No cure so what's the point

[Zopicloned]

I've had anxiety since primary school. And depression that started in my late teens. Nothing has helped. I'm 53 now. What's the point?

Hello,

What's your biggest issue at the moment? I'm sorry to hear you're struggling it must be really difficult & feel never ending. Many people do go on to make a good recovery from depression and anxiety and live wonderful lives. You are so young. Is there anything you would like to do but haven't yet? Do you have any support in real life?

You can’t get rid of anxiety, you learn coping mechanisms. Everyone gets anxious but people cope differently and that’s the main difference. We all need an element of anxiety or we’d live in a world of Donald Trumps. Release yourself from finding a cure and focus on what it’s holding you back from doing that you want to do and look at how you can get to achieve that.

I believe that everyone at some point or multiple points in their life thinks this. It’s a lonely bleak emotion that can overwhelm every part of our day to day existence. It can be and is crippling for many people.
I am not even going to suggest that you go to your gp, as you probably have gone down that route many times, had medication changes, therapy, counselling etc.
When was the last time, that you consider you felt ok, and life was not overwhelming you? Can you tell us more about your life what triggers your anxiety? Is this depression constantly with you or it comes and goes?

It's quite worrying to read some of these responses. Anxiety can absolutely be reduced and eliminated. Anxiety means you have a dysregulated nervous system. It is a coping strategy. It is a symptom of another issue which means you need to look at the root cause.

So many options here but they all lay outside the realm of mainstream medicine so you need to research yourself. Look at the nervous system, get an anxiety coach or an internal family systems therapist, research CPTSD and PTSD, look at functional medicine and gut health.

Sorry you feel like this, anxiety and depression are the pits. Perhaps try to look after youself like you would look after a friend? Are you having enough rest, enough good food? Is there anything specific that you would like "fixed" or is it a global unhappiness?

I believe medication can help if it is totally emotional, ie, good job, partner and home life but still miserable.

If there are big changes that need to be made, look for support, perhaps with Mind or similar. I wish you well and hope you find a way forward.

I'm unable to cope with life's problems. Even small problems send me into a spiral. My mum died last year and she was probably the only person to ever love me unconditionally. I'm dealing with her estate which is causing me extreme stress and conflict with my sibling. There seems no end in sight to that. But it's been like this my whole life. As soon as one problem goes away my brain starts on something else

I totally get this. I feel the same, as one problem goes another soon replaces it, I feel constantly stressed about something, I don’t think there’s been a time in my adult life when I haven’t had something to stress over. There are times when my anxiety is a lot worse though so I try and focus on the times when it’s not so bad. I do have coping strategies, most involve exercise of sitting in the woods alone with nature. I am a huge over thinker so I blow things out of proportion, I am slowly learning not to stress over the things I have no control over but it is hard.

I would recommend trying to put some money aside to see a decent psychiatrist, privately.

I paid up and saw someone for my 'anxiety'. Turns out a major driving factor is the ADHD I had no idea I had.

I'm not saying it will be the same for you. But I think a proper assessment of your mental health could be useful if you have not had one.

I know it seems MN posters in general seem quick to say get assessed for some sort of neurodivergence, but if you have a diagnosis of depression and anxiety, particularly from a young age, that nothing has helped... then it might be worth looking into it.