Needing relief

[Olive Yew]

This past week has been horrid, especially at night. It feels more like an illness than a mental condition. Head ache, derealization, chronic fatigue, depth perception is off, low moods, emotional detachment, lack of motivation... I don't have a whole lot of panic... Just this nasty brain fog thing.... Has anyone had this? What have you done to get rid of it?

[tailspin]

Hi Olive. Yes! I can relate to a lot of this. It's part of my depression. And I completely agree that it does feel very much like an illness. In fact, depression IS an illness. Whilst it may originate in the brain, depression often manifests with very physical chronic symptoms. Chronic headaches and chronic fatigue, for example, can be hallmarks of depression.

Lifestyle changes, especially regular exercise, a good diet, some supplements and adequate sleep, can all help. But I know you are already doing a lot of these things. Therapy is another important tool, but I know we've talked about that too and I understand that it's tricky for you right now.

Honestly, I would consider an anti-depressant med. It's by no means a magic bullet. It certainly isn't for me. But for some people it can make a huge difference. At any rate, it's something to think about. I know you've been feeling bad for quite a while now.

Really hope you find some relief very soon, Olive!

[jessed03]

Yep, had this for a whole 2 years after my panic disorder :-/ nasty isn't it? Feels kinda like no mans land. You don't feel good enough to call yourself better, yet you don't really relate to the advice given for panic attacks anymore. Sort of like being over the peak of the hill, yet not being able to walk down to normality.

Some sound advice from Mrs Spin above. I thought I'd just come say I know where you're at now, and actually, it's not that far from being a normal part of the process that you go on to recover.

You're at a state of exhaustion now. This is like burnout. Your adrenals have been worked to exhaustion, which often causes the brain fog, hazy type feelings, and your Serotonin is inconsistent, leading to the numbness, depressive feelings.

I know you're taking sups. If possible ( and you can tolerate it), try 2000mg of vitamin C daily, A B-complex vitamin daily (emphasis on the B5), 30mg of Zinc daily, and 500mg of magnesium. Also to help the serotonin, St Johns wort of 5 Htp. Chamomile tea twice daily too. Also try your best to sleep before 10:30 pm, as a lot of hormonal rebalancing and recovery takes place at night.

I can't remember if you're taking these sups, I know you're taking some good stuff, I can't quite remember if its this. If you are, maybe the next level is required, and your serotonin does need a helping hand in order to renormalise. Usually the SSRIs help with this. They are selective serotonin re uptake inhibitors. Basically they work by making sure your brain doesn't absorb too much, or too little Serotonin, which is something our brains ALL do in our anxious states; leading to anxiety, depression, OCD, numbness, and all kinds off odd, off feelings.

My recovery from this was very slow, as I wasn't honest with myself. I refused meds, and assumed my anxiety was under control just because I wasn't panicking. It wasn't. I hadn't dealt with what caused it, and I had many subconscious fears and frustrations going inwards, causing lots of tension I wasn't aware of. This is maybe part of the reason behind the brain fog perhaps. Brain fog is often intense emotion unexpressed and turned inwards.

I got over the worst of my anxiety with Remeron, the anti-D, and quit a few years after. I spent 2 years in this state, doing some good stuff, but it didn't quite get the job done. I just couldn't normalise Serotonin on my own. I'd done so much good stuff, but had failed to see good results, that when I finally took an SSRI and got my balances right, my life just fell into place. Literally just like falling from the sky into my hands.it was pretty amazing and a great relief.

You may be able to get past this with GREAT cbt happening inside your mind, and healthy living or you may need/ chose to have some medical intervention to speed up/take your recovery to the next step.

Something to think about over the next month or so Olive. Feel better soon! :)

[Olive Yew]

Yep, had this for a whole 2 years after my panic disorder :-/ nasty isn't it? Feels kinda like no mans land. You don't feel good enough to call yourself better, yet you don't really relate to the advice given for panic attacks anymore. Sort of like being over the peak of the hill, yet not being able to walk down to normality. Some sound advice from Mrs Spin above. I thought I'd just come say I know where you're at now, and actually, it's not that far from being a normal part of the process that you go on to recover. You're at a state of exhaustion now. This is like burnout. Your adrenals have been worked to exhaustion, which often causes the brain fog, hazy type feelings, and your Serotonin is inconsistent, leading to the numbness, depressive feelings. I know you're taking sups. If possible ( and you can tolerate it), try 2000mg of vitamin C daily, A B-complex vitamin daily (emphasis on the B5), 30mg of Zinc daily, and 500mg of magnesium. Also to help the serotonin, St Johns wort of 5 Htp. Chamomile tea twice daily too. Also try your best to sleep before 10:30 pm, as a lot of hormonal rebalancing and recovery takes place at night. I can't remember if you're taking these sups, I know you're taking some good stuff, I can't quite remember if its this. If you are, maybe the next level is required, and your serotonin does need a helping hand in order to renormalise. Usually the SSRIs help with this. They are selective serotonin re uptake inhibitors. Basically they work by making sure your brain doesn't absorb too much, or too little Serotonin, which is something our brains ALL do in our anxious states; leading to anxiety, depression, OCD, numbness, and all kinds off odd, off feelings. My recovery from this was very slow, as I wasn't honest with myself. I refused meds, and assumed my anxiety was under control just because I wasn't panicking. It wasn't. I hadn't dealt with what caused it, and I had many subconscious fears and frustrations going inwards, causing lots of tension I wasn't aware of. This is maybe part of the reason behind the brain fog perhaps. Brain fog is often intense emotion unexpressed and turned inwards. I got over the worst of my anxiety with Remeron, the anti-D, and quit a few years after. I spent 2 years in this state, doing some good stuff, but it didn't quite get the job done. I just couldn't normalise Serotonin on my own. I'd done so much good stuff, but had failed to see good results, that when I finally took an SSRI and got my balances right, my life just fell into place. Literally just like falling from the sky into my hands.it was pretty amazing and a great relief. You may be able to get past this with GREAT cbt happening inside your mind, and healthy living or you may need/ chose to have some medical intervention to speed up/take your recovery to the next step. Something to think about over the next month or so Olive. Feel better soon! :)

Oh my gosh this is it exactly! Hit the nail on the head. I'll try taking more of the supplements you suggested if I can stand it. I know that if i'm not better in 3 weeks, i'm gonna try some low dose meds to see if that'll help speed things along. At least i know im not plateauing in a crappy place and that i'm actually getting better... That helps me feel a little better. Hopefully this is truly the end for me.... :) i'm really wanting to find a good and true therapist, i just gotta clear it with my parents and hopefully it'll be cheap

[meichmann]

Taking vitamins will help. I usually take mine in the morning and right before I got to bed. Studies show more than 1/3 of your daily caloric burn occurs when you sleep, so by taking the vitamins at night, I find I get better sleep, and I'm not all groggy when I wake up.

Find a therapist or Psychologist who specializes in anxiety. they work the best!

Best of luck to you and hope you feel better!