Anxiety Medication

[Penguin]

I don't know if meds would be right for me. I really need to go see a doctor but I don't want to be put on some meds that make me fat and tired all the time.

I also don't know if being put on meds would really help me. Let me explain myself a little bit:

My anxiety is worrying constantly about upcoming things such as school and work. "Will I get to sleep on time? I need to shower before bed and wake up at this time or else I'll be late for work. I need to set a bunch of alarms incase I don't wake up and sleep past the first alarm AND I have to check 5 times to make sure the alarms are properly set." Then there's times where I feel like everyone hates me and I feel so irrelevant and self conscious. I barely feel comfortable in my own skin. Also, I had a presentation yesterday at my soon-to-be college so I can get time and a half on tests/exams due to anxiety, and just being in a new atmosphere made me feel so uneasy and I felt pretty sick most of the time whereas everyone else just seemed to feel so relaxed. I'm constantly cancelling plans because I don't want to feel overwhelmed.. I get so anxious having to get ready to go out and be ready on time, then being in a public environment (like a club) where i'll feel so self conscious and keep thinking about getting home and starting to wind down and prepare for the next day if I happen to work. My mind is constantly going and the only way I can ever feel relaxed when going out is if I don't work the next day or have anything important to do.

HELP!!! Can anyone relate? I don't know if all of that was understandable or not but I really need some feedback on what I should do and if you think meds would help me!
(I know most will tell me to go see a doctor but those plans sort of fell through last time.. I just really want to know if this seems drastic or if it's normal for an 18 year old like myself)

[superchick22684]

Some of what you've said I can definitely relate to. I don't double check my alarms but I have a checking issue with doors/locks and double checking paperwork, double checking tasks at work etc. I also can relate to not feeling like people like you. My therapist says that I have low self esteem.
I'm also guilty of cancelling plans not because I feel overwhelmed so much but more that I feel like I'm a burden on people. I also often feel like I don't fit in or that people don't like me. Crowds are a trigger for me so I don't go to crowded places very often.
Back to your question about meds. You really will have to see a doctor to address that because then you can discuss your symptoms and they can address what options you have. I'm not currently on meds but when I was first diagnosed I was. In a year's time I tried three different antidepressants before I found one that worked for me. Different meds work for different people so it may take time to find what works for you.

[Penguin]

Some of what you've said I can definitely relate to. I don't double check my alarms but I have a checking issue with doors/locks and double checking paperwork, double checking tasks at work etc. I also can relate to not feeling like people like you. My therapist says that I have low self esteem.
I'm also guilty of cancelling plans not because I feel overwhelmed so much but more that I feel like I'm a burden on people. I also often feel like I don't fit in or that people don't like me. Crowds are a trigger for me so I don't go to crowded places very often.
Back to your question about meds. You really will have to see a doctor to address that because then you can discuss your symptoms and they can address what options you have. I'm not currently on meds but when I was first diagnosed I was. In a year's time I tried three different antidepressants before I found one that worked for me. Different meds work for different people so it may take time to find what works for you.

I'm just not sure if medication would fix issues like these. Today i've felt sort of on edge and my heart has been racing and i've been getting a heavy chest... I work in about an hour which might be why but this feeling isn't normal for me on an average day like today. If this continues I definitely will go see my doctor. As for my original post, I just wasn't sure if these are issues that medication can fix or if anyone that can relate was put on meds for this. I just don't know what people really do in a situation like this. Does group therapy work? 1 on 1 therapy? I just don't know. What I do know is, I'm different than most people around me and it makes things so hard and irritating.

[Anne1221]

I don't want to post anything on this because you're young, only 18, and every time I get my medication from the pharmacy I get these warnings on teen-agers and such. It affects younger people differently. have you tried meditation? That has helped many people. Have you tried getting vigorous exercise on a regular basis?

[Ritch]

It sounds to me like generalised anxiety, I'm not qualified to say whether or not it is a full blown disorder but I have began to experience similar things when I was around 11. I also don't believe in "normal" but what you describe certainly isn't abnormal. I also found it difficult to adapt to new surroundings or scenario's like yourself, I didn't enjoy change very much

I was first given medication when I was 17 and due to me being hospitalized I didn't have much choice in the matter. If I could choose an ideal treatment method for yourself it would be exercise,meditation and therapy to address the constant worrying thoughts. However in my experience therapy is more successful when the patient (us) is somewhat stable and coping. Sometimes when people are overwhelmed/very distressed it is hard to participate in therapy.

The only person who can decide whether or not you are able to cope/endure whilst the cause of the symptoms is being treated is you. There is no shame in medication and they can provide stability whilst you receive treatment, but my advice would be to not stay on them for a very long time. But therapy in my opinion is essential, when I was where you was my thoughts were constantly racing and I couldn't control them because I didn't know how. Therapy will help you address this.

[Penguin]

I don't want to post anything on this because you're young, only 18, and every time I get my medication from the pharmacy I get these warnings on teen-agers and such. It affects younger people differently. have you tried meditation? That has helped many people. Have you tried getting vigorous exercise on a regular basis?

i'm a mature 18 year old and any advice or experience would be helpful. I don't know which step to take next and I don't want my anxiety to get worse and full blown

[Penguin]

It sounds to me like generalised anxiety, I'm not qualified to say whether or not it is a full blown disorder but I have began to experience similar things when I was around 11. I also don't believe in "normal" but what you describe certainly isn't abnormal. I also found it difficult to adapt to new surroundings or scenario's like yourself, I didn't enjoy change very much

I was first given medication when I was 17 and due to me being hospitalized I didn't have much choice in the matter. If I could choose an ideal treatment method for yourself it would be exercise,meditation and therapy to address the constant worrying thoughts. However in my experience therapy is more successful when the patient (us) is somewhat stable and coping. Sometimes when people are overwhelmed/very distressed it is hard to participate in therapy.

The only person who can decide whether or not you are able to cope/endure whilst the cause of the symptoms is being treated is you. There is no shame in medication and they can provide stability whilst you receive treatment, but my advice would be to not stay on them for a very long time. But therapy in my opinion is essential, when I was where you was my thoughts were constantly racing and I couldn't control them because I didn't know how. Therapy will help you address this.

I just feel so different because none of my friends act like I do. They don't ever plan and think ahead like I do.. they just go with the flow and enjoy life whereas i'm constantly worrying and feeling uneasy. When I start to feel this way, it leads to me isolating myself and my friends not understanding which then leads to a lot of anger & frustration. Some nights i'll just drink alone to relieve stress after a long few days of work and I know it's bad because my father is an alcoholic. I haven't been drinking alone as much but I really enjoy a glass of wine with some dinners or the odd beer to just calm me down. I know this isn't healthy though. I do like to exercise but that's another thing to add to me worrying and more thoughts come up, such as will I have time to get in a workout, shower and then have enough time to wind down and get to sleep? I just feel so hopeless and angry and irritated and I'm not sure which treatment I would need. I know a doctors visit would be best but I just wanted input from people who can relate.