Is it really possible to overcome anxiety and depression long term?

[RhodaCamel]

Because for most of my life (I’m 47) has been blighted with anxiety and low mood. It just lives alongside me like a shadow, it has faded and loomed larger over the years but has never completely vanished. For the last 3-4 years it has been almost continuous and it honestly feels like it will never leave me.
I am currently in the middle of my 4th attempt at CBT. I genuinely put in so much effort with these sessions and implement my learnings into my everyday life but it has minimal impact. Nothing I’ve tried (counselling, CBT, alternative therapies like hypnotherapy etc) has had any long term impact and eventually the shadow creeps back over me.
I have tried antidepressants but give up (I am ashamed to say quite quickly) because, frankly I am petrified of them, of the potential side effects, of the thought of being on them long term and (I know this sounds ridiculous) but the thought of taking meds to control my mental health feels like I’ve given up the fight, like I’ve lost the ability to control my own mind (even writing that looks pathetic but it’s honestly how my mind thinks).
There are so many people now with poor mental health and it’s all I read about, I belong to lots of support groups online etc but it’s hard to find stories or RL people who say they have recovered and are free of poor mental health for the long haul.
Is this really a possibility, can it be overcome long term or for life? Like overcoming a disease?
Is there anyone out there who can say they are genuinely free of poor mental health having previously suffered greatly?

[OldTinHat]

I could have written this OP. First diagnosed at 14 and I'm 49 now. I wish I had a solution too and, like you, have had pills and stopped taking them, CBT countless times, therapy...its like an endless rollercoaster that you can't get off.

[WhyMrsRobinson]

Thanks for this thread. I wake up every morning completely down so am going to try some stuff on here.

[DinosaurDiana]

My DH is on antidepressants for life. They have been a lifesaver for him.
Going off my DH’s experience I’d say you need to give them about 6 months to get the full effect.

[Weebleweeble]

If you can find time I've found that meditation helps. Hurry up and meditate by David Michie and teach me to sit still by Tim Parks convinced me to try it. If you can do it every day for a couple of months.

[ImaHogg]

Hello all. I am the OP and have since name changed.
Thank you all for your advice.
I hate to say that a year on I am no better, In fact am worse. It’s how I stumbled back onto this thread as I was looking for advice on MN.
I have tried the meds but as before just couldn’t get past the side effects and more than that the overwhelming fear of the side effects (I have some ingrained fears about certain physical symptoms from a trauma years ago but I can’t get my gp to understand this).
Last week I joined Anxiety U.K. which has a free year subscription to Headspace, I have just started using this today.
I am hoping to try some EMDR therapy through them. I am also looking to see a psychiatrist but am struggling to find one, I don’t even know where to start looking, I Google but have no idea if the people are legit or not, is there a governing body for psychiatrists? My gp is of no help, she just offers a prescription for antidepressants without really monitoring my progress with them even though she is aware of my fears or she gives me the details for the organisation who offer the CBT which she knows I have tried endless times without much success!
Does anyone know where I can try to find a psychiatrist? I would really like to see a psychiatrist for advice on which therapy to have for my issues and I would like to be under the care of someone who can really support me through the challenge I have with medication fear.
dane8 I think I am in perimenopause and this is making my issues 100% worse (mentally, emotionally and physically)

[ImaHogg]

Thank you for that dane8

[ImaHogg]

ChiefInspectorParker I have asked a couple of gp’s but they tell me they can only offer CBT even though I have explained it hasn’t helped me but I do have a telephone appointment with another gp on Friday so I will ask again. If not I will see if I can self refer at my local private hospital.

[Kindleandacuppa]

What's your alcohol intake like OP? I only ask because I'm on month 4 of sobriety (from what I would describe as self medictating with alcohol) and mu anxiety levels have went from extreme to almost non existant. I suffered really badly from daily anxiety, low mood, panic attacks etc for YEARS and this has been the most peaceful and content I've felt since being a child. I used alcohol to medicate my anxiety which of course only made it worse and so the cycle continued and its only now that I am sober that I realise just how BAD alcohol was for me.

Of course this is just me, not everyone uses alcohol like I did x

[ImaHogg]

@ChiefInspectorParker

Good luck with your call. It’s not easy, is it. I sometimes wonder whether GPs understand how much variety there is in how antidepressants and other psych drugs work for different people.

All the gp’s I have spoken to seem to think it’s a one size fits all kind of thing!

[ImaHogg]

@Kindleandacuppa

What's your alcohol intake like OP? I only ask because I'm on month 4 of sobriety (from what I would describe as self medictating with alcohol) and mu anxiety levels have went from extreme to almost non existant. I suffered really badly from daily anxiety, low mood, panic attacks etc for YEARS and this has been the most peaceful and content I've felt since being a child. I used alcohol to medicate my anxiety which of course only made it worse and so the cycle continued and its only now that I am sober that I realise just how BAD alcohol was for me.

Of course this is just me, not everyone uses alcohol like I did x

I have only had about 10 drinks in my whole life lol! Not because I don’t like it but I have IBS and a super sensitive digestive system, alcohol makes it so much worse. I am the same with coffee and that really makes my anxiety so bad. I think I am just a super sensitive type of person.
My friend has just given up the booze and says the same as you, she feels so much better.

[Nettleskeins]

Ima, thankyou for starting this thread, there are so many true words on it.
My tuppence worth is that I was severely vitamin D deficient and hypothyroid AND life events were catching up with me, perfect storm.
I know you have been to your GP many times but please please check out your vitamin D and B vitamin levels, and your TSH levels (thyroid). This can be an underlying issue with so many women at perimenopause...we get fobbed off with ADs when something simpler might suffice.

Blood tests. LetsGetChecked can do a vitamin D blood test by post if you cannot face the GP.

[Nettleskeins]

I do feel so much better since the day I was put on Levothyroxine and vit D supplements by GP, (ten years ago at 45)but it took ages to realise this was the underlying issue.
I follow a lot of the advice on this thread anyway, bar ADs. Accepting yourself and talking through serious worries rather than ruminating also figures highly in my "toolkit

[ImaHogg]

@Nettleskeins

Ima, thankyou for starting this thread, there are so many true words on it.
My tuppence worth is that I was severely vitamin D deficient and hypothyroid AND life events were catching up with me, perfect storm.
I know you have been to your GP many times but please please check out your vitamin D and B vitamin levels, and your TSH levels (thyroid). This can be an underlying issue with so many women at perimenopause...we get fobbed off with ADs when something simpler might suffice.

Blood tests. LetsGetChecked can do a vitamin D blood test by post if you cannot face the GP.

Thank you. I have had my thyroid, vit d and vit b12 checked, gp says they are all within ‘normal’ ranges.
I do have extremely low iron and ferritin levels (ferritin is 5) which I am sure is not helping my anxiety but the gp just isn’t interested in getting my levels up (the supplements upset my stomach).
I have definitely been so much worse since hitting my mid 40’s and I am sure hormones are exacerbating these issues.

[ImaHogg]

@dane8

Ditto what Nettle says about thyroid, I had my tested at gp surgery(hoping that this was my cause, instead of being unlucky with GAD) but NO
Ask for thyroid just to put your mind at rest, just say that

The thing is in some areas (mine) you can not get passed Healthy Minds(self referral) gp will just direct me too this.
The only time I got to see a psych on nhs was when I was extremely poorly with depression & anxiety 10 yrs ago, when I had to fight for that.
Then got put under secondary care, where more doors are open for you BUT again not without frighting for yourself

I was bad again a few years back and they wouldn’t let me back in secondary care!!

Gp should know the name of a private psych in your area, I think paying is your only way in
then ask to go on there nhs list.

Tbh, I too was hoping my issue would have been thyroid related as I have many of the symptoms but she said they were within the limits.
I also just get handed the details for Healthy Minds too.

[nancywhitehead]

It's more like arthritis (which you can live with but never fully goes away) than cancer (which can be cured).

I think it's more about living as well as you can, finding your strategies and managing it. It sounds like you haven't yet quite found the right strategies for you despite having tried lots of different things.

If you have not given medication a good try I would really recommend that as a next step. It's not as scary as you think. Would you take medication for something that was physically wrong with you - like an antibiotic? If so, mental health really shouldn't be treated any differently. Antidepressants are an absolute lifesaver for some people.

[Nettleskeins]

Vit D should be at least 75, preferably 100 (can you double check your reading.?ask for exact figure)...50 is considered "normal" or sufficient but it is still too low. I was told this by NHS endocrinologist. Also it may be a while since you were tested and levels can go on declining

[ImaHogg]

@Nettleskeins

Vit D should be at least 75, preferably 100 (can you double check your reading.?ask for exact figure)...50 is considered "normal" or sufficient but it is still too low. I was told this by NHS endocrinologist. Also it may be a while since you were tested and levels can go on declining

My vitamin d3 was 57.