Hanging in there

[wanttogetbetter]

Have been depressed and anxious for over 2 years now. I don't know what to do with myself. I am on a handful of medications and am seeing a psychiatrist, but nothing seems to be working.

I am 66 years old and have been on antidepressants since my 30s. This is the worst I have ever been and am considering ECT.

My anxiety is such that I'm having panic attacks when I drive, so I'm not visiting friends or family as much as I would like.

I'm writing this in my pyjamas as even having a shower is an effort, but I do get around to it usually before midday. Is anyone else in this situation?

[Sophie_M]

Hi wanttogetbetter, 

Welcome to the forums, we are so glad that you've taken the big step in sharing here. We hope you find some comfort in sharing here, and in hearing from the lovely community members, many of whom will be able to relate to what you’ve been through. We wanted to reach out to say welcome to our community as well as provide some support until one of our friendly members spots your post.

It sounds like you've been through a lot and have tried a lot of different treatments, it can feel exhausting trying to find something that sticks. Please be kind to yourself, when we are going through a difficult time it's ok if an achievement is getting out of bed or brushing our teeth. If you ever want to talk this through with one of the Beyond Blue counsellors, feel free to give us a call on 1300 22 4636, or reach out through Online Chat here.  

Thank you for sharing this and giving this community a chance to offer you their understanding and advice. We’re here to listen and offer support, and you never know how your story might help someone else.  

Kind regards,  

Sophie M 

[David35]

Yep. Me but at 47. There are natural herbs available which can calm you down (I can't write the name because it goes against forum rules..)

I've tried writing a journal to get my thoughts. life lessons on paper/computer which helps a bit. My problem is I have so many thoughts buzzing around in my head. One of the problems i found was that I lived too much in my head. So woodworking tends to ground me, provided my back is behaving. Going for walks sometimes helps. I've recently found cooking to be therapeutic too. I originally got into woodworking because I enjoyed painting pots around the house, it calmed my racing mind. Just working with my hands tended to calm me down. I've even done a few of those laser cut models (a globe and roller-coaster) that you can buy from hobby shops. They're fairly easy to put together, but if you're technically minded they're a great way to give you something else to think about, besides yourself. Just having tasks helps, but I still struggle. As soon as one project is over, I'm fretting about what to do next. My suggestion would be find something to do, rather than think about.

[wanttogetbetter]

Thank you David35,

You're right when you say we're thinking about things too much. I usually have an art project on the go but at the moment my energy and motivation levels are at rock bottom. Good to hear about your helpful ideas.

Today I'm catching the bus to get to the city library and borrow some books. Reading helps me in the evening to get off to sleep.

Cheers