Progressively Getting Worse

[brownhairbrowneyed333]

Hey guys, so this is my first time ever doing something like this. I've read a lot of other stories and have related to most of what they have said. My life story is literally my life story if that makes sense. I never thought I would be the depressed type because I have been made fun of (in a funny way) that I am overdramatic, so I never took my depression seriously. I've recently been feeling more anxious at the most random of times and depressed, yet also somewhat excited/happy all at the same time. I don't know what is happening to me, but I've been crying a lot more lately and its freaking me out because I used to never cry while watching the notebook or sad movies. Silly example but applying this to my daily life I have also been dealing with these feelings when with my friends whether it be at social gatherings or one on one get togethers with family or friends. I want to be out socializing but once I am I find myself not wanting to be with whom ever I am with and I just want to be in my bed and cry myself to sleep. I don't even know where I should categorize myself when trying to google information on what might be happening to me. I just feel like I am going crazy and I used to blame these emotions on my period, but now its happening when I am not even on it. 

 I talked to some friends and family and they had suggested over the counter mood enhancers. I guess the real question I want to be answered is, should I take this more seriously and go see a doctor or psychiatrist or should I just self-medicate with the mood enhancers from a pharmacy and see where it goes from there. I am also getting freaked out because I have been reflecting on my whole life and who I even am and its making me freak out even more. Any advice will honestly help. I feel like it was getting worse by months, but then that turned into weeks, and now i feel like its getting worse by days. Thanks for those of you who took the time to read this long thing. Again any advice would really help, I don't even know what to do. So lost.

Thanks.

[PatT]

Hey!

First off, good stuff for coming to the forums to ask for some help - it shows initiative and a desire for change. Many people just let this stuff slide but being active around a problem like this is great. It sounds like you're suffering from some pretty intense emotional reactions to things to say the least. I won't venture a guess as to what's going on but I would really advise to speak to a doctor or psychologist/psychiatrist. But your first port of call should be with your GP. They can give you a referral and put you on a mental health plan to get discounted visits to the psych.

As for the 'over the counter mood enhancers', there is nothing that you can buy without a prescription that will noticeably improve your mood. Anything that works on dopamine or serotonin transmission is strictly regulated and/or sold in the form of illicit drugs. Most of the product pharmacies sell without a prescription contain things like chamomile, valerian and st johns wort - just natural remedies that are purported to have a mild calming effect.

My advice would definitely be to speak to a professional about your problems. Address the problem while it's still fresh and give yourself the best head start. All the best,

Pat.

[Narniakid]

Hey brownhairbrowneyed333, welcome to the forums and thank you for sharing with us.

First of all, definately avoid self-diagnosing on Google - more often than not, unrelated information pops up claiming all sorts of stuff, and it will only make you more anxious. 

Unfortunately, depression and anxiety discriminates against nobody; I was just like you with your bubbly personality when I got hit with the so-called black dog. However, the commonality of mental illness means that there are so many resources and places you can go to seek help - including here. There are places like Headspace, which are aimed at counselling troubled youths, there's lots of support groups avaliable locally, and there is also the option of going to your GP for a professional diagnosis and a referral to the appropriate specialist, which is what I always recommend. 

As PatT said, most of the "mood enhancers" are for extremely mild cases and you'd find to be pretty ineffective in your situation, so I also think the best thing you can do is to see your doctor about what type of medication is avaliable to you.

Crystal

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi brownhairbrowneyed333,

Totally echo what has been said here already. 

Even if you know what to Google, when it comes to medical and mental health and diagnosis, Dr Google is not the thing to consult.  Please stay away 🙂  Not only is it so hard to find credible information, but it's also not taking into account your entire story - just because you may feel excited/happy doesn't necessarily mean that you aren't suffering from depression or anxiety.  Depression is always portrayed as a 'down in the dumps' kind of illness, but in reality there are lots of people with depression that are also quite happy a lot of the time.

Over the counter mood enhancers can be great sometimes, but because they are essentially a pill, they aren't really addressing what's going on for you.  They can't talk to you about what's happening, or why seeing someone makes you want to cry.  This is what I think would help the best.  Having someone to talk to without judgement can be incredibly helpful.

Note that not all psychologists or psychiatrists will recommend medication, and if they do it's also not the only option.  A lot of the good old fashioned 'talking therapy' does help too. 🙂  But also remember that just because it's natural doesn't always mean that it's 'mild'.  A lot of people I know have taken over the counter vitamins and prefer them over antidepressants. It's up to you and your Doctor to find something that helps and works for you.

Good luck.

[morgs29]

Hey there!

It takes massive courage to share how you're feeling and trust in others to help, so a big well done to you. That's awesome that you care about your well-being and want to further explore what can help you.

I definitely advise seeing your GP and getting the mental health care plan. This will then get you sessions with a psychologist at a much lower cost, and I think in some cases, for free. Self-medicating is not a great idea, as we don't know what we are using or most importantly, why we are using it. 

It sounds as though you are dealing with intense emotional experiences, and you have also noticed that this is different to what you are normally used to. These are signs that it's time to check out what's going on with a professional, just to be safe. 

Best of luck with it all. Stay strong and remember, it takes a lot of courage to move forward, which is exactly what you're doing.

Take care,

Morgan