Telling the difference between HA and something else

[Lyn89]

Hi guys :) Just wanted to say before I actually ask something that last time I came on NMP the advice given to me was so so helpful. I've been pretty great with my anxiety since then and, though I was on top of it before, I feel a lot more stable and less worried, so thanks everyone that responded a few months ago.

While the anxiety questions and issues are pretty level, I still have a slight fear in my mind to do with other mental illness, and I think it links in with my slight health anxiety tendencies. Lately I've noticed I'm not as thrilled with work as I used to be when I first started. I love my job, don't get me wrong, but I look forward to my days off a lot more and this makes me worry I'm getting bored of it already even though I don't want to be.

That's kind of a related issue, but mostly along with this I've been worrying it could be a sign of depression. Sometimes on some days I'll get a moment of negative thinking, or think that things I looked forward to don't feel as good as I'd hoped. This never lasts long, maybe only 2 hours, and I get on with my day as normal. I realise that depression is much more serious than this and long lasting, but it does make me wonder.

I think pehaps my fear of it creates these feelings? Because when I think: hmm, things feel a bit rubbish... That triggers the fear of developing depression, because I know it goes hand in hand quite commonly with anxiety. Even at my worst, having said that, I never felt depressed and I am 26 now, so I'm guessing if I was going to get any kind of serious spell it would have happened by now? I'm not sure. What are peoples experiences with it? I don't get the hoplessness or lethargy, its literally just feeling a bit low, but it's very fleeting. I think it's the frequency that it happens that worries me. But then I'm worrying about it so its bound to crop up :p catch 22. Help?

[Lyn89]

I think I waffled on a bit there, I've simplified what I'm worried about. Do you think this sounds like depression anyone?

Feeling less enthusiastic about things/don't want to go places I used to, but could be that interests have changed because I want to go other places I didn't before

Slightly more tired

Fleeting feelings of negativity or feeling that things aren't as good as I thought but only lasts an hour at most a day

Worried about not enjoying work as much as I used to/feeling like I should be doing more with life

[MyNameIsTerry]

Hi Lyn,

I get all this with work, or I did before I left.

Depression is very common with anxiety, but I think because we get both its less of an intense never ending depression and more of a shorter one as the anxiety takes back over again. I guess it depends on whether is anxiety is very often or with larger spells between where it goes but with GAD I find its very often, so I wonder whether depression has much of chance there.

Low moods are often very common with anxiety, so there is nothing to say that it couldn't be this. Negative thinking is all part anxiety and these lead to low moods and can also lead into depression, but I think if you take steps now, thats going to be less likely.

I always had anxiety more depression. The depression came from the crash when I started Citalopram and all the issues with side effects. After that stabilised, I found I would have short bouts of it, like a few days and then the anxiety took back over.

I think you head it off now, look for things you want to do as opposed to things you should or have to do. Remember the old saying "a change is as good as rest". Break up routines, because routines feed depression when you have it.

I remember when I relapsed that I had been very anxious for months and I was also getting all the thoughts about how pointless it all was and that tipped me over the edge into the full relapse stage but it wasn't because of the depression, it was a combination of the two...the final straw.

Do you use Omega 3? I've been on Duloxetine for 3 years now and I've been having a lot of mood swings from ok to anxious and depressed, often starting with building anxiety and ending with a few days of depression. I don't really get it much now and thats only happened becaused I started taking high strength Omega 3. I know its this because I stopped for 3 weeks over Xmas when I was slobbing around a lot and it all came back again! I reinstuted the Omega 3 and things returned to more stable again.

That might help you out with the moods. There are studies about using it to treat depression and they used over 1000mg per day of EPA or DHA (can't remember which without Googling the studies) so I aim close to that at around 800mg each and I've had good results.

[Lyn89]

Thanks so much for your reply Terry :) it's good advice. I'm going out tonight with my friends for the first time since this started bothering me, so in going to see how I feel when I'm not worrying about it so much and go from there. If I'm still getting these feelings I'll arrange to see my therapist and nip it in the bud before it turns into something. Hopefully it's just a low mood patch I can turn around with less rumination over it :)

[Oosh]

You weren't waffling !

"I still have a slight fear"

I think that's all it is and I think that's at the bottom of each of the issues you have. So you should feel relief that that's all it is.
You are prone to look for signs that things are a symptom of something you fear.
So now each time you find that you've found a possible sign recognise that you are doing it again.
Is it a sign I have a serious health problem ?
Is it a sign I'm having an anxiety set back ?
Is it a sign I'm developing depression ?
They are all questions I've observed you've asked yourself.
The answer to all of them is no. But what It does show you is that you are prone to asking these questions and that then your fears, worries and anxieties can then sidetrack your mood.

I can COMPLETELY understand it. Some of us are just wired this way. I don't know why.

So recognise it now. Recognise when you've started asking these questions about your fears again. Recognise when you've started looking for associations between your symptoms and your fears. Then relax and breathe a sigh of relief because this shows you its all only thought/fear based. Then drop it. Just forget whatever that latest worry was. If you truly believe it's not valid you will be able to forget. You only find it hard to let go of the things you still deep down believe are true.

It's ok to be bored at work, or not.
It's not important whether you are or are not.
It would be normal to have boredom at work.
Wondering whether you are doing enough with your life is normal for everyone everyday. Nobody anywhere is living a life of endless happiness.
If you don't find you enjoy familiar things, whatever the reason, it doesn't matter, it's being human. I WISH I could find the same levels of enjoyment in the same things all of the time. We need change, variety, to keep us stimulated. It's all normal.

None of these things are signs of anything more.
Don't WORRY that they are.
If you do, catch yourself and recognise that that's ALL it is that is true - you are fearing things are more than they are.

With a tendency to focus anxiously like that get into a good habit of recognising it, feeling relief that it's just you fearing again and get your mind off it. They'll come back at some point over something daft but they do for us all. Just recognise and get your focus off them again.
That's you ! It's not such a big deal to find you worry like that occasionally. Recognise it and shift your focus back onto the things in your life you prefer to focus on. Recognise this fearful way you see the world but always have that rational, realistic way to see the world to balance it out.

They're just bumps in the road. They'll probably always be there. But you keep recognising it and putting them behind you.

Of course you aren't developing depression. Drop this latest weight you've carried around on your shoulders. Enjoy your weekend. Find new things to do. Bring new people into your life. Do what you enjoy. Give yourself stimulating goals to reach. Give yourself exciting new plans if you feel you need them. Give yourself stimulation ! Its all normal. Don't look to associate any of it with things you fear.

Now THATS waffling !

[MyNameIsTerry]

Thats sounds good Lyn.

I think as we get older, we go through stages in life where we find the things we used to love don't appeal anymore. Things also get stale sometimes. It can just mean its time to find something else.

I know with mine it was more a feeling of pointlessness as opposed to not enjoying what I did as much. It felt more like I had gone beyond the lack of enjoyment stage, if that makes sense.

In terms of the HA side, which I didn't mention (I guess I got carried away kin my head there!), I've found that the guys on the HA board who worry about mental state tend to be concerned about the fact it could be a serious mental disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar, something that could be there forever and can have some serious stages if not handled correctly. If you are finding you are having those thoughts, then HA seems a possibility. Worry about becoming depressed, I'm less sure about as I think many of us could go there in our heads anyway. Perhaps you have to look at the most typical HA warning signs eg the reassurance, the Googling, being unable to accept a "no, you are ok" from people who are qualified, etc?


...And Oosh...thats a quick update from you mate! :winks::D Nice to see you about, loving the various dog avi's. :shades:

[Lyn89]

Thanks so much guys :)

Oosh, that's I think what I know deep down about this; I suppose its just the possibility that I could be wrong and ignoring it will make it worse. I do have depression in my family, but it's the difference between rumination and still feeling it if I'm distracted. I'll put it to the test. I'm 99% sure that's all it is, I'll just keep my eyes open but not solely focused. The good thing about recovering from anxiety is that you are much more aware and adept at dealing with bad points than other people. I think if the worst did happen that I'd be able to cope much better having already gone through anxiety. I'm still thinking positively-- guess that further answers my doubts :p

Terry I think its a mix of what Oosh was talking about and HA, because I guess I am still worried about my well-being and Something bad happening to me. I used to be a lot worse at that, even before I was really ill with anxiety. Anyways I do feel better now, thank you both so much :)