Depression / Anxiety issues

[bert]

Get into a therapy or psychiatric program immediately.

2nd-ed

there is absolutely NO shame in seeking help.

please reach out to someone you can talk to ASAP.

[marvelmaniac6169]

I have anxiety/ocd issues as well.
I have been living with anxiety issues for at least 49 years but there was no medication available back in the day so looking back...
Back in the 70's I was working for my in-laws and the job was very stressful and I was put on Librium, eventually I had to quit that job.
About 10 (?) years ago or so I was put on Lexapro then due to changes with my health insurance that was changed to Citalapram.
Recently, added stress and anxiety at work was causing me to lash out at people and I was taking it home with me.
Doctor said I was probably building a tolerance to the Citalopram and changed the meds to Pristiq but that was no better and expensive so I had to ask for a change of position at work to alleviate the excess stress and anxiety which was granted to me.
Now I am back on Lexapro even though work is less stressful the jury is still out on the Lexapro.

[marvelmaniac6169]

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. :/

Generic for Celexa is Citalopram.
90 Day supply for $10.00 at Walmart with or without insurance.

[JediMindTrick]

I tried Lexapro once and have regretted it ever since. Hello 20 lbs in just under a month that now ten years later I'm still unable to shake. One of the common side complaints is weight gain and boy did it ever hit me. I'm only about 20 lbs overweight and its all that stupid Lexapro weight.

[quinnzel]

I was diagnosed with clinical depression when I was about 11, and I was also diagnosed with OCD and anxiety at the same time (however, I've had issues with these my entire life that just weren't formally diagnosed until this point). I've been on anti-depressants of some kind for the past 10 years. I started with Zoloft, then my doctor moved me to Paxil, and Paxil worked well to a point. When it stopped working, boy, did it stop working. It hit me like a ton of bricks. After that, my doctor moved me to Prozac, which I've been on for about the past 6 years. Thankfully, it seems we've finally found one that, for the most part, does the most effective job at managing my symptoms.

One of the important tools for helping to manage symptoms is to learn what your triggers are (for instance, my anxiety level soars to ludicrous levels when I'm stressed out with school and I also have some social anxiety), and if it's right for you, to find a therapist that you feel comfortable with and learn some effective coping mechanisms and ways of managing things. I wasn't able to find a therapist that I really felt comfortable with or clicked with until about four months ago, so I know first-hand how difficult this can be, but it really can make a tremendous difference.

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.

As someone who has also struggled with thoughts of suicide in the past, I urge you to do what others have already said, and make sue that you seek out help immediately. There is absolutely no shame in seeking help. What's important is that you take care of yourself and take all of the necessary steps to ensure your safety. Take care.

[Tien Long]

For those who are going through depression and anxiety right now, medication and therapy are definitely ways to treat these conditions. If you'd like, you could also view the following link. It's an excerpt from a talk given by a Tibetan Buddhist nun named Pema Chodron. She offers great advice on how to deal with fear and worry. It's been very comforting for me for the past couple of days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVRT-y2wTBY

Hope this helps.

[pro]

At the moment I only have acute depression attacks. Thankfully they don't last long and I know they won't so it's bearable. I've been seeing a therapist for the past two years and it helps some. Working with others on removing the triggers helps. Having a good support network helps tons.

[Odd Rödney]

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.

2nd-ed

there is absolutely NO shame in seeking help.

please reach out to someone you can talk to ASAP.

3rd-ed.

Therapy has done a world of good for me and many other folks I've known over the years.

[dahllaz]

Generic for Celexa is Citalopram.
90 Day supply for $10.00 at Walmart with or without insurance.

Prescriptions aren't the problem - my insurance is actually good with those. It's the doctor side of things that it is crappy with.
What someone told a former supervisor is that our company insurance is basically supplemental insurance the company is using as major medical. Prescriptions, vision, and dental are good. Use it for doctors or medical stuff other than prescriptions and it is total crap.

[Arvandor]

My brother just tried to kill himself, again. One of these days he is going to succeed. What makes me feel worse is he sent me a text while I was at work which made me strongly suspect he was going to do just that.

He's got clinical depression. He's on medication for it, and they do seem to make a difference, as he's even worse without them. But even with the meds he still gets moody and depressed and suicidal.

He's got a 9-year-old daughter who adores him. When he's with her he's a different person. She's like a natural anti-depressant. But he only sees her once a fortnight. She'd be devastated if he did die.

I don't want to see him die either. He's my older brother and despite everything, I still look up to him.

[Hypestyle]

finding help is a mixed bag depending on where you live. public-based mental health agencies (or private agencies that get public grants) are a generally decent resource- but their protocols for enrollment vary. Lots of publicly funded places (state, county, city) have closed down due to the usual issues (budget issues, tax revenue shortages, political ideology, etc.). In some cases, you have to be literally at-the-moment suicidal and/or have active drug addiction to get help. Universities and Colleges are another resource, most have some type of community service based counseling services in their psychology dept. Private practice services are the most expensive, and it varies on what type of insurance they accept as well as what mental health services your health insurance covers (this is a neglected portion of health care reform, IMO.)

[Omar 382]

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...

I have Obesessive-Compulsive Disorder, ADD, and Depression with Psychotic Features. Without getting into too much detail, about a year ago I tried to take my life. I went to a residential treatment center, got on the right meds, and am doing great now, with a job and attending classes at the University of Delaware. I take Lithium (for mood) Luvox (for anxiety and mood) Focalin (for ADD) Buspar (for anxiety) and Zyprexa (for mood). Go to counseling, and most importantly, don't keep everything bottled up. Eventually all that anger will be released to the world by hurting yourself or someone else.

By the way, I used to take Klonopin recreationally. Shit just calms you down

[nx01a]

Zoloft and Zyprexa and Tegretol for the past 6 years. Yeah. I need a lot of drugs to stay alive.

[batnbreakfast]

What if there is no one to talk to? I don't like bothering my best friend on the few occasions I see him. How can I build new friendships? I was thinking about going to the gym or join a local sports team since I'm not in college anymore and don't believe in medication. I've planning my suicide for a long time but hurting myself seems to be a line I can't cross. I'm really out of reasons to go on, my career is going nowhere, my last girlfriend robbed me of some hopes I had left. As dumb as it sounds this board was a lifesaver.

[ed2962]

What if there is no one to talk to? I don't like bothering my best friend on the few occasions I see him. How can I build new friendships? I was thinking about going to the gym or join a local sports team since I'm not in college anymore and don't believe in medication. I've planning my suicide for a long time but hurting myself seems to be a line I can't cross. I'm really out of reasons to go on, my career is going nowhere, my last girlfriend robbed me of some hopes I had left. As dumb as it sounds this board was a lifesaver.

That's not a bad idea. Try to find social groups that share your interests. I don't know if you are religious, but some churches will have organizations where you can meet other people. Be very careful and cautious about meeting people on the internet...