Constant high anxiety

[StressedEric]

Thanks for all the advice about diet changes will see look into them.
Just an update it is getting so bad now that it got to the point I all i doing is from waking up is concentrating on the weird spaced out feeling and the DP and in my head all the time constantly all day non stop and doesn't matter how hard i try I cant think of anything else whereas before i managed in the end to distract myself from it for small bursts in the day at least. I keep on comparing how i was in previous weeks and that i am a worse now and that adds to the fear but cant stop myself from doing it. It is so terrifying and get waves of panic all the time all day and just can't convince myself the feelings will ever go. I been trying to get an appointment to see doc and have an app for next Wednesday but that seems far off when suffering like this and there's no other appointments. I terrified I will not be able to do anything at all soon and end just lying in bed. I would like to see a pychiatrust but its convincing the GP to refer me back to menral health team as cannot go to them directly. I dont know how much longer can suffer like this. I will have to give up on work and that just adds to the anxiety.

[ankietyjoe]

I can't remember if you've mentioned it before, but has your GP offered you any medication? Have you had any blood tests to rule out hormonal/vitamin deficiency?

Looks like you live in Wales? Not sure if the NHS works slightly differently there. It's difficult to know these days.

[Carnation]

Eric, I think a lot of it mY be down to dietary.
Have you been drinking the full fat milk as suggested?
Bearing in mind also that anxiety burns off calories and dehydrates more so, I think you should give your food and drink intake a serious thought and find a food plan to boost your energy and weight.
If you do that at least you can rule it out if you feel no better, but that was my situation 5 years ago, I just wasn't eating enough and felt fatigued and weird all the time. x

[StressedEric]

Just an update: The last week I feel I am becoming more and more depressed. My motivation has been awful, just don't feel like doing anything at all. I cabt concentrate on anything, I feel weak and even doing things around the house is becoming a struggle. I had a real job even getting out of bed this morning. The fatigue is awful. I am trying to do things as normal like housework etc but it is extreemly hard when all I want to do is sleep. It is awful. Going to docs tomorrow thankfully.

[StressedEric]

Been to docs. Last time I went he prescribed Citalopram but I am very scared to start taking it as I am already feeling awful and I don't know if I will be able to cope with the side effects and end up not being able to function at all. I am already expriencing fatigue and very spaced out feelings and awful anxiety. Thinking about this decision has just given me more anxiety!
All the doc said briefly is to start med and just gave me a number for low level telephone talking therapy. No CBT, No councelling. I convinced him to write to mental health team but don't know how many weeks or months it'll be before even get a response. I don't feel I have the support if I struggle on the med as I haven't got anyone in mental health team at hospital to contact direct and I feel the GP hasn't got much experience in mental health. The waiting times for appointments is awful.
I have so tried so hard to cope with my anxiety without medication since when I started this thread as I know others on here have managed it successfully. I feel a failure. I just plodded on in the hope that I will see the light at the end of the tunnel and feel better and some days I actually thought that i was but generally all that has happened his that I have just gradually got worse and worse not better. I feel the old me has truely gone. I dont know if I should just try the med or just continue and try if I can cope without it but it getting very hard now. I keep putting the packet back in cupboard every time. God this is so hard..

[ankietyjoe]

Here's a thought to ponder.

You're not actually getting worse and worse. You're in a shitty place, and your stamina is being worn down. But you're not actually getting worse and worse, it just feels like you are.

You are coping, because you're working and living your life, albeit not in a way you want to.


During my dark days I would often think about how bad things were, how one symptom turned into another, how 'I couldn't take it any more'. But...I could take it more, because I did. I didn't have any choice. I think it's common for the mental dialogue to be a little self defeating. Suffering is not failure. Taking medication is not failure. If YOU truly believe you've tried everything else and want to do it, go ahead! Have you actually taken full control of what you eat, kept up with meditation practice, exercised every day? If you have and it still hasn't worked, take the pills!

[Carnation]

Hi Eric, AJ has given you good advice and at the end of the day it has to be your choice.
Can I just say that when I was where you are now, it went on for a very long time and actually I was worse, I couldn't do the things that you are doing.
And although it seems like a permanent state, it isn't, it will eventually break, but you can't put a time on something like that.
As for the meds. Well I'm not a fan, but, a member on here who also was against taking meds eventually did and was prescribed the same as you 'citalopram'. She took the smallest dose ever, I think a quarter of the tablet to avoid the side affects and citalopram is probably the mildest anyway and she found them very helpful and got her life back. Maybe you could ask your doctor to do the same if you feel it's the only way to recover.
I agree with a lot of AJ's advice and diet, exercise, sleep plays a big part in recovery.
Maybe take the weekend to think about it and search on here for advice in citalopram, but whatever you decide to do, you will have support on here. x

[BlueIris]

Nothing worked for me before citalopram; no matter what lifestyle measures or therapies I tried, I lived the proverbial life of quiet desperation. One day, though, the desperation got too much, and I decided to give it a shot.

For what it's worth - and I know it isn't for everyone - citalopram has given me the breathing space I need to be able to take the lifestyle measures, get my head around meditation, get the sleep I need. The side effects in my case were minimal to nonexistent.

If you can't see a way around the suffering, I'd really consider giving it a shot.

[Carnation]

BlueIris, that will be very helpful to Eric, thank you for posting that. x

[Fishmanpa]

Nothing worked for me before citalopram; no matter what lifestyle measures or therapies I tried, I lived the proverbial life of quiet desperation. One day, though, the desperation got too much, and I decided to give it a shot.

There's a member here that has an extensive history of serial posting stretching back years. The threads were not unlike this and many others. This member finally took the meds prescribed (Citalopram) and you could actually see in the subsequent posts it was making a difference. As a result, this member hasn't been on the boards for close to a year.

Sometimes, as BI said, it takes getting to that place of desperation but you have an opportunity to avoid that.

Positive thoughts