Question relating to; to medicate or not medicate?

[MissBubbles]

Howdy,

i have been seeing a physcologist in regards to my anxiety. I decided to go along due to my anxiety affecting my relationship with my two young children & my hubby. I am currently trying controlled breath & muscle relaxation. But i dont feel any better, if anything worse..

i would like to know if anyone has had any success managing their anxiety with medication?

are there benefits?

or are there negatives?

is seeing a physcologist better?or are medications more effective??

[Zeal]

Hi Miss Bubbles,

Welcome to the forum!

It's great that you're seeing a psychologist for your anxiety. Seeing these professionals is great for learning psychological strategies to manage symptoms, and enhance personal coping ability. Medication is often best used in conjunction with psychological skills. It's vital you talk to your psychologist and your doctor (GP) about the concerns you have regarding this lack of treatment progress.

There are other strategies you can use with your psychologist, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or Schema Therapy, for example. One of these strategies may be of great benefit to you. Ask your psychologist about your treatment options. Lifestyle factors are also an important consideration. Eating regular nutritious meals, having quality sleep, and leading an active lifestyle (e.g. walking, dancing, gentle swimming) is vital.

I have OCD (an anxiety disorder) that I take SSRI's for (antidepressant meds). This medication helps correct my brain's inability to produce enough of the neurotransmitter serotonin (important for mood, sleep etc.) Brain neurotransmitter imbalances often require medication. Your doctor (GP) can assist you in being tested if you're concerned.

Keep seeing your psychologist, and also see your doctor to discuss your concerns. Even when medication is prescribed by a doctor, seeing a psychologist as well is often necessary.

Hope to hear back from you 🙂

Best wishes,

SM

[Dr_Kim]

Hi Miss Bubbles, good on you for taking the steps to feel better. There are a few things i can say that might help you:

Anxiety treatment is not a “ one size fits all” thing . What works for one person , may not work well for another . So you need to find your “ thing” . For some that is Mindfulness programmes ( and they take time to get results , as in weeks or months!) , others it is the lifestyle factors (exercising , diet , sleeping well , good routines) , for some it is the cognitive work they do with therapists or support groups .Some others have severe enough or persistent enough symptoms , that they decide to try a medication .

In my clinical experience, it works better than 50% of the time , but not 100% of the time. The side effects do not tend to be “deal breakers” and usually can be managed well if they are explained and if you start up slowly. The bad news is that you do tend to get the side effects first and then 2-4 weeks later , the positive effects!
So, I would suggest, try everything else first … and if all else fails, then certainly try a medication as life is too short to waste it feeling awful, and anxiety can wreak havoc for you and this around you .

[hayleynew]

Welcome to the forum!

It is admirable you are seeing a psychologist and a very brave thing to do also. The fact you have made that leap is a positive step in the right direction. Sometimes people are luckily enough to find the right treatment right away, for others, it takes an incredible amount of time. Some medications will work straight away, others will find it takes years to find the right balance. There is not one right or wrong way but more how your body and mind adapt. If you do not feel that your medication is working, seek medical advice from your doctor on where to go from here. It may be the type of antidepressant you are on that is making you feel worse. What are your exact symptoms when you say you feel worse? And how long have you been on them? Sometimes the length of time you have been on them can be a contributing factor too as it takes a certain amount of time to enter the body and start to take affect (a minimum 4 weeks when you start taking them). I would also look into Narrative therapy (to be able to tell your story without focusing on the past), Mindfulness, Solution-Focused Therapy (to be able to set and achieve goals as well as solve problems and gain solutions in your life and the issues surrounding your anxiety) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Trying a change in diet, exercise and trying meditation and deep breathing exercises may also help.