Life is not meant to be spent in so much worry. What are your interests? What were your interests? One of my longtime interests is music. Do you like music? I think it is so good for the soul.

I can totally relate. Just sayin

It's just a general
Unease that's always there. I get it. I hear you.

Have you tried medication? I also have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Medication took the edge off for me. Allowing me to get something out of my therapy. Also meditation, mindfulness. It took years to get where I am today.
And its no where near normal. But I can live. There are also books on calming your anxious mind that might help. Good Luck.

i started buspar a week ago. it's helping ZERO (so far). I've now added kava, which helps a little. I watch videos about GAD, mindfulness techniques, breathing, EMDR, DBT, EFT. I think i'm overloaded on all of that and don't know which one to settle on. I'm so anxious I don't have the patience to try things for very long.

My body is in the worst cycle right now, The adrenaline pumping makes it all worse, then i get nervous without thinking my thoughts, then i start thinking all my OMG WHAT IF... and it spirals from there. Two nights ago i had chest pains so bad I was dialing 911, but then they subsided, so I didn't call. The idea of going to the hospital was terrifying too.

This shitty episode has to pass.... eventually, right? I mean, nothing lasts forever, even when we want it to, so this will pass. Yeah, it has to.

It takes time for medicine to work. And you aren't going to get full benefit from
A low dose. Which you have to start out with. Then increase the dose slowly.
Does music or nature calm you any? Bubble bath, reading fiction? I would try anything that is calming. And do it over and over. Years ago I was having extreme stress and anxiety about and because of my mother. Played my favorite CD. Several times a day. Every day. Held onto a stuffed animal and cried also.

I awake with anxiety. Mornings are the worst. I also have worst case scenario thoughts all the time. So I know exactly how you feel.
I did end up starting medication. On an antidepressant and I have anti anxiety meds. But they don’t solve problems just take the edge off.
Best to you because I know how it feels.
I blow everything out of proportion.

Thank you all for your comments. My anxiety is still really bad today, but i'm not sharing it with my boyfriend anymore. He can't handle it. I feel like he thinks of walking away when I have my episodes. Some people only like it when things are ok. And he's got his baggage too, which is (obviously) lack of empathy, among other things. It makes it so much harder to live a life with a person you can't open up to, so I just thank God for all the people here, who obviously get it, AND care. I'm truly grateful for you wonderful people.

one of my more effective therapists put those adrenaline put those adrenaline surges in league with use of methamphetamines. she insisted that they linger in the system for a while before your metabolism fully returns to normal. in my particular case, i had been in hypervigilant mode for enough years to qualify as an adrenaline junkie. i had to field withdrawal symptoms in addition to the "normal" adrenaline effects.

vigorous physical workouts and a detox diet remain my frontline tools for dealing with the phenom. once i am hit with that first shot of adrenaline, i don't expect myself to be fully functional for two or three days. i can typically keep my life on track, but i am a few fries short of a happy meal until i get that adrenaline out of my system.

but that is me and every case is unique. . .

gentle support while you sort your own case, storm.

The best thing I found was practicing acceptance. We get into habitual emotional responses. Acceptance helps greatly. I too have GAD, which is basically multiple manifestations.

"Worry about the worst case scenario in almost every situation"
That's exactly how I described it to my therapist, today.
And it is, as you said, extremely exhausting.
Some days ago someone said "you are living in extra hard legendary mode", it is like it.

Your loved ones may not understand how it feels like, I don't think it's their fault ... It's hard to imagine how it is to live with this brain. They will try to advise you on what could help you relax based on their experience.

But at this point when it exhausts us to our core, as much as I hate to admit, the way out is finding the right medication.
And I know, it works. It made me be functional for several years.
Now, some years later, as much as I try the coping strategies I learned... they are not enough.

They do help though and things like "having 3 achievable objectives for the day (e.g exercising 15 minutes, eating healthy, do some cleaning) can get you through the day feeling better.

I am also a GAD Disorder everyday I am aware of my everything and never not Anxious! I use to have panic attacks ugh so awful I believe everyone should experience those to understand. No one will understand what a day is like unless you live it. I've had every symptom. Many heart attacks all the What if it's this or that? The best advise I can share with you my experience stop giving the fear your power. You have to change your thoughts when your suffering. I start cleaning and put music on distraction....I promise lil by lil that horrible load will lighten. It will always return with stress but if you can practice not paying attention it wont last as long.....Hugs to you sista:)

At least we all have Empathy for each other because we know what it feels like. I just try to focus on each day.

I think there's two scenarios that should be distinguished. First, there are people who believe bad things will really happen. Secondly, there are people who get periodic bad thoughts but seem to be able to distinguish real from far-fetched though bad thoughts still come in. It seems like you're in this category.

Then I think you try to keep yourself reasonably busy.. I gave a family member with some serious anxiety issues a job and she's doing better. Because the job has significant challenges, she spends several hours a day working on dealing with problems, and she's a little tired at the end of the day. Likewise exercise tends to make you feel better. That's why it turns out that older people with a lot of time on their hands, tend to worry more than others.

That is very true . My anxiety was always manageable . When I retired , it has gotten worse . Diagnosed with
GAD .