On Behalf of my Lovely Joy xx

[joy]

Pooh

I think you could be right and its become a habit altho when i had a good week a while ago it didnt happen. My husband may think I've gone mad but I'll give it a go!

Love Joy

[joy]

Tetley

My Gp is lovely and given me a lot of support over the last few years but she is at a bit of a loss as to why the meds dont work but believe me I've spent a lot of time in her surgery!!!!

Its the shrinks I have trouble with altho the one i saw last week seemed good and have referred me to a psychologist to try and discover if my ""problem" is chemical or needs talking therapy. He actually admitted that he thinks the medical profession has let me down over the last few years which is quite an admission.
So on we go


Love Joy

[Yvonne]

Really good postings.

Pooh you were right about it being a habit thing because my therapist has told me this about myself. Because I "expect" to become anxious in shops I will do. She says that I go onto auto pilot in the direction of anxiety and I must change course - it isn't easy though is it.

Tea Drinker --- with you I think your acceptance and not worrying about what others think attitude is what's helped you a lot. xx

[mf]

I think that you are very brave Joy to muster up the courage to go about your day,despite those awful gut wrenching anxiety feelings churning away.. I too suffer with terrible anxiety,mine is associated with worrying about things that have happened and worrying about things that may happen ( if that makes sense) I have just started back in anti-deps but so far i do not feel any better, i very occassionally resort to a lorazepam if i feel that i am going into a really bad anxiety/panic attack and i find that it does calm me down temporarily.. I do not really consider myself to be a depressive but i think that the prolonged anxiety and obsessive worrying thoughts have led me to become depressed.. I too have had cbt at the advice of my physciatrist, but apart from costing a small fortune i cannot say that it has helped.. The mornings do seem the worst,the prospect of facing another anxiety filled day is so exhausting and frightening,sometimes it takes every ounce of strength and effort just to get out of bed.. I admire you for doing so much,you are obviously a very strong and determined lady despite battling with this awful condition every day... I know only too well what torture it can be...

[sunshine-lady]

Hi Joy

I don't know you, but you sound like a wonderful caring lady who gives up your time to work for charity and help with the curch. Just thought i would send you some hugs.

[joy]

Thanks for the hugs and the nice comments, I'm not any of those nice things just trying to get thro the days.

The new shrink advised my Gp to prescribe Olanzapine for the anxiety and its giving me terrible nightmares, just contacted him or rather his sec who contacted him who said i should discuss it with my Gp who prescribed them!!!! The reason for seeing the shrink was my GP was at a loss! Feel like I'm being bounced between them.


Love Joy

[Yvonne]

As I said to you earlier, the whole point of you going to a private shrink was so that you could have a closer relationship with him than you may be able with an NHS one who are obviously run off their feet with their workload.

Your doctor is not qualified enough in anxiety or the medications used to advise/help you to the degree you require - this is why she agreed to your referral to a private psychiatrist.

Even my (ex) psychiatrist would spend ages speaking on the phone to me about my meds, my feelings and thoughts, and was marvellous when I felt very distressed with anxiety.

Speak to your gp.

Anyone out there got a private psychiatrist ?? Please let us know what the relationship should ideally be like and whether it is easier to speak to them on the phone etc than it is to NHS shrinks.

Thanks all.

All this is only adding to Joy's frustration and upset.

[Oceanblue]

Am here if you need to talk Joy, anytime i'm happy to help, pm whenever you feel, no worries at all.

Good luck in your recovery,

Take good care of yourself xx

[freakedout]

Hi Joy,

I totally respect your strength and courage to face activities despite high levels of anxiety. You put my pathetic efforts to shame. I have to agree with some of the comments about habituation, I know for me sometimes I just have to be prepared for the worst scenario's, it is an odd coping mechanism but obviously it causes anxiety. The only other way I know how to deal with high anxiety is to avoid, take diazepam or freak out. Not much help there, sorry. Interestingly though I also have depression and do find that when I feel particularly depressed I don't have the energy to be anxious. It tends to be a mixture of both for me but there is definately a link with my mood and my anxious/panic symptoms.

I do believe that thoughts are the root of a lot of evil but sometimes the way you think is so automatic that you cannot even think of alternatives. Maybe getting angry at your anxiety, telling yourself you are not gonna let anxiety spoil your day, you have had enough of it, tell your anxious thoughts to "Sod off" - its just a thought .

My husband took Olanzapine he did have noticable side effects for the first couple of weeks or so but once these settled he did feel benefits. Not sure what dose you are on but it may be making your anxiety feel worse because it is early days. I hope it helps.

Keep fighting, not one single one of us deserves to have our lives so badly affected by anxiety symptoms, depression etc.. Talk therapy might help, sometimes I think it is only possible for therapists to get a fuller picture of your life, problems, symptoms etc by seeing you regularly. Seeing a psychologist helps me immensely. I see an NHS Psychiatrist so cannot comment on private.

Good luck, keep posting. Yvonne, you are an absolute gem
it was so kind of you to post on behalf of Joy.

Take care

Freaky