Quick chat? I'm anxious

[Imagineit]

Anyone? I've been doing well but woke up panicked. Can I chat a sec?

A weighted blanket is a huge hug. It's honestly the best purchase ever. I'm off to bed myself and I wish you sweet dreams and a feeling of reassurance that you can do this.

Also, I've opened my blind as its pitch black dark in here and so disconcerting!

I really like it @Catworrier my mum taught it to me when I was little and then when I had CBT a few years ago my therapist suggested it as a grounding technique.

@Imagineit it’s alright to panic, you’re human. Get a nice pillow to hug onto, especially if DP is in a different room, something to fill your arms with and just have a bit of a cling onto can be really reassuring.

@Imagineit

Hope you got some sleep and you have woken up to a sunny day -

You might consider signing up to Breathing Space - www.breathingspacelondon.org.uk/

They've been doing some online mindfulness based stress reduction courses. If you sign up you'll get info on upcoming courses through to your email, but if you drop them a line they'll also be able to tell you and suggest other places that run them. I find them really helpful.

Thankyou everyone for helping me that night. @Catworrier are you on sertraline? How many weeks in? I'm 10 days on a higher dose and after feeling like I was getting better I took a big step back today. I remembered what you said about steps back and I'm trying to stay positive.

Hi @Imagineit,

I’m a sertraline veteran, been on it for years at the highest dose. When you’re first starting out it can absolutely make you feel like you’re going backwards - I actually nearly stopped taking it and mentioned to my doctor that it was making me feel worse, but apparently that’s very common and can make you feel a lot worse before you feel better! (afaik that includes having your dose altered too, as well as just starting off)

I definitely felt worse the first couple of weeks, but I’m glad I stuck with them because I ended up seeing a massive improvement eventually.

I also second whoever said a weighted blanket - I recently bought one and it’s massively helped my insomnia and when I’m anxious/down and trying to sleep.

@Imagineit I've been on it for 4 years now. If you can, allow yourself to accept that it's not a good day/night. Rather than fighting it. If you fight it and assume every day is going to be like this you add more stress. And deep down you know it's simply not true. Tomorrow will always be a better day.

Why are you feeling like you've taken a step back today?

@mrsbrendanbrady aren't weighted blankets amazing!!! I'd buy one for everyone I knew if I could afford it. Makes you feel so comforted and safe.

Thankyou both, that's so helpful. I needed diazepam today as I felt totally overwhelmed. I really want to manage my anxiety 'on my own' which is actually a ridiculous concept when I think about it because I'm taking a sertraline. But I felt scared that the meds wouldn't work and I'd carry on having to fight for weeks. @Catworrier you're so right I need to accept it's a bad day. I guess I just worry that I'll spiral down into horrendousness (is that a word?) it's just been a real struggle and I naively thought I'd get better and better since upping my dose (hopeful). I've actually had a lot of progress - I'm sleeping slightly better, I'm eating more, I have more moments of peace. I just panic as soon as I feel rubbish and catastrophise that that's me forever now.

Ps I also bought a weighted blanket. Love it. Considering the triangle pillow next...

Ahhh I'm so pleased you've got a blanket. Worthy their weight in gold.

Read what you've written again "I'm sleeping slightly better, I'm eating more, I have more moments of peace."
You're already doing amazingly, you said it so yourself. Write today off but just don't give up on YOU. It's all part of the process.

You've got this and it seems like you do know it's working. Depression clouds us heavily and right now you're in the thick fog so it's hard to see the positives.

Get snuggled under that blanket.

You could do this alone. Some people do. But you don't have to do it alone. There's loads of places but to support us. And confidence to rely on them takes a while but you've done great by starting here.

Thanks so much @Catworrier fantastic advice as always. Slept like a log last night

@Imagineit and how are you feeling today?

Slightly better thanks. I slept so well last night and feel calmer today

Hello OP. Perhaps get yourself a night light? Also, I use alot of mediation cds (bought off Amazon) and they help me. I might try that tonight actually.

Plus i highly recommend having a cat on the bed :)

Not mediation - meditation!!

@Imagineit so proud of you!! This may happen again so just remind yourself of this time. And m always here! (Once I get a post notification)

@Catworrier had a bad night so anxious about trying to make myself go back to work. Went in but broke down and I'm getting signed off. Feel scared this med won't work for me. (I've done 6 weeks at 50mg then upped to 100 16 days ago)

Was the time off due to your mental health? And you've been signed off again?

Yeah that's right

I just want to feel a little better, doctor said the dose increase can make you more anxious for a time while you level off. I get worried that it'll never work

How long did the sertraline take to settle in when you first started taking it?

I never had it first. It was 13 years on citalopram, switched to sertraline a year ago. Switched no problems. Was on 50mg 6 months then decided to lower it and then anxiety started hitting. So I upped back to 50mg every day. That was eight weeks ago and past two on the extra so now 100mg

It might be worth speaking to your dr. 100mg dose up is a lot in the first year if you were fine before on 50mg before dropping it.

I'm assuming you dropped to 25mg a day? When you upped to 50mg I'm guessing that didn't take you back to how you were previously on 50mg hence the up to 100mg?

Antidepressants can take a while to come out of your system so I'm wondering if the sertraline at 50mg in the beginning was working because it was balanced with the come down effect of the other drug.

I'm not a medical expert though so it's a guess. Perhaps sertraline wouldn't have been as efficient for you if you started off on it.

@Imagineit how you getting on?

Better! I had a mini meltdown thought I'd have to quit but suddenly the cloud is lifting and I'm feeling great today. I now have total faith that this drug will do it's thing. Thanks for your support