topic Antidepressant journey in Anxiety

Antidepressant journey

ThomasJakeLim — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 11:20:42 GMT

Hi there I suffer from anxiety for a long time but recent events in my life have made me feel so anxious to the point I can no longer function productively. I talk to myself way too often to help cope with negativity. Exercise is becoming a stress point.It looks like medication may be the next option. May I ask for some feedback on how medication has helped you cope with chronic anxiety so you can function as a normal being? Whats your experience?

Antidepressant journey

Guest_4643 — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 11:37:48 GMT

Hi, welcome.

Please remember that we can't discuss names of medications here, and we are not health professionals, we can't make recommendations for medications for you.

Everyone is different, that includes medications, so it may work for others but not you.

We can share experiences here but you would be best talking to a professional - a Psychologist, Psychiatrist and/or GP about medication.

Antidepressant journey

Guest_1643 — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 12:49:37 GMT

hi there ,

medication use has been detrimental to me with PTSD and anxiety, so I have not taken it for 8 years. When I did take it I did not benefit. Some ppl tak meds and swear by them and some ppl treat anxitey and issues with functioning with other approaches.

I'd say go with ur gut and ur research and the ppl who's advice resonates.
Before going on medication it might b good to check out what the diagnosis is (if there is any!)

i'm sorry you are struggling feeling negatively and not knowing how to function.
ur doing the best you can and that's okay. I believe we are all doing our best in the situation we are in.

Antidepressant journey

ThomasJakeLim — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 13:00:05 GMT

Thanks for listening

Antidepressant journey

geoff — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 16:07:57 GMT

Hello ThomasJakeLim, thanks for posting your comment and can I join mb20lover as well as Sleepy in welcoming you to the forums.

Some people benefit so much from taking medication, that being said it may not be the first type of AD (antidepressant) your doctor/psychiatrist prescribes for you that does help, it may require several types before the one that suits you.

I, as well as others, google AD's on the net and maybe persuaded away from taking them because of what the net tells them, but the companies need to mention everything to protect themselves for possible legal action, but it may not necessarily mean you will have these side-effects at all, the only way you'll know is by taking them.

I tried several different types before they found the one that suits me and does the job.

My psychologist suggested exercise but I was unable to do any because I didn't have the strength to walk to the front letterbox, that had to wait until I was feeling better, and once you start they will put you on a low dose to begin with to watch for any side-effects.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

Antidepressant journey

ThomasJakeLim — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 05:44:21 GMT

Hi Geoff. Thanks so much for sharing. Every extra piece of info makes me feel more at ease about exploring the option with my GP.

Antidepressant journey

Guest_4643 — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 08:36:10 GMT

Hope you didn't think I was pushing you away Thomas, I do care. I was just reminding you we can't talk of names of medications here and we're not health professionals, this would best be discussed with them. We can reassure you but that's all.

Antidepressant journey

ThomasJakeLim — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:35:20 GMT

Not at all. Totally understand the advice. Thanks for checking in.

Antidepressant journey

blondguy — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 10:12:49 GMT

Hi ThomasJakeLim and thankyou to mblover sleepy21 and Geoff

I understand your feelings and the anxiety can be horrible to experience. My anxiety started when I was 23 and its was awful. (This was in 1983)... There wasnt much help available back then so I was a dill and fought my anxiety and refused medication unfortunately...That was a bad idea on my part

When my anxiety started to have a detrimental effect on my daily ability to function in my career and personal life I knew I really had problems

My GP read me the riot act and prescribed me with a low dose of AD's.....(SSRI's) and they provided me with solid platform on which I could heal effectively (using counselling) It did provide stability and quality of life

I really hope you can stick around the forums ThomasJakeLim...Any questions are always welcome!

my kind thoughts

Paul

Antidepressant journey

Booots — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 12:56:39 GMT

I’m taking various medications as prescribed , and I can say for myself they help with the physical symptoms I get from anxiety/depression .

they don’t change negative thought patterns and they are not the magic wand that fixes everything . But for myself they are giving me less things to worry about ( physical symptoms ) and that is helping with my confidence

Antidepressant journey

blondguy — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 13:29:38 GMT

Hi ThomasJakeLim...sorry to highjack your thread for a moment!

Hello Booots

Welcome to the forums and thankyou for your support! You are spot on as the meds are never a fix all...yet they do help us help ourselves where recovery is concerned

I hope you can stick around the forums....only if you wish of course. If we didnt have new members sharing their own experiences the forums would struggle to exist

my kind thoughts and appreciation

Paul

Antidepressant journey

geoff — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 14:29:02 GMT

Hello Booots, I agree that they don't automatically fix everything but they give us a solid basis to refreive us from falling back down the hole and not able to move forward even it's horizontal rather than downwards.

Nobody is immune to having a relapse which none of us want but other situations we were not prepared for can easily happen and still require counselling.

Take care.

Geoff.

Antidepressant journey

Cee123 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 01:18:51 GMT

I just started antidepressants on Monday. These comments here aren't giving me a lot of hope. I've been so depressed lately, and having panic attacks, which are still occurring. I feel like they are starting to make a difference for me. I've been on them before, at a lower does, and they didn't work, so the doctor increased it and that's when I started feeling better. I came off the medication last year during the Covid, because I thought I was better. But this year, since signing up to the jobseeker, I've just plunged into the depths again and been having debilitating panic attacks, some of which are keeping me awake at night. Had to take some time out, get my mental health in check before anything else. When I went to a therapist years ago, she put me on a cocktail of drugs, which at first made me feel drugged but then later didn't seem to do anything. Don't let people turn you off... There's nothing wrong with taking antidepressants or antianxiety drugs.

Antidepressant journey

Guest_1643 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 02:23:45 GMT

hey Cee - it doeesn't work for everyone though. I think this thread needs to allow for differing opinions as well.

Antidepressant journey

Booots — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 03:08:42 GMT

Hi everybody - there are so many different types and doses available that it will take time to find what’s right for you.

They may be able to help you.

But it’s like blond guy said .

They help you help yourself !!

for me the meds are the difference between staying in bed all day or going out and trying to living life !
they are the crouch I need at the moment and am thankful that I have them . That’s my opinion though and my circumstance .but I hope this helps Thomas jake lim

Antidepressant journey

Guest_1643 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 03:20:34 GMT

hey Boots - i think it's a bit more nuanced that that some meds have sidee effects (including suicidality) which may be harmful for some ppl. (eg ppl who are at risk of suicide...)

tbh i'm a bit concerned by some of this

i am glad they helped u and support their use to help ppl and be open-minded about, but we have no guarantees they will help or are suitable for any particular user. Cheers

Antidepressant journey

Guest_4643 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 05:29:48 GMT

Hi Cee, I'm sorry to hear that.

Please remember that this thread is about someone asking what antidepressants are like. While none of us here are professionals, they were just asking for reassurance, etc.

Antidepressants of any kind, like any treatment, don't work for everyone - they may not work at all, may only work a little, different dosages, and so forth. There's lots to look into. It also depends on the persons diagnoses, age, body, health, etc.

It would be best discussed with health professionals. What works for some doesn't work for everyone.

This thread isn't here to put you off antidepressants, we're just saying that you have to be patient, they're not a fix everything and it takes a month or more depending on the type (SSRI etc), dosage, the person, etc etc. So it takes time.

I would suggest anyone discussing any concerns with a health professional.

Antidepressant journey

Cee123 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 07:52:39 GMT

I know it doesn't work for everyone. I'm not trying to shut down anyone's opinions or push him to take something that he doesn't want to. It's up to him at the end of the day. It may work for him, or it may not, as you said.

Antidepressant journey

Cee123 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 08:03:13 GMT

He asked what antidepressants are like. So I shared my experience with antidepressants. I didn't say they work for everyone. I wasn't pushing him into using medications. Especially if he doesn't want to do that as an option. As I told sleepy, that's entirely up to him what he chooses. It's no big deal, it's better to try different things to see what works for each individual. I wasn't trying to be a knowledgeable health professional or anything, I was only providing what my experience has been on antidepressants. And I know it takes time to work, and it doesn't work for everyone. I never even said those things.

Antidepressant journey

Cee123 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 09:49:55 GMT

Another thing my doctor recommended was taking Magnesium. I don't know if it'll work for others. But for me it has a bit of a relaxant effect. Other things I've been reading up on, hoping something works - hypnotherapy, relaxation therapy, cognitive bias retraining, meditation.