Depression, anxiety, and more

[Divair]

I'm informally calling it "Div's Therapy Corner" because I'd like to inflate my ego for once. Credit to Esternial for the thread title.

Come one, come all, to a little section of NS for those of us who'd like to take a moment from the endless debating, the intricate RPing, and the chatting to discuss something a little more personal. Yes, folks, I am talking about our emotional well-being. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, you name it. What I am offering is a place for you to clear your mind and to talk with others who have gone through similar pain and suffering. It is through experience that we learn how best to heal ourselves, and learning from the experiences of others is surely beneficial to all involved. To get discussion rolling, let us start with some questions:

What do you suffer from?
For how long have you suffered?
What are your coping mechanisms?
Do you take medication?
If so, what kind, and how has it impacted you? Would you recommend it?

I'll begin by sharing a bit about myself. I suffer from both severe depression and PTSD. I've had both for as long as I can recall, mostly as a result of living in a war-zone for 15 years as a kid. I don't actually have coping mechanisms, which is why when either acts up, it hits me quite hard. Nightmares are a frequent occurrence. As a result of all of the above, I'm something of a self-hater. I only accept compliments from very few people, and I don't think highly of myself (and I would say justifiably so). I do, however, take sertraline, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI). I've been on a normal dose of sertraline for two months now. The only two side effects I have noticed are slower thinking and increased sweating during sleep. In return, they've helped me think more clearly without emotion completely overwhelming me. I'd definitely recommend them.

Your turn, then.


Edit: While humour is lovely, I request that those of you who do not care or have negative feelings towards those who are mentally ill please avoid posting whatsoever. You're not contributing. And no, telling people to drink isn't funny nor intelligent.

[Fartsniffage]

I really hope this thread is allowed to exist.

I'll post about myself at a later date.

[Solaray]

I'm actually planning on getting checked for an anxiety disorder some time in the next couple weeks. I've been doing some internet symptom checks and whatnot, and I've seen a few things that match up, so I figure I should check it out and find out for sure.

[Potentiation]

What do you suffer from?

Low self-esteem, occasional anxiety attacks, inability to form meaningful relationships, constant remorse about trivial actions, lonliness.

For how long have you suffered?

Three years.

What are your coping mechanisms?

Music, reading, writing, running.

Do you take medication?

No, but I would like to take prozac.

[Olthar]

If I want to talk about my problems, I'll go to my therapist.

[Napkiraly]

I have mixed anxiety-depression and well I guess I've had anxiety, though mild, for awhile and depression a few times but never as bad as it has been since November. My coping mechanisms are exercising actually, it's helped a lot and also makes me feel better about myself. Work has also gotten better at helping me cope. I take citalopram which is an SSRI, about 30mg a day which is an increase from when I first started, but it's more effective. Mood is getting better, suicidal thoughts are essentially non-existent now. Side effects have mainly been that sometimes it causes my stomach to act up and a few times I've puked. Happens more if I drink alcohol. Apart from that though it's been fine on helping me get better.

Doc's and therapists hope that by the end of the year or even the summer, it'll be largely be mitigated if not gone to a large extent. Doing CBT to help ensure that it doesn't happen in the future.

[Alyakia]

If I want to talk about my problems, I'll go to my therapist.

lucky you

[Divair]

I'm actually planning on getting checked for an anxiety disorder some time in the next couple weeks. I've been doing some internet symptom checks and whatnot, and I've seen a few things that match up, so I figure I should check it out and find out for sure.

Would you mind perhaps expanding upon these symptoms?

[Blazedtown]

Real men don't talk about their problems, they drink about them.

[Olthar]

If I want to talk about my problems, I'll go to my therapist.

lucky you

I'm sure most places probably have government-run things. That's how I got a therapist as I certainly don't have the money for one.

[Maklohi Vai]

Good idea, Div.

I don't have any diagnosed condition, nor am on any medication, but I did suffer from anxiety in late elementary school and middle school. It was pretty severe at times, but luckily there wasn't any workload serious enough to make it worse. Monthly therapy worked, and the worst of it was gone in 4 years from when it first appeared.

[Divair]

I have mixed anxiety-depression and well I guess I've had anxiety, though mild, for awhile and depression a few times but never as bad as it has been since November. My coping mechanisms are exercising actually, it's helped a lot and also makes me feel better about myself. Work has also gotten better at helping me cope. I take citalopram which is an SSRI, about 30mg a day which is an increase from when I first started, but it's more effective. Mood is getting better, suicidal thoughts are essentially non-existent now. Side effects have mainly been that sometimes it causes my stomach to act up and a few times I've puked. Happens more if I drink alcohol. Apart from that though it's been fine on helping me get better.

Doc's and therapists hope that by the end of the year or even the summer, it'll be largely be mitigated if not gone to a large extent. Doing CBT to help ensure that it doesn't happen in the future.

Aye, I got the same warning about alcohol when I started taking sertraline. How long did it take for citalopram to take effect?

Good idea, Div.

I don't have any diagnosed condition, nor am on any medication, but I did suffer from anxiety in late elementary school and middle school. It was pretty severe at times, but luckily there wasn't any workload serious enough to make it worse. Monthly therapy worked, and the worst of it was gone in 4 years from when it first appeared.

Thank you. I thought NS needed a little thread for some of us who are going through tougher times than others.

[Alyakia]

lucky you

I'm sure most places probably have government-run things. That's how I got a therapist as I certainly don't have the money for one.

probably. it's a shame they're probably one of the places all the "waiting lists!!!" sensationalism is generally true though.

[Napkiraly]

I have mixed anxiety-depression and well I guess I've had anxiety, though mild, for awhile and depression a few times but never as bad as it has been since November. My coping mechanisms are exercising actually, it's helped a lot and also makes me feel better about myself. Work has also gotten better at helping me cope. I take citalopram which is an SSRI, about 30mg a day which is an increase from when I first started, but it's more effective. Mood is getting better, suicidal thoughts are essentially non-existent now. Side effects have mainly been that sometimes it causes my stomach to act up and a few times I've puked. Happens more if I drink alcohol. Apart from that though it's been fine on helping me get better.

Doc's and therapists hope that by the end of the year or even the summer, it'll be largely be mitigated if not gone to a large extent. Doing CBT to help ensure that it doesn't happen in the future.

Aye, I got the same warning about alcohol when I started taking sertraline. How long did it take for citalopram to take effect?

About a month or so. They said it'd take awhile to kick in.

[Esternial]

Well, I haven't visited any psychiatrists yet, though I got redirected to one by my doctor. Haven't made any appointment, since I'm doing okey for the time being.

I guess my biggest issue is anxiety. I'm not sure what the correct term for it is, but I have a fear for the unknown. Literally, places I've never been to frighten me, since I always imagine situations where I'm left on my own in a place where I do not have my bearings. Going somewhere with a friend or two really helps. Adding to this is my fear of strangers. People I haven't met or only just met tend to make me feel anxious. I'm actually not that bad at social interactions, except for when I haven't talked to anyone in months, but it takes me a while to feel comfortable. Basically, I experience some form of stress fairly often, and it has mental and physical repercussions. Can't concentrate during lectures, fluctuating weight, etc.

As a result of this stress, I fail to concentrate and get bad results, which gives me even more stress. My own personality frustrates me, as I've been getting more bitter and ill-tempered when I don't have any reason to.

Three weeks ago, during my last exam, I had a panic attack. I forgot my calculator for the first part of my exam of analytic chemistry and just began to freak out on the inside. I tried to remain calm as my professor asked me if I could go fetch it at my place. I could have easily gotten it in five minutes, because I live pretty close to the campus, but I just couldn't return. I said I lived too far away and bolted. It took me a while to recover from that, and the Xanax my doctor prescribed be weeks earlier to help me against the stress helped, but it feels like I'm stuck on a wave that's currently on a high point. I have no idea what will send me down again, and several small things recently have already tested my relatively good emotional state.

[Olthar]

I'm sure most places probably have government-run things. That's how I got a therapist as I certainly don't have the money for one.

probably. it's a shame they're probably one of the places all the "waiting lists!!!" sensationalism is generally true though.

There was no waiting list here. I just went in, and they got me a therapist.

[Solaray]

I'm actually planning on getting checked for an anxiety disorder some time in the next couple weeks. I've been doing some internet symptom checks and whatnot, and I've seen a few things that match up, so I figure I should check it out and find out for sure.

Would you mind perhaps expanding upon these symptoms?

Occasionally I have what seems to be panic attacks, tight chest, tingling limbs, shortness of breath and such. I also feel somewhat neurotic, often worried about saying the wrong thing in a social situation, and constantly regretting rather trivial actions. I tend to worry in general, more so than I should. I tend to avoid or at least worry at certain events out of some sort of irrational fear, such as a fear of random terrorist attacks, muggings, etc.

I'm also the type to constantly test things to see if everything is working alright. Such as checking my pulse much too often or simply testing a lock multiple times before leaving a vehicle unattended. I get a thought into my head and it refuses to leave.

[United Marxist Nations]

I would post, but I would be quite embarrassed by others knowing the condition.

[New haven america]

What do you suffer from? Low self-esteem, socialization problems
For how long have you suffered? Since 3rd grade
What are your coping mechanisms? Don't have any
Do you take medication? Nope

[Divair]

Well, I haven't visited any psychiatrists yet, though I got redirected to one by my doctor. Haven't made any appointment, since I'm doing okey for the time being.

I guess my biggest issue is anxiety. I'm not sure what the correct term for it is, but I have a fear for the unknown. Literally, places I've never been to frighten me, since I always imagine situations where I'm left on my own in a place where I do not have my bearings. Going somewhere with a friend or two really helps. Adding to this is my fear of strangers. People I haven't met or only just met tend to make me feel anxious. I'm actually not that bad at social interactions, except for when I haven't talked to anyone in months, but it takes me a while to feel comfortable. Basically, I experience some form of stress fairly often, and it has mental and physical repercussions. Can't concentrate during lectures, fluctuating weight, etc.

As a result of this stress, I fail to concentrate and get bad results, which gives me even more stress. My own personality frustrates me, as I've been getting more bitter and ill-tempered when I don't have any reason to.

Three weeks ago, during my last exam, I had a panic attack. I forgot my calculator for the first part of my exam of analytic chemistry and just began to freak out on the inside. I tried to remain calm as my professor asked me if I could go fetch it at my place. I could have easily gotten it in five minutes, because I live pretty close to the campus, but I just couldn't return. I said I lived too far away and bolted. It took me a while to recover from that, and the Xanax my doctor prescribed be weeks earlier to help me against the stress helped, but it feels like I'm stuck on a wave that's currently on a high point. I have no idea what will send me down again, and several small things recently have already tested my relatively good emotional state.

I'd recommend trying a psychiatrist. It might not work, but for some it makes all the difference. Have you talked to your doctor about increasing the Xanax dose?

Would you mind perhaps expanding upon these symptoms?

Occasionally I have what seems to be panic attacks, tight chest, tingling limbs, shortness of breath and such. I also feel somewhat neurotic, often worried about saying the wrong thing in a social situation, and constantly regretting rather trivial actions. I tend to worry in general, more so than I should. I tend to avoid certain events out of some sort of irrational fear, such as a fear of random terrorist attacks, muggings, etc.

I'm also the type to constantly test things to see if everything is working alright. Such as checking my pulse much too often or simply testing a lock multiple times before leaving a vehicle unattended. I get a thought into my head and it refuses to leave.

Aye, definitely worth getting checked out. Sounds serious enough.

[NationStates Addicts]

My deal, near as I can figure, is recurring adjustment disorder. I've never been formally diagnosed, but that's based on my best understanding of the DSM as a holder of a psychology degree. Self-diagnosis...bad. -laughs-

Anyway, that's been going on for about 8 years. I usually deal with it by hanging out here on NS, or doing the same old routine of YouTube surfing until I'm too tired to think about anything that might trigger it. Or listening to music helps. No medication; see no formal diagnosis above.

[Conserative Morality]

What do you suffer from?

Bipolar disorder.

For how long have you suffered?

About five years now.

What are your coping mechanisms?

I try to power through it, to act as normally as possible and avoid thoughts of suicide. Not really all that effective, due in part to the failure to adhere to the methods laid out there.

Do you take medication?
If so, what kind, and how has it impacted you? Would you recommend it?

Prozac. It gives me kind of a burn in my head, as far as side effects go, that's not bad, so yes. I used to take lithium, which made me feel like a zombie. Wouldn't recommend it.

[Divair]

I would post, but I would be quite embarrassed by others knowing the condition.

There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone has their own issues to deal with. What's going on?

My deal, near as I can figure, is recurring adjustment disorder. I've never been formally diagnosed, but that's based on my best understanding of the DSM as a holder of a psychology degree. Self-diagnosis...bad. -laughs-

Anyway, that's been going on for about 8 years. I usually deal with it by hanging out here on NS, or doing the same old routine of YouTube surfing until I'm too tired to think about anything that might trigger it. Or listening to music helps. No medication; see no formal diagnosis above.

Are you avoiding formal diagnosis simply because you can deal with it as is, or is there another reason?

[The Scientific States]

In the last six months, my already bad depression and my already bad anxiety, has gotten much, much worse. Nowadays, it always seems like there is something I'm nervous about, even the most trivial of things cause me to have extreme panic attacks. Last week, I fainted, and was unconscious for several minutes.

The depression also is bad, I find that nothing is fun anymore, it's causing me to have "brain fog", a constant state of unhappiness, and in general, just...depression.

[Divair]

In the last six months, my already bad depression and my already bad anxiety, has gotten much, much worse. Nowadays, it always seems like there is something I'm nervous about, even the most trivial of things cause me to have extreme panic attacks. Last week, I fainted, and was unconscious for several minutes.

The depression also is bad, I find that nothing is fun anymore, it's causing me to have "brain fog", a constant state of unhappiness, and in general, just...depression.

Have you tried any form of therapy or medication?