Help me understand

[Paullus]

I live with my anxiety and clinical depression, it's with me every day in various strengths as you all would understand. I have tried a range of medications to try and take the edge of life but all of them seem to make the melancholy worse. No energy, no motivation which I have more of when not taking meds. I just become lethargic and always tired, basically useless. That is my ongoing experience with meds. How is it that others find meds very important for a sense of well being whereas I simply can't?

[Albert11]

Hi Paullus,

Thanks for your post.

It may be helpful in dealing with your illness not to isolate yourself and your thoughts. Try not to think about others finding meds very important for their sense of well being where you can't. Chances are, they are just like you.

Meds are part of the solution, they aren't the solution. If you want to feel stronger then try imagining yourself just like others in your situation. Try to focus on the next moment, not the big picture. Focus on anchoring yourself through your breathing. If you feel too anxious again, keep coming back to your breathing. Use this as often as you like and treat it as your safe place. Once you are anchored, try the next thing, then the next, then the next. If you feel too anxious, come back to your breathing again. Some anxiety is ok. We actually need it to function. Try to be patient and not focus on the wait for when you get too anxious. Try to concentrate on doing. You may get really anxious again, which is ok. Then you just anchor yourself with your breathing again and start again.

Good luck, hopefully dealing with life in manageable chunks will be helpful for you,

Regards, Chris

[Paullus]

Thanks Chris ... I enjoyed your comments, I try very hard to live in the moment with limited success but the endeavor is still there. I will take your advice re anchoring through breathing and perhaps look at life as "chunks" . Thanks for your words.

[AQUA69]

Hi Paullus.

Im on only 2 meds. Ive tried the rest and they just make me worse or sick. For others they seem to help alot.

My life situation caring for my 81yo mum is the biggest setback in me feeling relatively normal.

Even if that was over id still be suffering as i have my whole life.

I jyyst try take a day at a time.

Regards AQUA

[geoff]

hi Paullus, I saw your reply to another comment by AQUA who has also replied back to you that's terrific.


The AD's may have side-effects when you first take them until your body can become used to them and your body adjusts, some people are lucky and have no effects while others do have concerns and have to see their doctor again.

What you need to do is think about getting better with the med's and also with the counselling, they both go hand in hand. Geoff.

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Paullus,

Things must have been very difficult for you, living with both depression and anxiety (plus presumably other life stressors). You sound as though you have been feeling particularly down, despondent and, as you said, exhausted lately. I feel for you even though I don’t know you personally (or much about you) as I know mental health issues can definitely take its toll.

I hear your sense of uncertainty...I’m not an expert on meds but I think there is often a degree of trial and error as everyone responds differently to different meds.

I wonder if you would find it helpful to make another appointment with the health professional who prescribed your meds to discuss your lack of motivation, etc. Perhaps your GP/specialist will have alternative meds/dosages that might make you feel less tired, etc or even direct you towards self care strategies to counter those symptoms? This is just a gentle suggestion for something you might like to consider (only if you want).

Caring thoughts,

Pepper