Depression / Anxiety issues

[brandnewfan]

Does anyone suffer with either of these? Fortunately for me, I have both! PTSD related.

Does anyone take any prescriptions for them? I recently started zoloft (after amitriptyline and trazodone were unsuccessful) and klonopin. I'm sort of scared of klonopin, as it's got a pretty bad reputation and it's addictive. My doctor gave me 30 one mg tablets with one refill and said he wouldn't keep me on it very long. But I'd think 60 one mg pills is enough to get hooked!!! I don't even mind the possibility of being addicted to it; what I'm afraid of is the withdraw when I'm taken off it.

No real point to this post I guess
Just wondering if anyone else in the forum here has similar problems...

[Kid A]

I do, but I stopped taking antidepressants not too long ago because they feel so pointless.

[brandnewfan]

I do, but I stopped taking antidepressants not too long ago because they feel so pointless.

I feel ya. The first two I tried (amitriptyline, and then trazodone) didn't do anything for me. Well, they did make me gain about 15 pounds in about 2 months. But they never helped with my depression. Zoloft has done alright so far.

[Michael P]

I've never been on klonopin, so I can't help you there, but I've dealt with depression, anxiety and OCPD all of my life, so I know where you're coming from. Managing mental illness sucks, but it beats the alternative, and the thing is, with the right treatment, it does get better. Having a good support network helps as well, so don't be afraid to lean on the people in your life when you need to. It's what they're for.

[brandnewfan]

I've never been on klonopin, so I can't help you there, but I've dealt with depression, anxiety and OCPD all of my life, so I know where you're coming from. Managing mental illness sucks, but it beats the alternative, and the thing is, with the right treatment, it does get better. Having a good support network helps as well, so don't be afraid to lean on the people in your life when you need to. It's what they're for.

Yea. I don't really have a *strong* support network, I guess. A few people know I've got issues (ha) but I don't really like talking about things so I usually shy away from that and internalize it, which isn't good either.

[kevinjwoods]

One of my problems is that one of my symptoms is extreme loneliness and the idea that no one on the entire planet is attracted to me, this has caused me to collapse weeping on occasion, now I can be flirting with someone and having them laugh at my jokes and at the same time know it will never happen and get really depressed within a few minutes. It is also completely impossible to describe as everyone I've ever talked to just explains that i just need to have sex, or that there is someone out there for everyone.

I should also mention that I am a recovering POtential Suicide having come within a few hours of doing so on a few occasions.

[Jeff Brady]

One of my problems is that one of my symptoms is extreme loneliness and the idea that no one on the entire planet is attracted to me, this has caused me to collapse weeping on occasion, now I can be flirting with someone and having them laugh at my jokes and at the same time know it will never happen and get really depressed within a few minutes. It is also completely impossible to describe as everyone I've ever talked to just explains that i just need to have sex, or that there is someone out there for everyone.

I should also mention that I am a recovering POtential Suicide having come within a few hours of doing so on a few occasions.

Get into a therapy or psychiatric program immediately.

[MykeHavoc]

To anyone here that suffers, know that you are not alone. I myself have been offered up many a clinical diagnosis since the age of 10. There are likely various reasons, but ultimately, as of now, I focus on the depression and anxiety disorders. I take 90 mg of Cymbalta daily, as well as ativan and xanax as needed and Ambian for sleep. The physical element had devastating effects, contributing to me also having to deal with IBS (which require many herbal supplements and strict dietary needs), fibromyalgia and sciatica (both of which require the usage of pain-relievers as well as occasional painkillers). To put it lightly, it sucks lol. Every day. But I do my damnedest to try to stay positive.

I am an advocate for those suffering from mental illness and am reaching out to anyone here that ever needs someone to talk to. You can PM here, and I'll give you my facebook, Skype, cell # to text or chat etc. Seriously, don't allow yourself to feel burdensome. Comic books literally saved my life, so if our shared passion brings us together, I consider everyone here a potential friend. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

[Bad Wolf]

I've always been depressed, and about a year ago I had a really bad anxiety period where it was hard for me to even go anywhere. I was prescribed Paxil which was horrible and made me more tense than I was before. After that they switched me to Ativan which didn't have any discernible effect. After a few months the condition did pass, though.

[lancerman]

I do. I took medicine for the anxiety while in high school. It made me a lot better. I stopped, but I've found other ways of coping with it.

[dahllaz]

Depression, with a side order of social anxiety.

I was on...hmm. Can't remember the actual name, but it was a generic version of Celexa. Then my doctor quit seeing patients. Have yet to find a woman doctor (just not comfortable with a man as my doctor) that takes my employer provided crappy insurance that is also taking on new patients.
I've been without meds for quite a while now. So far it hasn't been too bad, though do find myself getting angry really, really easy.

Am thinking about just getting my own insurance on the exchanges and canceling the work one when that option comes up in a couple months. I don't want to lose out, tax wise, but this crap does me no good right now, soooo. :/

[WAKANDA FOREVER!]

Hang in there y'all! Kevinjwoods, what Jeff Brady said! Brandnewfan your doc will taper you off of it.

[Michael P]

That's a very good point. When doctors take you off of psychoactive meds, they don't just make you quit cold turkey. They scale down the dosage at a safe rate.

Which leads me to my next bit of advice: NEVER try to go off of psychoactive meds cold turkey. It messes you up just as bad as whatever illness you were taking them for in the first place, if not worse.

[JediMindTrick]

I'm sort of scared of klonopin, as it's got a pretty bad reputation and it's addictive. My doctor gave me 30 one mg tablets with one refill and said he wouldn't keep me on it very long. But I'd think 60 one mg pills is enough to get hooked!!! I don't even mind the possibility of being addicted to it; what I'm afraid of is the withdraw when I'm taken off it.

If you start taking it just be very careful with and DON'T DRIVE after taking one, you'll need to wait at least several hours before even thinking about it. Its no different than alcohol in terms of how it impairs your mental and physical abilities. Both alcohol and nearly all your anti depressants and anti anxiety meds fall under the CNS depressant class of drugs which is why the effects are similar. Especially never take a klonopin and alcohol together as its a 1+1 = 4 type of situation in terms of how much it will mess you up. Your regular anti depressants like Prozac, Zoloft, and the like aren't usually that impairing unless mixed with alcohol but the anti anxiety ones can be very impairing.

Its not nearly as addictive as narcotic pain killers by nonetheless there are a lot of addicts out there hooked on the anti anxiety CNS depressant drugs like Klonopin, Valium, Celexa, and Ativan (all four are similar in effect and purpose of use).

[JediMindTrick]

One of my problems is that one of my symptoms is extreme loneliness and the idea that no one on the entire planet is attracted to me, this has caused me to collapse weeping on occasion, now I can be flirting with someone and having them laugh at my jokes and at the same time know it will never happen and get really depressed within a few minutes. It is also completely impossible to describe as everyone I've ever talked to just explains that i just need to have sex, or that there is someone out there for everyone.

I should also mention that I am a recovering POtential Suicide having come within a few hours of doing so on a few occasions.

Here is what I would say to you with the wisdom of some 43 years on the planet now. When I was younger I was in your shoes in many ways so I get it but what you really need to do as corny as this sounds is learn to be happy with yourself first. It sounds like your doing the exact same thing I used to do which was base my entire self worth on whether or not I was with someone. You sound like your doing the same thing. I don't know exactly when I finally changed but it happened. When you determine your own self worth based on being with someone you either end up crushed all the time or you end up flitting through destructive relationship after destructive relationship because you think any relationship is better than no relationship no matter how bad the person your with is. I ended up in one of those in college where the girl was a horrible horrible person and very emotionally abusive to me but I couldn't bear the thought of being alone so I stayed in it far too long. Looking back I easily recognize that I stayed because I was scared to be alone.