paulie_b
11-08-12, 04:42
Hi, I'm Paul.
I've been suffering from anxiety in periods for the last two years. The first time was in February 2011, wrongly diagnosed as panic attacks, and came from struggling with University (which I had to drop out of). I was put on 10mg Citalopram and everything went away.
In this time, I've moved away to a new area, am living by myself, and my job is making it difficult to meet people (potentially some social anxiety there too). About two months ago, I suddenly developed really crippling anxiety again, and my new doctor upped my Citalopram to 20mg (with the normal side effects), and gave me 2mg Diazepam as a backup, which I managed to avoid. Eventually, I got a little better and returned to work. It was during this time that I found this site, I would find that reading posts on what other people were feeling would make me feel a little better. I was also referred to the local CBT group, which I'm still attending.
Last Sunday, the anxiety hit me again. This time it's probably the worst it's been. I tried to work through it, and managed a day (or night, should I say) and a half at work before I finally broke down in tears. I was sent home, and promptly saw the doctor the next day, who has once again upped my Citalopram to 30mg. I was actually starting to feel better a couple of days later, when I received a difficult and honestly tactless phone call from my boss mentioning dismissal due to it being the second time I'd been off sick for the same thing. This started everything all over again, and since then I haven't been able to really do anything.
So this is where I am at the moment. I can't sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time (and sometimes that can only be achieved using the Diazepam), my appetite has vanished (even though I can feel myself being hungry), and I get tearful really easily. I've listened to my CBT-provided relaxation CDs endlessly, tried not to lay around in bed (possibly the worst thing from experience), but I don't feel myself getting better.
So...that's it. Also: it's my 27th birthday today :)
I've been suffering from anxiety in periods for the last two years. The first time was in February 2011, wrongly diagnosed as panic attacks, and came from struggling with University (which I had to drop out of). I was put on 10mg Citalopram and everything went away.
In this time, I've moved away to a new area, am living by myself, and my job is making it difficult to meet people (potentially some social anxiety there too). About two months ago, I suddenly developed really crippling anxiety again, and my new doctor upped my Citalopram to 20mg (with the normal side effects), and gave me 2mg Diazepam as a backup, which I managed to avoid. Eventually, I got a little better and returned to work. It was during this time that I found this site, I would find that reading posts on what other people were feeling would make me feel a little better. I was also referred to the local CBT group, which I'm still attending.
Last Sunday, the anxiety hit me again. This time it's probably the worst it's been. I tried to work through it, and managed a day (or night, should I say) and a half at work before I finally broke down in tears. I was sent home, and promptly saw the doctor the next day, who has once again upped my Citalopram to 30mg. I was actually starting to feel better a couple of days later, when I received a difficult and honestly tactless phone call from my boss mentioning dismissal due to it being the second time I'd been off sick for the same thing. This started everything all over again, and since then I haven't been able to really do anything.
So this is where I am at the moment. I can't sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time (and sometimes that can only be achieved using the Diazepam), my appetite has vanished (even though I can feel myself being hungry), and I get tearful really easily. I've listened to my CBT-provided relaxation CDs endlessly, tried not to lay around in bed (possibly the worst thing from experience), but I don't feel myself getting better.
So...that's it. Also: it's my 27th birthday today :)