Don't feel like myself, constantly fighting my thoughts?

[LiveAboveIt]

I've had pretty severe anxiety for a few months now that I can't seem to get a grip on. I've tried a couple SSRI's so far, but they just haven't worked at helping with the anxiety.

I just don't feel like myself at all, I don't recognize how I feel inside and a lot of my thoughts feel forced and intrusive. I have a hard time fighting against my worries and fears because of this incredible feeling of uncertainty that I struggle with on a daily basis. It's the strangest feeling and I wish I could explain it better. I basically just don't feel like me anymore and I have this overwhelming sensation that I am going to lose it.

I know how irrational this is and I know that I'm not going to "lose it," but I can't shake the feeling and just don't feel comfortable in my own skin. I have excessive worry about the way I feel and the anxiety that I just can't seem to dismiss, constant obsessive thoughts and severe feelings of dread and racing thoughts. The severity comes and goes, but it's been a continuous problem and pretty much lasts all day.

I'm only on Zoloft 100mg for the last 9 weeks or so and I don't believe it is helping me with the anxiety at all. It has helped my mood some, maybe, but I also think it's contributing to a lot of the strangeness that I feel and the constant agitation. Is it possible that it's the Zoloft?

Either way, I'm looking to try a different medication as the Zoloft doesn't seem to be touching my anxiety or obsessiveness and just makes me feel spaced out and strange, along with screwing with my memory pretty terribly. I feel like my memory is moment to moment and I am constantly forgetting EVERYTHING, which feels like I have some sort of early onset dementia or something and is causing even more anxiety.

The only pill that has ever made me feel GOOD was Effexor XR. I still had anxiety, but it made me feel so warm and happy and I just didn't care. But my doctor increased my dose too quickly and I had to come off of it because it began to induce panic attacks after he increased me from 37.5 to 100mg in 2 weeks. But it leads me to believe that I might do better on an SNRI and that maybe the dopamine effects from the Zoloft are doing weird things to me, but I'm not sure.

Can anyone else relate to this? Sorry for being so longwinded, just looking for some support.

[Chocolateface]

Yes Once I get a thought I obsess over it, then convince myself the thought is real, then obsess over it even more. You are definitely not alone

[Shazamataz]

Sorry things are still so rough for you.

I'm not aware that Zoloft does anything to dopamine? But Terry will likely know.

Is it possible to switch onto venlafaxine from the zoloft? If it helped before maybe worth a try again?

The standard for starting venlafaxine is apparently 3 days at 37.5, 3 days at 75, 3 days at 112.5 and then onto 150 as far as I know. I've started on 37.5 today and am supposed to do one increase a week to be cautious.