Anyone else not having success with meds/therapy???

[Claire is scared]

Just curious to know if anyone out there might be in a similar position to my own.

Been in therapy most of my life. Been on many different meds- can only tolerate benzo's. Only benzo I can be prescribed in Klonopin. It's ok, but not great. I can tolerate it, but overall I don't think it helps much.

Essentially I feel like I'm somehow 'untreatable'. It's weird, I've tried all sort of alternative therapies,etc. and nothing.

So at this point in time I feel like it's all on me- there's nothing else that can help me, so I have to help myself (which I've been working on for years), yet I am still not at any sort of normal functioning level.

I guess I'm just looking for some advice on what to do when 'traditional therapies' fail you. I just don't know how I'm going to get better.

Thanks

[Yvonne]

Hallo Claire

I have tried a good few meds over the last three years and they haven't helped - not to the degree they should have anyway.

When my meds weren't working so well I was told that the meds "aren't a magic wand" - and I had to put a lot in myself. I did - just like you.

I wish you well but I'm afraid I have no advice other than to never give up on believing you can get better.xxx

[Claire is scared]

Hallo Claire

I have tried a good few meds over the last three years and they haven't helped - not to the degree they should have anyway.

When my meds weren't working so well I was told that the meds "aren't a magic wand" - and I had to put a lot in myself. I did - just like you.

I wish you well but I'm afraid I have no advice other than to never give up on believing you can get better.xxx

Hi Yvonne,
Thanks for your kind words. I know there is no magic wand, but oh how we all would love one. I was just curious about what other types of treatments or coping mechanims people have found successful when therapy and meds don't work.

I know sometimes the best thing you can do is to not give up like you said. Sometimes it just feels like I can't take any more of it.

[IrishPrincess]

Hiya Claire,

I tried a couple of therapies,didnt take meds just not for me,but then I did hypnotherapy which helped me a lot and got me feeling "normal" again,but now im back to square 1 ,im in counselling now and finding it great,but im afraid to take the step because i just dont want to go through that hard work only to end up back here,but im sure i will get courage to take that jump.I think every1 is different and u just have to keep trying til u find what helps u,im sure u will and u will get there.

IrishPrincess


Keep your heart open to dreams,
For as long as there's a dream,
There is hope,
And as long as there's hope,
There is joy in living.

[Eva May]

i am currently on seroquel 50mg at night and I really think I might as well just come off them because when I know I'm going to have a bad night I have to take twice or three times my dose and they do not help at all during the day

[Claire is scared]

Hiya Claire,

I tried a couple of therapies,didnt take meds just not for me,but then I did hypnotherapy which helped me a lot and got me feeling "normal" again,but now im back to square 1 ,im in counselling now and finding it great,but im afraid to take the step because i just dont want to go through that hard work only to end up back here,but im sure i will get courage to take that jump.I think every1 is different and u just have to keep trying til u find what helps u,im sure u will and u will get there.

IrishPrincess


Keep your heart open to dreams,
For as long as there's a dream,
There is hope,
And as long as there's hope,
There is joy in living.

Hi there,

I've always wanted to try hypnotherapy, but I can't afford it. You say it helped, but then you got worse again? What happened?

I'm sorry to hear your suffering and really feel for you. I guess all we can do is keep trying.

Thanks for your post.

[Alabasterlyn]

Essentially I feel like I'm somehow 'untreatable'. It's weird, I've tried all sort of alternative therapies,etc. and nothing.

That is exactly how I feel. After having anxiety which escalated into agoraphobia for the past 37yrs I've pretty much come to accept that this is how I will always be.

I've tried psychotherapy, group therapy, CBT, hypnotherapy but none of them have worked for me. I currently take both benzos and antidepressants but I don't really think they work either.

[Yvonne]

Claire

It's awful when you feel you have tried the meds and the therapy. CBT is good if you can really get your mind to it and practise it constantly.

My only suggestions are the normal ones like having company, speaking to close friends, getting some exercise in, getting totally distracted (games on here are good) and just never giving up.

One thing that I personally find comforting is to read a good book on the subject - Claire Weekes is always very comforting, my personal favourite at the moment is the American psychologist and author: Reid Wilson. Read some of his stuff he is good.

Having said that, not too much reading - dwelling on the subject is no good either. Try to read other stuff if you can - just use the anxiety focused books for times when you are feeling worse than usual. .... Only my opinion.

One thing I am noticing with a lot of the posts lately is that soooo many people are saying that the meds don't help them.... Scary.

[june]

Yvonne, I think you have explained all that really well.
CBT is good BUT you have to be really committed and prepared to do as they suggest. I found that the suggestion of 'pretending I am on a beach in the sunshine' etc. really silly and could not do it.
I am in my sixties and a lot of the relaxation ideas sound pathetic - and yet they DO work for some people.
I had reflexology and it was very interesting - but the next day I had the most panic attacks I have ever had - It took months for me to work out why - I had actually been relaxed - and my brain did not know how to cope with that.
Do try other therapies - and "go with the flow".
I am now very scared of trying anything new because I fear there will be more panic.
You really need a friend / friends to work thro these things - Because of my panic etc I am a lonely person I just shut myself off from every one
I hear myself telling them "I am OK don't worry" (HA)
Keep on trying, Try to keep calm. Ask for help when you need it.
Good Luck
june

[Yvonne]

Oh June

Thank you so much for your compliment by the way - I only type what I'm thinking.

Please don't be scared of trying therapies. Are you saying that your body didn't know how to cope with relaxation and reacted with anx? I kind of know what you mean -- I think. Sometimes our bodies won't relax at all - you can do as many relaxation tapes as you like and lie in as many hot baths surrounded by aromatherapy candles and you still can't calm down. This is an awful feeling - wired up I call it. I think this is what Claire Weekes might refer to as "sensitisation".

June - I am lonely too. Alone in the day because hubby at work and daugters living their lives. Loneliness makes this illness much worse - especially depression. With anxiety you do retreat from the world and your friends - you fear seeing them because you don't want them to see you as you are. It's a vicious circle.

June, are you on any meds? If not would you consider trying something to help with the anx?

You do need friends to work these things through with and that's where this website can help a lot. You can speak to people who feel exactly the same and you can support others which is always good for us.

Regarding friends; for the last three years I have wished I had a neighbour/friend here who suffers this illness who I could speak to and really be myself in front of. No such person exists unfortunately. However I do have a few very good friends online who feel the same and they have helped me tremendously.

Take care my friend.xx