High level of anxiety vs depression?

[Katymac]

I am stressed beyond belief

I am so tired & approaching 'not coping' but not there yet

I have been considering anti-depressants but not really sure?

If it's anxiety will the ADs help? Or make things worse?

I need....something? Or I carry on?

If you're feeling on the edge you should get to the doc.
I have PND so can relate.
What's stressing you/making you anxious?

See GPs. They can help you get on an even keel to cope with whatever is causing the stress. They don't have to be forever.

DD can't see - we are at Great Ormond Street Hospital on Tuesday

I keep on going but I'm not coping terrifically

Oh katy. I can only imagine how you are feeling. But if it's a short-term thing I'm not sure that ads will help. But it won't hurt to ask for help.

Well it's been 14 weeks now & she seems worse

How awful for you and your DD.

I agree with Orm and also that just asking for help and getting it off your chest to a stranger will give you a vent.

We were on another thread & talking about valium & I thought 'You know that would help' Just to get me through until Tuesday

That's sad isn't it

Silly idea - never mind

They are v unwilling to prescribe diazepam as it's highly addictive. They may give you a few tablets if it's just til Tuesday, mine did similar for me the other week. Go see them

I have anxiety and when it gets bad I listen to a relaxation cd. I've never heard the end of it as always fall asleep before it ends. It certainly helps me relax. If you have ADs it usually takes a few weeks before you notice any difference. Wishing you all the best.

Well I went to the GP yesterday & I am officially 'Not Depressed' but 'dealing with too much'

Oh love, I have followed this and really don't know how you are coping. I have Beta Blockers (propanolol) for anxiety. They really work at taking those heart-fluttering/panic attack symptoms. Sorry you have such an unsympathetic GP. Could you see another? Ask to fill in a Mental Health questionnaire. Mine didn't realise how bad it was til he saw my answers (all truthful).

And really, I think your daughter (and you) are amazing for dealing with this and carrying on. Did I read she did a dance recital? Good on her. I assume she is getting some sort of counselling? Because whether it is a physical thing or not (and it certainly sounds like it) - it will be very traumatic.

Best wishes from a lurker (have been sending you silent best wishes in the past).

Avoid asking for anti-depressants. There isn't a great deal of proof that they are hugely successful for anxiety. The only people I know who have taken them for anxiety are still on them, because their anxiety symptoms were infinitely worse on trying to come off them than they ever had been prior to taking them in the first place (and I'm talking about anxiety to the point of ridiculous paranoia). Cognitive behavioural therapy and learning relaxation techniques have better proven success rates. I'd even be tempted by beta blockers. Would avoid ADs like the plague until I got seriously depressed/suicidal, tbh, but that's just my opinion! I think some people do feel they work for anxiety, but, obviously, I'm not one of them!!!!!

Try cutting out sugar before medicating. Works better than you would believe!

Ridiculous paranoia - nearly there - I don't think ADs will help me atm

Cutting out sugar may cause a collapse - I have a normal diet......plus about 2000 extra calories a day from fruit juice & I am losing weight

u don't have to reduce calories to cut out sugar... think Gi foods.... it is evil, seriously! it fucks with your moods...

Yes, agree with cognitive behavioural therapy long-term. But in the short term, I found the propanolol perfect at dealing with the anxiety symptoms. Yes, CItalopram (AD) did nothing for me as I wasn't really depressed.

Agree with looking at diet, eating little and often, low GI...

Anyway, get back to your GP. They need to refer you to mental health anyway IMVHO.

Still strongly against ADs for anxiety. One friend went from being excessively anxious about real things that were genuinely of concern, to worrying that if she didn't, eg, prepare her spare room in a particular way for when a friend came to visit, her friend was going to die. She knew these concerns were irrational, but they just kept popping into her head. After trying to come off ADs, that is. She'd never had worries like that before taking ADs and was so freaked out by the new, blatantly unfounded anxieties she'd developed, that she went straight back onto ADs again and still hasn't come off them, several years later. She's never tried CBT. That may be extreme, I don't know, but I certainly wouldn't be keen to take something that may not even help my current anxieties and may even make the situation worse when I try to come off it, without having exhausted other possibilities, first. I think the main benefit of ADs would be the feeling that you are doing something without having to go on a waiting list - a bit like taking a sugar pill - rather than having any genuine effect on your thoughts or behaviour, and this would certainly be the case for the first few weeks, anyway, when any effect the ADs do have (besides possibly unpleasant side effects) hasn't really kicked in, yet.

At least beta blockers have a genuine physical effect on the unpleasant symptoms of anxiety. I don't believe ADs stop the unhealthy cycle of thinking that excessively anxious people get into, whereas CBT can help you deal with your problems more rationally again, and doesn't have serious side effects! I think you are putting too much faith in ADs changing how you think and feel about your obviously genuine concerns. If you are not also depressed (eg unable to get out of bed, however much anyone else needs you, and thinking about ending it all, rather than just wondering how much longer you can keep going for, but still keeping going), then I would seek other treatments, first, if at all possible. The only thing not to do is nothing at all - go back to your GP and discuss again!

Hello sorry to hear you're really struggling at the moment. Anything that affects your children's health causes so much worry. Over the last year my husband has been ill, my youngest DD has had repeated tests in hospital and on top of this we had to move house. I thought I was coping but had no appetite and wasn't sleeping. When I went to see my GP for another reason, I ended up in tears as I tried to explain what was going on. I'm now on ADs because of the anxiety and have also been diagnosed with mild depression. My GP did say that the Ads weren't magic but were a cushion to stop me going down further. I believe you should see your GP again as they can also refer you for CBT for anxiety. Also if nothing else the Ads help me sleep and I think this helps enormously when you are very anxious and have so much going on.

It comes & goes

Feeling brighter today - coinciding with work on OU for 8 hrs straight - no time to worry about anything else