Anxiety/Depression

LegacyUser

Maybe this is the wrong forum for this. Forgive me if so.
Has anyone got any top tips for preventing or dealing with anxiety or depression (I know the two are different but for me they often come together or depression follows the anxiety quickly).
I'm quite proactive in looking for solutions. My top tips are:-
i. Exercise. Definitely helps and preventing me getting to an unmanageable level of anxiety. I do swimming which can really empty my mind and helps focus on my breathing.
ii. Talk to someone. Either a counsellor or a friend of family member who I can lean on, who I can open up to. I often feel instantly better when I do this.
iii. Breathing and relaxation techniques. When anxiety is very high I find breathing deeply and slowly automatically reduces tension. Its about the only physical way I know of of dealing with anxiety. I've tried meditation but I'm not sure I really get it. I don't seem to enter any particular higher state and it doesn't really make me feel different.
iv. CBT. I write down the negative thoughts I have. I then challenge them by writing down points of evidence which contradicts this. I write down an affirmation which contradicts this (I'm not a great believer in affirmations - I think its easier to challenge the negative thought with real evidence rather than trying to repeat a statement that you may not actually believe). It also helps me to get the problem out of the mind and down on the page. This is roughly what I've learned CBT to involve from what I've read.
v. Not drinking alcohol. When I feel like anxiety or depression levels are rising alcohol is not fun and makes things worse.
vi. Medication. Ive been on a small dose of lexapra of 5 years now. Its really hard to get off it fully as I tend to relapse. I would love to at some stage. But medication definitely helped me in the past.

However I have had my struggles. I would regard anxiety/depression as my achilles heal. Other people have other problems - but this has been mine. I'm fascinated to hear what works for other people.

Kevster

Hi,

I had been taking Lexapro for the past 4+ years but recently came off it for the third time. I've been off it around 12 weeks now, which is the longest. It certainly IS hard to make the transition to 0mg!

Anyway, everything you've mentioned does help in coping with anxiety/depression but, ultimately, you will have to overhaul your entire life to get out of this. You won't 'recover' by living the same life that you are living now. You need to change everything. That's all I'll say because i'm feeling quite depressed.

Kevin

forbairt

I've had various events in my life that have led me to be quite down at times ... I don't know if you'd define it as being depressed (I never went to a doctor as such, I always feared for some reason building up a dependancy on drugs else and just hoped it'd pass) ... I was quite down at times .. the advice that I'll give you though based on personal experience would be

1: If you're in a stressful work situation where you feel everything is building up ... do up lists of things to be done and focus on one at a time and tick them off see your accomplishments. Realise its not always possible to get everything done. but seeing the bits ticked off is a major plus.

2: Steer clear of caffeine ... caffeine is probably great for lots of people but if you've an active mind .. and if its dwelling on negative things .. caffeine tends to heighten things.
- This includes tea / coffee / coke / red bull / energy drinks and so on

3: Find a piece of music that you like and that calms you ... and listen to it

4: If you lay awake and can't sleep ... maybe look into a noise generator or play some white noise ... or something that you find relaxing ... concentrate on the music and try to drift off ...

5: Do things to make you feel good ... whether its placebo or not there are things we do that just make us feel good .. going for a walk ... getting a pet and letting them calm us slightly ... drink some green tea ... try and meditate a bit during the day or take up a hobby that can help to take your mind off things and tire you out.

6: and this one is quite important .. if you have a loved one ... open up to them and tell them how you feel, your anxieties ... this isn't an easy one to do though (dependant on your personality)

7: drink plenty of water ... it'll keep you alert / awake ... being dehydrated makes me feel down ( of course don't over do it )

Anyways just my few thoughts on it ... take from them what you will

thedeadpoet

Is it general depression and chronic anxiety or is it more accute; that is to say, in particular situations? In the peak of my own depression and anxiety I couldnt leave my room for a number of months. As it eased (though always to peak at later points in such succession) I'd find myself only becoming anxious around people, particularly in college.

In most cases, anxiety comes as a by product of depression or vice versa. You need to work out if its stress thats causing you anxiety which subsequently turns you depressed or if its depression thats the main issue and its driving you to the point of anxiety. If you cant do it alone, and even if you can, talk to your GP and he'll give you a referral to someone who'll get you out of this mess.

LegacyUser

Hi, have searched the web on and off now for over a year in the hope of finding a miracle cure for anxiety and panic attacks, obviously the fact that i'm on this site means i'm still searching. To be honest I dont even think there is a cure i'm just finding it difficult learning to live with it on a daily basis. My husband died suddenly of a heart attack no warning no illness no long goodbye. no lingering kiss or holding his hand. He was only forty years old. caring. loving and much loved husband and father. So I do CBT, I take Lexaton and I also take Lyrica, i attend therapy of all description and would do anything to ease the nightmare that is my day. I find it hard to explain to health professonals exactly how I am feeling, because somedays and these do seem to have a habit of being the same days of my appointments I can pretty much pretend to be the person I use to be, if that makes sense. I try to do this because I am so embarrassed by my lack of ability to cope, other women cope. This has turned into a outpouring of self pity. My reason for writing is the physical symptoms, pains in chest, down left arm, ache in left arm, as you can imagine I dont buy the whole "you wont just suddenly die of a heart attack". I have been checked out by my doc, but honestly I dont always believe him, even when I'm sitting there agreeing with him. Dont care about being on meds thats not an issuse but any help with the pain issue would be most welcome. Thanks

LegacyUser

Well after two years of suffering with anxiety I finally got myself to a Doctor who has diagnosed me with depression. I broke down in front of the doctor (which just made me more anxious!!), but she was very understanding and then prescribed me with Efexor. For the first few hours I was fine, but then all of a sudden I had shakes, felt like falling asleep at my desk and then felt like I was going to be sick. Has anyone else had the same reaction after first taking their medication? Is it possible to ever overcome depression and anxiety for good, i.e. never suffer from it again after a few years of treatment? This is all really knew to me and would like to hear from other people who might be going through the same thing. Lorna