Anxiety and depression thread (Please read OP)

Hugo Stiglitz · 01-05-2017 6:07pm

Afroshack wrote: »

Hey guys. New poster here (to this particular forum) so thought I'd introduce myself. Female, mid 20s from Dublin but currently living in the country for work. Got a diagnosis of Moderate Depression and anxiety last year. Tried medication, counselling, exercise etc. Some worked, some didn't. It was a dark, scary place for a long time but things are starting to get better.

Currently working full time and in college part time. I've exams coming up and im horribly stressed and really battling to concentrate. I'm doing very badly in college (as in, barely passing) which will definitely knock my career back a few years.

Not really sure what I'm looking for here, just sorta "letting it out" and all that.

Thanks for reading. I'm very much looking forward to talking to some people in the same place as depression and anxiety can be so hard to talk about openly.

Welcome to the forum.

It's a great place for chatting and discussing, along with a bit of ranting!

inca2 · 01-05-2017 9:30pm

Hello all,

New to this forum - I'm a 25-year-old female, from Leinster but currently living away for college, making Munster my new home

I have suffered with depression/anxiety for the past 8 years or so, on and off. My most recent episode started in the last couple of months and has led to me being prescribed sertraline 50mg last week. This is something I have somehow managed to avoid to date, thanks to psychotherapy. I know it will take at least another week for me to start feeling the benefits, and I know they should be starting to settle soon but I'm still really struggling with the side effects - insomnia, severe dizziness, nausea... wondered if anyone had the same experience or had any tips?

I'm currently receiving psychotherapy but it is nice to know that this forum exists as another outlet and to know that I'm not alone!

Afroshack · 01-05-2017 10:02pm

inca2 wrote: »

Hello all,

New to this forum - I'm a 25-year-old female, from Leinster but currently living away for college, making Munster my new home

I have suffered with depression/anxiety for the past 8 years or so, on and off. My most recent episode started in the last couple of months and has led to me being prescribed sertraline 50mg last week. This is something I have somehow managed to avoid to date, thanks to psychotherapy. I know it will take at least another week for me to start feeling the benefits, and I know they should be starting to settle soon but I'm still really struggling with the side effects - insomnia, severe dizziness, nausea... wondered if anyone had the same experience or had any tips?

I'm currently receiving psychotherapy but it is nice to know that this forum exists as another outlet and to know that I'm not alone!

I was prescribed the same. The nausea wore off after about 10 days, I think that's how long my body took to adjust. I still have trouble sleeping sometimes and I get hit with this wave of extreme tiredness at about 3.30 every day. Like my eyes are nearly closing I'm so tired. Coffee or a nap usually do the trick and the meds really did help me a lot.

Hopefully they will help you too ðŸ™‚ In the meantime, lots of rest, exercise and being kind to yourself. ðŸ˜€

Hugo Stiglitz · 01-05-2017 10:10pm

inca2 wrote: »

Hello all,

New to this forum - I'm a 25-year-old female, from Leinster but currently living away for college, making Munster my new home

I have suffered with depression/anxiety for the past 8 years or so, on and off. My most recent episode started in the last couple of months and has led to me being prescribed sertraline 50mg last week. This is something I have somehow managed to avoid to date, thanks to psychotherapy. I know it will take at least another week for me to start feeling the benefits, and I know they should be starting to settle soon but I'm still really struggling with the side effects - insomnia, severe dizziness, nausea... wondered if anyone had the same experience or had any tips?

I'm currently receiving psychotherapy but it is nice to know that this forum exists as another outlet and to know that I'm not alone!

Welcome to the thread.

Tell me how · 01-05-2017 10:58pm

Lots of new posters here today. Sorry that ye are struggling but glad ye found this place.
I've benefitted from it being here and hope ye do also.
Welcome.

Adamsrogers · 02-05-2017 5:04pm

This is a really good thread!

pew · 03-05-2017 10:30pm

I have my first counselling session in 3 months tomorrow.

I'm actually looking forward to it and dreading too. I think it's because I have been under so much pressure and I've been bottling it all up for the past few months.

Hugo Stiglitz · 03-05-2017 10:31pm

Adamsrogers wrote: »

This is a really good thread!

It really is.

pew wrote: »

I have my first counselling session in 3 months tomorrow.

I'm actually looking forward to it and dreading too. I think it's because I have been under so much pressure and I've been bottling it all up for the past few months.

Hope it goes well.

snowflaker · 03-05-2017 10:31pm

bad day today, anxiety wise, after a good day yesterday

Hugo Stiglitz · 03-05-2017 10:49pm

snowflaker wrote: »

bad day today, anxiety wise, after a good day yesterday

Sorry to hear that, SF. Anything in particular happen or was it just one of those days?

snowflaker · 03-05-2017 10:59pm

Hugo Stiglitz wrote: »

Sorry to hear that, SF. Anything in particular happen or was it just one of those days?

work, seemed to come at me all at once, I got a bit overwhelmed

LegacyUser · 03-05-2017 11:11pm

Decided to try a new tactic when dealing with my anxiety and OCD thoughts. Not sure if it'll work, but wanted to share just in case it does

I'm picturing every negative, scary thought as an annoying phone call. I say to myself 'I am not taking that call today' and try to refocus my thoughts. Trying to dismiss what normally causes me distress by minimizing it's importance.... May work for others too!

Ray37 · 03-05-2017 11:12pm

Decided to try a new tactic when dealing with my anxiety and OCD thoughts. Not sure if it'll work, but wanted to share just in case it does

I'm picturing every negative, scary thought as an annoying phone call. I say to myself 'I am not taking that call today' and try to refocus my thoughts. Trying to dismiss what normally causes me distress by minimizing it's importance.... May work for others too!

Lady is a tramp · 04-05-2017 8:11pm

God it is SO hard to get the balance right sometimes, between making progress, and pushing too hard. This is basically my biggest problem, or one of them.

I crashed and burned again recently, returning to work from illness too quickly and against the advice of those who know best. So I'm trying to (again) pick myself and start over. Figure out what I should be doing, and how to go about doing it. A job is out of the question, for the forseeable future, at least.

These past few days have been "productive" for me. Made progress with things like my living arrangements, and with my support network, etc. Trying to figure out what my day-to-day plans will look like without a job, etc. I'm trying.

But the more I do (and I'm taking things very slowly) the more I feel my anxiety levels rise. I keep forgetting to breathe. Or does anyone else get that sensation like they're forgetting to breathe, for hours/days at a time? I hope that makes sense to someone. I'm not racing/rushing around, and I'm not taking too much on, not at all. And yet I can feel the tension creeping up inside me.

I'm doing some things right.
- I'm eating well, doing lots of cooking, regular meals, taking my vitamin supplements.
- I'm taking my prescribed medication.
- I'm exercising several times a week, but not obsessively. But I've a good routine in place. It's helping.
- I'm getting access to my son (he's three) and it's all going very well.
- I'm talking. I attend AA meetings daily or close enough to daily, and I speak openly and honestly at them. I also have a very very close friend who started off as my counsellor but is now more like family to me - she is my biggest support and I see her at least twice a week, and talk to her most days.
- I'm reading the books I'm recommended to read, and listening to positive affirmations, and doing meditation, and doing all those self-care things that I should be doing.

So here are the main problems at the moment.
- My living arrangements are an issue for me. I'm currently living with my parents, and am managing it OK so far, but it's really not good for my mental health. I have worked out an arrangement where I can rent a room far far away from them 3 nights out of 7, starting this week, and that's hopefully going to help a lot (give me time/space to breathe.) I'm home to the parents this evening for the weekend though, and it's going to be a tough one - my mother isn't speaking to me (god knows why this time) and the tension/iciness is horrible. Financially and logistically, things aren't going to change there any time soon.
- I've an AA sponsor, which is very important as I'm only in early recovery, and I feel like we're having problems with our expectations of each other. She wants me to need her a lot more than I do, and I am uncomfortable relying heavily on someone I don't know well enough to yet. I have trust issues, and I think she's frustrated that it's going to take me time to fully open up to her, and I don't think she gets that I'm trying my best. She is the right person, and I'm confident of that, I just wish we could be more in sync with each other.
- I don't know what my focus/direction should be, without a job. I'm a little bit lost. I'm not even allowed do voluntary work for now.

I don't know what I'm really looking for with this post, but I just feel like I need to get it all out a bit somewhere.

I think loneliness is an issue for me too. A big one. I mentioned above that I have one really really good close friend, but I feel like I have very few others right now. Plenty of people I can talk to, but no one else I can really trust, and no one else that gets me like she does. And on the other side of that, my family/friends think it's really weird and inappropriate that I've become such good friends with someone that I got to know in a professional capacity, but it's just how it is. I hate that people are so judge-y and opinionated about my relationship with her - it makes me feel like it's something to be ashamed or embarrassed about.

It's not like I'm closed off to the idea of making lots of new close friends - I do try, I mean I talk to people and make an effort and all the rest, but I feel like at my age (early thirties) people already have their lifelong friendships formed. I'm getting involved in things like Toastmasters and running clubs, and as mentioned the whole recovery scene, AA and all the rest. I'm not finding any great friendships materialising so far though, I guess it just takes time. I know I'm not totally off-putting or unlikeable, or so I'm told. I just ... I don't know, I wish I could skip the whole getting-to-know-each-other bit, and skip straight to the comfortable-in-each-others-company bit, where everyone knows where they stand.

I'm awkward as f*ck, aren't I.

It's weird like. The next few days, I'll be around lots of people, but (other than my son) they're so meaningless to me. I want more genuine connections in my life, but don't know how to go about forming them. I don't know if it's that I don't know how/where to meet the right people to be my friends, or if the problem is me - that people I'm compatible with are just extremely few and far between.

Tell me how · 04-05-2017 9:30pm

Lady is a tramp wrote: »

I'm awkward as f*ck, aren't I.

You're not. You're normal. We all have personalities that make us unique.

Lady is a tramp wrote: »

It's weird like. The next few days, I'll be around lots of people, but (other than my son) they're so meaningless to me. I want more genuine connections in my life, but don't know how to go about forming them. I don't know if it's that I don't know how/where to meet the right people to be my friends, or if the problem is me - that people I'm compatible with are just extremely few and far between.

Platonic relationships/connections do generally not happen spontaneously. Allow the connections you do have to nurture and develop. I know you might know these people all your life effectively and might feel that you're just not compatible but sometimes actually trying to "form" connections can feel more forced and make it more difficult (for you and others).

You're doing so well in so many ways. Try not to put pressure on yourself.

I hope I'm not crossing a line with this final comment. Give your mother a hug. She has probably worried about you so much that she is now adopting to the steps you are taking and is nervous given how hard it is. It is not easy for our parents also when they see us suffering but cannot help us.

Shannon757 · 05-05-2017 12:35am

Another night of sadness, anger and tears. Physical pain causing emotional pain. People telling me to get over it making it worse. Not sure if I have anyone left

Shannon757 · 05-05-2017 11:31pm

Yeah I've no one to talk to

New Home · 05-05-2017 11:34pm

Shpud, pleeeease ring one of the helplines, at least you'll get things off your chest...

*Sends hugs*

moonboy52 · 05-05-2017 11:35pm

Shannon757 wrote: »

Yeah I've no one to talk to

Shannon,

the people who are saying to "get over it", don't know what it is like.They are trying to be supportive in their own limited way, but ultimately failing ( we can all appreciate that well-meaning sentiment)

Life is a struggle (especially with anxiety, buy try and stay strong)

AnneFrank · 05-05-2017 11:50pm

inca2 wrote: »

Hello all,

New to this forum - I'm a 25-year-old female, from Leinster but currently living away for college, making Munster my new home

I have suffered with depression/anxiety for the past 8 years or so, on and off. My most recent episode started in the last couple of months and has led to me being prescribed sertraline 50mg last week. This is something I have somehow managed to avoid to date, thanks to psychotherapy. I know it will take at least another week for me to start feeling the benefits, and I know they should be starting to settle soon but I'm still really struggling with the side effects - insomnia, severe dizziness, nausea... wondered if anyone had the same experience or had any tips?

I'm currently receiving psychotherapy but it is nice to know that this forum exists as another outlet and to know that I'm not alone!

HI Inca, I started on sertraline for the first time in October, I was in a dire place and completely broke down, anyway I felt nauseated for about 5 weeks but then it settled, I did need to increase to 100mg but I am finally feeling normal again. So my advice is give it time, and be honest with your Dr. I called into mine last week and thanked him for saving my life

Tell me how · 05-05-2017 11:55pm

Shannon757 wrote:

Yeah I've no one to talk to

Hi Shannon757. Sorry you feel alone. It's amazing the positive lift even one friendly ear can give.
Could you talk to a family member and let them know you're struggling?

I know you've serious physical ailments, that can definitely add to feelings of isolation.

Shannon757 · 06-05-2017 2:14am

Tell me how wrote: »

Hi Shannon757. Sorry you feel alone. It's amazing the positive lift even one friendly ear can give.
Could you talk to a family member and let them know you're struggling?

I know you've serious physical ailments, that can definitely add to feelings of isolation.

No family to talk to either. They don't understand how bad it's gotten.

Shannon757 · 06-05-2017 2:44am

New Home wrote: »

Shpud, pleeeease ring one of the helplines, at least you'll get things off your chest...

*Sends hugs*

Helplines aren't really my thing. I don't like talking to people over the phone

06-05-2017 8:26am

Shannon757 wrote: »

Helplines aren't really my thing. I don't like talking to people over the phone

Shannon help is out there but you must use it. What you are feeling is horrible and you don't have to go through it alone. www.jigsaw.ie provide mental health support for young people. Contact them.

I know how hard it is to keep going when depressed and feeling so sad but you must try your best to find happiness in little things. Remind yourself that even though things are rough now you are alive and that is something to be grateful for.

Turtle_ · 06-05-2017 9:01am

Shannon757 wrote: »

Helplines aren't really my thing. I don't like talking to people over the phone

I get that. Are you in college? Niteline do a web chat thing.
There's another Irish free online one. Can't remember the name though

They might be a help?

It doesn't feel like it now, but these feelings will pass. Things will ease up somewhat. You'll catch your breath and realise one day that you feel a lot better. It won't be a sudden thing, it'll be tiny amounts grading and you won't notice each little bit, but you'll get there.

Shannon757 · 06-05-2017 2:10pm

Turtle_ wrote: »

Are you in college?

Secondary school

Gremlinertia · 06-05-2017 5:29pm

I second the jigsaw crowd. Have seen a couple of younger friends benefit greatly. Also I'd talk to your doctor, either gp or someone in your hospital about support.. There is help out there but it can be slow to happen, i hope you can manage some soon..