eGADs

Today I'd like to continue our discussion from last time, about the hamster on the rat-wheel (why do they call them rat-wheels anyway?) in her brain.

Nellie is part of a group of online moms from her home state. There are maybe twenty of them or so, about 15 who are really active members. And when I say active, I mean it. Their online forum posts easily 4,000+ messages in a month!!

At any rate, while she hasn't been explicit about revealing my new 'role' in her life to these friends, she does share most other things with them. She told them today about the discussion with her daughter and one of the members suggested it was an anxiety disorder, not just simple 'worry'.

That is logical, and thanks to the internet, she just punched in a few key words & in moments was at Mayo Clinic's website reading up on generalized anxiety disorder. The following was what I found most personally interesting:

Certain factors that may increase your risk of developing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) include:

• Childhood adversity. Children who endured hardships or adversity, including witnessing traumatic events, are at higher risk.
• Illness. Having a serious illness, such as cancer, can make you anxious. Worrying about the future, your treatment and your finances can become excessive and overwhelming.
• Stress. A buildup of stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety. For example, having a physical illness, along with the stress of missing work or losing pay, may combine to cause generalized anxiety disorder.
• Personality. People with some personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders. People with unmet psychological needs, such as having a close relationship that isn't fulfilling, may feel less secure and may be more at risk of generalized anxiety disorder. In addition, some personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, also may be associated with generalized anxiety disorder.
• Genetics. Some evidence suggests that generalized anxiety disorder has a genetic component that causes it to run in families.

Other than being a relatively free of major illnesses during her life, Nellie pretty much has all the other points to consider.

Her early childhood was most traumatic and stressful, as were her teen years with the foster parents from religious-hell! Go from that to her traumatic first marriage where she was continuously put down and told she was a bad wife and mother and even threatened physically, and I think you could say she's had her share of lifetime trauma and stress.

Check out the bullet called 'personality'... people with unmet psychological needs, such as having a close relationship that isn't fulfilling, may feel less secure and may be more at risk of generalized anxiety disorder.

What was it I was saying not too long ago about Nellie being 'lonely in love'? I think that would definitely qualify as an unmet psychological need.

And genetics, well, we've already covered that base. There's plenty of evidence that a genetic tendency towards worry and anxiety is there.

I'm still working on her to put in that call to her doctor & just see what they say. In the past (during her divorce from aforementioned domestic abuser of a husband) she'd spent a good long time in psycho therapy working on cognitive behavioral modification. It was very helpful to her and perhaps that's the avenue she should seek now.

Oh, but that requires....money... and with the construction costs soaring way out of control, finances are a major stress. So she thinks that she shouldn't go causing MORE financial stress by seeking help.

Logical on one hand, Nellie, but come on now, you know it's necessary!

As for dieting, I just do not see how Nellie is going to even so much as cut back right now. Her eating this week has been pretty disastrous. As in disastrous. As in an entire pint. By herself. In one sitting. What?? Well, just a bit of BnJ's!

Tsk Tsk...