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how do you cope

Posted , 5 users are following.

sean09865
sean09865

Hi Im new here, i have been told i have anxiety and depression by my gp and have been given 20mg cit to help me, i have been signed off work for 4 weeks but am wondering if i will ever be able to return to work feeling like this i am in a constant state of panic which lasts from the moment i wake up to the time i go to sleep. How do you guys cope with work,school etc when you feel so terrible all the time?

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • francesca45319
    francesca45319 sean09865

    Posted

    So sorry to hear this Sean. It's very hard when you first experience anxiety and depression. First of all I would say you need to learn about the anxiety cycle eg adrenaline and fight or flight. Then think about your thought patterns. !Anxiety is mostly fuelled by our thoughts and getting anxious about being anxious. We get preoccupied with how we feel and a bit bewildered by it all. Anxiety can obviously have triggers but it can also come out of no where so to speak.

    There is lots of good info No panic is a good place online and have a helpline.

    Lastly things like breathing techniques, acceptance, distraction, exercise and meditation all help. Getting support from family and friends I find essential. Try and not catastrophize about the future, it's mostly all adrenaline and your thoughts, anxiety won't physically harm you. Take care.

    • francesca45319
      francesca45319

      Posted

      P's despite having some difficult episodes I've worked for 28 years :-)
    • sean09865
      sean09865 francesca45319

      Posted

      Thanks so much for your insight im just so confused about why this has happened there seems to be no trigger for it.. which makes it more frustrating i dont really have anyone to talk to about it as i dont want to worry anybody, my wife has some idea as she is there and sees me panicing and has noticed i have not been myself for a while, like you said i am freaking out a bit about not being able to work and therefore loosing my income.
    • francesca45319
      francesca45319 sean09865

      Posted

      As I said there can be no direct obvious cause sometimes it could just be a chemical misfire or something. But the experience of a panic or anxiety is so over powering it leaves us scared and looking for answers. Us humans love answers and reasons! We then get scared and on alert worrying we are going to feel a panic attack again or waiting for it to happen, thus perpetuating the anxiety cycle. I've done that s lot and I'm x trying hard to take the fear out of them ie believing they won't do you any harm. The emotional impact is probably the hardest part to overcome sometimes.... As my therapist told me anxiety is essential as it helps put of real danger ie responding appropriately in dangerous situations like avoiding running out in front of cars or leaving burning buildings. Ours has just got skewed especially sense of proportion. Stress either conscious or unconscious can cause anxiety.

      Don't spend 4 weeks agonising over work use the time to recover and get some strategies going. Don't be self critical either. Be kind to yourself and try and get outside everyday.

      Please don't be a like a lot guys and keep a this bottled up, nothing wrong in fact it's wise to seek support from your loved ones etc they can really help bring things back into perspective and out of our preoccupied state.

    • sean09865
      sean09865 francesca45319

      Posted

      Its good to know it is possible to manage with it, though i dont fully understand how yet.. i think the medication may be making it worse i am hopeing this is temporary and soon i will feel well enough to get back to my old ways. I will take your advise and get outside each day though this is harder than it should be.
  • a18842
    a18842 sean09865

    Posted

    When I was told I was shocked I knew I wasn't right but I was convinced I was dying!!!! I also work full time and have not let anyone no about it as I don't want people to be asking as I try to keep distracted - I'm on citalopram also and just started 20mg today I've been on 10 for 35 days .....u will feel how do I get through this but when the meds kick in u will be grand....don't expect am overnight fix with them tho as it does take time but worth it
  • daz101
    daz101 sean09865

    Posted

    Hi Sean

    Welcome to the forum

    On here you will find a lot of information

    Regarding anxiety , depression etc

    It's a gd place if you need to just talk

    There's always a willing ear to understand

    The best advice I can give you is this

    accept That you have anxiety / depression

    Learn about what anxiety is the same goes for depression and how it affects you

    Ask yourself why your in this position

    And work on a strategy , what sets you off

    Etc

    Theres lots of help out there also your not alone so don't think that you are

    Regards daz

  • Aspinan
    Aspinan sean09865

    Posted

    Hi Sean, some good advise given, anxiety and depression is overcome able, I'm an example of it, ive had 5 episodes over the last 20 years lasting between 2 months and 10 months all treated with anti depressants and anti anxiolitics meds and cognative therapy.

    You should always tell yourself your not mad, your not bad and you will get better.

    Neil  

  • sean09865
    sean09865

    Posted

    Thanks everyone for your replys so glad i found this forum. Its nice to know there is someone to ask for advise when you dont have anybody else to turn to, im only on day 3 of the meds so guess the side effects combined with having little information is proving a bit much at the moment, but after reading the above posts i am a little more possitive about the future. I guess for now its a waiting game. Convinced these pills are making the anxiety worse though.
    • a18842
      a18842 sean09865

      Posted

      I was taking 10 mg for 35 days and was just increased to 20 today .....to be honest I had pretty bad anxiety so so I can't honestly say they were side affects but it did take about 3 weeks b4 I started to see gaps in it.....I've just taken the first 20 today.......hang in there as it will work eve when u think it won't it will ......I found keeping distracted (which was hard) the best thing to do and in the evenings at bedtime I found guided meditation quite good as it helped as I was trying to sleep 
    • sean09865
      sean09865 a18842

      Posted

      Thanks for the tip i will look in to meditation, although the anxiety is there all day i do find it gets worse in the evening.
    • a18842
      a18842 sean09865

      Posted

      If u find urself at home during the day try meditation to relax there's lots of different ones......ul prob get more headspace when the cit kicks in mines started to work and it's much easier to focus 
    • sean09865
      sean09865 a18842

      Posted

      i have been on youtube all morning trying to learn meditation not sure its going to work for me i may try again after the cit kicks in day 5 now , so hopeing that will be soon! 
    • a18842
      a18842 sean09865

      Posted

      Hopefully u will see a difference in week 2!! Feels like a lifetime away when u first start but u WILL get there x
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