AndyPandy
11-08-2012, 07:16 AM
hi everyone,
I suffered with depression from age 14 until my late twenties. Then from anxiety for the last 2 years, but last year was the crunch point when I became unable to work. I have made some big life changes and now feel at ease, but just get the occasional anxiety attacks. I came on here to share my experiences and maybe offer some personal advice to others. I know there are lots of people with far bigger problems than I had, and people with more debilitating symptoms, but I think my experiences were fairly typical.
These were the main changes I made, and my opinions on various types of treatment:
Drugs: I was first prescribed Paroxetine and then when this didn't agree with me, Citalopram. Initially I waa also prescribed Valium to take the edge of the anxiety whilst the other drug worked. I was eating the valium like sweets, so was not prescribed any more. Looking back, I don't feel the medication helped much at all, and just left me with lots of nasty side effects.
Counselling: I was lucky enough to have free counselling from my employer, but could only have 6 sessions. it did help me mentally (i.e. was good to talk to someone) but didn't do much to ease the symptoms or the frequency/severity of the anxiety attacks.
Food/Diet: I gave up Caffeine, and in my experience this was the single most efefctive way of reducing symptoms. Even now, if I have caffeine after about 2pm, I cannot sleep when it gets to 11pm becasue I have the dreaded butterflies in the stomach and feelings of panic/loss of control, doom and gloom, guilt. The worst thing is the adrenaline rush/butterflies which is so bad that I have to get up and walk around just to ease it a bit.
Lifestyle changes: I changed my high-stress job which brought on the anxiety in the first place. A few months later I was nearly symptom-free. I also sold my car and started to cycle to work which initially helped, but then I found myself getting stressed because of idiot car drivers so have now got a motorbike which I love. I also made a point not to discuss any work problems outside of work, and especially not with my wife. This proved to be beneficial for both me and my wife.
I hope if you are reading this you do not feel alone, and that improvements can and do come about. Depending on how sever your anxiety is, there is hope.
I suffered with depression from age 14 until my late twenties. Then from anxiety for the last 2 years, but last year was the crunch point when I became unable to work. I have made some big life changes and now feel at ease, but just get the occasional anxiety attacks. I came on here to share my experiences and maybe offer some personal advice to others. I know there are lots of people with far bigger problems than I had, and people with more debilitating symptoms, but I think my experiences were fairly typical.
These were the main changes I made, and my opinions on various types of treatment:
Drugs: I was first prescribed Paroxetine and then when this didn't agree with me, Citalopram. Initially I waa also prescribed Valium to take the edge of the anxiety whilst the other drug worked. I was eating the valium like sweets, so was not prescribed any more. Looking back, I don't feel the medication helped much at all, and just left me with lots of nasty side effects.
Counselling: I was lucky enough to have free counselling from my employer, but could only have 6 sessions. it did help me mentally (i.e. was good to talk to someone) but didn't do much to ease the symptoms or the frequency/severity of the anxiety attacks.
Food/Diet: I gave up Caffeine, and in my experience this was the single most efefctive way of reducing symptoms. Even now, if I have caffeine after about 2pm, I cannot sleep when it gets to 11pm becasue I have the dreaded butterflies in the stomach and feelings of panic/loss of control, doom and gloom, guilt. The worst thing is the adrenaline rush/butterflies which is so bad that I have to get up and walk around just to ease it a bit.
Lifestyle changes: I changed my high-stress job which brought on the anxiety in the first place. A few months later I was nearly symptom-free. I also sold my car and started to cycle to work which initially helped, but then I found myself getting stressed because of idiot car drivers so have now got a motorbike which I love. I also made a point not to discuss any work problems outside of work, and especially not with my wife. This proved to be beneficial for both me and my wife.
I hope if you are reading this you do not feel alone, and that improvements can and do come about. Depending on how sever your anxiety is, there is hope.