How to get help when the thought of visiting a GP gives me terrible anxiety

[onlyme74]

I think I am at the point of needing to go back on medication after weaning myself off in July.

My anxiety and panic is so bad at the moment that I am filled with the worst kind of dread about making a doctors appointment to discuss this and ask for help.

What other options are available to me?

[Hope_for_the_best]

Welcome, onlyme74!

As you are after medical therapy, you really have to see a doctor in person so he/she can assess your situation and offer you help. Since you have been put on medication before, you should have a regular GP and you have asked for help before. Try to recall how you made that GP appointment for mental health in the past. Perhaps you had support from your friends/family to get through the appointment. Then maybe turn to them again for support. Have them to book and attend the appointment with you. If you go back to the GP whom prescribed you medication, he/she is totally aware of your situation and pretty much he/she knows what to do when you show him/her this post.

There might be home visit services offered by some doctors, but I am not sure about these.

[Croix]

Dear Onlyme74~

I'd like to join Hope.for.the.best in welcoming you here and sympathize with your current state. It is a very common one. May people feel better on their medication and decide to stop it, not realizing how much it was supporting them. Then without that support they gradually do into a much worse state.

Of course in that state - as you are finding - doing things takes on a whole new set of perceived difficulties. Even though in fact something like going to the doctor is an everyday event it can become a frightening or worrying obstacle.

Hope.for.the.best's advice is really spot-on. You do need to go to a doctor. Going back to your GP is good, your history will be known and as I said the situation is a common one. Relying upon someone to make the appointment and accompany you is also a pretty good idea if there is someone you can ask. Do you have anyone in your life like that to support you?

They may be able to help with the travel, even if they do not go in with you.

Can I suggest you do not delay. You might remember when you first went on your medication there was a delay until it became effective, I think it likely that will happen again.

Please know you can talk here as much as you'd like, we understand and care

Croix

[blondguy]

Hello onlyme74

Good on you for having the courage to post...It takes a lot to do!

Hope.for.the.best is spot on with his/her advice. I used to have long term chronic anxiety and now have depression and I understand where you are coming from. This is my 30th year with dealing with anxiety/depression.......and more importantly recovering 🙂

I have always been anti-meds until my 2 x GP's warned me that I could lose my home...my job not to mention my quality of life as well. They put me on a small dosage of an Anti Depressant and I was 70% anxiety free after 4 days....(thats just my own situation through)

Its only my humble opinion as a sufferer that super regular frequent therapy and a some meds can provide us with a solid foundation on which we can heal more effectively.....in combination with using all the various coping mechanisms that are available to us

I hope you can post back when you are comfortable doing so

My kind thoughts for you

Paul