If you had anxiety/depression and you don’t anymore what happened ? What changed ?

[Amiterrible]

What worked for you ?

Counselling. I found a counsellor who was perfect for me, and who helped me unpack some past trauma that I hadn't dealt with.

And medication, which gave me enough headspace to be able to do the counselling.

I was 36, and it was the first time in my adult life that I hadn't been depressed.

Taking methylated b vitamins, lots of water and regular exercise, therapy and watching Eckhart Tolle videos about the mind and reading the power of now.

Removing negative situations/ people from my life, very minimal caffeine and alcohol. Lots of sleep.

Recognising that I am not my negative thoughts. They are black clouds passing through but I am always the blue sky - sounds cheesy but when you believe every awful thought that pops in your head that is what caused me to feel bad. Now I don't buy into them

Therapy, which led to me removing the people from my life that were causing me to feel depressed.

Antidepressants (post natal) for a year.

When it returned a few years later I was able to recognise it and started daily exercise which worked equally well

Sertraline
A different career
Having my child

Those things together also meant I drink far far less and never touch drugs.

I am unrecognisable from 7 years ago.

Citalopram and 6 weeks off work helped in the short term by lifting me out of the fog. I started exercising and eating better, lost weight. Started cold water swimming. Felt loads better about myself and realised my relationship of 16 years was abusive - I left.
Now, the cold water and self care keep me in a good place. I’m in a happy and healthy relationship and while I do still get anxious I can recognise it and manage not to let it take me down a negative path.

Walked across America. Alone.

After that life is much less scary.

Mostly, I suspect, because it raised my self-esteem that marriage, alcohol and divorce had obliterated.

But I accept that's probably not a feasible solution for everyone 😁

Good luck!

Keeping busy and having people around me. It took me years to realise that not doing much and being alone too much triggers overthinking, that leads to worrying etc etc, the vicious cycle starts. I find life overwhelming at times but only have short bursts of time alone now. Then it's a healthy recharge of the batteries and not as destructive.

@PersonIrresponsible Tell us more! Where did you walk, and for how long?

3 years with a psychologist. My depression and anxiety were caused by abusive parents.

I had sertraline, which helped short term.
Upped my vitamins and water
Went caffeine free

Got myself a dog. Very lucky as DH is WFH so we can do it but it's so hard to be sad when someone is SO HAPPY to be with you 24/7.

Sad to see so many teachers here. It's a relentless job. Being part time had kept my sanity. I intend losing a day if I can from September. I'd rather be poorer and sane.

Getting out in fresh air for 1hr a day is a real tonic. I struggle to do it but the dog has forced me out. And to reconnect with nature and the outdoors.

I can heartily recommend it.

Lots of therapy (particularly CBT).
Regular walks in nature (esp near water).
Trips to the gym.
Changing jobs to one that is challenging but very fulfilling.
Supportive partner.
Maintaining a regular sleep pattern.

Meds never worked for me because I needed to change parts of my life that were making me unhappy. I tried lots before I realised this. I still have a tendency to be anxious and ruminate, but I've found that walks near water and exercise in general helps me to keep it at a level that is manageable.

I hope you find something that works for you, OP.

One thing that helped (and this didn't cure me, let me stress that – it just helped) was reading the classics. I've always been a lazy reader, so it took a lot of self-discipline. I also forgave myself for not enjoying every page. Instead, I looked on it as therapy/exercise. I got the idea when I heard someone say the best thing they ever did was stop reading newspapers and social media and start reading novels and plays instead.

I got Harold Bloom's famous list and worked through as many as possible. I also kept a record of each book, marking it out of ten. I read loads of the heavyweights – the books we all plan to read but never get round to

Pride and Prejudice
The Picture of Dorian Grey
The Return of the Native
Sons and Lovers
Wuthering Heights
Great Expectations
The Great Gatsby
Brideshead Revisited
To the Lighthouse
Atonement

I listened to a lot of them on audiobook as well, often while going for long walks. Can't recommend it enough. Oh, and read out loud when you are home alone – especially P G Wodehouse.

For dealing with anxiety (much, much better, but occasionally still pops up).

A long list....
CBT
No caffeine
No alcohol
Daily walks (5,000 steps target: very achievable but needs a proper walk)
Plenty of sleep
Keep hydrated
Multivitamin/minerals
Vitamin B complex supplements (as well as multivit)
Not trying to fit in lots of things; giving myself downtime and permission to rest. Means I do less so have to really choose what I enjoy
Good diet with fruit & veg and whole grain rather than white carbs

Probably forgot some things, but all those keep it at bay. If I start getting anxious then breathing exercises and thinking CBT thoughts do help, though they don't always make it go away entirely.

Oh also control over my work diary/travel so I don't wear myself out. Tiredness is a big trigger.

HRT, Headspace meditation and walking.

Escitalopram.

Few things
one seeing the look on DH face and deciding in that moment to do whatever it took to spare him more anguish- took a while - incrementally slow but started there and change was enduring

Acting on Peaceful Barb, Nicole Le Pera and Nedra Tawwab advice -re read this All the time- a lot of anxiety in sensitive people IMO is permitting toxic people to cause you harm - going LC then NC had been miraculous.
The scales fell off my eyes and could see clearly the futile fawn behaviour i had been engaging in - which was doomed from the start.

prioritising self care & compassion and then the other stuff - more plants kefir yogurt in diet Vit b complex iron and magnesium , lots of exercise and nature , saying yes to new job opportunities I’d have felt beyond me in past, and some acceptance and after illness the realisation of brevity of life so just allowing fear etc to wash over but not letting it consume so much

Exercise helps me hugely. Sertraline probably did but I can't commit to taking it for some reason. If rather go to the gym for an hour a day (still fat, but do it because it makes me feel better!)

Less alcohol.
Less social media.

I started taking AD’s but didn’t want to. I made myself “a project” and spent time working on tipping the balance back into positivity for myself.

I got really fit. I took up yoga. I studied psychology. I joined a spa. In the end, it was a gift. It changed my life for the better. I now know when I am going down that road, and I deal with it before it takes hold.

Not saying it works for everyone, but it works for me. Even the doctor said I pulled myself out of it.

a lot of anxiety in sensitive people IMO is permitting toxic people to cause you harm

This.

CBT, medication, new job and coaching in the new role. Totally reinvigorated as a combination of the above! Once I was no longer depressed I also lost 4 stone and out myself first which helped so much!

L’ingTB

I didn’t even realise he made me unhappy until I found out he was cheating and it broke my world. But within 6 months I was no longer on medication and suicide hasn’t even entered my head in years.