Mental Health Anxiety's Back

[Zalo]

Hey BlueLight,

I've been suffering from anxiety and depression on and off for about 5-6 years. It all started with social anxiety in late junior high school. Depression at the time was anxiety induced. Around last year I luckily found a girlfriend, which alleviated my symptoms of both anxiety and depression, but anxiety came back to rise a few months later in the form of generalized anxiety. The relationship soon came to an end and I entered into a deep depressive phase with suicidal ideations that lasted for a few months. Eventually this phase of stomach churning depression turned into an emotionless phase where I lost the ability to think, concentrate, and feel alive. This lasted for about a month until I started feeling like myself again. I finally felt like I was rid of all my issues. Anxiety was gone, depression was gone -- I was able to live without worry. These 3 blissful months came to an end yesterday. That ever so familiar feeling of social anxiety has returned.

People tend to understand depression more than anxiety, so my friends cannot provide support in this aspect, but I also needed to let someone know.

Thank you.

 

[Maya]

Hi Zalo,

I too am suffering from anxiety for about 9 months now (at least what the doctors say). I have refused any type of suggestion to take any SSRI's as I don't want to be dependent on them and I am scared of the side effects that I might acquire in taking them. How is your diet/exercise? This has helped me quite a lot in the months that I have intensely suffered the most. Would it help you if you seek cbt or see a psychiatrist?

 

[Zalo]

My diet and exercise were top notch, but I had a fall out about last week. I know that it was helping me, but I just needed to let someone know while I try to get back into my routine.

My anxiety issues are neurochemically related, so therapy, like CBT, doesn't help me very much. I've grown to understand my depression and anxiety rather well. I've tried SSRIs once, but it completely killed my already low libido. I've been thinking about going on bupropion, which may help with my anxiety and motivational issues, but, like you, I don't want to become dependent on medication.

I find anxiety more difficult to deal with than depression. Depression doesn't fill my mind with endless worries that are irrational. With depression I know that it'll go away eventually, but with anxiety I worry that it won't go away. Being in a constant state of apprehension is tiresome and I know it'll eventually put me in a state of depression if I don't do something about it. It constantly fuels itself.

 

[spork]

I'm so sorry you've had to deal with this, Zalo. Anxiety is indeed something that can be absolutely crippling. I think that my depression is at least partly manifested from my anxiety as well. There are people that understand what you're going through so know that you don't have to suffer through this alone.

Something that has really seemed to help me with anxiety is mindfulness meditation. There are studies out about how mindfulness can possibly change one's neurochemistry and after trying it myself I noticed a big difference. My anxiety is still there but now it seems like I'm able to accept it and handle it better than I was before. Here is an article I found on mindfulness and its effects on the brain and here is a thread in TDS on Bluelight about mindfulness. It's definitely something that is worth a try. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[RobotRipping]

i've suffered from anxiety since i could first remember; the way to deal with it is to stop fueling it yourself. Anxiety is preying on fears and uses fear to fuel itself and is self-perpetuating. You have to break the cycle by digging deep and finding out where the root of it is coming from. Things like CBT can still work if your anxiety is due to an imbalance in neurotransmitters, talk therapy is also helpful because you need insight as to why you have anxiety and how to get rid of it. Often it's simply the result of not knowing or having learned to deal with stress/pain/emotions.

For plenty of years i thought i was a for sure 'lifer' on gabaergics to treat my anxiety, i convinced myself i was indeed anxiety itself and i could not see myself apart from it. But that's a facade, it's not really true, anxiety is just something that affects me when i let it, when i fear it, to fight it, i embrace it, i can stand tall and take a panic attack, it can hit me with all its fury and i won't die, i won't crumble and that very thought alone, destroys anxiety.

SSRIs are not very helpful and buproprian may even worsen anxiety depending on the person. Mindfulness therapy is probably the most helpful thing i have found for anxiety, essentially it is what i describe above, embracing the anxiety. I also use plenty of visualization techniques and breathing techniques to assist. Getting yourself into nature, maintaining a balanced life and dealing with your issues as they come instead of storing them up will help and prevent a possible mental breakdown.


Good luck, anxiety can be beat without medications but in some cases, some people do need meds, but it's best to try it without medication first.