anxiety/depression

[Meg888]

I have had some pretty major problems for just over the past few yrs. A lot of it financial, I spent 4 yrs trying to make ends meet until eventually my house was repossessed, relationship problems (now sorted), loss of a sibling and family arguments (2 close members refuse to speak to me over financial problems). Apart from having to finalise my financial affairs (probably by going bankrupt), I'm ok - I live with my b/f and although, I don't have loads of money, I certainly have more than when I had to pay my mortgage. However, this past year I've been suffering from a feeling I can only describe as a rising panic, It doesnt turn into a full panic attack, but I get palpitations and find breathing difficult. My concentration is shot, I've made & continue to make loads of mistakes at work (i've done the job for years). I get upset very easily & I have no patience whatsoever. I feel low (but not suicidal, nor have I ever) if I do feel a spring in my step, if something happens, however small, then I come crashing down with a bump. I saw my doctor who seems to think counselling is the answer. I really dont feel this. I have always been a positive person & strong of mind - this is obviously just a temporary set back based on circumstances, surely? I wanted some pills, because I firmly believe that when my head is in a better place I can sort all this mess out. I find when I talk about it, I feel worse. Can I insist on pills as opposed to counselling as I dont want disrespect my doc's pro opinion, but I just dont think it's the answer.

Sorry if a bit long and thanks in advance.

[ummmm]

By the sounds of it you don't need pills either. I think time is what you need. When you go through so much in a relatively short period of time you have too much to think about. I've had a bad few years and I found that I'd get a really nervous feeling for no reason. And yes, when things went wrong it felt much worse that it should've done. In time it gets less and less.

That's just my opinion though.

Not sure if you can insist on pills..

[Meg888]

Thanks for your reply Ummm, but this is nothing like i've ever had before. I've been like this on & off for the past year & half. This time it's come back, and I dont know how or why, but I just can't shake it off

[ummmm]

Is there something going on that you're not facing? Or are you burying your head in the sand about something?

[DEN53]

Hi Meg - reading your post, I think a combination of both anti depressants and counselling may help. You say you do not want to go down the counselling route, but you have come on AB and laid your problems out and ask for advice, so you have taken the first step.

Not sure what age you are but if you are 40ish, your anxiety can be made worse by menopausal symptons.
What we can cope with when younger unfortunately spiral out of control as we get older.

There are only so many problems our shoulders can bare, before feelings of anxiousness rear their ugly head.

I think what you are experiencing Meg would be fairly normal in light of all the problems you have had to deal with.

Go back to your GP and try the counselling - you may be pleasantly surprised at the benefits.

Denise xx

[Meg888]

thank you for your answers. YES burying my head in the sand is something I'm famous for these days! When younger I faced them head on, but I cant this time. I get tense, frustrated and nervous when faced with having to open a letter containing a bill! I I am 39, and my doc said I'm not menopausal (as I thought I was). When my doc was assessing me, she delved into my childhood etc., and like a lot of people I didnt have a good one, but thanks to the support of some great people (now great friends) all of that is behind me. I just felt she got a sniff of something bad and insisted on counselling. My sister had problems years ago and was diagnosed pills and she was great inside of a year. Maybe I'm jsut being ignorant, I dont know. Thank you.

[LoftyLottie]

Actually, a course of antidepressant/anti anxiety pills might well help you put things back into perspective. Counselling never worked for me. You seem to be a strong minded person and you know why you are in this state. I am the same. Counselling helps you understand why you are as you are, but you seem to understand already. You are suffering from acute anxiety and it's not surprising considering what you have been through. I would go back to your doctor and try again. Try telling him/her exactly what you have told us.

I feel for you and empathise with you. I have had a dreadful year this year and feel much the same as you. Pills have helped a great deal. Antidepressants/anti anxiety pills are not tranquillisers they just balance out your brain chemistry which is all over the place at the moment.

Best of luck.

[Seadragon]

Personally I would never take the pills. I have had problems and was offered 'pills' - happy pills they call them and that's when I realised I didn't want any more counselling. In my view its an easy option. Fair enough they may benefit some but then pills will become an open option whenever you're in difficulty and by that you're not really addressing the real cause which becomes masked. Or addressing other ways of coping with the problem - like Counselling maybe?

That's my opinion.

[123everton]

I say anything but pills, go to counselling before pills.
Your problem seems quite simple to explain to me, there's noone to catch you when you fall.

[ummmm]

Meg....You spent a lot of time worrying. Every letter, a knock on the door, the phone ringing...all could be about things out of your control and things that could potentially be devastating. That takes time to get over. Your body and mind are capable of doing it by themselves if you keep the positive attitude. When something so big happens your mind needs time to readjust and stop relating the 'now' with the 'then'

[zbearspirit]

Hi Meg I sympathise with your problem and like yourself dont believe that drugs are the answer. I think you have had to deal with a lot of stress over a long period of time and now the stress has been lifted your body seems to be not responding. I suspect that you could do with a break from work and do something that you find relaxing. I dont know if you are a coffee drinker but if you are I would reduce your consumption. But I really suspect that you need a break.

[Meg888]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer. RE zbearspirit reply: I would go stir crazy at home all day on my own, I spend too much time thinking then! Because of my lack of concentration my work is suffering, however, my boss is very understanding & supportive of my situ. I dont work in a large co., so there is no real cover for my job in full if I am not there. I would just spend the time at home worrying about not being at work. thanks to some support from my partner & work, I have started making plans to resolve the situ, which is helping, however, I cannot shake off the anxiety and the constant worrying. Also the slightest thing not going according to plan can leave me extremely stressed and/or upset. It's just not like me to be like this at all. I suffer from IBS which I'm sure is partly down to all this, and have to take pills daily to control it, but as soon as I find myself over stressing, I end up with pains.

[hollie1586]

i suffer with anxiety/depression and i was offered cognitive behavioral therapy which i was not keen on so i was given a beta blocker instead. it is called Propranolol. i also take a herbal remedy called Kalms and they really do seem to work! apparently they also help with menopausal symptoms.

[LoftyLottie]

I just wish people wouldn't refer to Antidepressants/anti anxiety drugs as 'happy pills'. This is simply not the case. They can be an excellent short term help over a difficult period and, as in my case, a long term solution to a brain chemistry problem. No different from taking drugs for diabetes or other conditions.

Counselling never worked for me. And I was referred to counselling on many occasions. Even a very wise counsellor told me that counselling didn't work for quite a few people, especially if they recognised what their problems really were.