starlily1
03-27-2010, 10:48 PM
Hi everyone. I'm glad to be here finally reading about people who are having the same struggles I am. I've been diagnosed with GAD and depression and on and off anti-depressants since I was 16 (I'm 37 now.) I took Paxil for the longest period but it stopped working while the side effects increased. So I weaned myself off with the careful supervision of my GP. After six months after getting down to 0 I hit bottom. So she (my doctor) sent me to a psychiatrist who prescribed cymbalta which was fine for a while but then my biggest complaint was this complete drugged feeling and I've never been totally comfortable with the idea of using antidepressants in the first place. So here I am again. I've just finished weaning myself ever so slowly off my cymbalta meds but I can feel the despondence rising and the anxiety returning. I'm going to a self help group once a week but it's more instance related (Recovery, Inc.) and my feelings are not situation specific but more like this general malaise. I feel very very alone. My husband is wonderful but he views mental health as a disease like diabetes and doesn't understand why I don't want to use the medicine to help control the symptoms. I want to be able to live without meds but I'm not sure how. I've been in therapy with a cbt therapist but my therapist dismissed me as "well" must to my chagrin because obviously I'm not! My other major issue I've noticed lately is that I've got that old brain fog. I have trouble remembering words, I repeat things, and I sometimes say things that I don't mean to say. The words just come out wrong. Anyway, I'm sorry I realize I'm rambling but thanks for taking the time to read this and I would appreciate any advice.