more than myself helps. It is
hard not to turn inward when you are so anxious all the time but trying to look around and being interested in other people really makes a difference. Just don't give up.

You definitely need to keep your doctor informed and tell him/her everything about your emotions and physical feelings. Also about situations surrounding you. It can be surprising what things are symptoms of a psych problem such as severe depression. Your doctor can help you adjust current meds or add or change meds. Keep in close touch with the doctor until you are for sure stabilized on meds that work for you. There is no sense in being so miserable for so long.
Yes, there are lots of things to do to feel better, but in your severe situation you need the medical support in order to get well enough to do those things!! Exercise, eating right, finding positive activities, taking good care of yourself - you can't do these things when you are so sick and of course you get sicker if you don't do them!! So get to your doctor, now!
I saw your question listed under my group for people who have anxiety disorders. It includes members with everything from depression to some extreme psych situations. We all help one another and there's lots of great advice here. Some of our members also belong to other good yahoo groups that they are happy to refer to. We are mostly adults in our group but young people are for sure welcome here. I'm putting the link in the source space so hopefully it will show up there.
Take care and hang on.
Becky