Looking for like minded support

[lugosi]

Hello,

I've recently had a bad spell of anxiety that I can't seem to shift. I'm 26yo female and last had an episode in 2013. I was then prescribed Sertraline (side effects hit me hard though) and after 6 months I felt great and back to normal.

This time around however is different. I have noticed this building since last year October maybe, I read books on the subject, I exercised more, cut out caffeine and meditated but nothing worked. In april time I took 6 weekly sessions of CBT by telephone and found that by the end of these sessions I was much worse!

At the start of June I went to the GP as I couldnt even cope getting to work without feeling that overwhelming loss of control was imminent. I haven't been back to work since. I was given 20mg of citalopram and sick note after sick note. I have since taken the online course fear fighter and found its helped a small amount. The medication has certainly softened the edges but I am still struggling so much to go out and about as I used to.

I miss so much, waking on a sunny saturday morning and just putting my shoes on and wandering as I please. I miss being able to pop to a supermarket because we need something. I miss cosy pub evenings with my friends. All of these things I can't seem to manage without having a get out clause or escape route which 9/10 I will take advantage of.

So here I am, fed up.

[venusbluejeans]

Hiya lugosi and welcome to NMP :welcome:

Why not take a look at our articles on our home page, they contain a wealth of information and are a great starting place for your time on the forum.

I hope you find the as site helpful and informative as I have and that you get the help and support you need here and hope that you meet a few friends along the way :yesyes:

[SLA]

I've been there lugosi. In fact, I was 26 when I went through a bad episode myself.

My advice would be this. Things won't change over night. So accept that first, and be at ease with it.

Then you need to realise that you, and you only, are responsible for getting yourself out of it. People can help, sure, but you are in control of your own destiny! You know how good you can be, because you miss it. You talk about going for drinks at pubs etc.

So my advice today would simply be this.

Do 2 small things today that will improve your situation.

One might be to put your shoes on, and walk down the road and back. (Or even just put your shoes on!)

Another might be to think of one thing you'd like to buy at the shop, the next time you go.

Think small. Keep it simple, you don't need a complex answer right now.

[Tony52]

Hi Sarah, I do hope things work out for you with your current med and some positive thinking.
I am in a similar position to you at the moment and I know I will eventually get through it.
You will get there in the end
It has certainly worked in the past for me, as I have put in my reply to Jason.

Hi Jason, I can relate to a lot that you say in your blog, which I have read through with interest.
I have suffered from anxiety and depression on and off for over 20 years and always come out of it, with a lot of self help that I have put in, as well as medication.
I can't see any mention of meds in your blog ,which is great for you, but I may have missed it as I will read it with more thought a bit later.
I only wish I could have done it that way as I am very anti meds, but after painful times with trying one med after another before one actually worked eventually, I have always got better.
I am now recently back on meds after feeling great for over three years, but very reluctantly again after trying self help with diet, exercise, positive thinking and doing all the right things but I just wasn't getting any better.
I have just been on a month of self help, doing all the right things ,but I was gradually getting worse, and no choice but go on the meds.
Still early days on Mertazapine 15mg, which I hope and pray will work, although it is not going to be a miracle cure as it was on my last episode, as that was nearly overnight.
If anyone looks at my past posts leading up to it back in January 2013 when I was last on the forum, you will see what I mean.
I am a very positive person , and I put everything in it to getting better, but it has never, ever been painless or easy.
We will get there in the end.

[lugosi]

Thank you all, it's really raised my spirits getting responses. My luck must be coming in as within hours of posting this I was contacted by a local psychologist that would like to see me shortly and has been funded free of charge to me by my employer.

little steps.