Any success of returning to Paroxetine after a break?

[pulisa]

There are other options other than the Priory for private psychiatrists. To be honest an NHS psychiatrist will probably change your meds as well. Going to A&E will involve hours of waiting to see the duty psychiatrist in difficult surroundings.

I think you should accept your symptoms as being generated by anxiety. I know they make you feel awful but reacting to them with fear and frustration will keep them going strong. Your nervous system is hyper stimulated and you are exhausted but nothing awful is going on physically. I do speak from experience and have been an inpatient. It's frightening and very isolating but you have to have faith that things will get better and you will not always live and feel like this.

[Croydonbee]

Thanks.
Yes, I could go down the private psychiatrist route.
I kind of know why all this has happened and have to be able to deal with it and like myself again

[pulisa]

You obviously have good insight into why this episode is happening and that is half the battle. Try not to give yourself a hard time over it? It's far from easy trying to pick yourself up but I've no doubt that you will do it and carry on with your life. It all takes time and small steps though. Physical symptoms are sent to try us when we are tired and at our most vulnerable-they don't disappear overnight.

Keep going and do all you can to look after yourself and keep stress to a minimum. Didn't Brentford win on Saturday?!! At least your lot are doing better than my point-less Palace boys!!

[Croydonbee]

Yes, I know why it happened - but suffering it so badly again has hit me for six, just when I was doing so well. Why it happened in the first place goes back to my upbringing, experiences at school etc - things which I've never really dealt with, but which obviously are deeply ingrained in me and have kind of affected me all my life.
Yes, we're playing well, just not clinical enough. Even at the matches, I am struggling with anxiety and dizziness and can't get emotionally attached to what's going on as I feel so light-headed and 'unreal'.
Hope you're doing OK. It's a terrible condition, all this.

[pulisa]

If it's any consolation at the last Palace match I felt just as you describe. When I first got there I nearly turned round and came home. I didn't and stuck it out for most of the game. Just part and parcel of an anxiety disorder for me. I'm a carer for my adult daughter so football is my "time off".

[Croydonbee]

Having been ill for some time now, you tend to live in a bubble of avoidance. Even agoraphobia sets in. The paroxetine is perhaps kicking in a bit now. CBT advises you to face the fears step by step. I'm going to go to the office today while it's quiet and see how I feel. Still get sudden panic when I come across a real or imaginary situation. It's debilitating. Harder because you just don't want to socialise when you feel like this and you become more withdrawn and it becomes harder to do normal things as a result.
Palace are struggling indeed. Great point for the Bees yesterday (should have been 3 yet again).
Hope you're OK

[pulisa]

I think it's a good idea for you to reacclimatise yourself at the office while it's quiet. You need to cross that psychological barrier under your own terms to begin with. Take it slowly but surely but make that psychological step towards feeling more "normal" and gaining that bit of confidence in that you can go there and cope with it. You will feel very uneasy but you will be ok. Small steps are very significant and are truly important in your road to recovery.

I'm really glad about Brentford's point! As for Palace, what can you say? Still pointless and Chelsea next!!

[Croydonbee]

Thanks for your encouragement. I was anxious on the way there but after eating something I was OK. Only a few of the guys there and they were all very understanding. Still very flat and no energy. On Wednesday my dear mum passed away suddenly. Feel devastated and a depression has sunk in now. Not sure how I feel - just very hard to cope at the moment. Still doing CBT and seeing counsellor. Feel like a hermit. I can only do things if it's when I'm ready to do things, not when it's planned. Going to be even more a mess at the funeral with my condition... But it's my mum and I need to let it out.

[pulisa]

That's very sad news, Nigel and I'm so sorry. No one will judge you at her funeral-there are no rules. Grief is grief regardless of your condition. Letting it out will help you to deal with your loss but it can be a long process. Keep doing what you can? There will be a lot to organise but hopefully you can share the load with your family? At times like these you need all the family support possible.

[Croydonbee]

I was improving quite well and wasn't thinking about anything negative, and felt normalised and went to work last weekend. But when I got home, I misinterpreted what my wife was going to say (about some Halloween event) and suddenly all the anxiety flooded back and since then have suffered so badly with overwhelming depression and anxiety and tears whenever I think about my mum. The funeral is this Wednesday and is hanging over me - the thought of my poor mum and then having to socialise afterwards with a load of people is to much for me. I can't even do basic things without panicking. I just want to sleep and hide myself away. It's debilitating.
I have seen the NHS psychiatrist, but my next appointment isn't for three weeks and I need urgent help. It's impossible to even get through tot anyone at the psychiatric department, so might have to go to the Priory again to see about an increase in meds. Don't want to go to the GP.