Lets all be anxious/depressed together.

Lightbulb Sun

Making some poor and strange decisions lately.

Bought a ticket for a concert with musicians that I like the other week. The gig was on tonight and I didn't even bother going.

I think I've thrown in the towel at college...again. I don't know why I'm thinking this way, the situation isn't even what you could call stressful. I'm ruining my life.

kryptonmight

Lightbulb Sun wrote: »

Making some poor and strange decisions lately.

Bought a ticket for a concert with musicians that I like the other week. The gig was on tonight and I didn't even bother going.

I think I've thrown in the towel at college...again. I don't know why I'm thinking this way, the situation isn't even what you could call stressful. I'm ruining my life.

I've done that before quite a few times with concerts and I've even done it with holidays I had booked. I just didn't bother going and wasted the money and felt like an idiot for doing so.

I'm very unsure about things like concerts and nights out in general and I am always super reluctant to commit to anything. Nowadays when I go to buy tickets I ask myself if I really want to go, and will I just be stalling on the day and not want to go. So i usually only buy tickets for the two or three artists I really like but even then, on the day I often think about not going and I really have to talk myself into it. It happened again just before Christmas but I managed to make myself go. I usually just try to imagine what I will feel like if i don't go, wasting money, reading reviews about how good it was etc.

But again, i only buy tickets for artists I really like. If I'm iffy or 50/50, i don't bother. I find it hard enough to make myself go to things i really like, nevermind something I'm just a bit curious about. An example was Garth Brooks. I thought about buying a ticket for that but I am not a huge fan and i knew when the time came, i just wouldn't want to go, so I didn't buy one.

I think sometimes the thrill is buying the thing in the first place, rather than the seemingly Herculean effort required to actually go when the time comes.

chicki

Good morning all, is there room for one more? Though technically I am still in the process of being diagnosed.

I had been on Cipramil/Citalopral 20mg from January till two weeks ago. It was my second time to attempt using this medication having been prescribed same for depression in January 2013. First time round I lasted 5 months on it before I decided to come off myself I weaned off rather than cold turkey, subsequently I went on to have what my GP suspects now was an episode of mania/hypomania.

After crashing in December 2013 and hitting an all time low I worked up the courage to go back to my GP in January and commenced another course of cipramil again for depression. That month was the worst I've ever experienced and I thought December was bad. I missed almost the entire month of January from work as the medication was unbearable,side effects together with an overwhelming debilitation and utter inability to function mixed with anxiety (which i never had before) made working impossible. I was referred to occupational health who identified that my behavior and what I was feeling and describing was similar to that of someone diagnosed with Bipolar.

My own GP agreed with the suspicions of the occupational health physician and she took me off cipramil. I've been off it two weeks today (first week was weaning).

I have been prescribed seroquel for the interim while I await an appointment with a psychiatrist. I've not yet started the medication as I am quite nervous about it.

The One Doctor

Deleted User wrote: »

Sorry I haven't posted in a while.

Does anyone have any experience on how long the side effects of Prozac last? I'm only on 10mg of liquid for the past week but the dizziness hit me straight away and the whole road was spinning while I was on the bus home today. I've also been feeling nauseous for the first time today, and I've had nosebleeds since I started taking the medication.

I know the effects change for every person, but on average should this go away in 1 or 2 more weeks? I'm trying to study for my Leaving Cert.

Prozac can take a week or two to get used to if you're taking it for the first time. I found that Lucozade really helps people's stomach. The dizziness will stop soon.

winterwonder wrote: »

Does anyone ever feel numb, just not being able to cry or have any emotion left? It's just an empty hollow feeling, spent the last 4 days in bed just numb with depression, never felt like this before

I know it's been said before, but staying in bed does not help resolve these kinds of feelings. Make the (sometimes huge) effort to get out the door, you'll feel much better, I promise.

Killer_banana wrote: »

Yup, only in recent months starting feeling low. Before that I always felt numb and like I'd never feel happy again.

Decided to go on the trip. If worst comes to worse I'll just get an early bus home.

Good for you, you'll enjoy it. DOing something slightly different always help, and going somewhere different is even better.

Lightbulb Sun wrote: »

Making some poor and strange decisions lately.

Bought a ticket for a concert with musicians that I like the other week. The gig was on tonight and I didn't even bother going.

I think I've thrown in the towel at college...again. I don't know why I'm thinking this way, the situation isn't even what you could call stressful. I'm ruining my life.

Nah, you're not ruining anything, but it is sometimes hard to take the long term view. Talk to someone understanding to get some perspective.

chicki wrote: »

Good morning all, is there room for one more? Though technically I am still in the process of being diagnosed.

I had been on Cipramil/Citalopral 20mg from January till a two weeks ago. It was my second time to attempt using this medication having been prescribed same for depression in January 2013. First time round I lasted 5 months on it before I decided to come off myself I weaned off rather than cold turkey, subsequently I went on to have what my GP suspects now was an episode of mania/hypomania.

After crashing in December 2013 and hitting an all time low I worked up the courage to go back to my GP in January and commenced another course of cipramil again for depression. That month was the worst I've ever experienced and I thought December was bad. I missed almost the entire month of January from work as the medication was unbearable,side effects together with an overwhelming debilitation and utter inability to function mixed with anxiety (which i never had before) made working impossible. I was referred to occupational health who identified that my behavior and what I was feeling and describing was similar to that of someone diagnosed with Bipolar.

My own GP agreed with the suspicions of the occupational health physician and she took me off cipramil. I've been off it two weeks today (first week was weaning).

I have been prescribed seroquel for the interim while I await an appointment with a psychiatrist. I've not yet started the medication as I am quite nervous about it.

Everyone's an individual and sometimes finding the right chemical help can be a challenge. I have to say that Seroquel has a very good reputation so long as you give it a chance. Always remember that depression is a chemical imbalance, and sometimes trial and error is needed.

(Apologies for the brief responses, I've been very busy lately.)

A V A

as a kid i didnt really know any better or different but as i grew older and gained maturity with independence etc , things fell into place and became visible to me. I was full of sadness , guilt and anger, random bursts of emotion happened in unnecessary situations. Most times i use to cry as a kid and i thought it was just literally me just being a kid growing up and acting out but this was happening through out my teens and im now 23, this still happens but ever since i went to the doctor when i was 19 or so, the medication has started to have helped. I never liked when people tried to romanticize depression in general, everybody's different yes, but iv grown to know the difference between not being arsed to get out of bed and not actually being emotionally and physically able to get out of bed. This is something i like to keep to myself but without bottling things up, i have a mate that i talk to , that understands and knows whats going on with me , without having to say to much, we've seen each other grow up and we've alway been around each other, he knows me well. he's always been there for me without saying much , he stayed with me when i was a teen, when id drink and cry on the weekends after school when my girlfirend i was with since i was 14 broke up with me . Grew up in a house where no one spoke, fights blah blah blah etc as a kid you dont understand, i know now my dad has schizophrenia and a depression, that he was on and off his medication and during major parts of my childhood he didnt take his meds atall and turned to drink! I understand now , how to cope with this, he wasnt well and it was hard for him, he had help he chose to ignore and wouldnt take the advice/help from my mother, it tore my family apart, my brother ,mother and myself all took the blunt of it. im now old enough and mature enough to understand that there are people there to help and talk, it seems silly to people when your here that phrase "talk", but when you get the courage to do so, thats 12 steps forward (for me anyway). my dads back on his meds now and i want to move on, forgive him etc blah blah , but most important i want to learn from his mistakes that he never brought to light for me to know, i have people and advice that are there for me and im listening! it took me time to swallow my pride and cop on, one thing i want most in life is a family and a child i can show the fundamental things in life that is needed for a child to grow up , things i had to find out myself the hard way , and i never want a child to find them things out if its not from a parent!! Theres only so much a woman can show a child!!
So after the past few years in the doctors, i was diagnosed to have manic depression , which is a form of bi-polar disorder and to have a form of ocd regarding intrusive thoughts. Going to the hospital & doctor once a week has now been changed to once every 2 weeks but not separately , so thats much better :P so i must be progressing and thats great

this part of boards has always been on the corner of my mind and would be there in the corner of my eye to so id encourage anyone to talk it does help, but do it on your time , steps are important.

handbagmad

Trying to get the courage to go out. Nothing in the house haven't eatin since Sunday. Im so stupid scared to go to a fcuking shop,

LegacyUser

Hi everyone,

First time posting in this thread. I'm feeling really frustrated and undermined. I'm on 15mg Lexapro, I've been on it for a few years now. I see a counsellor every two weeks. Bit of background as to what is contributing to these feelings....

On Saturday, I went a different pharmacy to get my prescription filled. While I waited for my prescription, I could hear the pharmacist having a conversation with another person about their non-stick pan and someone using the wrong utensil on it. Eventually, the cashier hands me my prescription, I pay, go home, happy days.

I take the Lexapro just before I go to sleep. I opened the box, and noticed the pills were a different size to what I'm used to. I examined the box and noticed that they are the wrong dosage, 5mg. In fairness the 5mg and 15mg Lexapro boxes look pretty similar.

Every time(month) I get my prescription filled, I get 30 Lexapro tablets and 30 tablets of another drug (Aldactone). The Lexapro box comes with 28 tablets and the pharmacy insert two tablets into the box to make up the 30. Same with the Aldactone.

On Saturday night, after I opened up the box of Lexapro, I noticed that two inserted tablets were 15mg. Happy days, I had enough of the 15mg to get me through to Monday when the pharmacy would be open again.

Anyway, I also noticed that the pharmacy only gave me 28 tablets of Aldactone and also spelt my name wrong on the label. In summary, wrong dosage, mixture of dosages, incorrect spelling of my name and incorrect number of tablets.

So all in all I was feeling really angry on Saturday & Sunday. I talked to my family about it. They are of the opinion, "what does it matter if you miss a few pills" ,"What harm has been done, sure you spotted the error" "Why are you even on them, you seam fine to me" "You don't need them"

My family are very loving, supportive, we've been through a lot. However, my parents don't understand or agree with anti-depressants, they never usually voice their opinions about them. If I want to take them, that up to me etc. I suppose their lack of knowledge frustrates me.

I suppose I'm also really frustrated with them, because I felt that the pharmacist made a mistake and I was within my rights to make a complaint about it. While nothing bad happened because I spotted the error. It could have been worse. I understand people make mistakes, no body is perfect but the pharmacist clearly wasn't paying enough attention to what she was doing while having a conversation about frying pans.

My family are of the opinion, "People make mistakes, sure no harm was done, people are human" "Making a complaint is serious, you'd be messing with someone's life etc" "You never know what''s going on in their life etc etc"

Anyway, I went back to the pharmacy, got the correct dosage. Spoke to the manager, told her my concerns etc. I did ring the PSI, while they were happy to send me a complaint form. I had seconds thoughts and the kind lady just took a note of the incident.

I just feel so undermined, my family think I'm over-reacting and being un-reasonable. I'm finding it difficult to process. I don't think I over-reacted. Do you think I over reacted?

The One Doctor

handbagmad wrote: »

Trying to get the courage to go out. Nothing in the house haven't eatin since Sunday. Im so stupid scared to go to a fcuking shop,

Breathe and just notice your breathing as you realise that you actually need to go to the shops. You're hungrier then a hungry person at a barbeque. Walk to the shops (if that's an option) and relish the fresh air. Go into the shop, pick some stuff you love eating, pay and walk home, taking a longer route to savour that fresh air and exercise.

This will help, but there's one more thing (I've mentioned it before here, but it's always useful). Inside you head keep saying the mantra:

"Shut the fuck up Shut the fuck up Shut the fuck up Shut the fuck up Shut the fuck up Shut the fuck up ...."

Try it now while you're getting your coat on. Off you go.

(I mean no disrespect by any of the above, I just want you to get up and out. Being hungry is not good for your mood.)

handbagmad

Im just back waited till it got dark. I like ur shut the **** up idea. Pushed some of the negatives out was afraid I mite say it out loud in the shop though. Cigs and food got till Friday.

Thanks

Hugo Stiglitz

handbagmad wrote: »

Im just back waited till it got dark. I like ur shut the **** up idea. Pushed some of the negatives out was afraid I mite say it out loud in the shop though. Cigs and food got till Friday.

Thanks

So glad to hear that you got out Hangbagmad.

Chiquitita

+1

kryptonmight

Not really anxiety related but I ate too much for dinner and have been feeling sick for the last hour or more. Thankfully it finally seems to be going away but ugh, I've had it with this poor diet.

Certainly won't help my anxiety if I eat poorly. btw, if you suffer from anxiety, I suggest avoiding sugar and pretty much any and all processed food. Fruit is fine as the sugar in it is natural, but the rest is just asking for trouble. Stick to healthy, unprocessed natural food.

AulBiddy

My anxiety is flaring up again. I'm getting sharp pains in my stomach and my wolf biting habits are flaring up again. I'm wearing plasters on both of my thumbs because they're bleeding quite a bit
Just a general feeling of being low and lonely. My self esteem is getting lower by the day too. None of my friends at school know and just call me grumpy and pessimistic. I dread having to come in in case I have a panic attack in class and just having to communicate with people. I only go in because I know I need to get an education.
I feel like my problems are too petty to be discussed with someone and I should be happy with what I have. Then again I wish someone was trustworthy enough to know how I was feeling without jeering or gossiping.

I just needed to get that out.....

pinkstars

I am on Zispin too 30-mg at the moment

pinkstars

Can anybody help me.

What keeps happening is if I am at work etc and looking up the internet, having a fag etc, when I am concentrating I jump with a startle and sort of shake and want to scream out loud and feel as if my hands will go up in the air with a fright, I kind of shake a bit too......

It sounds very strange, I dunno what is going on?

kryptonmight

Awful, awful nights sleep. Felt sick and anxious/jumpy. Eventually got to sleep, woke about 6.30am feeling the same. Had to take a zyprexa to calm down (the last one i have, don't know if i can take xanax when on cipramil).

Feeling better now, just completely exhausted.

The One Doctor

winterwonder wrote: »

...since i relapse every time I come off them that I now have to stay on them long term, to be honest I'm not taking it too well.... my psychiatrist wanted to admit me today cause he didn't trust me but I convinced him I would be safe, still in denial that I must stay on the medication, guess it's better than the dark place im in now, hope everyone else is doing ok

Medication can, quite literally, be a lifesaver. I'm on drugs for life because of another medical problem. All you have to do is put one tablet into your mouth every x hours and the problems get smaller. It's almost miraculous how much one tiny tablet can improve your life.

came home, mind racing and had my first full blown panic attack, thought I was dying, went to the doctor on call who reassured me it was a lot of built up emotion, gave me valium to calm me down, feeling a bit better now, still shaking uncontrollably though, some how I feel some relief like some tension has been lifted, I ache all over though, like I've ran a marathon, it is something I never want to happen again

First thing is to get some other chemicals into the bloodstream to dilute the feelings. Curl your toes and smile broadly, then snort loudly (like a angry pig, or Bad Piggie if you know your smartphone games). If you're afraid someone important might hear then snort quietly or just do it inside your head. Sounds weird but it'll send dopamine and oxytocin coursing into your brain and you'll feel better and more relaxed. More, relaxed, that is.

Then start focusing on your breathing through your nose. Just focus, try not to control it. Then repeat the mantra (shut the fuck up, shut the fuck up, shut the fuck up, shut the **** up) inside your head. Keep doing it. Eventually your adrenal gland will go back to its day job and stop bothering you.

AulBiddy wrote: »

My anxiety is flaring up again. I'm getting sharp pains in my stomach and my wolf biting habits are flaring up again. I'm wearing plasters on both of my thumbs because they're bleeding quite a bit
Just a general feeling of being low and lonely. My self esteem is getting lower by the day too. None of my friends at school know and just call me grumpy and pessimistic. I dread having to come in in case I have a panic attack in class and just having to communicate with people. I only go in because I know I need to get an education.
I feel like my problems are too petty to be discussed with someone and I should be happy with what I have. Then again I wish someone was trustworthy enough to know how I was feeling without jeering or gossiping.

Ok, first thing to do is buy gloves. Fun gloves. The second thing is to follow what I said just above. The final thing is to go any talk to a reliable person who knows how to listen, be it your family, a good friend or a counsellor.

pinkstars wrote: »

Can anybody help me.

What keeps happening is if I am at work etc and looking up the internet, having a fag etc, when I am concentrating I jump with a startle and sort of shake and want to scream out loud and feel as if my hands will go up in the air with a fright, I kind of shake a bit too......

It sounds very strange, I dunno what is going on?

Sounds like a hypnic jerk, which isn't an insult, it's a phenomenon that happens on the edge of sleep. Are you sleeping ok lately? It also happens while in trance, which most people are in when concentrating. Although I haven't experienced it, I recommend that you try concentrating on not concentrating so much when doing the stuff you mentioned. Another thing is to make sure you keep breathing. I've noticed that certain people take very shallow breaths when concentrating. Focus on your breathing to be come more relaxed, like when you're online as it's so easy to get overabsorbed in what you're doing online (like I am now).

kryptonmight

Looks like I will be going back to the GP earlier than I expected. Been on the cipramil almost 3 weeks now, on the lowest dose (10mg). Was chatting to her a while ago and was saying I was still a bit on edge so she said to give it another week or two then come back in and we can chat about putting the dose up.

I was just expecting a quick chat on the phone, now I'm worried about having to go back in and ending up needing tests or something!

Gremlinertia

Seems a few here (myself included) are not having an easy time of it lately.. I can offer nothing but my empathy, i do think about ye sometimes just randomly.. I haven't been out doing anything lately and am getting a bit lazier than usual. No motivation or ambition anymore. Very resigned to life as the struggle it is.. The worst thing about it is i could be all sorts of positive for no real reason for a day here and there.

Killer_banana

Had a great time in Dublin, was an absolutely brilliant trip. So glad I went. However I've realised I can only stay happy/not low or numb or anxious if I stay out of my head, i.e I'm doing something which requires my complete focus or I'm doing something with other people. I can't avoid my own mind indefinitely though. Coming down hard ever since I got home. Couldn't sleep on the train either because as soon as my mind wandered I ended up in bad places and came very close to a panic attack. Actually smoked last night which I know is really bad but my (non-compulsion related) anxiety (up until the point on the train) was non-existent. Did feel a bit like crying when me and some other people got into a discussion on same sex marriages and one girl essentially said as a pansexual if I had a child with someone of the opposite sex it was okay but it was wrong for me to have a child with someone of the same sex. I was more angry than sad though.

Chiquitita

There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. My psychiatrist said I should probably stay on mine long term and im happy to do so. Anything that keeps my mind a little bit quieter is a gift. Medication isnt for everyone, but then again some people dont like going to a therapist so it's all subjective.

Never feel embarrassed that you have "a mental illness" people are now more aware of how common it is to suffer with mind problems (and suffering it is). There will always be people who dont understand, they'd soon realise what its like if they were in the position.

Try not to worry and be nice to yourself x

Killer_banana

Mental illness has nothing to do with weakness. I see things like depression as no different to physiological chronic illnesses in regards medication. I have Crohn's disease and was on medication for seven years and may need to go on it again in the future. There's no shame in that so why should there be shame in taking medication for a mental illness?

Have my first counseling appointment in twenty minutes, nervous!

Gremlinertia

Killer_banana wrote: »

Mental illness has nothing to do with weakness. I see things like depression as no different to physiological chronic illnesses in regards medication. I have Crohn's disease and was on medication for seven years and may need to go on it again in the future. There's no shame in that so why should there be shame in taking medication for a mental illness?

Have my first counseling appointment in twenty minutes, nervous!

Best of luck KB it'll be ok, the anticipation seems to be worse than the actuality i've found. Come back to us later and let us know..

handbagmad

I have to move house. Rent put up allowance cut ****ed. Stressed to the hilt....

Gremlinertia

handbagmad wrote: »

I have to move house. Rent put up allowance cut ****ed. Stressed to the hilt....

Oh hell, prob the worst thing to have to face, so difficult to find places.. Fingers crossed for you. Breath slowly and deeply, and if you want help finding places i'll be online a good bit here and there to send on links.

handbagmad

Gremlinertia wrote: »

Oh hell, prob the worst thing to have to face, so difficult to find places.. Fingers crossed for you. Breath slowly and deeply, and if you want help finding places i'll be online a good bit here and there to send on links.

I'll be fine grem. Just bull****. Government blah..... Have a month any way. Maybe might do me good fresh start in new place

Killer_banana

Gremlinertia wrote: »

Best of luck KB it'll be ok, the anticipation seems to be worse than the actuality i've found. Come back to us later and let us know..

Went well enough. It was just a session of finding out about me so nothing necessarily dealt with but she seems really nice and understanding. I did sort of feel a bit uncomfortable at times but I guess, even though I do think of myself as a very open person, I have to feel like I know someone to talk about personal things and a lot of my close friends have been my friends for years so it's probably just the idea of letting someone new in. She was far more understanrd to want a label? I can't fully explain what I mean...ding about the compulsions than the doctor which is good. Is it odd, regardless of whether it changes my treatment or not, I want a diagnosis? Like I could be living comfortably not overly affected with compulsions but it would bother not knowing if they were caused by OCD or something else completely. Is that weird?

pudzey101

Hi all , visited my GP today and was prescribed 1 0.25 Xanax a day , I suppose I want to ask how many people have had experience with Xanax, did you find it helpful and were there any side effects?

I was on 10mg frisium twice daily for 3 weeks and they had no effect on me what so ever ,

Eircom_Sucks

pudzey101 wrote: »

Hi all , visited my GP today and was prescribed 1 0.25 Xanax a day , I suppose I want to ask how many people have had experience with Xanax, did you find it helpful and were there any side effects?

I was on 10mg frisium twice daily for 3 weeks and they had no effect on me what so ever ,

Xanax works great in about 20 mins and helps u through a bad patch , works brilliantly , but beware they are very addictive and you could become dependant on them

Only take if u absolutely need too

pudzey101

Eircom_Sucks wrote: »

Xanax works great in about 20 mins and helps u through a bad patch , works brilliantly , but beware they are very addictive and you could become dependant on them

Only take if u absolutely need too

i refused to take xanax off my GP 3 weeks ago as iv heard all the addiction stories etc ...but finally gave in today as i was going through hell , he said 0.25 is very low dose daily . iv always been anti-medication and hesitant to take if only 100% needed