Anxiety support, Hand hold or chit chat come say hi #2

[Fairydust26]

Hi everyone this is part 2 as the original thread is full up! But as the title says this thread is support for all that are struggling and could do with a handhold and a chit chat so come and say hello😊.

Hi guys, just seeing if I could maybe join in here? I've been having a really bad time of it today with my anxiety. I've been diagnosed with anxiety and depression but recently think I've been showing signs of bipolar. I'm on sertraline and my anxiety has been through the roof since my meds got upped a month or so ago. My worst problem is believing people are mad at me or that I've done something wrong. Today I've broken down in tears multiple times because I thought my DP was mad at me when she absolutely wasn't. It's all so irrational and I just wish it would go away.

Hi Savvy - how long have you been taking the sertraline? Have you told the Dr how you have been feeling? I can totally empathise with feeling paranoid about people being cross etc. It's like constantly second guessing myself - it's quite tiring.

What do you do normally to try to relax?

LEM I've been on sertraline since early November, starred on 50mg a day. Upped to 100mg soon after that. Was doing well on the 100mg but still not doing the best and got upped to 150mg about 2 months ago which is when things started getting worse. Had a doctors appointment yesterday and she didn't discredit my ideas of bipolar so has dropped me back down to 100mg for now to see if the signs of bipolar were just to do with a higher dose not agreeing with me or if it really is founded.

Mostly I just go on the computer or play the PlayStation. Sometimes if I feel interested enough I read a book or do some knitting.

Oh bless you - I have been in a very similar position as has my dd. I wish I had more to offer than a virtual handhold. Is your dp supportive?

Thank you so much LEM. While we are both very supportive of each other she also has pretty bad MH issues herself. I manage to be able to go to a full time job everyday and she finds it difficult to leave the house most days so I am the higher functioning one of the two of us unfortunately.

Hi. I'm new and feeling extremely anxious today. I have suffered from anxiety and depression for a few years. First started when I was 21 and taken ill into icu and all my control on life just went out of the window. Since then I have had periods when things have been fine but since becoming visually impaired in 2010 I've really struggled. I have panic attacks and don't get out much. I feel like I've completely lost my independence.

I'm currently taking a antidepressants (Mirtazapine) and am half way through a course of IPT.

I'm in a bit of a state. I'm supposed to be going to a concert tomorrow in another city with my DB. This is miles outside my comfort zone. I don't manage well in the dark, in crowds and in places I don't know. My DB is one of only a few people I feel safe enough to go out with. He wants to make a day of it, leaving home at 10am and returning late after the concert, probably after midnight. I'm going to be exhausted. I don't normally last through the day at home. I'm worried it's going to be too much.

Also on Monday I am being assessed for PIP. My DLA is coming to an end. When I first applied for DLA I was granted it indefinitely because of my eye condition. I've now had to reapply for PIP. I panic every time I think about it. Someone is coming to my house to assess me and I'm terrified. Everything about Monday is just awful and the thought of my benefits being taken off me has had me awake all night for weeks. I have included my anxiety and depression in my application which I didn't before because it is actually really debilitating now. I just don't know how I'm going to cope. I don't know if it is a good thing for them to see how anxious I am or not but I'm going to feel like a fool if I have a panic attack in my own home in front of a stranger.

Sorry it's a long one. I just really needed a purge. DH has come home from a long shift and I don't want to put on him. I know he must be stressed out too.

Hope everyone is coping ok today. I haven't had chance to read much of this thread yet but I will try to catch up as best I can. Thanks.

Savvylover, I have simular concerns about bipolar, I know I've had a manic/psychotic episodes and it only took 50-25mg of setraline over a few days to make me manic/psychotic. However, psycahrtists have not diagnosed me with anything specific. I'm happy that way is diagnoses keep changing (used to be manic depression) so we discus instead which medications work for me. I've met some great mental health nurses and done lots of research and really think positive psychology is more important than specific diagnoses. I think lem suggested bpd. I'm not qualified doctor or psychologist. So instead of thinking what's wrong with me I think what helps me. Personally not a fan of mindfulness but I like cbt, Relaxation,mums advise of fresh air and excersise, art, music, socialising and working on friendship, Christian practice (allthough currently agnostic and hate having to justify my faith...) and quetiapine.....allthough I'd rather not need medication, I'm only on half therapeutic dose and it does make me feel and function better, so I'm coming around to the idea, slowly...feeling emotional this morning so I I'm going to get out it the sun as it was raining from 2pm yesterday.

Welcome to our new posters hope you find some comfort posting here.

I’ve started taking sertraline this morning. The doctor prescribed it to me for anxiety a couple of weeks ago. I couldn’t decide whether to take it or not but I had a tough weekend so I thought I’d give it a go. I feel extremely on edge just now and I’ve had the runs this morning.
I’ve put off taking it for so long cos I didn’t want to feel worse, even if it was only temporarily. I hope I don’t feel this jittery for long.

Good luck Julie cloud. Don't do what I do and be so hard on yourself, take it slow and make sure you call your gp for either an emergency appointment or speak to the duty doctor if things get bad. I think it didn't work for me because I also only took it as a last resort when I was very stressed like you. I had extreme insomnia on it so had to stop. Hopefully it won't effect you the same and it helps you get better. and focus on 'self care', look after yourself and keep doing the things you enjoy. X

Thanks. I’ve got an appointment on Wednesday to see my gp anyway so I thought today was a good day to start it.

Makes sense. Sounds like you have it well planned. I increased my last dose after a weekend break when I had nothing planned in the week. Not often you get an opportunity like it. Smoothest dose change ever.

Aaaannndddd crash

Sorry to hear that lem, what's up?

What’s happened LEM?

My older DD'S cat is sick.

Oh no Lem hope it’s nothing to serious?.

The news makes me feel sick... The religious violence esspesally as I'm from a methodist Christian family and using God as an excuse for territorial war (jurusulum, trump etc) is so wrong as I'm proud of my dead grandads work as a missionary but all religions get tarnished by the same blood... his god and his jesus is not the same as trump's jesus... Just been a deadly conflict in the middle East after us embassy moved to jurusulum... A song we sung in school....also Israel won eurovision and I. Got a bit obsessive over the UK performance... in the real world everything is going fine. Hope your sisters cat is OK soon lem.

Hope you don't mind me joining?

I have depression, and anxiety. Just been prescribed sertaline, but waiting for DH to come back home from working away before I start (incase of side effects - we have young children).

I feel so anxious about socialising, anyone else? I always feel like I'm not interesting enough, or I don't speak in fear of saying something wrong. I also avoid eye contact so that no one approaches me to speak, but deep down I just want a friendship group, and to be out socialising daily.

Of course not threelittlesoliders welcome😊. I’ve been on sertaline for almost a year now so if you have any questions I’ll be happy to help, hope they bring some benefit for you.

Hope it’s okay to join.

My anxiety’s are about my health, I’m constantly concerned I have cancer. I already have a thread on here about it, but to cut a long story short, I was concinved I had melanoma on my nail as I had a black line on my nail that grew when I got pregnant and just remains that way, i went to the drs she told me I didn’t have melanoma as I had no melanoma sites on the nail or something ( not too sure) but she wants me to come back it two weeks to see how the nail grows, so I’m just convinced when I go back she’s going to tell me I do have it.

I’m being referred for my anxiety and I have spoken to my family nurse also, I’m currently not on no meds as I haven’t been diagnosed with it formally but I’ve been struggling with it my whole life and I’m only 19 now. So it’s very very hard, I’m also a single mother which just intensifies the anxious thoughts as I get scared I’ve got cancer I’m going die and leave her behind. It’s so so hard to cope

I actually made it through my day out and my face to face assessment. A few panic attacks along the was and a lot of breathing exercises but I did it.

Today I've hit almost rock bottom though. Like I used up all of my energy and now there's nothing left. I'm still in bed and I haven't spoken to a soul. I know my DH will be up anytime now to try to get me to eat and I'm half tempted to pretend I'm still asleep.

Why is it that I can't just do the normal stuff and cope? I think I need my GP to up my meds.

Welcome Pinkbedsheets I completely understand what your going through with health anxiety I go through stages where it doesn’t bother me as much but others when it absolutely floors me and it’s all that consumes my thoughts!. It’s so exhausting having to fight this constant battle but Your not alone in feeling like this.

ClaireAndPresentDanger well done on getting through your assessment sounds like the panic has taken a toll on your body and you need time to recover which is totally fine I’ve experienced just that after a bad time with anxiety. Be kind to yourself today and take it easy hope you feel better soon!.

Hi. Hope you don't mind me joining in. I have been prescribed citalopram to help with my anxiety but I'm so scared to take them as I have previously been on venlaflaxine and coming off that was horrendous. I did start to take half a tablet ( as advised by the doctor) but stopped after 3 days as I felt so awful. Has anyone got any tips to help start taking them? My anxiety is not getting any better. This weekend was awful :/

lardass88 I’m on sertaline but I found taking them just before I went to sleep helped loads meant I slept through most of the side effects might be worth a try?.