Living with and managing generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Living with generalised anxiety disorder can be all-consuming, but with the correct treatment and support, it can be managed. Yolanda Hall (34) explains how she copes.

Imagine feeling so anxious that you cannot leave your home. Imagine feeling too overwhelmed to be around other people. This is what first started happening to conservation biologist Yolanda Hall during her student days.

Journey to diagnosis

Yolanda’s university years were challenging, and she was constantly stressed and overwhelmed. But it was only when she began experiencing panic attacks that she knew she needed professional help. She went to see a psychologist and psychiatrist, who diagnosed her with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). “Getting diagnosed was bittersweet, as in one sense I was relieved that I could point to a condition to explain why I am the way I am, but it also meant this was something I’d always struggle with.” GAD is a lifelong mental health condition rather than just simple worry that can be overcome by positive thinking, she explains.

Generalised anxiety disorder treatment

Yolanda is on medication to treat her anxiety. She also sees a therapist biweekly, a psychiatrist every month and attends a support group once a week. “I worry about anything and everything and therapy is a safe space to face those worries and talk through them,” she says. Besides learning the skills needed to reduce her anxiety, she has taken a lot more from her therapy sessions. “Therapy has taught me to be kind to myself and to be aware that I'm not alone in my struggles,” she says. “I’ve realised that I shouldn’t be ashamed to voice my concerns and have honest conversations about how I’m feeling, especially when I’m overwhelmed with anxiety.”

Daily challenges

For Yolanda, living with GAD is a daily challenge. She’s anxious about most things and constantly finds herself overthinking and second-guessing her decisions. Everyday activities, like going to the grocery store, are overwhelming because she’s forced to interact with other people. But Yolanda knows she must do these things, so she pushes through her anxiety and tries to live a normal life. “I have to challenge my anxiety regularly, otherwise I'd never leave the house,” she says.

As she works in an open-plan office, she’s again forced to interact with other people, which triggers her anxiety. “At work I just push through and stand by my choices to keep things moving.”

Because of this chronic anxiety, Yolanda is aware that she tends to cancel social arrangements at the last minute. That’s why she chooses to surround herself with people who understand and are compassionate – and that includes her husband, whom she met when they were students. “He’s been my rock,” she says. “My friends also know that if I cancel plans to go out or don’t attend a birthday party, it’s nothing personal.”

Self-discovery and growth

Through psychotherapy and participation in her support group, Yolanda says she’s learnt self-acceptance and how to be kinder to herself. She can also empathise with people who have mental health issues and direct them to where they too can find support. “Getting help has made all the difference for me,” she says.

Mediclinic is prioritising mental wellbeing by making mental health services more accessible to the broader community. We have dedicated mental health units in Welkom, George, Newcastle, Pretoria, Legae, and Cape Town. Smaller in-hospital care options also exist within some of the acute facilities.