Experiencing increased anxiety & unable to calm myself down

[Elizabeth CP]

Over the last couple of years depression has been my main problem. I typically become anxious when very stressed & trying to do too much. I stopped work last October because the stress from competing demands  (work, my carer role & depression) became too much. I have been trying a number of strategies to manage my depression with mixed results. At times I felt like I was getting better but then things fell in a heap with no logical reason. I saw my psychiatrist last week & he talked me into trialling a different AD on a very low dose to avoid side effects & enable me to stop more easily if required. My previous experience of ADs has been very negative. Since the appointment I have felt very anxious. To make things worse I have had an extremely busy/stressful week which hasn't helped. I'm really struggling to calm down even though life has settled down.  I would welcome any advice. I would also like advice how others monitered the effectiveness of ADs. Because of my condition I go up & down anyway and in the past increased anxiety has been a side effect of ADs but this time the anxiety increased before I started so this makes it hard to tell what is affecting what

[TuneOfLove_]

Hi Elizabeth 🙂

This is one of the quotes I look at when I'm struggling as well...

“The pain that you create now is always some form of nonacceptance, some form of
unconscious resistance to what is. On the level of thought, the resistance is
some form of judgement. On the emotional level, it is some form of negativity.
The intensity of the pain depends on the degree of resistance to the present
moment, and this in turn depends on how strongly you are identified with your
mind. The mind always seeks to deny the Now and to escape from it. In other
words, the more you are identified with your mind, the more you suffer. Or you
may put it like this: the more you are able to honor and accept the Now, the
more you are free of pain, of suffering - and free of the egoic mind.” ~Eckhart
Tolle~

[Pixiedustaway]

Hi Elizabeth,

I have had positive results from AD for both depression and anxiety, however finding the right drug/dose for you is trial and error. Try to be open to medication and the potential positive results and just take it day by day keeping an eye on the effects. Look for any increased symptoms as this can be common. Stay in contact with your Dr who can advise what effects are expected. I find that having a few activities planned, even just spending some time with a friend can be a good distraction during the initial stabilisation phase of beginning new medication.

With regards to your current anxiety, do you think some exercise might help you let out some of the anxious energy? (I find that if I exhaust myself I can have some relief). If you feel that you need to calm yourself perhaps try a meditation or some mindfulness, there are some great apps to help with both. Do you know any grounding techniques (eg think about 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch (and touch them), 2 things  you can smell or like the smell of, and 1 slow, deep breath) sometimes it can be enough to calm yourself a little in the moment. 

 Good luck ☺

[Elizabeth CP]

I am currently very tired due to lack of sleep & extremely busy week. Today is the first break I've had in a week so doing extra exercise will make me worse based on previous experience. Exhaustion sends me into a very bad place. I am walking each day. I haven't been successful with meditation. I will try the grounding techniques. 

[Pixiedustaway]

Knowing what doesn't work gets you one step closer to finding what does work. Since you're feeling super tired and you know that to be something that makes you feel worse I'd try to find a way to get yourself some rest. Easier said than done with an anxious mind I know. I find it helpful to listen to podcasts in bed when I can't get out of my own head. I use headphones which helps block out other sound and also prevents me from keeping others awake. I love listening to 'professor blastoff' and 'no such thing as a fish'. I find that being able to listen to something helps quiet my mind a little and laying in the dark in bed tells my body to sleep. I now fall asleep pretty quickly when I listen because after doing it so many times my mind/body just knows that this leads to sleep. I've found it helpful because when nothing wise works it's now my go to. 

After a rough week and not enough sleep anyone would feel a little worse for wear, try not to be too hard on yourself and if you can, set and side some time for some self care. Even just a long shower or whatever makes you feel good. It's easy to get into a routine and forget show yourself some love.

[Bluey_moon]

Hi Elizabeth, 

In my experience AD's have caused an increase in my anxiety big time, either when starting a new AD or increasing the dose. I take AD's primarily for anxiety and some OCD tendencies. My anxiety increases to the point that my Dr now prescribes a low dose calmative to get me through the initial period! 

These are things that sometimes are able to calm me when I get into an anxious state (or sad state for that matter). 

-deep breaths, I do 10. Counting on the breath in and saying relax in the way out (I don't do this out loud). 

- getting plenty of sleep, tiredness for me is also a trigger. 

- cutting down on caffiene, I am yet to be able to cut it out. I try not to have any after 2 or 3. 

- distraction, I play with the kids, do a puzzle in my phone, go for a walk, read a magazine! 

- positive self talk. 

- spending time with my hubby or friends, even if it's a quick coffee! 

Elizabeth, these don't always work, sometimes I just have to try to ignore the anxiety and let it fade away in time! 

Im really sorry you are struggling at the moment! 

Love and hugs, 

skye

[Elizabeth CP]

I have been working hard using different strategies to cope with my depression, anxiety & PTSD & thought some of them were working. I have been exhausted for a long time due to multiple stresses trying to care for my husband & left work last Oct to help me cope. I had tried many ADs early last year but gave up due to severe side effects I recently started a new one but I'm really scared of it. 
I had had a very busy stressful week last week with insufficient rest. I planned to catch up on things this week but had to babysit my grandkids Monday pm & today I'm babysitting all day thus preventing me from getting rest I need. Hot weather meant poor sleep for a couple of nights & then my husband has become unwell so last night I was kept awake by him coughing. Due to his chronic condition even minor illnesses cause major problems. He has had a number of long hospital admissions over the last few years so I worry too much when he gets sick. We are supposed to go on holiday next week & I'm concerned about it being spoilt by my husband being sick. Every planned holiday for the last 2 years has been cancelled or badly affected due to my husband becoming sick at the wrong time.  I need the break as I keep seeing all the work needing to be done while at home.
Sorry this sounds like I'm just grumbling. I have trouble saying no when I'm asked to babysit & I worry too much when my husband is sick. Telling myself I'm doing all thatI can do doesn't help. The doctor cant do anything until he is really bad and needs to be hospitalised.

[Elizabeth CP]

I have been working hard using different strategies to cope with my depression, anxiety & PTSD & thought some of them were working. I have been exhausted for a long time due to multiple stresses trying to care for my husband & left work last Oct to help me cope. I had tried many ADs early last year but gave up due to severe side effects I recently started a new one but I'm really scared of it. 
I had had a very busy stressful week last week with insufficient rest. I planned to catch up on things this week but had to babysit my grandkids Monday pm & today I'm babysitting all day thus preventing me from getting rest I need. Hot weather meant poor sleep for a couple of nights & then my husband has become unwell so last night I was kept awake by him coughing. Due to his chronic condition even minor illnesses cause major problems. He has had a number of long hospital admissions over the last few years so I worry too much when he gets sick. We are supposed to go on holiday next week & I'm concerned about it being spoilt by my husband being sick. Every planned holiday for the last 2 years has been cancelled or badly affected due to my husband becoming sick at the wrong time.  I need the break as I keep seeing all the work needing to be done while at home.
Sorry this sounds like I'm just grumbling. I have trouble saying no when I'm asked to babysit & I worry too much when my husband is sick. Telling myself I'm doing all thatI can do doesn't help. The doctor cant do anything until he is really bad and needs to be hospitalised.

[Bluey_moon]

Oh Elizabeth, you are not grumbling, sometimes we all need to vent! 

[Elizabeth CP]

After 2 very stressful weeks I am currently feeling exhausted out of proportion to the amount of sleep I have had or the physical activity I've engaged in. I feel very lazy as there are things I need to do but I can't motivate myself. I suspect it is the anxiety from all the things which have been going wrong lately causing the tiredness. I am unsure how to help myself. I have tried walking but that just made me more tired making it worse.