Hi everyone

[ptica]

Hi!

Just a little introduction.

I've been anxious for quite a long time. It all came to a head last summer. I wasn't sleeping, everything was making me anxious, I couldn't leave the house and I was just generally unwell. I couldn't see myself living much longer and did consider suicide on a number of occasions. I decided it was time to go to see my doctor after putting it off for a very long time. It was the best thing I've ever done. He put me on Citalopram and I was fortunate enough to not get any side effects and felt a massive change after just a month. I wasn't better but I was sleeping longer and feeling a whole lot better in general. I have now been taking Citalopram for a year, I am currently taking 30mg and my doctor is talking about slowly coming off it shortly which is what has brought me here. I'm a bit worried that I might experience some difficulty while coming off medication so I'm looking for some support during that time.

I'm looking forward to reading and contributing if I can :)

[alankay]

Go ahead and taper off and if needed you can resume it. Had any psychotherapy to see if a source can be found for your anxiety?
Alankay

[ptica]

I haven't. I live in the UK and getting referred for something like that on the NHS takes forever (I have a friend who has Bipolar disorder and is very ill but she has been waiting over a year for a referral). I (or my GP) haven't been able to think of a reason for it. I had a pretty difficult childhood (drunk parents and a lot of neglect) which I think has had a knock on effect. If I sit and think why I'm feeling anxious about something I can usually relate it back to a feeling I had during childhood. I had considered seeing someone privately if medication didn't work but it has worked and I'm hoping I'll continue to feel better when I stop taking ADs. If not then I will have to think of something else I guess.

[anxiousashley]

I was weaned off citolapram a few years ago and had no problems. No side effects and no spikes in anxiety to speak of. It went surprisingly well. However, I never bothered to keep working on my anxiety coping skills and a few years later, because of a lot of stress and changes in my life, my anxiety sparked back up and I had to go back on meds again. This is not to discourage you.. this is just the truth that anxiety management and coping skills is crucial to recovery and shouldn't be forgotten.

[ptica]

Yep, definitely. I'm fortunate to have a fiancé who is a psychiatrist. He's been amazing and has helped me come up with lots of different ways to help me cope with my anxiety so I'm hoping without medication I will still be able to use new coping strategies that he's taught me to calm myself down without having to take anything. When I was really ill last year I couldn't focus on anything so trying to keep myself distracted or thinking of something else wouldn't have worked. Now though I find it much easier to do other things and think of other things when I feel anxiety coming back (if that makes sense).

[anxiousashley]

ptica you are very lucky to have that in your fiance! It's wonderful he can help you. And yes what you are saying makes complete sense. I know for me I couldn't do anything to relieve the anxiety in the beginning but after practicing skills long enough it becomes easier to do when you need to.