Anxiety and depression thread (Please read OP)

andreoilin

Does anyone else have a really hard time staying on their meds? I've stopped taking them so many times (abrupt withdrawal is bad, i know) due to physically being unable to get out of bed and refill my prescription/bad episodes where I just give up and think 'what's the point in continuing with them?'

I don't know the circumstances that caused some of you to suddenly stop taking your medication but I can't stress enough the importance of speaking to your doctor first. The amount of people who treat these drugs like a box of lemsips is ridiculous. Also it's likely that one person's experience of a particular antidepressant will be different to another.
Treat your medication with respect.

RabbleRouser2k

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't know the circumstances that caused some of you to suddenly stop taking your medication but I can't stress enough the importance of speaking to your doctor first. The amount of people who treat these drugs like a box of lemsips is ridiculous. Also it's likely that one person's experience of a particular antidepressant will be different to another.
Treat your medication with respect.

Same-it's highly risky. There were two times I stopped taking meds-and I quickly reversed the first decision. The second time, it was because one psychologist put me on Effexor-and it was a disaster. (I left him shortly after-he didn't know what the heck he was doing). I was going to bed at 8 am, getting up at 8pm, even being really tired, and just really affected my behaviour. I stopped taking it after 2 or 3 weeks-I had been taking prozac, with little to no side effects. So I know what it's like to adjust to medication, and on Effexor, I noticed how it was making me feel awful after a short time.
I spoke to a friend of mine about his experiences with the same psychologist-he had pretty much the same, albeit worse, experience. Ended up in hospital. (Seriously think the guy should be struck off, or at least fined).

RabbleRouser2k

RabbleRouser2k wrote: »

Same-it's highly risky. There were two times I stopped taking meds-and I quickly reversed the first decision. The second time, it was because one psychologist put me on Effexor-and it was a disaster. (I left him shortly after-he didn't know what the heck he was doing). I was going to bed at 8 am, getting up at 8pm, even being really tired, and just really affected my behaviour. I stopped taking it after 2 or 3 weeks-I had been taking prozac, with little to no side effects. So I know what it's like to adjust to medication, and on Effexor, I noticed how it was making me feel awful after a short time.
I spoke to a friend of mine about his experiences with the same psychologist-he had pretty much the same, albeit worse, experience. Ended up in hospital. (Seriously think the guy should be struck off, or at least fined).

That's awful for you I wonder though was it a case of the effexor just not suiting you and the psychologist wouldn't have known this until you tried it?

RabbleRouser2k

Deleted User wrote: »

That's awful for you I wonder though was it a case of the effexor just not suiting you and the psychologist wouldn't have known this until you tried it?

Well, he knew I was on prozac, but the first time I met him he's like 'you're going on effexor'...and it really, really messed me up. Like, my depression got worse, my anxiety got way worse, and my OCD followed suit.
It seemed to be more along the lines of 'don't wanna know how bad your condition is, you're going on this'. He seemed to be from the generation of 'shove em into an institute, and forget about them'.
The prozac was causing me no problems, the effexor took me a good year to get over-like, it affected me physically too-like, noticed I was getting stomach problems and other things too-and that was after a few weeks. I can't imagine what it did to other people.

What he did to my friend was even worse-like I said, he had to check himself into a mental health place to recover. Like, he's got bipolar disorder-so he really needs to manage his medication. If something goes wrong with him, it can be really serious. He could have a complete breakdown. It took some time, in the beginning, for him to get the correct medication. That brief session with 'Dr Effexor' was not a good one, and that's not including other things that happened because of it. (he didn't hurt anyone, like, but he did hurt himself-without going into too much detail.)

^^^^
Alot of drugs used to treat mental health problems and psychiatric illnesses seem to need a fair bit of balancing. Psychiatrists as well as GP's are the only people who can prescribe them. I think it's important to have a good and trusting relationship with him or her because of this. It's important that you can talk about any concerns you may have about the meds and how they are working out for you.

Nobody here should be giving any advice about what medication works and what doesn't. Or how such a type will be compared to another.

purplegold114

Hi, first time poster on here. Not feeling too good. Recently finished up a temporary job contract. Just seem to be moving from temp to temp, no permanent work here, moving not really an option as I have a partner who is working and a lo, I am trying for jobs but nothing yet. I'm 33 and feel pretty useless at the moment. My life has not turned out how I expected. Everyone around me seems to be doing so well and here I am stuck in a rut and unemployed. Just feel tired every day and my eating has gone to ****! I look like tired crap atm and want to cry all the time. I've been to CBT therapist before for anxiety so I know what channels to go through to get help but it just feels different this time like I don't want help, like I just want to wallow in my own ****ty self pity! Thanks for listening.

RabbleRouser2k

Deleted User wrote: »

^^^^
Alot of drugs used to treat mental health problems and psychiatric illnesses seem to need a fair bit of balancing. Psychiatrists as well as GP's are the only people who can prescribe them. I think it's important to have a good and trusting relationship with him or her because of this. It's important that you can talk about any concerns you may have about the meds and how they are working out for you.

Nobody here should be giving any advice about what medication works and what doesn't. Or how such a type will be compared to another.

Oh completely-and again, friend above had had his medication balanced. Just met the guy I mentioned. And I have to add, I've gone to a few GP's with my mental health probs, and had no issues (there were times when I needed medication increased/ reduced-at the beginning). Since then, he's gone to a GP he trusts, and a counsellor. He's managing his condition pretty well now, has ups and downs like all of us.

Effexor is not suitable for my condition-it is used for certain anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders, but again, not mine. So it will, like all medications, have different affects for different people. Even a lemsip will work wonders for some, and nothing for others.

Tell me how

Deleted User wrote:

^^^^ Alot of drugs used to treat mental health problems and psychiatric illnesses seem to need a fair bit of balancing. Psychiatrists as well as GP's are the only people who can prescribe them. I think it's important to have a good and trusting relationship with him or her because of this. It's important that you can talk about any concerns you may have about the meds and how they are working out for you.

Nobody here should be giving any advice about what medication works and what doesn't. Or how such a type will be compared to another.

I agree with this, one person's experience does not indicate how another person will feel on the same drug. At all.

I spent 3 months as an in-patient for depression. A large reason for this length of stay was to allow my consultant to get me on the right level and details with respect to meds.
Adhering to prescriptions is such a crucial element in dealing with depression/anxiety if the decision is made to use medication.

For those who struggle to collect them, please plan ahead, have a week in hand at all time, have a contact who your pharmacist is aware that they can collect your meds some times. Using the same pharamicst and leaving the prescription on file there makes it easier from month to month. If you do this, you should be able to ring ahead and they'll have them ready when you arrive thus making it much much faster.
Use a pill case and prepare meds for the week in one go and take them at the same time every day if you can, use your phone to schedule this if it helps.

I must read like I'm lecturing, I don't intend to but I took meds for this illness for 7 years and outside of my opinion, I never met a professional, GP, psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist or otherwise who didn't enforce the message of; Always follow the prescription.

Call Me Jimmy

@purplegold

As someone who has wallowed in self-pity and has apathy in the face of incoming chaos, I can tell you, try facing your feelings. Try hunkering down and just sitting with your body and feeling its movement, feel your stomach etc. I'm not even a meditation person, I can barely do it when I try, but you have to get in tune with your body, I find sitting and imagining every sensation just being allowed to do its thing actually really kickstarts the feeling of rigidity and pain (mental and physical) to dissipate. If you give it enough attention and honestly let it in.

For example take the stomach, we are usually flexing and tensing it so it doesn't stick out, but if you sit on the floor and let it just pulse with out breathign in or out for even a few seconds, and let the feeling build up in your throat. Tiny ventures outside your comfort level, your usual sensory universe, can open windows.

I know i may sound absolutely insane, but I've been through all the rational thinking and CBT, and not doing anything, and worrying and desperation and finally the crippling apathy. Whatever way you do it, get in touch with your body and let it show you where the peace is.

By all means, commit to going back to therapy, doing everything they say and you will probably get better. But if you're anything like me, that realistically isn't just going to happen of its own accord because you have a deeply etched neurophysiological (a word?) pattern etched into you that is rigid in thought and potential for action.

What I'm talking about is a feeling of surrender (not religious ****, just a private surrender, as you would if you were in the desert with no water in sight). Your body will know if you mean it. Anyway, I'm just writing this crazy **** as I have poked some holes in the curtain. Feel free to ignore but maybe one word somewhere in the above will change the track of a thought from one already worn.

RabbleRouser2k

RabbleRouser2k wrote: »

Oh completely-and again, friend above had had his medication balanced. Just met the guy I mentioned. And I have to add, I've gone to a few GP's with my mental health probs, and had no issues (there were times when I needed medication increased/ reduced-at the beginning). Since then, he's gone to a GP he trusts, and a counsellor. He's managing his condition pretty well now, has ups and downs like all of us.

Effexor is not suitable for my condition-it is used for certain anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders, but again, not mine. So it will, like all medications, have different affects for different people. Even a lemsip will work wonders for some, and nothing for others.

I have a box of lemsips at the minute and I might as well be drinking water!

Call Me Jimmy

Also chamomille tea gives a very subtle relaxation, sleep is a bit better after drinking a cup or two in the evening, whether placebo or not I don't know.

purplegold114

What a lovely response, I will give it a go. Thank you.

Tell me how

purplegold114 wrote:

Hi, first time poster on here. Not feeling too good. Recently finished up a temporary job contract. Just seem to be moving from temp to temp, no permanent work here, moving not really an option as I have a partner who is working and a lo, I am trying for jobs but nothing yet. I'm 33 and feel pretty useless at the moment. My life has not turned out how I expected. Everyone around me seems to be doing so well and here I am stuck in a rut and unemployed. Just feel tired every day and my eating has gone to ****! I look like tired crap atm and want to cry all the time. I've been to CBT therapist before for anxiety so I know what channels to go through to get help but it just feels different this time like I don't want help, like I just want to wallow in my own ****ty self pity! Thanks for listening.

Hi purplegold114. Sounds like you're in a rut at the moment. It sounds cliche but it does happen 99% of people from time to time and 99.999% of people when you look at what others are doing on social media. Can be hard to ignore such things though.

This break between roles may be an opportunity to consider alternative careers or educational options.

Have you shared this with your partner? I would do so if you haven't already.
If this drags on past a couple of weeks, I would think you could discuss it with your GP and consider some options. Best of luck.

Call Me Jimmy

purplegold114 wrote: »

What a lovely response, I will give it a go. Thank you.

No problem, you should realise that physical pain, feeling tired, rigidity and tension are barriers to any sort of recovery and cannot be ignored for the sake of more intellectual wandering. This is what I understand as the reason for anti anxiety medication as a complement to therapy. It should free your body up to facilitate a change in your mind. But doing either on there own are unlikely to work imho.

If you don't believe in anything you can be certain you are wrong, because you believe in pain and you bear it.

You're just looking for ever so slight variations in sensation, feelings and finally thoughts. Glitches in the matrix. It's these tiny changes that can begin to upset your square wave and wobble it into a sine. I'm only talking like this because you sound like you are absolutely cocooned and normal talk and thinking might not have any effect. What I'm saying could also be self-indulgent garbage, but as I said, anything that wavers an atom could start a chain reaction.

Apologies if i sound all lofty and grand like I know the answers, but indulge a quote:

"What is heavy? so asketh the load-bearing spirit; then kneeleth it down like the camel, and wanteth to be well laden"

#NotTheBible

Anyway I'll leave yez in peace, best of luck

Foweva Awone

Back in hospital again.

You know, these past couple of years I've had so many different psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychologists, counsellors, etc "working" on me with different styles and methods ... it's gotten to the stage where I feel like the top of my head has been cut off and my head is full of wet spaghetti and I have a crowd of people standing around it poking and prodding and pulling at the spaghetti with chopsticks.

Weird image but it's how best I can describe it. There's only so much "therapy" one can take.

Headwrecked.

RabbleRouser2k

Foweva Awone wrote: »

Back in hospital again.

You know, these past couple of years I've had so many different psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychologists, counsellors, etc "working" on me with different styles and methods ... it's gotten to the stage where I feel like the top of my head has been cut off and my head is full of wet spaghetti and I have a crowd of people standing around it poking and prodding and pulling at the spaghetti with chopsticks.

Weird image but it's how best I can describe it. There's only so much "therapy" one can take.

Headwrecked.

Very sorry to hear it. Hope this hospital stay at least gives you time to recoup yourself. It can be horrible.

purplegold114

Tell me how wrote: »

Hi purplegold114
This break between roles may be an opportunity to consider alternative careers or educational options.

Have you shared this with your partner? I would do so if you haven't already.
If this drags on past a couple of weeks, I would think you could discuss it with your GP and consider some options. Best of luck.

Hey, thanks. I am trying to look at different options and maybe do something more creative. (accountant by trade - not so exciting).
Yes I have spoken to my partner, he is being good about it. Really sick of putting him through this **** every tear or so. I do think it will pass but will look into doctor in next few weeks if not. Thanks again.

purplegold114

Very sad to hear this, can't imagine what this must be like for you . The mind is so powerful and so damaging at the same time. All the best for a speedy recovery.

titan18

Anyone ever have any success with Dean Clinic? Had my first meeting with them today and have to decide whether I want to continue with them or not or stay public, so any opinions would be welcome.

Foweva Awone

titan18 wrote: »

Anyone ever have any success with Dean Clinic? Had my first meeting with them today and have to decide whether I want to continue with them or not or stay public, so any opinions would be welcome.

PM me if you like and let me know who the consultant was ... might be able to give an opinion!

RabbleRouser2k

Foweva Awone wrote: »

PM me if you like and let me know who the consultant was ... might be able to give an opinion!

No offence meant, I think pm-ing is discouraged in this forum.

TrustedApple

My anxiety is shocking today.

Girlfriend got the bus to the airport early this morning I think like 1.30 am or something. fell back asleep woke up at like 5 and have been up since as over thinking everything i do.

Had a tech talk this morning with all the leaders of IT in cork (Somehow I am part of it ....). Stright into work for meeting after meeting after meeting more or less all the same meeting with different people. My head was fired with one that ended the day that I just started laughing after it as we are still in the project planning stage of the project and I do not know the Ans to must stuff he wants to know But kept telling him I look into it for him next meeting and he was not taking it.

Then on top of that as work with a team based in the USA they are not happy that I am self-training myself (They dont train me) I am training myself by reviewing tickets and KB night and day and making up new user guides how the dept on the side with simpler steps to doing things. They have one person pair job while I am doing the work of 4 people and don't find myself that busy as I came from companies that I was basically handed a computer and told work tickets ha. So I am so used to self-training.

My mind is going 90 miles an hour I don't sleep as I am over thinking everything i do in work as i don't wont to be fired as i go into work with that fear in my mind every single day. So I am trying to push myself so I won't be.

I just dont know how I am going to get work of my mind. I do love my job I have took to it and enjoy so much just need to stop the overthinking.

Kurtosis

Foweva Awone wrote: »

PM me if you like and let me know who the consultant was ... might be able to give an opinion!

RabbleRouser2k wrote: »

No offence meant, I think pm-ing is discouraged in this forum.

Mod note:

Just to clarify, offers of PMs aren't against the forum rules, only where the nature of such messages is that of counseling/support. The forum charter goes into more detail on this.

If anyone feels a post is against the forum charter, please hit the report post button to flag it to us mods for review. Thanks!

titan18

Got a cousins wedding Friday, dad made me buy a suit today for it even though I don't want to go. Seems rather ****ty to be trying to celebrate someone else's happiness and love when you don't want to exist.

RabbleRouser2k

titan18 wrote: »

Got a cousins wedding Friday, dad made me buy a suit today for it even though I don't want to go. Seems rather ****ty to be trying to celebrate someone else's happiness and love when you don't want to exist.

I remember a similar feeling years ago. Invited to a wedding, and it was torture to go. In the days before hand, I was flipping crying at the thoughts-was trying to get away from it, but was dragged to the damn thing.
I'm not a wealthy guy-so I know I don't dress well going anywhere. I just do my best.
And everyone else is like 'oh wow, job is awesome' and I'm sitting there like 'signed on the dole'.
Didn't have a good time either-so wish I could have made an excuse like 'stomach issues' or whatever. I get them quite a bit, so it wouldn't have been a weird excuse.

Gremlinertia

Lonely day today. Or maybe it's helplessness i'm feeling. I was never very good at untangling my moods even with therapy i can't say for certain what way i am unless i'm angry. I've a big wedding and a gig next month which i can't even begin to think about yet. There's my monday morning blues for you.

titan18

I really just want to go home from work and crawl back into bed. I can't even fake the normality today.

alanzo27

Feeling a little better today. I've tried to motivate myself and to not beat myself up as I normally do. I've started off this week by being productive.

I have started online Udemy courses in order to prevent myself from losing interest in learning. At least I can work at my own pace and am not under the immense pressure of examinations or assignments.

I have also applied for voluntary work, specifically helping older individuals to learn how to do basic tasks on a PC and mobile devices. I have been given this opportunity and as nervous as I am, I am also excited as I feel I am contributing in some way to society.

I am going to try and get out of this vicious cycle of self doubt, worry and depression. I will do this by concentrating on what I am able to do.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

uberalles

Thought this was a really good read .....

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/building-better-mental-health.htm