A tough spell versus the need for medical review

[anxiety_sux]

Hi this is my first post here goes.....i have had anxiety for 13 years and have been on meds for most of that time.I have been through counselling, cbt and relaxation.I have had many times during which i have struggled and also many times where i have felt well.My question to others is this: How do you decide whether you are going through another rough patch and just need to continue doing what you know works or whether you are not doing so well and need to go back for medical review and possibly further counselling.Five weeks ago i lost my mum to parkinsons disease, i saw her go through many horrible things.My anxiety has always been health related and i now find myself struggling, i am not sure whether this is normal grief and a process i must move through or whether i need to revisit my doctor and increase my medication to help me cope or go back to counseliing to help me through the grief process.I am starting to feel as the weeks go by that i am not doing any better but instead getting worse.Anyone out there been through anything similar and what did you do????

[geoff]

dear AS, welcome to the BB site, and what you have asked is a very good question and I'm sure many people think exactly the same as what you have asked.

Firstly you should always have your medical support and this includes your medication and counselling support system as a back up always there which you can rely on, so this is number one priority.

If a rough patch suddenly appears and for what reason, this doesn't really matter, but it can be cause for concern, because if you don't know how to handle it or cope with what is happening then you need to then rely on seeing your counsellor/psych, and if it's a psychologist you see then you need to go back to your doctor and get a review on your medication.

I am so sorry that your mum had to pass away by that disease which must be so hard to watch her deteriorate as it progressively becomes worse over time, so you have to be grieving now because she has passed away.

So it would be a good idea to contact your counsellor/psych, because there will be so much that you would like to talk about because you have lost someone in your life who was a very important part of your life, so please I urge you to touch base with him/her, because over the next few months there will be matters to organise, and when this is done you will find it very difficult to get on.

Geoff.