Do you suffer with anxiety and depression?

[crookedspire]

Just recently I went to my GPs I happen to mention I felt very low in mood plus flashbacks to my past and generally losing interest in doing things. Then suddenly an questionnaire was pushed in front of me two pages asking about my state of my mind which I filled in . He looked though it he thought I am suffering from depression and anxiety then I was given tablets ( do these help or make things worse, side effects) told to go back in a couple of weeks.

 

Iv had a bad do with depression in the past so had to go to hospital as it got very bad to the point that death would have been welcomed.

 

How dose anxiety and depression affect you, is your condition come and go or permanent what are your impressions of medication and treatment you have had?

[markyspark]

Just recently I went to my GPs I happen to mention I felt very low in mood plus flashbacks to my past and generally losing interest in doing things. Then suddenly an questionnaire was pushed in front of me two pages asking about my state of my mind which I filled in . He looked though it he thought I am suffering from depression and anxiety then I was given tablets ( do these help or make things worse, side effects) told to go back in a couple of weeks.

 

Iv had a bad do with depression in the past so had to go to hospital as it got very bad to the point that death would have been welcomed.

 

How dose anxiety and depression affect you, is your condition come and go or permanent what are your impressions of medication and treatment you have had?

 

Hi

 

I was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety 16 years ago

 

Since then I have been diagnosed bipolar

 

I experience high and low mood as part of the bipolar and am prescribed both anti depressants and mood stabilisers/anti psycotics

 

I won't lie, its been a horrendous journey getting my meds, support etc right but it is possible

 

Anti depressants can be tricky, I've been on lots of different meds but am now reasonably stable on a combination of amitryptaline and seroquel

 

Personally the newer SSRI antidepressants did me no good, thats not to say they won't work for you. Its important to keep in mind theres always another med you can try

 

I hope this has been of use to you, should you want to I'm always pottering around if you need a chat, just pm me

 

Regards

 

Mark

[Valentine1]

I've been diagnosed with anxiety and depression for about 4 years now, so not that long in comparison to some.

 

At first, I just felt numb - like I was just sitting there with no thoughts or feelings and I'd cry because I just felt so pointless/worthless/like I was a burden. So I knew I had to go to the doctor, now up to this point, I'd never thought depression was as bad as it is, I thought people sometimes used it as an excuse, but boy was I wrong. It's taken me about 6 different medications to get something that works, and that took 3 years to work out. It's not quick and simple. But I know that without those tablets, I wouldn't have coped this 4 years. They didn't always help, and you do have to help yourself as well as have medication, but they took the edge off a bit. My problem was and still is to some extent, I stopped talking to people except immediate family, I cut off all my friends, I wouldn't talk to strangers or anyone without someone there and even then I'd end up in tears quite often just because it made me so anxious. I didn't go out, my sleeping pattern ended up as me sleeping most of the day and being up all night. I lost interest in everything, things I'd enjoyed, even just the tv, I couldn't concentrate at all. I eventually after about 2 years agreed to try CBT, which I wish I'd done sooner - it helped so much. But I have to point out actually, I did try it at the very beginning but I didn't really click with the woman and I didn't go back, but the second time, I really liked and trusted the woman which made it a thousand times easier. My problem is, in all this time I haven't worked, which would probably would help to some extent, but even though I feel better some days now (before it was every minute of every day) I still have days when I can't cope with just the normal things, like talking to strangers etc. I don't think I could even get to the interview point to be honest, it'd be too much pressure even though I know once I had a job with people I'm comfortable with I'd be absolutely fine. I'm going to force myself to start volunteering at some point and work from there. But small steps really do help. But I feel it's soooooooo important to find an understanding and caring doctor (I saw about 4 different doctors at my practice until I found the one I see everytime now) because some just don't seem to listen, or something, they didn't help anyway.

[pattricia]

I suffer with panic attacks but have never had treatment for it. I now realise that a close relative of mine is suffering from depression just by the way he acts. I don't know anyone who doesn't suffer in some way or another but realise we must talk about this and bring it out into the open. Can I get the ball rolling ?

[Valentine1]

I suffer with panic attacks but have never had treatment for it. I now realise that a close relative of mine is suffering from depression just by the way he acts. I don't know anyone who doesn't suffer in some way or another but realise we must talk about this and bring it out into the open. Can I get the ball rolling ?

 

I think you could possibly try and talk to him about it in the right situation, but in a way I think they need to make that decision to do something about it - you just have to let them know you're there for support. I found the hardest part about going to the doctors was that I didn't want to be forever labelled as having/had depression or anxiety, the label itself really bothered me as I was afraid of how people/employers would react to it.

[pattricia]

I think you could possibly try and talk to him about it in the right situation, but in a way I think they need to make that decision to do something about it - you just have to let them know you're there for support. I found the hardest part about going to the doctors was that I didn't want to be forever labelled as having/had depression or anxiety, the label itself really bothered me as I was afraid of how people/employers would react to it.

 

I also think carers and those being cared for suffer from depression. You are bound to if you are with someone 24\7. Let's keep talking about this subject as I feel better already just bringing it up. Any more people would like to tell their stories ?

[crookedspire]

The problem with tablets Iv got is not many suit me the side effects outweigh the benefits I could write a book on what Iv been given over the years.

 

I think the problem is some tablets are far too strong I also think some GPs think giving people tablets makes the problems go away without tacking the root problem I also think the times we live in their will be more people suffering with their mental health they we might realise their still seems to be a sigma to it and an sign of weakness its this a British thing?

[pattricia]

The problem with tablets Iv got is not many suit me the side effects outweigh the benefits I could write a book on what Iv been given over the years.

 

I think the problem is some tablets are far too strong I also think some GPs think giving people tablets makes the problems go away without tacking the root problem I also think the times we live in their will be more people suffering with their mental health they we might realise their still seems to be a sigma to it and an sign of weakness its this a British thing?

 

Cognative Behaviour Therapy is considered to be very good. No drugs just talking about your worries and problems has had very good results.

[addylewis]

I've been diagnosed with anxiety and depression for about 4 years now, so not that long in comparison to some.

 

At first, I just felt numb - like I was just sitting there with no thoughts or feelings and I'd cry because I just felt so pointless/worthless/like I was a burden. So I knew I had to go to the doctor, now up to this point, I'd never thought depression was as bad as it is, I thought people sometimes used it as an excuse, but boy was I wrong. It's taken me about 6 different medications to get something that works, and that took 3 years to work out. It's not quick and simple. But I know that without those tablets, I wouldn't have coped this 4 years. They didn't always help, and you do have to help yourself as well as have medication, but they took the edge off a bit. My problem was and still is to some extent, I stopped talking to people except immediate family, I cut off all my friends, I wouldn't talk to strangers or anyone without someone there and even then I'd end up in tears quite often just because it made me so anxious. I didn't go out, my sleeping pattern ended up as me sleeping most of the day and being up all night. I lost interest in everything, things I'd enjoyed, even just the tv, I couldn't concentrate at all. I eventually after about 2 years agreed to try CBT, which I wish I'd done sooner - it helped so much. But I have to point out actually, I did try it at the very beginning but I didn't really click with the woman and I didn't go back, but the second time, I really liked and trusted the woman which made it a thousand times easier. My problem is, in all this time I haven't worked, which would probably would help to some extent, but even though I feel better some days now (before it was every minute of every day) I still have days when I can't cope with just the normal things, like talking to strangers etc. I don't think I could even get to the interview point to be honest, it'd be too much pressure even though I know once I had a job with people I'm comfortable with I'd be absolutely fine. I'm going to force myself to start volunteering at some point and work from there. But small steps really do help. But I feel it's soooooooo important to find an understanding and caring doctor (I saw about 4 different doctors at my practice until I found the one I see everytime now) because some just don't seem to listen, or something, they didn't help anyway.

 

I used to have a very good friend who had depression...sounds like a similar story from what she told me - but...from the dates you've mentioned you're probably not her (I still can't stop wondering what happened to her...we didn't know each other for very long, but we were very close considering...she changed during the time I knew her though and we fell out pretty badly in the end and haven't spoken since, in some ways I've never really got over it but I've been tempted to try and get in touch again...would that be a bad idea do you think? It was REALLY quite bitter from her side (and I can understand why nowadays...) but I've always wondered if she regrets ending the friendship and what she's up to now...). After the friendship ended...well, I'm still talking about it now sometimes...

[Valentine1]

I used to have a very good friend who had depression...sounds like a similar story from what she told me - but...from the dates you've mentioned you're probably not her (I still can't stop wondering what happened to her...we didn't know each other for very long, but we were very close considering...she changed during the time I knew her though and we fell out pretty badly in the end and haven't spoken since, in some ways I've never really got over it but I've been tempted to try and get in touch again...would that be a bad idea do you think? It was REALLY quite bitter from her side (and I can understand why nowadays...) but I've always wondered if she regrets ending the friendship and what she's up to now...). After the friendship ended...well, I'm still talking about it now sometimes...

 

It won't have been me I just distanced myself from people, stopped replying to texts/calls etc so I wouldn't say any of the friendships ended on a bad note. I'd try and contact her if you want to, I do sometimes think about my old friends. And actually I did force myself to reply to one of them who was upset over me not being in touch and apologised to them. It's always worth trying to contact her though if it would be nice for you, the worst that could happen is she ignores you and you'll know where you stand then.