[Novella]

Originally Posted by WalterMitty

You need stilnoct on top of zispin? I was on Zispin for a few months before and it knocked me out within an hour of taking it. Everyones different i suppose. I have had this low level depression or dysthymia for over ten years and generalised anxiety for around that too. On prozac now which helps mood but makes me very apathetic. Binge drinking too every few weeks which makes me ten times worse. I find exercise very good for anxiety and mild-moderate depression as well as regular sleep/wake times, too much sleep makes me more depressed. It's become like a chronic condition for me now that has seen me waste much of my twenties trying different anti depressants(most of them made me worse) , waiting for years to get psychological treatment. become addicted to sleeping tablets etc etc. Bit more hopefull at present so hopefully i can keep improving in my thirties.

Yup. I only got a prescription for 12 Stilnoct though, apparently they are very addictive. Might as well be Skittles I'm taking though, have no effect on me whatsoever.
Zispin, they made me really drowsy for the first few days. I remember the first night I took it and the next day I went out at about 3pm. Felt like I was so drunk, couldn't focus on people talking to me or anything. Now though, I take it, I'm still up all night. I was up all last night, finally got to sleep at 10am.

Glad to hear you are feeling a bit more hopeful about things atm

[Fandango]

Only read the first few posts here but i would be in the same boat. The friends i grew up with for the most part didnt understand it at all. I suffer from anxiety and panic and while i tend not to admit it, probably mild depression also. Dont think of myself as depressed but having said that im worried and down about alot of things going on in my life so i suppose i probably am to some extent. The main thing that worries me is since i got the anxiety and panic, my dependance on drink has grown and grown. Started out having a drink before i went out to pubs as a sort of anxiety relief but has gotten to the stage now where i stay in, talk in here or chatrooms and have a few cans or shoulder of vodka almost every night. Easy answer is to stop doing it i know but easier said than done. My question mainly is does anyone else find themselves using alcohol as a crutch and eventually feeling like you need it to be sociable after getting anxiety? To be honest i almost feel like i cant talk to people without it these days, altho a few lads i know have been massively helpful recently on realising everyone has problems, some show em, some dont but that im certainly not alone on it. The alcohol thing is starting to scare me tho as the fear of getting physical illness from it is adding to the anxiety...unless i have a few and the cycle starts.

[Fandango]

Originally Posted by Novella

Yup. I only got a prescription for 12 Stilnoct though, apparently they are very addictive. Might as well be Skittles I'm taking though, have no effect on me whatsoever.
Zispin, they made me really drowsy for the first few days. I remember the first night I took it and the next day I went out at about 3pm. Felt like I was so drunk, couldn't focus on people talking to me or anything. Now though, I take it, I'm still up all night. I was up all last night, finally got to sleep at 10am.

Glad to hear you are feeling a bit more hopeful about things atm

I wonder about the meds im on also. Im on Efexor and while im not sure if it is really helping me, if i miss a few days the withdrawals kick in and im a huge amount worse!Basically makes me scared to ask the doc to try a different one cos afaik i would have to go 2 weeks off meds so would be withdrawal city! Changed meds once and the gap was horrible. Having said that, since being on Efexor, i havent been having as bad attacks as i used to. Still have them but not to the same extent but i dont know if thats the meds helping or me learning to calm myself when it happens.

[Shazanne]

Originally Posted by Fandango

Only read the first few posts here but i would be in the same boat. The friends i grew up with for the most part didnt understand it at all. I suffer from anxiety and panic and while i tend not to admit it, probably mild depression also. Dont think of myself as depressed but having said that im worried and down about alot of things going on in my life so i suppose i probably am to some extent. The main thing that worries me is since i got the anxiety and panic, my dependance on drink has grown and grown. Started out having a drink before i went out to pubs as a sort of anxiety relief but has gotten to the stage now where i stay in, talk in here or chatrooms and have a few cans or shoulder of vodka almost every night. Easy answer is to stop doing it i know but easier said than done. My question mainly is does anyone else find themselves using alcohol as a crutch and eventually feeling like you need it to be sociable after getting anxiety? To be honest i almost feel like i cant talk to people without it these days, altho a few lads i know have been massively helpful recently on realising everyone has problems, some show em, some dont but that im certainly not alone on it. The alcohol thing is starting to scare me tho as the fear of getting physical illness from it is adding to the anxiety...unless i have a few and the cycle starts.

Hi there. I just read your message and my heart really goes out to you. Please, please do something about the drinking as a matter of urgency. I am not preaching to you but I know what drink can do to lives. It's great that you've come on here and basically sought help - keep being as open with your friends as possible.

[phi3]

Originally Posted by Fandango

Only read the first few posts here but i would be in the same boat. The friends i grew up with for the most part didnt understand it at all. I suffer from anxiety and panic and while i tend not to admit it, probably mild depression also. Dont think of myself as depressed but having said that im worried and down about alot of things going on in my life so i suppose i probably am to some extent. The main thing that worries me is since i got the anxiety and panic, my dependance on drink has grown and grown. Started out having a drink before i went out to pubs as a sort of anxiety relief but has gotten to the stage now where i stay in, talk in here or chatrooms and have a few cans or shoulder of vodka almost every night. Easy answer is to stop doing it i know but easier said than done. My question mainly is does anyone else find themselves using alcohol as a crutch and eventually feeling like you need it to be sociable after getting anxiety? To be honest i almost feel like i cant talk to people without it these days, altho a few lads i know have been massively helpful recently on realising everyone has problems, some show em, some dont but that im certainly not alone on it. The alcohol thing is starting to scare me tho as the fear of getting physical illness from it is adding to the anxiety...unless i have a few and the cycle starts.

I thought before that having a few drinks would helm me calm down before going to bed or would make me seem more "normal" before going out but it doesn't. Alcohol IS a depressant. And my depression gets way worse after having it so now i avoid it. I'll still have a drink or two when i go out, which i rarely do but really it doesn't do me any good.

[Shazanne]

You're so right phi3, alcohol is a very strong depressant. I dont drink at all, though I am not anti-drink, but my father was an alcoholic and I know the crutch it can become for people. Plus, if you mix alcohol with medication it can have very serious consequences. I know the feelings of depression, I have suffered for many years and I know how utterly helpless and bleak one can feel for no apparent reason at times - but alcohol is not the answer.
This thread is a wonderful idea to help people to write down their feelings. Often, when you write what's on you mind it helps to formulate your thoughts and make them clearer and, equally, it is often much easier to write something down than to say it out loud.
If this thread helps someone suffering from depression/anxiety it will be a wonderful achievement for the person who started it. Well done to you.

[zimovain]

My anxiety is real bad lately

[RIODEJ]

Just after noticed this topic which was a good one to start, truth is many many people suffer emotional probs in ireland which is a shame. its alot more common tha many people think. personally i think many irish still consider it a taboo subject. but in general i think us irish are less open minded, liberal and understanding compared to other countries which is a shame.

People can sometimes get relient on medication, i think doctors are the worst drug pushers at times but of course anti-depressants are necessary for bad depression etc. Truth is its very beneficial for people to talk and not bottle stuff up. us men arent as good at talking about problems as women which can be unhealthy. Also i do find ireland can be a very depressing place-rain, cold, clouds and i believe irish people still have a lot of bitterness, begrugery, and division among ourselves which isnt healthy at all. for example i seen how bullying destroyed some people at school, people who were nice but just put down and down, used as scapegoats, no-one seemed to care that they were depressed

i noticed people from sunny countries generally seem much more happy and content and also more respectful of each other-spain, italy, brazil, austrailia etc.

[sam34]

Originally Posted by RIODEJ

People can sometimes get relient on medication, i think doctors are the worst drug pushers at times but of course anti-depressants are necessary for bad depression etc.

just have to pick up on this one point

anti-depressants are NOT addictive

thats a huge myth thats out there, and its a reason many people will refuse to start meds which they desperately need

i know that some anti-depressants have discontinuation effects, but that does not mean they are actually addictive

[RIODEJ]

I agree, they're not addictive like valium is but people can get habitually relient on them which in ways is similar to an addiction

theres always the placebo effect that when a person stope them, they may feel abit down and then think they cant do without them etc. but your right they're generally not suppossed to be addictive although some consider seroxat to be abit addcitive.

But my main point is yes they are really necessary for someone with bad depression who is really on the edge. however in recent years gp's have been throwing them out like mad. for example a teenager who is down because of maybe some problems with bullying may not need medication but a natural intervention therapy like counselling to talk about the problem not be put on pills. pills can change the brains chemistry but cant change a person environment, circumstances and the way they deal with problems. its a chemical crutch. gp's need to be more responsible and make counselling therapies more accessible

Also has anybody here been prescribed lamictal?

[sam34]

i think some of the reasons gp's seem to be "handing them out like mad" is that the alternative simply isnt there. it just isnt.

so whats teh gp to do? leave a person totally untreated? or give them meds, knowing that they wont solve all the problem, but may solve part of it?

[RIODEJ]

Thats a valid point
Not taking meds for bad depression isnt good but anti-d's can sometimes be harmful too, theyre very synthetic and can sometimes trigger bi-polar disorder, mania, severe aggression and suicide but in general the benefits probally do outweigh the risks and the negatives

To be honest i think its such a bloody shame that so many people are in this situation, some because of different reasons but in general some people are so nasty and spiteful that they can be so cruel to drive a person into depression and chronic anxiety. its an awful burden for a person to carry and awful cruel for people to make somebody get depressed

[Shazanne]

Originally Posted by sam34

just have to pick up on this one point

anti-depressants are NOT addictive

thats a huge myth thats out there, and its a reason many people will refuse to start meds which they desperately need

i know that some anti-depressants have discontinuation effects, but that does not mean they are actually addictive

I really feel I have to take issue with this remark. Could I suggest that the writer do some research on Seroxat? Does the fact that one has to be very slowly weaned off this medication not suggest that it is addictive? Have any others on this site ever tried to come off it? If it was possible to come off Seroxat I would have done so a very long time ago but my Doctor has told me its very difficult to do so.

[sam34]

Originally Posted by Shazanne

I really feel I have to take issue with this remark. Could I suggest that the writer do some research on Seroxat? Does the fact that one has to be very slowly weaned off this medication not suggest that it is addictive? Have any others on this site ever tried to come off it? If it was possible to come off Seroxat I would have done so a very long time ago but my Doctor has told me its very difficult to do so.

i know plenty about seroxat and all other anti-depressants, as i am a psychiatrist

the fact that one has to be weaned off it does not suggest it is addictive. this has to be done because of discontinuation effects.

for addiction, there are a number of criteria that have to be met:

a compulsion /craving to take the substance

difficulty controlling substance-taking behaviour, in terms of onset, termination or level of use

tolerance - ie needing ever-increasing doses to achieve the effect originally produced by lower doses

primacy and drug-seeking behaviour - ie prioritising the substance over other aspects of ones life

persistant use despite clear evidence of harmful consequences

narrowing of the personal repertoire of the substance use

withdrawal state

for a diagnosis of dependence, you need to have three or more of teh above symptoms concurrently

it is wodely acknowledged that some anti-depressants, seroxat and effexor in particular, have discontinuation effects. this is because they both ahve short half-lives. however, discontinuation effects alone do not mean the substance os addictive, or that the person is dependent on it.

[bob50]

I hope your anxiety eases are yo on meds ?