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Nothing seems to b changing

Posted , 6 users are following.

philis63315
philis63315

Hi can anyone relate. I have health anxiety which triggered a bad depression two years ago I centre through. But two months ago I feared another health problem and the anxiety that this brought made me more afraid of the depression coming bck. It did and iv been to hell and bck I hate feeling scared but I'm scared every day of how I feel and I know it's this fear that's keeping the depressive feelings going. I was getting Cbt but my therapist believes I need something more as it's distress intolerance which is driving my illness. So now I have no therapy and constantly feel like I'm going to explode with all my fearful thoughts I'm never gonna get out of this how can I stop thinking and get out of my head. I was initially put bck on citalopram which worked for me before and after three weeks I felt a massive improvement but a week later I just felt anxious about feeling anxious and being depressed. After week six my doctor put me on setraline but this anxious feeling has not gone and I'm now nearly on that for 4 weeks. I don't know how to help myself get out of this pattern of thinking. If my anxiety is fuelling my depression how can I stop feeling anxious it's consuming me and I'm soo scared. I remember feeling a bit numb and un-real before but this time all I do is remember these horrible feelings and feel anxious about it never changing. I thought I was going mad but obviously in this time iv not lost the plot but I just don't know how to get bck to feeling normal again. Sorry for such a ramble please any advice. 

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • kevin66749
    kevin66749 philis63315

    Posted

    U just gotta be strong minded and beat this urself! When you feel anxious u just got to fight it! Tell urself that its not going to beat u! Just think there are plenty of other ppl in this world that are worser off than u and think to urself how gteatful u are! Its just ur mind playing tricks! I've had it for example if I get a sharp pain in my head (to which everyone does time to time) I automatically think I got a brain tumour and then I keep telling myself I got a tumour and it goes on for days and days from moment I wake up to I go to bed. Deep down there nothing wrong and you got to tell urself that! May I ask what it is your fearing
    • philis63315
      philis63315 kevin66749

      Posted

      Hi thanx for your msg bck. I'm trying soo hard to be strong minded and keep motivating myself. I tell myself everything is as it's always been ur just anxious it cannot hurt u, but I'm most afraid that the automatic symptom checking of how I feel mentally is like a OCD thought which I can't switch off. It makes me feel scared, tired, restless. I feel like I always hav a stress headache and sickly feeling. It's impacting on me immensely as the day feels like a chore to get through I only feel slight relief before bedtime wen I know I can go to sleep. Every day I pray for a miracle wot if I can never switch off this vicious cycle. 
  • godblessed
    godblessed philis63315

    Posted

    Sooo sorry you are going through this. It sounds awful. I suffer with health anxiety. Call the national anxiety headline they would help and point you in the right direction. I know it is not a matter of being strong minded. it is a pity the cbt therapist didn't set you up with someone else who could help. 

    Thinking of you!

    Let me know how you get on xx

    • philis63315
      philis63315 godblessed

      Posted

      Hi thankyou for your response. My therapist has referred me onto someone else but that will take at least 6 weeks to start that process. I just feel without an action plan I'm left to obsess even more about my problem. Even posting this discussion I would suppose is another form of seeking reassurance and fueling my anxiety. Thanx for your advice I might give the anxiety helpline a try.
  • cherry123
    cherry123 philis63315

    Posted

    Hi Philis..so sorry to hear how u are feeling .  I don't suffer from health anxiety but I do suffer from 'generalised anxiety'.  Remember that it can take up to 6 weeks for Sertraline to start working so hang in there.  I was on it and it definitely helped.  What dose are u on?  It might need to be increased which is often the case but it's probably too early to say yet. I started on 50mg but that didn't work & it was increased to 75mg & that definitely helped. But some people need a much higher dose...give it time & if u don't feel any improvement in couple of weeks check in with your doc to see if u need the dose to be changed. Best wishes.
    • philis63315
      philis63315 cherry123

      Posted

      Thankyou. I'm on 200mgs after initially starting on 100mg. Mayb the pills r doing there job but my obsessive thoughts are stopping me feeling the benefits! I want to stop thinking these automatic thoughts but it just repeats all day. I'm putting on a show to everyone around me now caus they just say "stop thinking about it" and  "stop being passive and going back to that anxiety" so it's just a constant battle to get through each day. My appetite is affected, I'm not taking much care in my appearance or housework like I used to and I'm smoking double what I used to but don't hav the willpower to stop. I hope the setraline will help me overcome this but I'm afraid what if nothing can? 
  • janharris56
    janharris56 philis63315

    Posted

    I can relate to the health anxiety. I was once told by a doctor ,its like OCD because your mind keeps repeating it. Has anyone ever been told that?

    Anxiety, no matter what kind it is, just down right sucks. Pardon my language, but it does. And if a person doesn't experience it, they have no idea what you mean when you feel that very uncomfortable feeling. You can't shake it, no matter what you try.

    I've been on Sertraline for 10 years. Now trying to get off, because I wanted to, no other reason. I just hope all goes well when I am finally off. Started on 25, then 50, 75 then 100. Now im on 50 every 3rd day. I do feel angry at times, and feel like no one understands. We'll see how things go. I really dont want to return to the health anxiety issue. I do remember he horrible thst was. 

    Whoever is dealing with anxiety and takes meds for it I'm happy there is something available to ease the discomfort for you. 

    • philis63315
      philis63315 janharris56

      Posted

      Hi thankyou for replying. Yes I definitely think it's an OCD thought pattern. I just don't know how to stop it. I never thought I wld need medication in my life but when I felt as awful as I did I knew it was the only way for me. Now it's just a challenge to get on top of my obsession with physical health and now mental health. 
  • Mary17679
    Mary17679 philis63315

    Posted

    Hi Philis, I can certainly identify with you. Years ago, I finally learned & accepted that my depression and anxiety were two separate illnesses in me. So I took sertraline and an anti-anxiety med. Combined, each med helped my depression and lowered my anxiety. Could this be the same for you? I hope this helps. Stay in touch. :-) 
    • philis63315
      philis63315 Mary17679

      Posted

      Hi thankyou, iv been given olanzepine for anxiety but I don't notice anything with this. Probably the only thing that does help is diazepam but u obviously can't take that throughout the day and the doctor only prescibed me small amounts so I don't become addicted. I just wish I could snap out of it. I want to soo much.
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