Loosing hope of recovery

I echo Sue's advice. Recovery takes acceptance and patience but you will get there. I really recommend "At Last a Life" by Paul David. It absolutely nails anxiety and how to recover.

Thanks Sue, anxiety through the roof today, think probably because i started on whole tablet couple days ago. Real pain having swap meds as seem be back to square one. Can you remember when you first started noticing any improvement? Says 4-6 weeks on leaflet. Feel like I'm on a merry go round with no escape at the moment. Thanks serotonin surfer but I've already read got several self help books the theory is good but putting into practice very difficult

although reading reading books, cbt , mindfulness and medication are all very good tools for millions of people, I could not get into any of it, no matter how I tried my mind just refocused on how crap I was feeling, maybe this hindered my recovery, maybe it didn't but do not beat yourself up over not being able to put it into practice, a lot of people cannot get it.

I started on sertraline in oct of last year, very scared and anxious to do so as I had been on citalopram 3 times before but unfortunately it didn't work this time for me so swapped over to sert, really thought that nothing was going to work this time, first 2 weeks had a honeymoon period as the cit was getting out of my system and this time it had made me quite ill so got some positive signs of getting better, the next 4 weeks were up and down whilst I adjusted my dose of sert, the next 4 weeks were spent in a kind of fog, not much anxiety but absolutely no motivation at all and quite low. remember putting decks on christmas tree whilst crying! After that each week got easier and better so on reflection about 10 to 12 weeks but not all that time was spent feeling ill, there were some good and some bad, it did, however take me quite a few months to actually believe I am better and trust the meds to keep on doing their magic.

Thanks for that Sue has given me hope. Good that I'm nit only one who books don'T work for. Did have few sessions of CBT but was useless, think because thoughts caused by chemical damage from zopiclone nit behavioural. Keep trying tell myself just thoughts but brain doesn'T compute. Think particularly bad at moment as you said from having to swap meds, then obviously now taking higher dose. Just really had enough after nearly of a year of strugging. They advise against using SSRI in drug withdrawal, but got desperate to try anything a do seem to work eventually for lot people. I was in tears all time up to few months ago not quite so often now so maybe they're helping a bit.

I think sometimes if anxiety and depression come from chemical issues in our genetics as opposed to external stresses then no amount of therapy is going to help but that is just my opinion and experience, as I said previously it is a very good tool for those whose minds are open, I have done a 6 week course of cbt but it all sort of washed over me, ironically when I went to the first session I couldn't stay for the overcoming anxiety course because I was too anxious! Friends had a good giggle at that!

when I started sertraline Dr said take 25 for a week and if ok go to 50, I stayed on 25 for 2 weeks then went up to 50 but it was too much too soon so lowered it down to 37.5 and stayed on that for 2 weeks then went up to 50 that seemed to work better for me

with regards to being advised not to use meds for withdrawals I would not pay much attention to it, drugs are readily supplied for all kinds of addiction withdrawals.

I know from you telling me that it has been a tough year for you but things will get better, once you have settled on your higher dose it should all calm down, patience is not our friend with this illness but unfortunately thats all we can do, be kind to ourselves, avoid any pressures where possible, do not worry about things that are not being done, they will still be there when you are better and wait, wait and wait somemore

I got info from benzo helpline, they are just anti any drugs but hoping sertraline will help. I've just tried cutting up the meds will try taking 37.5 for a week see how I get on, is a bit difficult cutting them into quarters! Did think might too high a jump, as sleep was very bad last night and anxiety awful after 2 days on higher dose. Just get very frustrated had to cancel several holidays this year and do end up having to get my husband to go to most places with me because of the anxiety. Citalopram didn't do anything so hoping sertraline better, does appear it's better for things like the intrusive thoughts which are crippling some days. Thanks for the advice anyway

it is a bit fiddly but achievable with a pill cutter. my husband used to do it for me, think it gave him some small sense of being helpful when, for our partners, there is no sense to any of this.

I work in a GP surgery and for anxiety sert is their first port of call, it is meant to be kinder to the system and what they call a clean drug and the only one they prescribe for pregnant and breast feeding mum's

I know that citalopram is very good as well, it worked brilliantly for me in the past but that was when my depression was greater then my anxiety, this time it was the other way round.

That's good to know. Did you find you got lot of headaches when you first started, GP did warn me I might. Hoping will eventually ease as some days last all day,real pain with the anxiety as well. I hoping eventually might be able to come off them if withdrawal symptoms ease, seems takes a year plus before zopiclone withdrawal improves. Think mine was very brutal because new GP forced me to just stop. I've started on 3/4 of tablet so see how I go on that. Really hope something helps and the advice line are wrong in saying anti depressants won't help in drug withdrawal.

Was on zopiclone for 12 years on and off for a few years then every night for about 2 years. Low dose but being made to just stop them been hell. GP at my surgery very ill informed was told wouldn't have any problems!

Been gradually increasing dose of sertraline from half 50mg, going up to 3/4 took whole tablet last night. Feel really anxious and jittery almost making me feel worse. Is this normal as you gradually increase the dose. Had awful headache and aches for few days last week so guess doing somethinggoing on. Only been on them 2 weeks just need reassurance they won't continue to make me feel worse!!!!!

Don't feel very strong at moment. The citalopram didn't do anything just feel very anxious at moment, my symptoms bit like what's classed as harm OCD so just going for walks really difficut if I'm around people. Just hoping it eventually kicks in all the chopping and changing meds and doses probably made things worse just feel a mess!

Still not great I'm nearly 6 weeks had some family problems and close friends son just died so probably wacked up symptoms. Does seem to be slow acting med, it does get you down when you don'T seem to make any progress though. have you not improved at all?

Not much 😦 Sorry to hear that hope your family problems gonna get sorted soon and wish you all the best 😦

i am like a yoyo yesterday was better. Today lots of anxiety, but kept busy. went to the doctors, gym, grocery store, and took the puppy to the vet. i think this med takes forever to work. i am trying to use the Dare Recovery for anxiety. We will all get better.

Thank you son coming down at weekend so hopefully things improve. This year been awful the intrusive thoughts and anxiety started January when i stopped zopiclone gradually git worse. Meds are my only hope , tried reading self help books doing CBT, having counselling nothing helped. I do hope you improve soon.