Anxiety and/or depression discussion.

Gremlinertia

handbagmad wrote: »

I've now reinstated my beliefe trust your gut instinct. Today someone really put that to the test. I knew in my heart of hearts I shouldn't have trusted them, I was right.
anxiety through the roof.

Just concentrate on breath after breath, I recently got severely messed over by someone and I must have spent nearly twenty four hours just living from breath to breath until I could stop my brain flying in a million directions.. Also keep posting or pm if you prefer..

handbagmad

Gremlinertia wrote: »

Just concentrate on breath after breath, I recently got severely messed over by someone and I must have spent nearly twenty four hours just living from breath to breath until I could stop my brain flying in a million directions.. Also keep posting or pm if you prefer..

im trying mate x im just so sick of people taking advantage.
I've done body scan exercise twice already today.
Keep leaving people manipulate me. Im too soft

Gremlinertia

handbagmad wrote: »

im trying mate x im just so sick of people taking advantage.
I've done body scan exercise twice already today.
Keep leaving people manipulate me. Im too soft

We're singing off the same sheet there. Keep at it, also I'm on a nightshift so I'll be popping by regular if you can't sleep and want to chat or rant..

InReality

I try these days not to beat myself up about stuff.
I do it automatically - for pretty much anything - ,and would for example if I thought someone was mocking me or managed to take advantage of me.

I've been more lucky recently in that i've managed to notice that i'm doing it , and try and be a bit more kind to my little brain who is doing the best it can in a difficult chemical swirl.

Hugo Stiglitz

I'm an absolute bastard for rumination

Gremlinertia

Hugo Stiglitz wrote: »

I'm an absolute bastard for rumination

Ah here - we keep going we could form a choir! Me too. I remember small mistakes a made twenty years ago and place far too much importance on them.. And I call myself all sorts of names for silly little things.. I've slowly managed to lessen it a bit but there's a way to go yet.

Hugo Stiglitz

I'd love a clean slate but such a thing isn't really possible without a massive upheaval and even then I'd probably still fixate on the past.

Gremlinertia

Hugo Stiglitz wrote: »

I'd love a clean slate but such a thing isn't really possible without a massive upheaval and even then I'd probably still fixate on the past.

If you carry it with you in your head, moving etc is a short term solution - you get distracted by new things to explore but stuff is still in your head for again.

However if you were planning it, moving can be beneficial once you have established the support network (doc, psych whatever) it's about justify the upheaval..

Hugo Stiglitz

Moving away is somewhat of a fantasy here. I doubt I'd be able for it in the real world though.

Gremlinertia

Weirdly I changed location a few times without being overly concerned about it.. Perhaps distracted by my own head at times. First few moves were definitely attempts at running away.. From my own head!. Clever that.. ;-)

Hugo Stiglitz

A magic wand would be a great tool for us all in here!

Gremlinertia

It's the tinterwebs, this is exactly where we can indulge in that..

NegativeCreep

I've found that thinking A+B=C theory from CBT has really helped me over the past few days. I can't afford a medical professional so I've decided that I'm gonna have to read about CBT myself and it's working pretty well so far. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction.

handbagmad

NegativeCreep wrote: »

I've found that thinking A+B=C theory from CBT has really helped me over the past few days. I can't afford a medical professional so I've decided that I'm gonna have to read about CBT myself and it's working pretty well so far. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction.

also look up mindfulness or mindfulness training negativecreep. Very usefull techniques for catching your thoughts

Gremlinertia

handbagmad wrote: »

also look up mindfulness or mindfulness training negativecreep. Very usefull techniques for catching your thoughts

I was hugely cynical about mindfulness in theory up until maybe last year.. Of course I'd written it off without trying at all. Just a bit of research on it.. Luckily I decided to buy a recommended book on it which came with a cd of exercises too. I will not say it was any gamechanger but it is a seriously useful tool.. I'd equate it to a sling or crutch, helps you get moving again. I would guess it's good for the anxiety side of things but I have to put more work in yet.

Call Me Jimmy

Has proven effective as anti depressants in at least one study for depression. I believe (but am not sure how much the research supports this) that if done consistently it would have a significant impact on anxiety, it being psychosomatic.

I have yet to hear or read about someone who practices consistently and is not profoundly more healthy and content.

NegativeCreep

Haven't looked into mindfulness much really! If its anything like meditation I'll probably feel like a twat doing it like I did in school but I'll look into it if it has any chance of helping!

Gremlinertia

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Has proven effective as anti depressants in at least one study for depression. I believe (but am not sure how much the research supports this) that if done consistently it would have a significant impact on anxiety, it being psychosomatic.

I have yet to hear or read about someone who practices consistently and is not profoundly more healthy and content.

I don't dispute any of that, just saying that it is very difficult to quash the cynicism of it that some people would have.. Study presumably conducted with people open to the idea which is a lot easier typed here than done..

GeneralC

A few things that have helped me with anxiety/depression, I am sure you all know them already though

1. Sleep, getting to bed before midnight, not staying on boards until 3/4 am

2. Eating healthily, avoiding sugar crashes and hunger, my anxiety gets very high when I am hungry or my sugar levels crash. Kick out the caffeine/smokes in your life. I've noticed even switching to decaf tea instead of regular tea has helped, slightly, but still, every little helps.

3. Exercise, I exercise everyday, I just have too, however, over exercising can cause the body to become tired and anxiety levels tend to incline, so do a little bit everyday, and try mix it up, for e.g walk, cycle, swim etc

4. Talk to someone, a friend, relative, medical professional, share what's going on in your life, don't be ashamed or afraid to talk about your issues with people

5. Get into a routine, wake up at 8am, bed at 10/11pm

6. Take up some new or old hobbies

7. Get Socialising, start off slow, even go for a cup of coffee with a friend in a quiet little cafe

8. Keep a diary/journal and take some notes whenever you wish, but keeping notes daily helps, but remember it doesn't have to be done on a certain time/day, just whenever you feel like

9. Mindfulness practice, this is something I am going to get into more, I recommend the book " Full Catastrophe Living" By Jon Kabat- Zinn for some night time reading.http://www.sanctuary.ie/ have a look at this place if you want to practice it in person within a group

10. Electrical devices, turn them off at least an hour before bed, ^ read that book I recommend before bed instead

11. Be proactive, as much as possible, if someone asks you somewhere or to do something, go do it!

12. Do things that make you happy

13. Join support groups, there is one in the mater hospital, it's a free service I believe, on every second Wednesday of each month, aimed at people with Social Anxiety, but people with General Anxiety/Depression will get something out of it too- they also go for a sneaky drink at the end of it I believe . I believe there is also another support group being ran in North Brunswick Street? I don't know too much about it though. http://socialanxietyireland.com/mater-group/the-mater-group-programme/

14. Challenge those negative thoughts, really try break them down and see if you can make sense of them

15. When you have a negative thought, say to yourself "I am going to lock this thought away (in an imaginary box) and come back to it later" turns out you will probably forget what you were stressing about! I find these negative thoughts have no substance or strength behind them

16. If you OCD and wash your hands X number of times, or check something X number of times, try doing it a different number of times, or even better, try not doing it all, then just sit there and feel the anxiety, see what happens, invite it in, don't push away.

17. Anxiety doesn't have to control your life, I know it has and still does control mine, but I have met so many people with it, and I can tell you, people who suffer from this, are the nicest people you will ever meet, however, they're also the most critical and tend to be very hard on themselves, so give yourself a break, don't keep knocking yourself down, give yourself a pat on the back.

18. I hate to say it, but there is no miracle going to happen, you're not going to wake up tomorrow morning all cured, you got to help yourself and be proactive, sitting at home all day just isn't going to work, you need to be doing stuff, an idle mind is a dangerous one IMO!

19. Remember, to slow down and breathe, key! Slow the breathing down, observe it, take deep breaths from the diaphragm and SLOWLY exhale- over-breathing leads to do that 'foggy head feeling' .

Ok, that's it from me, I'll shut up You guys probably know all this already, however I thought it may be of some help.

Call Me Jimmy

Gremlinertia wrote: »

I don't dispute any of that, just saying that it is very difficult to quash the cynicism of it that some people wou ld have.. Study presumably conducted with people open to the idea which is a lot easier typed here than done..

I agree and I have been in positions where I couldn't do it because I mentally couldn't get there. I meant it in a more hopeful way as in if can discipline themselves to, they'll feel better, based on fact. It's not a case of having to have any sort of blind faith or belief in anything other than biology.

Roquentin

GeneralC wrote: »

I don't think you need "chemicals" to treat severe anxiety. However, some people may need them.

a psychologist may work. medication will definitely work. The only problem is you build up tolerance pretty quickly

GeneralC

Roquentin wrote: »

a psychologist may work. medication will definitely work. The only problem is you build up tolerance pretty quickly

I disagree with medication definitely working. A lot of people I have spoke to in various support groups have tried many different medications, and either they have not worked for them, or they have found their anxiety to be actually worse.

Now, I' am sure medication does work for a lot of people, and that's fair enough, but I don't think they will "definitely" work

Roquentin

GeneralC wrote: »

I disagree with medication definitely working. A lot of people I have spoke to in various support groups have tried many different medications, and either they have not worked for them, or they have found their anxiety to be actually worse.

Now, I' am sure medication does work for a lot of people, and that's fair enough, but I don't think they will "definitely" work

well you build up tolerance and need new ones. Thats for the one that act fast.

The anti depressents take a while to work and can actually make you more anxious initially.

If the meds dont work, your in trouble because meds are far more powerful than words.

handbagmad

I think medication certainly does work. Im still here to tell the tale thanks to meds. There are literally 100's of ones on the market so trial and error for most people.

Now I was never a fan of talking therapy all my life till I clicked with my now therapist.
Combination of both is ideal

GeneralC

without giving medical advice, I'm just looking for personal opinions/feedback, can you guys, who were or are on medication tell me how it has improved your life? What can you do now, that you couldn't do before?

Roquentin

GeneralC wrote: »

without giving medical advice, I'm just looking for personal opinions/feedback, can you guys, who were or are on medication tell me how it has improved your life? What can you do now, that you couldn't do before?

sleep for one.

There is no golden bullet that is suddenly going to change your life into the one you dream. But the medication does help keep the demons at bay. That said you still have to go out and achieve. Medication wont do that, it just provides a platform to build on.

Gremlinertia

GeneralC wrote: »

without giving medical advice, I'm just looking for personal opinions/feedback, can you guys, who were or are on medication tell me how it has improved your life? What can you do now, that you couldn't do before?

Live.. That's all. As roq said it can provide a platform, I tend to see medication, if it works for you, as a crutch or sling that enables you operate despite an issue or limitation..

In my particular case medication has definitely allowed me continue in the outside world. And it has also prevented me succumbing to the voices and demons that would drive me to suicide.

Don't get me wrong though, as I said this is what it has done for me personally, the same cannot be said for anyone else since this is something that lives in your brain and each one of us has a unique brain that can and will respond differently to the same stimuli

handbagmad

Meaningful and deep are her heart and mind,
And yet she weeps.
A rugged path to her destination, filled with despair and hope.
A journey that is hers and hers alone,
Her spirit strong to guide the way.
With life and breath for another day.

.......

Hugo Stiglitz

I agree with G above.

For myself medication has had a huge affect on me however it is unfortunately far from a cure: it allows me to operate my life mostly (leave the house, go to work etc) but I still get low moods and anxiety still (but not as bad as when I was unmedicated). For this I am grateful however at times I really resent it as it's like it allows me to keep on being miserable at times, albeit to a lesser degree than before.

dobz95

Anxiety/Depression. When I was first told I had a generalised anxiety disorder I was not surprised as I also have a tic disorder. I'm 19 years old now and Depression is something I have as well but I have been told a few months ago its only 'moderate depression' so I like to think I have improved in that sense. The medication that worked best for me I felt was actually Lexapro! even though I was taken off that recently because I was on it for 13 months and my doc said "its not doing much good is it?" but I guess he is right and because I can't be mixing medication as I have new medication for a different matter and my psychiatrist is going to probably give me new medication my gp with in the next month or two. I am clean from Self-H for over 80 days now so thats something I have to admit I actually for once can say I am proud!
I feel as I get older words like anxiety and depression are just words on a list of problems I have now. It sucks. Counselling has been good to me my psychiatrist showed me reports from my counsellor and my counsellor says I have improved since I first walked through her doors in 2012!