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depression and anxiety

Posted: Jan 13, 2011

Has anyone been actually treated for depression and anxiety? I have been going to a psychologist, but it seems like it's going to take forever to make any progress! I get just as frustrated and panicky knowing I have to go to an appointment as I do sitting at home wishing for work!

Just wondering if anyone has had any success with therapy, or if anyone has any real life suggestions or stories about how they overcame this illness. I've been feeling helpless and at the mercy of panic attacks and social phobia for a few years now. It seems to be getting worse, but I'm determined not to let it ruin my life.

I have a very strong family history of psych problems; mom, big sis and big brother have major depression and bipolar disorder. (brother with PTSD). Little sis and little brother have OCD and panic/anxiety. Even my son and daughter have OCD! (they are adults now). I thought (several years ago) that it skipped me, then my divorce threw me into a tailspin and I feel like I've been struggling to be "normal" again since.

Just looking for some real life suggestions that don't require medications. I was started on Zoloft and given Xanax for the immediate panics, but they make me feel loopy and stupid and just plain sleepy, so not really a help. Anything from anyone who has overcome or is getting better?

;

I have had these issues since about 18. It is funny - the doctor I use to work

[ In Reply To ..]
for told me once that he had never seen anybody having anxiety about anxiety. Well, that would be because he has never had a true panic attack, or he would know why it scares the crap out of me.

I have never done well on SSRIs. I refuse them all. I take Wellbutrin 150 which is totally not indicated for anxiety, quite the opposite, but it works for me. I also take Ativan p.r.n. I never like Xanax (also allergic). Ativan has a slower onset and doesn't give that wham that Xanax does. As far as the Wellbutrin is concerned, it was explained to me that anxiety/depression are like a cold, some have some symptoms, some have others, but treatment is mostly the same. I have also had a psychologist recommended twice daily Klonopin as he didn't understand the Wellbutrin. I just don't want to be dependent on a benzo.

I have gone off of my meds in the past, and well, lets just say the memories are not pleasant.

That being said, 90% of it is all on you. I have finally came to a point in my life where I can tell when they are coming on and sometimes talk myself out of them. A bottle of 30 Ativan could last me a year or longer now. I still have some anxiousness constantly, such as I have a dripping sweat most of the time. Can't really raise my arms in public, lol. I can cope, though.

When I start to feel the things like shortness of breath, heart racing, etc., I have to start talking myself down. Was I feeling this way before the anxiety started going on. I try to use any logic at the time left in me. I sometimes will call someone, and just talking about random things (not anxiety) helps.

I try to not look up any symptoms on the internet or medical books as that only makes it worse.

Sorry, this is so long, but I also have found that prayer and reading the bible helps very much. I am not sure of your religious beliefs, but I totally believe God has helped me through this. Anxiety is fear, and that is something I try not to accept.

Hope this helps.

depression/anxiety - tootired

[ In Reply To ..]
I've also had depression/anxiety since my teens, and that was a loooong time ago. Actually,it was back when Valium was the drug of choice for everything!
Over the years, I've tried straight therapy, wasn't worth anything. Therapy + meds, a little better and finally meds. After a trial and error period on many different ones (I once worked as a tech in the dept of psychopharmacology in a med school)I have finally found a combination that work for me -- celexa for the depression and Klonopin (very, very low dose 1/2 of a 0.5 mg) prn. I take 40 of the Celexa (have had absolutely no adverse effects) q.d.and the Klonopin maybe 1-2 a week (that is the 0.25 dose). Once you get a blood level of the Klonopin, its very easy for you to control yourself and it keeps the anxiety down to a controllable level, at least for me. BuSpar is also very good for anxiety.

However,as in an earlier post,I have a Higher Power who takes care of my anxieties better than any med and also my depression, but I do have to ask for help on that more often. I have prayed about taking the medication and finally figured out that there are times that my docs really do know more than I (really hate to admit that though), and that was the way my Higher Power was taking care of me and doing something for myself that I can't do for myself.

Just my 2 cents.

to tootired - anxiety and depression - metoo

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm interested in your comments because I too have been battling life-long depression and anxiety, although I think anxiety is the worst of the two. Is Celexa expensive? Is the generic as good? Does it cause weight gain? Does it cause insomnia, at least initially?

Anxiety attacks - SAM

[ In Reply To ..]
I have anxiety attacks that seemingly come out of nowhere for no (conscious) reason. I usually take Xanax for them if I can't get them under control myself.

There are a couple of silly things I've found that for some reason allay the attack (or cut it short). First, I get a glass of cold water and VERY slowly (I mean ridiculously slow) SIP it. Not drink it, just take small, slow sips. About 10 sips into it, sometimes the tension in my chest relaxes and the attack subsides.

The other thing that sometimes works is if, at the very onset of the attack, I step outside, sit down and just breathe as slowly as possible. This works better at night, when the air is so much cooler. If I catch the attack in its early stages, this usually works, too.

Good luck to you...anxiety/panic attacks are so painful, physically and emotionally!

Yes, since the age of 17, before it was popular - Me

[ In Reply To ..]
I was diagnosed at 17 with panic attacks and back then you had to go through a lot before they would even consider that as an option. Today it's just too easy and dr's will give out Xanax for anything and everything. Go to your family doctor and if they send you for a psych eval then go once or twice, any more would be a waste if they can't figure it out.

there are conservative measures without meds to help - cindy

[ In Reply To ..]
Exercise is very helpful, especially yoga. There are relaxation techniques that a psychologist can teach you. My son has severe anxiety, along with many other issues. He has Asperger's syndrome (very high functioning autism) and has seen psychologists all his life, but the one at his high school was the most helpful. (He was in a special program at high school and one of his classes was called 'social skills' but the kids referred to it as group, as it was really like a group therapy. Also, we have never tried it but there is biofeedback which can help. My mom used to do biofeedback for her migraines and it really did help her, but you can do it for anxiety, as well.

Just because you have had problems with two medicines, do not give up on meds if the conservative measures do not work for you. Some medicines will work well for one and not well for another, so sometimes you have to try, like a trial and error to find what works for you. Also, you need to give them a chance to work. I took Zoloft long ago when it first came out and it made me so sick to my stomach when I first started it but the doctor urged me to give it a week or two and sure enough, the side effects went away as my body adjusted to it. Also remember with the antidepressants, they are not immediate action, they usually take up to six weeks to really start feeling full effects of. Meds like Xanax are more likely to make you sleepy and are immediate acting meds.

I wish you luck and just don't give up. It is a struggle to find the answers sometimes but just keep trying!

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