Anxiety and depression thread (Please read OP)

Dragons

Gremlinertia wrote: »

It can take a while to find your level, usually a gp will start out low and you may be reviewed monthly to monitor progress, btw love your name Dragons

Thank you,i have a few as pets so the name suits

Gremlinertia

Dragons wrote: »

Thank you,i have a few as pets so the name suits

Dragon eggs in my signature here and tattoos too! The little things help when in black places..

Checkmate19

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Tell me how

Checkmate19 wrote:

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Hi Checkmate19. Hope you're Ok.

RabbleRouser2k

jsms88 wrote: »

Just woke up in a full-blown panic. I haven’t slept much in the last couple of days and now this. Not sure what exactly I’m freaked out about but it’s the worst feeling I’ve had in ages.

Sounds like the lack of sleep triggered this, in addition to something else.
Sometimes, when I get panic attacks, it's all down to some little niggling thing in the back of my mind. The lack of sleep and panic attack probably have the same source. So try and figure out what it is you're burying, and maybe talk about it?
It helps to lessen the 'panic'.

I'm coming at this from a different angle-I have OCD, among Depression and other things, and with OCD you can obsess over little things. For me, it's anything from dirt to 'contamination'. Little things other people would be like 'aw, not again' can bring me into a cold sweat.
So it's important to allow whatever it is to ruminate in your mind, talk it over, even writing it down.
That might help.

Dragons

Vela wrote: »

Well it sounds like your GP isn't really that clued up TBH, but maybe they're just trying to lessen your anxiety. Anti-d's definitely don't start working straight away, you'd need benzos for that.

I've been on an array of different anti-d's, mood stabilisers, and anxiety meds, and the general timeline for anti-d's is anything up to 3 months. Generally a doc won't take you off them if you think they're "not working" unless you've given it 3 months or had adverse side effects. With that said, I've yet to find an anti-d that worked for me and/or didn't have bad side effects. And that's over 6 years. I generally work best with cycles of Xanax on/off as needed. I'm on Zispin now at the mo though, so we'll see how that goes. It's very much trial and error.

Thank you so much,i would rather a doc tellimg me they take a long time to work instead me panicking because i dont feel any better yet and i think i should be.

Ive just been getting worse week by week,developing phobias and intrusive thoughts.im so restless i can stay in any place for more than am hour without having to leave.

I have been taking the smallest dose of xanax twice a day but they dont work amymore.i just spend hours walking till i can finally sleep.

Everything just feels weird all the time.like im on a drug i cant come down from

Vela

Vela wrote: »

Well it sounds like your GP isn't really that clued up TBH, but maybe they're just trying to lessen your anxiety. Anti-d's definitely don't start working straight away, you'd need benzos for that.

I've been on an array of different anti-d's, mood stabilisers, and anxiety meds, and the general timeline for anti-d's is anything up to 3 months. Generally a doc won't take you off them if you think they're "not working" unless you've given it 3 months or had adverse side effects. With that said, I've yet to find an anti-d that worked for me and/or didn't have bad side effects. And that's over 6 years. I generally work best with cycles of Xanax on/off as needed. I'm on Zispin now at the mo though, so we'll see how that goes. It's very much trial and error.

If you're not having any bad side effects, I'd stick it out for 3 months and reassess then. It can take up to 6 months to see any change if you need to increase the dose etc.

Some people may notice a difference straight away. How medication interacts with our bodies can have different effects depending on the person. We need to be careful on this thread about advice we give regarding meds.

Kurtosis

Mod note

Folks, if you think medical advice is (possibly) being given, please hit the report post button to flag it to the mods who can have a look. This applies equally to advice about medications or about other aspects of treatment or managing a health condition. Any queries, please feel free to PM one of us mods.

Dragons

Kurtosis wrote: »

Mod note

Folks, if you think medical advice is (possibly) being given, please hit the report post button to flag it to the mods who can have a look. This applies equally to advice about medications or about other aspects of treatment or managing a health condition. Any queries, please feel free to PM one of us mods.

My fault MOD
Was on a bit of a bad one earlier
And i did ask.
was looking for a bit of reasurance but shouldnt be asking so generally about meds.

The highs and lows of the waiting game!!!!!

Kurtosis

No worries at all Dragons, completely understand where you're coming from.

It's absolutely fine to share or ask for others' experiences in the forum, whether that be regarding medications or not. The main rule is that medical advice is not allowed - so people asking what they should do, or whether something they're experiencing is something to worry about, or whether a symptom they're having is because of a medication. Likewise advising people on action they should take to deal with their condition/symptoms/medication would also be medical advice. Because posters don't necessarily have all the relevant information on a situation, such advice may not be appropriate or safe.

Does that make things any clearer? If people are ever unsure whether they're asking for/giving medical advice, you're always welcome to drop one of us mods a PM to clarify.

Dragons

Kurtosis wrote: »

No worries at all Dragons, completely understand where you're coming from.

It's absolutely fine to share or ask for others' experiences in the forum, whether that be regarding medications or not. The main rule is that medical advice is not allowed - so people asking what they should do, or whether something they're experiencing is something to worry about, or whether a symptom they're having is because of a medication. Likewise advising people on action they should take to deal with their condition/symptoms/medication would also be medical advice. Because posters don't necessarily have all the relevant information on a situation, such advice may not be appropriate or safe.

Does that make things any clearer? If people are ever unsure whether they're asking for/giving medical advice, you're always welcome to drop one of us mods a PM to clarify.

It does and thank you.
Relatively new to extreme anxiety and ive used walking to calm me down and get rid of nervous energy.

Stuck in bed today with a bad tummy bug(claustrophobic nightmare)and head was going dulally😊

RabbleRouser2k

Dragons wrote: »

It does and thank you.
Relatively new to extreme anxiety and ive used walking to calm me down and get rid of nervous energy.

Stuck in bed today with a bad tummy bug(claustrophobic nightmare)and head was going dulally��

Similar for the last few weeks/ months. My sleep goes bananas. I'll have good days, and bad days, but winter months get mental. And it's frustrating.
I was starting to come around, a little-now it's gone backwards cos of what happened in recent weeks.
Trying to get back into things, it's ugh.

Dragons

RabbleRouser2k wrote: »

Similar for the last few weeks/ months. My sleep goes bananas. I'll have good days, and bad days, but winter months get mental. And it's frustrating.
I was starting to come around, a little-now it's gone backwards cos of what happened in recent weeks.
Trying to get back into things, it's ugh.

Has anyone heard of akathisia?
Ive been tryimg to tell docs how ive been feeling since starting on the meds but couldnt describe it properly

Gremlinertia

Dragons wrote: »

Has anyone heard of akathisia?
Ive been tryimg to tell docs how ive been feeling since starting on the meds but couldnt describe it properly

Actually looked that up before, but i disregarded it as it's anxiety that makes me fidget really.. Again it's something you should bring up with your gp..
Anyway, how are you doing at the moment?.

Dragons

Gremlinertia wrote: »

Actually looked that up before, but i disregarded it as it's anxiety that makes me fidget really.. Again it's something you should bring up with your gp..
Anyway, how are you doing at the moment?.

Im doing ok today thank you.

Just out of meeting from psychiatrist now.
Ive been trying to explain that the meds give me more anxiety as the weeks go on.im at 4 weeks today.

Instead of getting anxiety symptums or sensations and then getting panicky,
Ive a constant weird feeling in my head that gets worse as the meds build up.
If im sitting at home watching a movie with no physical symptums my head still tells me
Im anxious.
This happened on the first med i tried too.took it for 6 weeks and got the same thing after week 3.
Its been years since i worked through my anxiety.

I never had a panic attack till i started citalopram(to get rid of migrane).i was fully functional,no extreme anxiety or phobias or anything.

Now mirtazapine is doing the same.anxiety getting worse.
They think i cant tollerate anti d's so getting back to me next week about tapering off properly.

Its just like i cant think straight cause of a constant cloudy head.thats the only way i can describe it.weird

Sorry,i know im a bit ranter at this stage.

How is your day going?

Dragons

Dragons wrote: »

Im doing ok today thank you.

Just out of meeting from psychiatrist now.
Ive been trying to explain that the meds give me more anxiety as the weeks go on.im at 4 weeks today.

Instead of getting anxiety symptums or sensations and then getting panicky,
Ive a constant weird feeling in my head that gets worse as the meds build up.
If im sitting at home watching a movie with no physical symptums my head still tells me
Im anxious.
This happened on the first med i tried too.took it for 6 weeks and got the same thing after week 3.
Its been years since i worked through my anxiety.

I never had a panic attack till i started citalopram(to get rid of migrane).i was fully functional,no extreme anxiety or phobias or anything.

Now mirtazapine is doing the same.anxiety getting worse.
They think i cant tollerate anti d's so getting back to me next week about tapering off properly.

Its just like i cant think straight cause of a constant cloudy head.thats the only way i can describe it.weird

Sorry,i know im a bit ranter at this stage.

How is your day going?

These medications work great for other people with life saving results.

I just dont seem to be able to tolerate them

Gremlinertia

Took me over a year to find right medications and levels, stay with it, well done on making your concerns known to the psych too. And ranting is part and parcel of this thread, it's so helpful to have a place to just get all the crap off your chest.

Dragons

Gremlinertia wrote: »

Took me over a year to find right medications and levels, stay with it, well done on making your concerns known to the psych too. And ranting is part and parcel of this thread, it's so helpful to have a place to just get all the crap off your chest.

Im really glad they worked out for you in the end though.
I think im gonna have to go the physchologist cbt route instead though.

Im reading DARE by barrie mcdongh at the minute.
A member on this site put me onto it.its really helping me get through panic attacks.

DARE the app is on app store and has amazing audios to talk you through different situations such as panic attacks.

I would really recommend them to anyone dealing with anxiety.
Really takes the fear out of them.

Gremlinertia

I did a year of DBT and plenty of counselling around it.. For me dual therapies work best, meds and talk

Dragons

Gremlinertia wrote: »

I did a year of DBT and plenty of counselling around it.. For me dual therapies work best, meds and talk

Ive only just started the "talking part"
Dont know why i didnt start years ago.councilor kerps laughing cause people are normally quiet at first but i cant shut up when i get in!

I was hoping the meds would help take the edge off but seem to just make me feel not like myself so have to soldier on without them.il give them one more week though.

im anxious but optimistic at the min so could be worse.

Dragons

Im mental anxious with a cloudy head but feeling optimistic too.gonna walk until i drop 😂😂

Hope everyone is having a good day today.dont let the rainy weather get you down.

Dragons

Il be asking this of my doctor on thursday anyway but wanted to see if its true or not here first.

Has anyone else heard that antidepressants will make no difference in someone that isnt suffering from depression.

I.e. if someone was going through a really stressful but normal situation and docs gave them antidepressants to help them through,that because they dont have an imbalance,that the meds wouldnt change their brain chemistry as its not out of sink anyway?

Dragons

Dragons wrote: »

Il be asking this of my doctor on thursday anyway but wanted to see if its true or not here first.

Has anyone else heard that antidepressants will make no difference in someone that isnt suffering from depression.

I.e. if someone was going through a really stressful but normal situation and docs gave them antidepressants to help them through,that because they dont have an imbalance,that the meds wouldnt change their brain chemistry as its not out of sink anyway?

Dragons you need to talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have regarding your medication. People's experience of psychotropic drugs varies widely. What may be the case for one person may not be the same for you.

Tell me how

Dragons wrote: »

Il be asking this of my doctor on thursday anyway but wanted to see if its true or not here first.

Has anyone else heard that antidepressants will make no difference in someone that isnt suffering from depression.

I.e. if someone was going through a really stressful but normal situation and docs gave them antidepressants to help them through,that because they dont have an imbalance,that the meds wouldnt change their brain chemistry as its not out of sink anyway?

Dragons, I would echo what Persepoly said about discussing this directly with your Dr. There are different types of meds which do different things.

Aside from the intended actions of meds, there are side effects also so someone who takes those medications is going to experience them in some way or another.

Kurtosis

Dragons wrote: »

Il be asking this of my doctor on thursday anyway but wanted to see if its true or not here first.

Has anyone else heard that antidepressants will make no difference in someone that isnt suffering from depression.

I.e. if someone was going through a really stressful but normal situation and docs gave them antidepressants to help them through,that because they dont have an imbalance,that the meds wouldnt change their brain chemistry as its not out of sink anyway?

Dragons, changed brain chemistry is only one thing that is thought to contribute to depression. There are lots of potential causes, contributors, and triggers, check out the NHS information page on depression (which doesn't even list brain chemistry as a cause). The theory is that a lot of antidepressants work by changing the levels of some chemicals in the brain, but it's far from certain. The NHS page on how antidepressants work says:

It's thought that antidepressants work by increasing levels of a group of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters

So not particularly definitive.

As you say, it's definitely important to talk about your own situation with your doctor. Worth keeping in mind as well that there is plenty of misinformation (both positive and negative) about depression and antidepressants on the web, so if you are reading up, make sure you're looking up reputable sources.

Dragons

Ive basically realised what i was actually trying to ask.

Im going to my councilor tomorrow and head consultant of psychiatrists in the hospital on thursday.

Sorry for wrecking heads.

I remember being on citalopram for a year and after coming off it,when its effects wore off the slight change in perception from being on it to not being on it.like you "sober up" as in go back to the way you were so to speak.

Does anyone know what i mean?

titan18

Got a huge decision to make and really in two minds on what to do, if anyone has any idea.

I'm currently doing two separate roles in the one company, and for my own sanity, I need to drop this and commit to one full time. Now, people might have seen previous posts where I was on about Dean Clinic and stuff, and my doctor thinks I should fully commit to getting better with trying those instead of public system, so I'm willing to do that, and giving up one of the roles will give me more time.

Now, of my two roles, one is higher pressured and stress, and would require more work and going away for training, and of course comes with a payrise if I commit to it, and the other is less pressure and stress, won't be taking work home with me, but a lesser salary.

The higher pressured role would be more along what I'm qualified in, and what I went to college for, whereas the other is something I fell into in my workplace as I was good at it.

I do like the easier one a bit more if it helps, and wondering is it good to do it short term whilst I try and get over my anxiety and depression, or am I killing myself longer term by dropping away from the other one.

Any opinions, or if anyone has had similar experiences before, it'd be great.

Tell me how

titan18 wrote: »

Got a huge decision to make and really in two minds on what to do, if anyone has any idea.

I'm currently doing two separate roles in the one company, and for my own sanity, I need to drop this and commit to one full time. Now, people might have seen previous posts where I was on about Dean Clinic and stuff, and my doctor thinks I should fully commit to getting better with trying those instead of public system, so I'm willing to do that, and giving up one of the roles will give me more time.

Now, of my two roles, one is higher pressured and stress, and would require more work and going away for training, and of course comes with a payrise if I commit to it, and the other is less pressure and stress, won't be taking work home with me, but a lesser salary.

The higher pressured role would be more along what I'm qualified in, and what I went to college for, whereas the other is something I fell into in my workplace as I was good at it.

I do like the easier one a bit more if it helps, and wondering is it good to do it short term whilst I try and get over my anxiety and depression, or am I killing myself longer term by dropping away from the other one.

Any opinions, or if anyone has had similar experiences before, it'd be great.

Hi titan18. Well done on being asked to considered the role with increased responsibility and opportunity.
Please make up your own mind on this as opinions from the internet should really be taken with a truckload of salt!!!

Personally, I worked in an intensive role as a manager while dealing with depression. I used the role to keep me distracted from the illness but, truth be told, probably delayed me getting better in the long run.

If you are good enough for that job now, in my view, you will still be good enough for it (and able to do it better) when you have allowed your mental health the care it deserves.

Whatever you decide to do, own the decision completely as your own, it will make it easier in future.

RabbleRouser2k

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm in a horrible rut at the moment. I can't belive it's this early in the morning.

Sorta had a similar thing too-opened up the Irish independent, with all it's talk about employment, learning etc etc

Felt like a total loser, reading so much of it. All this talk about education and future prospects...

And here's me, who screws up continuously.

Gremlinertia

Having a hard time mentally lately, mind is working against me, paranoia and irrational thoughts and fear.. Anniversaries around now too. Ugh.
Sorry to hear you guys are having problems too. I want to blame the time of yeah..