If you’ve ever felt like anxiety was quietly running the show behind the scenes of your life, you’re not alone. I remember thinking I just had “regular stress” until years later I discovered something deeper was at play. What I thought was generalized anxiety turned out to be trauma-related. The difference? It’s more significant than…
There’s something uniquely terrifying about walking into a crowded room alone—especially when it feels like everyone else already knows someone. I used to come up with the most creative excuses just to dodge those situations. It’s not that I don’t like people. I do. But the idea of navigating small talk, wandering aimlessly looking for…
Most of us have irrational fears from time to time—those sudden jolts of anxiety that make no sense but feel incredibly real. For people living with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), these fears aren’t occasional—they’re part of the daily grind. I remember lying awake at 2 a.m. convinced I’d forgotten to lock the front door (I…
If you’ve ever found yourself panicking in a crowded elevator or avoiding small rooms with no windows, you’ve likely asked yourself: is this claustrophobia or anxiety—or both? I used to confuse the two all the time. What started as a mild discomfort in tight spaces spiraled into full-blown anxiety attacks in places I wouldn’t have…
Ever find yourself lying awake at night, your mind racing through every worst-case scenario imaginable? Yeah, me too. That relentless loop of “what ifs” and overanalyzing every small decision—it’s exhausting. If you’ve ever felt like your brain has no off-switch, chances are you’re tangled up in the messy web of overthinking and generalized anxiety. And…
When I was first prescribed buspirone for my generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), I’ll admit—I was skeptical. I’d heard of SSRIs, maybe even benzodiazepines, but buspirone? It didn’t ring any bells. The name sounded like a bus stop, not a medication. But I was desperate for something that wouldn’t make me feel like a zombie or…
The first time a therapist slid a paper across the table and said, “Let’s start with this,” I stared at it like it was a pop quiz I hadn’t studied for. It was the GAD-7 questionnaire. I had no clue what it meant or how answering a few questions could possibly sum up the tangled…
I’ll be honest—when my doctor first mentioned SSRIs for anxiety, I had no idea what to think. Part of me felt relief because I finally had a name for what I’d been going through. But the other part? Full of questions. Would they change my personality? Would I be dependent on them forever? Would they…
I used to think anxiety was just nervous energy—like being a little tense before a presentation or jittery during turbulence on a flight. But over time, I realized that what I was experiencing wasn’t just nerves. It was anxiety on a deeper level, the kind that starts to interfere with daily life, relationships, even decisions…