New to site

[dvillechic]

I just wanted to introduce myself to the forum. My name is Erin and was diagnosed with clinical depression and am currently on Paxil. I have so many questions and fears. Any kind words would be appreciated. Thank you all and stay positive

[Amy1986]

So sorry to hear your going through a tough time of it lately, id be happy to help with any questions you may need answering. his is a wonderful place to vent everything as most of us know what your going through.

Stay strong and welcome :)

Amy

[jessy]

Hi to you both, I'm also new & never tried a forum before.
I'm sorry to hear your havin a tough time , I was diagnosed with depression & GAD at age 15 , I am now 31 years old so I've been suffering this a long time . I've had times in my life when the anxiety & depression have been less .
At the moment things are not good ,I hit the lowest point back in November 2011. I find it very hard to talk about .
It's hard to know what to say , I think the biggest help is to know that you are not alone !!
I don't know about your situation , but I can tell you I feel your pain & I'm here if you want to share your story or just make a friend who knows exactally how you feel & how hard it is to live with . Xxxx

[Matt C]

Hi there,

Name's Matthew. I went through Psychosis and Anxiety Disorder. I managed to get through it though and have been on the up over the last 9 years. I just wanted to offer words of encouragement... that it is possible for you to find your calling though this. I know you can find strategies that work for you, to find stability of mind again, and confidence.

I have no doubt that if you keep clear on what you want to achieve that you'll find a way. I have found 5 things very useful. 1. CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) 2. A circle of friends that understand, and encourage you to grow and heal. (this forum will supply that - but look for it where you can around you too) 3. Meditation/Yoga/Taiji 4. Looking after my diet 5. Studying personal development

That's really 4 of the main things that made the difference for me, I never used medication, there's a site that will tell you more about CBT... you will probably be able to try it out by asking your Doctor.

Oh... I can't post links because I have under 25 posts... probably to stop spamming... which can only be a good thing. So I'll just recommend you just talk to your Doctor about CBT.

Hope some of this helps. :)

Matt

[Amy1986]

Matt C.... i used CBT too, that was truly eye opening experience for me, it would help you no end.

Jessy... so sorry to hear your going through such a tough time, wonderful thing about this forum is that we can all support eachother, there is no judgment as we're all in the same boat as it were.

My biggest help other then CBT has been exercise, i am very anti-gym as find it boring but the last few weeks been making myself go 2/3 times a week, just for 1 hour and in all honesty it helped so much with my anxiety and with my appetite and sleep too.

Take care everyone :)

[jessy]

Thank you Matt & Amy .
I am on a waiting list for c.b.t .
I have had it once before , however I was on a very high dose of lorazapam at the time & couldn't fully engage in the therapy & ended up stopping after a while . I would get to my appointment & just cry untill the end .
This time I hope to be able to put it to use & get some help from it .
The problem for me is getting there & back as I can't drive & anxious about public transport .
Any way thank you for your tips & advice , it's good to know others understand .
😊😊

[Amy1986]

I'm totally the same with public transport, maybe a friend or family member could take you?? I got my dad to go with me despite feeling a little like a child again, it really helped to have him there as well as being able to talk about the sessions with him.

Are you on any meds now or seeking any therapy??

I hope when your struggling you know you can always chat on here with us :) you'll never be alone.

Take care

Amy

[jessy]

That's really helpful to know ! Thank you .
My dad is not well & he is the only one who can drive .
I've no friends ,I'm very isolated & alone really.
I will ask my dad , but feel incredibly guilty having to put upon him . Feel I've put them through enough , both my mum & dad are nearly 70 yo & not well .
My brother & sister live down south .
I am on med's ,anti anxiety & anti depressants . Have been for a long time , 😊

[Mike36]

I am also new to the site. I have been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks for a few months now following a health scare. This has taken me completely by surprise and for a while I struggled to go out or be left alone as I was scared that the physical symptoms of anxiety were signs of serious illness even though the doctors felt that this was unlikely. I am taking St johns wort as an alternative to an SSRI. I tried Propranalol but this made me very dizzy which made things worse. I have been prescribed Diazepam 2mgs as required but I'm reluctant to take these too often to avoid addiction. I find exercise helpful and to try not to avoid doing things I did before. I would like to get in contact with other sufferers to share stories and tips for coping.

[LR1]

Hi Mike- I too have tried propananol also been off and on anti depressants over the years, thankfully I have been off these for 2 years, and also been prescribed diazepam to help with my sleeping which is where my symptoms really come into their own!!
I'd be interested to know how St John's wort works out as have thought about it.
Hope you feel ok, its a debilitating demon, but even being on here & reading tips on breathing etc can hopefully help us all!!

[Amy1986]

I heard st johns wort were really good, think it takes 6 weeks to get into your system but then the benefits are huge and great as an all natural alternative :) my mums friend has taken them for 20 years and she swears by them. I have valium for emergencies myself but have been off proper meds for three years though been in and out of therapy for 8 years. I have a small support system which helps no end, but have lost a lot of friends from this also.

Jessy, sorry to hear your dad isnt too well, maybe you could have a therapist come to your home (i'm sure there is such a thing if you consider the amount of agoraphobics out there)


mike36, Welcome friend :) its good to see you exercise, i know the fear to go out and be alone is sometimes too much to bear but try to keep a normal routine and everything you achieve is like a little victory, ive learnt that no matter what the circumstance that everyday i do something a little outside of my confort zone and come back super proud of myself, my sister in law suffers far worse then me and if i can get her out too then thats such a bonus. do your friends know what your going through? i hope your okay, once you understand the basics of it, it will get slightly easier to cope with. just know this mantra (what i repeat in my head whilst doing a breathing exercise) if your anxious

FEAR IS JUST A FEELING, it cannout hurt you, no one has ever been physically hurt by a panic attack, you are in control of your mind, you can do this, you will get through this.

bit of a long sentence to repeat i know lol but works for me. :)

LR1, congrats for 2 years off the ol'meds :) welcome to you too, how are you coping with everything atm??

So nice to chat to you all

Amy

[Mike36]

Thanks guys, it's nice to feel welcome.

I do find that exercise helps. Before I had all this I used to be in a gym but due to my recent health scare there *may* be a genuine reason not to overdo it so I've hired an exercise bike to do it in the house (as well as making sure that I get out for a walk everyday).

St johns wort is like a herbal form of SSRI and works in the same way by boosting seratonin. This means you can't take it with other SSRIs. There are also other medications you can't take it with (such as some contraception pills). There is however some evidence to show that it works as well as SSRIs with fewer side effects. This is certainly the case with me and it started working after 2-3 weeks.

I'm looking forward to getting to know people and sharing their tips.

[jessy]

Hi Mike , I agree with you on the exercise front . I joined a gym last year & found it really helped . Unfortunatly I've not been since December due to anxiety but I hope to get back when I can .
I to would like to make friends & have a support group to talk to , I think it can only be a good help to have others that understand & also to share thoughts , feelings & experiences with !!!.
Amy I've never considered that there may be someone who could come to me ? . I go on Thursday for the initial assessment for CBT so I will ask !!.
I have been on & off medication , I'm currently on lorazapam for anxiety & Dosulepin fro depression . They do help , however they also make me very very tired .
Mike , I hope you start to feel a bit better soon :-)
:-)