Am I going mad?

[mlondon]

Yesterday I was on my way back from my holiday with my mum, we were waiting at the airport in a queue to check in for over an hour. I knew I was getting more anxious. I only started taking Escitalopram as well in the last few days. The night I first took it, I had very strange images like things jumping out at me similar to horror films. I was standing in the queue as I say, getting more and more anxious, when I thought 'what is the worst that could happen?', then I thought about those images. Then I thought about hearing voices and became scared that I was going to hear voices. This is going to sound really wierd and horrible but then I began to imagine a scary voice, again something you would get out of a horror film. After that I couldn't stop thinking about it and imagining it. I managed to sleep when I got home and feel better today as my anxiety has lessened now I am home, but does this mean I am going mad? Could it be a side effect of the medicaton and will it die down soon? Is this more than anxiety, I am too scared to put myself in a situation which makes me anxious in case I have these thoughts again.

[feels_like_home]

I too have experienced this during times of high anxiety. The more you try not to think about something the more you think about it. It is your mind playing tricks on you. I haven't been to an airport since my anxiety started, but I can imagine this would bring on a lot of anxious feelings. I think you did well to get through it.
Michelle

[Diane O'Brien]

Dear mLondon

So sorry u had a bad experience. It could be a side effect of the medication, if u notice it again it might be worth mentioning this to your doctor just to be on the safe side. Medication in the first few weeks can infact increase your anxiety anyway.

But saying all that mlondon you said u had just flown back from holidays, which can be a tiring and stressful time. Queueing in a airport is stressful for calm people anyway. You have done really well to do all that anyway, pat yourself on the back. You are not going mad, sometimes when I get anxious I can get intrusive thoughts especially when tired as well.

You say your anxiety levels went down when you got home which is brilliant, dont dwell on this experience. I,m sure in a few days when your more settled at home things should settle down again.

Take Care

Diane xxx