Anxiety or Depression? Or can you have both?

[Moonstruck]

I just did the Mind Spot quiz for depression and came up moderately severe. My main hurdle is anxiety, at times blitzing into panic attacks, resulting in insomnia, worry, obsessive thinking, occasional paranoid thoughts e.g. neighbours are watching me, talking about me - going overboard in trying to please people so they won't hurt, dislike or abandon me......over the past 2 months I had a sort of double-whammy in losing two prominent, long-standing and very precious people in my life - one a friend, the other a romantic interest/love partner......a couple of weeks apart. I hadn't begun to work my way through the first, when delivered the second blow!

some years back I had a similar condition to deal with (I couldn't deal with it though - it left me damaged and scarred)...when about 4 major stressors occurred in the space of a few years.....you know that list of Top 10 things - Major Life Losses.....well I had about 4 of those...no time to recover from one, when another one happened! It resulted in mild agoraphobia from fear of "what will happen to me next?" much safer to stay at home. I had no time to heal, no time to rest, no treatment - I had two children and a job which became the next thing to lose....then I became a "job seeker" on Centrelink. No one helped me.

At least now its only been 2 losses, but I'm getting lower and lower - sort of a combination of my usual anxiety, mixed with a deep sadness and sense of great loss . I wait for the day to pass until it's dark and I feel sort of "safer"like nothing else bad can happen - the day is nearly over.

I am frightened I will become that messed up woman I was years ago when the list of stressors/losses happened one after another. I relied on alcohol - now I'm not allowed to drink for health reasons, so no soothing glass of wine for me. GP won't prescribe meds.....only something for sleep which I have to ration myself so as not to give the impression I am abusing them.

How can I cope better this time around and not end up the depressed human being I was back then?. At least this time its only 2 major blows - I feel crying is a good release for me....but what if someone drops in and sees me? My facade is too good - they wouldn't understand.

[blondguy]

Hey Moon

Considering the major life events you have gone through which are the roots to any anxiety disorder, have you had continual say weekly appointments with a counselor for say 6 months?

When I was at the stage you are at now my mental health worker (community based..free) insisted I see him once week. It took him 6 months to turn my life around. Sure it was awkward and difficult to start with but this mental health worker was a psychiatric nurse and was the best counselor I have ever had. He also poked around in my head about my brother dying and eventually had me crying big time (venting the poison)

Medication is necessary and I know that its an important part of building a platform on which we can heal and use all these various coping techniques that you are aware of.

Just my thoughts but....You really need to go GP hunting...and try to find one that has an interest in mental health

Then you can get a low dosage of an anti anxiety med that can help you find some peace while you book in for super regular counseling.

I hope you have success in finding a crackerjack GP Moon, you deserve to have some peace after what you have been through.

Thanks for re-directing me to your thread too 🙂

My kindest thoughts for you Moon

Paulx

[Guest_5218]

Hi Moon. Just quickly checking in and noticed your post on Carol's thread that you have been struck down recently with quite severe pain in your legs.

I hope the ultrasound identifies whatever the problem is, and that it can be treated quickly and successfully.

Certainly you dont need chronic pain to add to your existing anxiety and depression. I also know what thats like, and can sympathise. Hopefully OTC pain killers will help in the short term.

Thoughts are with you.

Sherie xx

[Moonstruck]

Thank you so much for taking time during your break to think of me Sherie - deeply appreciate it. I won't rave on here as I know you need some space - love you lots.....I will be fine......Moon S x

[A2D2]

Hi Moonstruck,

sorry not to pop in sooner, internet issues, work, study and family all piled on each other the last week.

I was a diagnosed with depression first but thinking on it, the anxiety was probably present even then, just not as visible. So yes, they can and do exist together and I suspect they are besties walking around holding hands.

I agree with Paul, ...You really need to go GP hunting...and try to find one that has an interest in mental health. Then you can get a low dosage of an anti anxiety med that can help you find some peace while you book in for super regular counseling.

I would be looking for a doctor that wanted me to come back fairly frequently for monitoring. At times, I've been asked to come back each week until my mood stabilised, then monthly. With the mental health plans that are now used by GPs they will do this and also recommend other services you should try.

I have been of the understanding that there have been ADs available for years that are not addictive. Heck, what I am using now is so non-addictive, I have to force myself to remember to take the darn things. And they are helpful for anxiety. But I'm not a doctor so maybe I misspeak.

Another reason they may have issues prescribing ongoing medication for you is the perception that your depression is reactive (ie to the losses you have suffered recently) and will pass on its own, so keep talking to whatever GP you are using and over time, they will get a better idea of your emotional level and whether it is improving or you are getting worse. Those observations will help them make more informed decisions about what is appropriate for your treatment too.

[kbkman]

Hi, just a quick reply

I was diagnosed with both at the same time (chronic conditions) many years ago. In my experience they fed eachother, and I can't personally imagine how I could have one without the other! Depression would make me anxious, and an anxiety attack would bring depressive symptoms.

[blondguy]

Sorry to Hijack your thread Moon...if thats okay....

A2D2....Thankyou for the support on my 'experience' with these mongrel disorders....you are spot on..

A2D2 Said: "they can and do exist together and I suspect they are beasties walking around holding hands"

Kbkman: It comes as no no surprise that anyone can be diagnosed with anxiety & depression at the same time. You also mentioned it was many years ago and chronic in nature. I really feel and understand your pain Kbkman, I was diagnosed with acute anxiety in 1983..like yourself I found this so frustrating as there was next to zero help available in '83. Whenever you are comfortable, you are more than welcome to post your own thread on what you have been through (only if you wish of course) 🙂

Moon: I didnt mean to park my butt in your thread....doh!....I hope you are doing reasonably okay...

I am not religious but Bless your kind heart Moon

My kindest thoughts for you

Paulxx

[Moonstruck]

Hey BlondGuy...you can "park your butt" anywhere you like gorgeous! (Ooh, you're terrible Muriel!)

Yeah guys I know there are other GPs out there....guess I am just too lazy to GP Shop.....or there's this. You see before I had my serious medical condition and emergency surgeries...had to cut out grog etc..report to Specialist in Brisbane each year...get Ultra Sounds and Full Blood Tests every 6 months, exploratory minor procedure each year etc....this particular lady GP (who I get along with fine, she's very nice) just happened to be my GP at the time those years ago. I've tended to deal with her mainly for this physical medical condition and only mentioned my "other"needs relatively recently I guess. The fact I nearly died from the condition seemed the more important of the two.

I hardly needed a GP at all for years, as my physical health had always been really good all my life despite my inner turmoils. Once upon a time, GPs were not interested at all in inner turmoil - they were pretty useless in that area actually so I've grown up in that era. (toldya I was an old broad! ha ha)

]So she has seen me thru all this hellish physical stuff, has all my records, history, specialist records etc etc - it just seems too daunting to go thru all that with a brand new GP...even though they might be more forthcoming with some anti anxiety meds.

Can I just see a new GP for the anxiety/depression, or would I have to change over completely for every ailment. Can you be on 2 GPs books at once? Does the former GP automatically pass over your history to the new one?

I realise I have morphed into another thread subject here - so sorry about that Chris B. I'll try and keep on the right path in future. It's just that these guys seem on my wavelength now - so thought I'd answer while the iron was hot, so to speak..............

[Moonstruck]

Oops....just reading thru my post just above...re GP dealing with my physical problem...I made it sound as if that is all in the past....I meant to say it is still ongoing, - that is the specialist appts, exploratory surgery, ultra sounds and blood check ups, reporting back etc.....so that is what she is dealing primarily with for me - which will be an ongoing condition needing regular monitoring...just wanted to clarify that...