Lexapro for severe anxiety?

[AntsyVee]

Lol good, then you’re on the right track...

Seriously though, after losing my friend, I had a really hard time feeling safe outside my home for awhile. I took up gardening, and that really helped me get outside and get me out of the house.

[melfish]

That's what I plan to do this spring! Gardening, and lots of it

[AntsyVee]

me too! I have so many things I want to do. I want to get something to cover my back fence. I saw these DIY hanging baskets I want to try making and filling with succulents. Then hang them over. Also my neighbor gave me some white pots, so I want to paint some cool designs on them.

[melfish]

Sounds fun! I love painting terracotta pots

Something I've noticed with my HA. I don't allow myself to enjoy things. I tell myself I can't because of whatever symptom is front of mind. Right now, I'm like, what's the point of painting, when I have this big visual disturbance. Also, reading :(

It's really self-defeating and makes me miserable to think like this

---------- Post added at 21:42 ---------- Previous post was at 21:26 ----------

What I mean is, I find it impossible to compartmentalise the symptom. It bleeds over into everything in my life. So a minor hassle with a bank transaction becomes a horrible stress because of the symptom overlaying it. It's the same for the good things too. I can't enjoy them because of the symptom. ugh. I hope meds can help with that part at least

[AntsyVee]

We all have been there. I used to spend my spare time texting each of my loved ones, asking for their whereabouts, essentially stalking them, because I was afraid if I didn’t worry and keep tabs on them something bad would happen to them. Talk about magical thinking.

---------- Post added at 22:49 ---------- Previous post was at 22:45 ----------

The meds help a lot. They cause you not to dwell on the thoughts...but for me, therapy helped fill in the gaps. Once the meds stopped the spiral of thoughts, I had to put my mind on other things. I had to also deal with the real emotions from the trauma. It takes a lot of processing to learn which thoughts and emotions are productive and which ones are not. That’s why I needed therapy.

[melfish]

Makes sense, thank you

I think I need to triage this. First step needs to be getting a handle on anxiety, because it's crippling and horrible and I can't live like this much longer. I think that's where the meds come in. Once I normalise somewhat, start eating again etc, then I can look into therapy. Scant options here, though, so I may have to DIY it with books.

[AntsyVee]

That sounds like a good plan . A lot of therapy is DIY anyway, the hard work part of it anyway, but it does help to have someone holding you accountable. Otherwise we get lazy..it’s kinda like dieting; the people on tv always lose weight cause they have those personal trainers screaming down their throats lol. There are a lot of therapy groups online though...

[AndreiSH]

It works for me also. And i have general anxiety mixed with health anxiety. I started taking it again about 2 months ago. But I also take ativan daily, hoping i will stop the ativan soon. Have faith, it will work.

[melfish]

Thanks, everyone. I feel more optimistic about trying an SSRI again

[melfish]

Ugh, I can't try an SSRI until I see a glaucoma specialist first. Back to square one