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sansa
02-02-14, 14:12
Hello. I feel a bit out of my depth here but here goes. Quite a few things have happened over the last 2 years. First my one and only daughter moved away, I thought I was coping well as at the time I was busy looking after my mum who had advanced dementia. Then my mum got so much worse and I couldn't cope so had to place her in residential care. This broke my heart as she declined quite quickly and I felt like I failed her. During this time I went out less and less, kind of cut myself off from everything, and when I did go out I had terrible anxiety. So I just stayed at home and relied on my niece a lot for shopping etc. My mum died in July last year and I can`t help feeling guilty that its all my fault. My niece who was helping me out also moved away a few months ago, now I have no-one. I don`t mean to sound so selfish but I feel like everyone is deserting me. I have been to my doctor and have tried different antidepressents, at the moment I am on Sertraline 50 mg, they worked for a few months but I feel like they are wearing off, is that possible. I have had 2, 6 week CBT sessions, Which helped a little but as soon as they end I seem to revert back to my old ways. I have someone coming to my house next week for intense CBT, I don`t know what that involves and am very anxious about someone coming to my house. I must add that I am 57 years old and feel so disappointed in myself, I feel at my age I should handle things better. So sorry for the long post.

LunaLiuna
02-02-14, 14:23
Welcome Sansa,

First of all I'm sorry to hear about your mother, and all of the other things that of gone on over the past two years,

Don't worry, I'm sure your family are not moving away on purpose, have you tried speaking to them?

I am also on Sertraline 50mg, have you asked your doctor about possibly upping the dose? Also CBT takes time and effort, I know it's hard but it will eventually permeate the other parts of your life, you have to think of it like rain, imagine your slowly raining on a big rock of anxiety. It'll take a little time but you WILL erode it.

It doesn't matter what age you are, anxiety effects even the strongest, and guess what? it only makes you stronger in the long term as you find out so much more about yourself.

Welcome to NMP and keep going, I'm sure you will beat it :D