Goldfinch
21-07-17, 09:39
I've taken a low dose (5–10 mg) of Cipralex on and off for anxiety for about six years now. On my GP's suggestion, I stopped it last September, and felt fine till around April, when the anxiety started to creep back. I would say now that I'm functioning (everything's getting done, I have a social life) but struggling with things that, looked at objectively, are nothing to panic about. As an example, we have an odd lighting system in our small block of flats. One of my neighbours turned off the timer as the lights were keeping them awake at night, and now it's a real nuisance because the stair lights can only be turned on from upstairs - not great when you come home in the dark. We're getting an electrician to have a look at it next week. So it's not really worth the pounding heart and burning stomach that I seem to get at the slightest provocation these days. Then there's the annual dread of the tax return, the unfolding nightmare of Brexit, worry about whether my son will have passed his AS exams this time ... as soon as one thing is sorted, another pops up. I know this is all normal and par for the course. But as somebody said in another post, if you have GAD the sky is always falling. And I'm so tired! I've actually started having a nap after lunch (just as well I work from home) which makes me feel very lazy, but I just feel I need it at the moment. I think I'm doing all the right things to control my anxiety but surely this isn't the best life I can manage? Maybe this is just the person I naturally am! Or maybe the person I am when I take Cipralex is the real me? Are we being unrealistic when we try to overcome anxiety - will it only ever be a case of living with it?