I've never used the pills on any regularity except when they were first prescribed and that was only for 1 week and I saved the rest and used it judiciciuosly, usually only half, although my dads bottle contains the little round ones which I can't bite half of. I really like your advice, I will give that a try...Looks like another night of no sleep
Depression and Anxiety
- Thread starter sucka
- Start date
Pucken Chronic
New member
Thank you all for this thread. I've been suffering from depression for about 15 years now. I lost most of my familly and friends by pushing them away. Last summer it came to a head and if not for the fear of messing up my kids and my mom, I am sure I woulda ended it. I just started getting help about 6 months ago and just started (last thursday) wellbutrin.
I really thought I was one of very few. Thank you all for your honesty and openness. I really believe reading through all this has helped me more then my shrink has in half a year.
I know this may sound stupid, but I feel like I just had a big comforting hug. Thank you all.
I really thought I was one of very few. Thank you all for your honesty and openness. I really believe reading through all this has helped me more then my shrink has in half a year.
I know this may sound stupid, but I feel like I just had a big comforting hug. Thank you all.
Today has been an awful day so far for my anxiety. It started before news of the plane crash, so I can't blame it on that. I feel tight all over, chest hurts, sweats, shakey... I took Ativan and it didn't do much. What an awful feeling - really feel like crying. I hate when it gets like this, which happens a couple times a week recently.
Rick said:
I tried doing what Wendel's Fist said...basically giving my anxiety a big F--U. Instead of fearing it i was trying to be defiant and maybe it's premature but i think it is working. I haven't felt the weak arms as much, and the tightness in my chest is dissapating. It's still there, but not as severe and sometimes i don't even notice anything which is good!(I've also tried sleeping on the floor and maybe that's helped a bit too in a way). I know my situation pales in degree but try it, hopefully it helps. I've been eating better, alot of salad (but I put enough dressing so it's probably the same as a supersized big mac meal, it's a start though). And also started running in the evenings...man, I never knew how out of shape i was. All this talk here finally made me make some changes that i've been putting off. Hopefully it sticks and works cuz i'm really tired of being tired and unwell.
Wendel's Fist
New member
That thing that I mentioned to do is just one thing you can do with anxiety. I keep bringing up that book "Hope and Help For Your Nerves" because it goes into great detail about what's happening with you when you have anxiety.
Two things happen.........you have the initial anxiety or panic and then you have the fear of it. It all seems like one thing but the second fear of it returning is what keeps it coming back. If you relax that second fear and just let anxiety happen, then it isn't as overwhelming. Then it's just a matter of time to let your nerves heal themselves the same way a broken bone would have to.
Trust me guys, just pick up that book if you've never read it before. It covers every symptom of anxiety and tells you how to handle it. You won't regret it and it isn't expensive at all. Just read the reviews for it on Amazon and you'll see what I mean.
Two things happen.........you have the initial anxiety or panic and then you have the fear of it. It all seems like one thing but the second fear of it returning is what keeps it coming back. If you relax that second fear and just let anxiety happen, then it isn't as overwhelming. Then it's just a matter of time to let your nerves heal themselves the same way a broken bone would have to.
Trust me guys, just pick up that book if you've never read it before. It covers every symptom of anxiety and tells you how to handle it. You won't regret it and it isn't expensive at all. Just read the reviews for it on Amazon and you'll see what I mean.
S
Stebro
Guest
I've had problems with depression and anxiety for around 10 years now. I have tried a lot of different pills such as mirtazapin, efexor, citalopram, seroxat, sobril, stesolid, atrax, etc...none of those have worked well. The only one of those pills that were any good for me was sobril, it was for severe anxiety...it's addictive though, but it never became a problem for me. I have tried different types of CBT as well. For a while ago I tried CBT for depression through the internet, but it didn't work out so the healthcare decided to stop the treatment. Right now I'm trying the same thing for my social anxiety, but it hasn't worked out well either. And considering that I lost my job as well, it doesn't make it easier to expose yourself to different situations.
What's annoying for me, is that most people don't seem to understand. And im getting tired of trying to explain, and when I don't explain people draw their own conclusions about me. And they are usually wrong. One thing that people comment a lot is that I don't smile a lot, and basically never laugh. That's quite frustrating. Because people always seem to think about this. Sometimes people try to tell a joke, that I think is funny, and I understand it, but I don't laugh. And then they try to explain that it was a joke, and I just feel stupid. Things like this only make my social anxiety worse, so I try to avoid most social situations that could lead to feelings of some sort.
I usually avoid most relations, and a lot of people say that it's hard to get to know me. But I honestly don't really know how to solve it. I've tried so many types of treatments. It's also frustrating when you read that people with these kinds of trouble usually have a worse life in general, don't get the same type of careers, have a harder time with relations etc. And the problems usually come back.
Sometimes I don't know if I avoid meeting someone due to the standards I expect or for the fact that I'm not doing well. Everytime someone seems to be interested I always find an excuse. And it has happend that I actually like that person and want to get to know her, but I always find some weird way of getting out of it. I have a lot of problems with my energy levels. A lot of the time I get into other types of trouble too, such as me not having the energy to clean etc, and then I just think "Meh, who cares, I'm not gonna invite anyone anyways, it's just me..." And I found out the other day that I'm underweight, and I have too little water in the body..and I have problems with some gum disease as well, it's pulling back, and it has been doing so for quite some time. And I just constantly lose motivation. My answer to every problem now is basically either "I don't care..." or "I don't have the energy to act..."
And i'm constantly joking about my health, and that annoys some people. Sometimes people that care say things such as "you can't go on like this, you must start taking care of yourself". And in those cases I might actually smile and say stuff such as "hey, well at least it will be one less mouth to feed, it's all good for mother nature".
What's annoying for me, is that most people don't seem to understand. And im getting tired of trying to explain, and when I don't explain people draw their own conclusions about me. And they are usually wrong. One thing that people comment a lot is that I don't smile a lot, and basically never laugh. That's quite frustrating. Because people always seem to think about this. Sometimes people try to tell a joke, that I think is funny, and I understand it, but I don't laugh. And then they try to explain that it was a joke, and I just feel stupid. Things like this only make my social anxiety worse, so I try to avoid most social situations that could lead to feelings of some sort.
I usually avoid most relations, and a lot of people say that it's hard to get to know me. But I honestly don't really know how to solve it. I've tried so many types of treatments. It's also frustrating when you read that people with these kinds of trouble usually have a worse life in general, don't get the same type of careers, have a harder time with relations etc. And the problems usually come back.
Sometimes I don't know if I avoid meeting someone due to the standards I expect or for the fact that I'm not doing well. Everytime someone seems to be interested I always find an excuse. And it has happend that I actually like that person and want to get to know her, but I always find some weird way of getting out of it. I have a lot of problems with my energy levels. A lot of the time I get into other types of trouble too, such as me not having the energy to clean etc, and then I just think "Meh, who cares, I'm not gonna invite anyone anyways, it's just me..." And I found out the other day that I'm underweight, and I have too little water in the body..and I have problems with some gum disease as well, it's pulling back, and it has been doing so for quite some time. And I just constantly lose motivation. My answer to every problem now is basically either "I don't care..." or "I don't have the energy to act..."
And i'm constantly joking about my health, and that annoys some people. Sometimes people that care say things such as "you can't go on like this, you must start taking care of yourself". And in those cases I might actually smile and say stuff such as "hey, well at least it will be one less mouth to feed, it's all good for mother nature".
I read through most of this thread and wanted to thank everyone for sharing such personal information about very difficult times in your lives (past and present).
I have suffered from mild depression from time to time - mainly where I get to the point of apathy and emptiness - "who cares"? Fortunately, a coffee sometimes helps, as does socializing. However, I have dealt with depression and anxiety on a more personal level through my family (the person in question is very private, so I won't share very many specific details at the moment), and I have found it very difficult to watch someone close to me suffer like that. I do what I can, mainly offer support (physical, emotional) without trying to give too much advice (note that this is specific to my situation - they generally get more upset if they are given advice).
Because of this, I have read a few books on the subject. One is specific to depression in men, called "Irritible Male Syndrome" by Jed Diamond. His thesis is that many men first exhibit depression through irritibility and short temperedness. It may be worth a read.
I have suffered from mild depression from time to time - mainly where I get to the point of apathy and emptiness - "who cares"? Fortunately, a coffee sometimes helps, as does socializing. However, I have dealt with depression and anxiety on a more personal level through my family (the person in question is very private, so I won't share very many specific details at the moment), and I have found it very difficult to watch someone close to me suffer like that. I do what I can, mainly offer support (physical, emotional) without trying to give too much advice (note that this is specific to my situation - they generally get more upset if they are given advice).
Because of this, I have read a few books on the subject. One is specific to depression in men, called "Irritible Male Syndrome" by Jed Diamond. His thesis is that many men first exhibit depression through irritibility and short temperedness. It may be worth a read.
Wendel's Fist
New member
I've got a question for others who've ever suffered from anxiety.......
Does it piss you off in the way it's portrayed on tv or the way "anxiety attack" is taken today, when you know the difference between what it's like to actually have one, compared to just being really stressed out?
The reason I'm asking is, like I said in my long ass story, there was a decade where I didn't know what to call what I had.
Today, you see people saying that they're having "anxiety attacks" when they're just stressed out. It amazes me how common it is to say anxiety attack when it wasn't heard of 20 or 30 years ago.
They can't even do it well on tv. The Sopranos was based on Tony having panic or anxiety attacks and all he did was widen his eyes for a second and pass out. Who the hell has ever passed out when they've had a panic attack? If that's all that ever happened, I'd never have been worried about one.
So I just wanted to see if anyone else was annoyed by the way it's thrown out there by people who have no f'ing idea of what it's really all about.
And to anybody who's never really had a panic or anxiety attack.............worrying or stressing too much, isn't one.
Does it piss you off in the way it's portrayed on tv or the way "anxiety attack" is taken today, when you know the difference between what it's like to actually have one, compared to just being really stressed out?
The reason I'm asking is, like I said in my long ass story, there was a decade where I didn't know what to call what I had.
Today, you see people saying that they're having "anxiety attacks" when they're just stressed out. It amazes me how common it is to say anxiety attack when it wasn't heard of 20 or 30 years ago.
They can't even do it well on tv. The Sopranos was based on Tony having panic or anxiety attacks and all he did was widen his eyes for a second and pass out. Who the hell has ever passed out when they've had a panic attack? If that's all that ever happened, I'd never have been worried about one.
So I just wanted to see if anyone else was annoyed by the way it's thrown out there by people who have no f'ing idea of what it's really all about.
And to anybody who's never really had a panic or anxiety attack.............worrying or stressing too much, isn't one.
BlueWhiteBlood
New member
sucka said:
Is that Sodium Fluoride, the aluminum manufacturing bi-product? The one in toothpaste and drinking water?
I haven't been prescribed that, but I can tell you that it may be the source of your problems, depending on what they are. There is a long list of information on the internet about the side effects of Sodium Fluoride. It's a non-organic poison and it's been called the greatest fraud that has ever been perpetrated before.
I'm not too familiar with Ciprofloxacin, but I avoid fluoride as much as I can. It's been linked to all kinds of problems and it should be banned IMO.
hockeyfan1
New member
BlueWhiteBlood said:
I purposefully avoid using toothpaste with fluoride. I use natural-based toothpaste such as Tom's of Maine, or, Healthy Mouth by Jason (containing Tea Tree Oil & Cinnamon -- natural bacteria inhibitors).
As for tap water, I don't drink it. Instead, I buy bottled (jug) spring water, even though not all spring waters/natural water is created equal. Sometimes bottled water may just be filtered tap water, and, devoid of any necessary minerals needed by the body, such as magnesium, which, by the way, is present in regular water. (Mother Nature knows what she's gotta do)! Unfortunately, even with repeated assertions by so-called experts that regular water is cleaner than bottled water, it still contains chloride, aluminum, and other contaminants.
The best way to drink tap water would be to install a reliable and tested water filtration system. Very few are considered worthy. One of them that my doctor recommends is called Watop -- ionizes the water and filters it at the same time, making the water the proper P.H.. Expensive, though, but worth it, I guess.
S
Stebro
Guest
I am not sure about this, but I think that I've read or heard that different types of fluoride can affect the nervous system in a negative way.sucka said:
S
Stebro
Guest
Here's what I've learned after having problems with anxiety and depression for around 10 years:
Panic anxiety: Very related to stress, and often also related to other physical problems. For me I had a lot of trouble with my stomach. Really bad spasms etc. It could drive me completely nuts. And I mean I could feel like climbing the walls in public. Once on a train I had so much problems with the anxiety and the stomach, that I actually seriously thought about standing up and telling everyone that I must lock myself in on the toilet for 1,5 hours. And I'm a pretty shy guy, so doing something like that just meant that I was completely out of balance. But like many other times, I was sitting, counting every 2nd, trying to listening to music, trying to sleep, trying to distract myself, and nothing worked. I was living inside my head.
Right now I have no issues with panic anxiety though. I have regular anxiety at times, but for some reason it doesn't get very strong. I was taking antidepressant for a long time. I've stopped doing that, and haven't taken any for 2,5 years or so. For me it was also related to pressure. I demanded a lot from myself. And not heaving a steady job, not feeling well etc, it was hard to live up to all of that. I was living in the future all the time.
The key for me now is to avoid sugar, because I ate a lot of it when I got really depressed, I still do at times, although I'm more aware of the fact that it certainly doesn't help. I try to eat something else I like instead that is good for me, like grilled chicken or something. Although it's not ideal, it's a lot better than sitting with cookies, candy and potato chips. My stomach kept me from getting overweight though, since it just threw everything out
I'm grateful that I don't have the panic attacks anymore. Haven't had any for a long time. I don't get stressed about it anymore. I don't think "what if". I'm more calm now. So what have I changed? I've changed things to the diet, I try to eat more magnesium and vitamin-D. I try to eat more natural food. What I hated the most about those years, is that I got so stressed about everything. I mean if I just saw a queue of some kind and I needed tickets, my stomach and head would freak out. Same thing if I walked into a train that was crowded. "What if I don't get out of the train? What if my stomach gets so screwed up that I can't hold it back, and it happens in public? etc..."
Depression:
I guess I've been having depression on and off, but it was really really bad in 2006, I had to have contact with the health care daily basically, and had to promise that I wouldn't do anything stupid. I was climbing the walls basically, I couldn't eat, couldn't watch tv, I just laid in bed and tried to breathe, and counted the seconds and hoping that I'd find a way to get out of it. I had these really weird issues before it got really bad. I had no confidence at all and thought of myself as a complete screwup. I couldn't even do my laundry, because I thought that people would look at me and think like "hey, haven't seen this guy around here before". "Look he pushed the wrong button on the washing machine and screwed up, what an idiot!". And im my apartment I had this spot, I guess it was fat or something on a wallpaper. And I was afraid that the company that was a part of the local region in the area would get pissed and make me pay LOADS for it. For a while I was almost afraid to move because I thought I would get into so much problem. It was a freaking little spot on a wall, and it was consuming a lot of time for me in anxiety. Right now I don't get it. It sounds completely stupid to me to get stressed for such a little thing. But at that time....I also had these weird routines that I probably shouldn't admit ;D But I hated the light basically, and I had anxiety all the time. When I went to the toilet I shut down the lights and turned on the mp3-player. And the same thing there, today, I don't get it, it just sounds weird to me. But I was that guy.
And im not sure what it's like in Canada, but I assume that it could be faily close to Sweden weather wise. In Sweden it's really really dark during the winter. I mean the sun starts going down at around 2-3 pm in Stockholm basically. And a lot of the swedes lack vitamin-d. And when we grow adults always said "You must drink a lot of milk to grow up and become a strong boy". And I drank milk like crazy, and that I found out for a few years ago is that too much calcium can screw up the magnesium levels as well as vitamin-d, and therefore affect the nervous system in a negative way.
I'm still a bit lost though. My biggest problem now is that basically all feelings give me anxiety. So I try to avoid all situations where I could get feelings - which is basically all situations where humans are around. And I hate birthdays, funerals, weddings anything like that. Because people sometimes point out when I don't smile, or I don't cry etc. And then I get anxiety over it, because I do get a confirmation that people see it. And I don't really know how to get out of it. I mean I don't want to fake a laugh, just for the sake of it. I want it to be natural. But when people point out that I don't laugh and talk about it. It's like if I do laugh, people will talk about that too, or say that it's nice to see me happy etc. And then I would get anxiety over it, because then I know that people are watching me. And I don't like to be the centre of attention, and then it gives me more anxiety, and more reason for me to avoid people
Panic anxiety: Very related to stress, and often also related to other physical problems. For me I had a lot of trouble with my stomach. Really bad spasms etc. It could drive me completely nuts. And I mean I could feel like climbing the walls in public. Once on a train I had so much problems with the anxiety and the stomach, that I actually seriously thought about standing up and telling everyone that I must lock myself in on the toilet for 1,5 hours. And I'm a pretty shy guy, so doing something like that just meant that I was completely out of balance. But like many other times, I was sitting, counting every 2nd, trying to listening to music, trying to sleep, trying to distract myself, and nothing worked. I was living inside my head.
Right now I have no issues with panic anxiety though. I have regular anxiety at times, but for some reason it doesn't get very strong. I was taking antidepressant for a long time. I've stopped doing that, and haven't taken any for 2,5 years or so. For me it was also related to pressure. I demanded a lot from myself. And not heaving a steady job, not feeling well etc, it was hard to live up to all of that. I was living in the future all the time.
The key for me now is to avoid sugar, because I ate a lot of it when I got really depressed, I still do at times, although I'm more aware of the fact that it certainly doesn't help. I try to eat something else I like instead that is good for me, like grilled chicken or something. Although it's not ideal, it's a lot better than sitting with cookies, candy and potato chips. My stomach kept me from getting overweight though, since it just threw everything out
I'm grateful that I don't have the panic attacks anymore. Haven't had any for a long time. I don't get stressed about it anymore. I don't think "what if". I'm more calm now. So what have I changed? I've changed things to the diet, I try to eat more magnesium and vitamin-D. I try to eat more natural food. What I hated the most about those years, is that I got so stressed about everything. I mean if I just saw a queue of some kind and I needed tickets, my stomach and head would freak out. Same thing if I walked into a train that was crowded. "What if I don't get out of the train? What if my stomach gets so screwed up that I can't hold it back, and it happens in public? etc..."
Depression:
I guess I've been having depression on and off, but it was really really bad in 2006, I had to have contact with the health care daily basically, and had to promise that I wouldn't do anything stupid. I was climbing the walls basically, I couldn't eat, couldn't watch tv, I just laid in bed and tried to breathe, and counted the seconds and hoping that I'd find a way to get out of it. I had these really weird issues before it got really bad. I had no confidence at all and thought of myself as a complete screwup. I couldn't even do my laundry, because I thought that people would look at me and think like "hey, haven't seen this guy around here before". "Look he pushed the wrong button on the washing machine and screwed up, what an idiot!". And im my apartment I had this spot, I guess it was fat or something on a wallpaper. And I was afraid that the company that was a part of the local region in the area would get pissed and make me pay LOADS for it. For a while I was almost afraid to move because I thought I would get into so much problem. It was a freaking little spot on a wall, and it was consuming a lot of time for me in anxiety. Right now I don't get it. It sounds completely stupid to me to get stressed for such a little thing. But at that time....I also had these weird routines that I probably shouldn't admit ;D But I hated the light basically, and I had anxiety all the time. When I went to the toilet I shut down the lights and turned on the mp3-player. And the same thing there, today, I don't get it, it just sounds weird to me. But I was that guy.
And im not sure what it's like in Canada, but I assume that it could be faily close to Sweden weather wise. In Sweden it's really really dark during the winter. I mean the sun starts going down at around 2-3 pm in Stockholm basically. And a lot of the swedes lack vitamin-d. And when we grow adults always said "You must drink a lot of milk to grow up and become a strong boy". And I drank milk like crazy, and that I found out for a few years ago is that too much calcium can screw up the magnesium levels as well as vitamin-d, and therefore affect the nervous system in a negative way.
I'm still a bit lost though. My biggest problem now is that basically all feelings give me anxiety. So I try to avoid all situations where I could get feelings - which is basically all situations where humans are around. And I hate birthdays, funerals, weddings anything like that. Because people sometimes point out when I don't smile, or I don't cry etc. And then I get anxiety over it, because I do get a confirmation that people see it. And I don't really know how to get out of it. I mean I don't want to fake a laugh, just for the sake of it. I want it to be natural. But when people point out that I don't laugh and talk about it. It's like if I do laugh, people will talk about that too, or say that it's nice to see me happy etc. And then I would get anxiety over it, because then I know that people are watching me. And I don't like to be the centre of attention, and then it gives me more anxiety, and more reason for me to avoid people
It really is a vicious cycle, isn't it Stebro? Funny, when i had my myriad of tests, my doctor said i was severely low on vitamin D. Now when it's sunny on a Saturday/Sunday, I strip down my little kids to the underwear and let them soak in the sun by the window together for 10-15 minutes. Kinda wierd I suppose if a neighbour sees, but it feels good. But i don't think you can see into a window when it's bright out.
BlueWhiteBlood
New member
sucka said:
You can take vitamin D3, but make sure it's more than what they recommend. I take 4000 IU's a day in the winter and I think you can have up to 6000 IU's, in the normal range. Vitamin D is very important for our health and often gets over looked. With all the sun screen people put on these days, I think we often miss out on the important rays. Most vitamin D3 gets absorbed through our eyes, but most of us are accustomed to wearing sunglasses all the time and this blocks a lot of that.
hockeyfan1
New member
BlueWhiteBlood said:
I take 25,000 IUs of a specially-formulated Vitamin D (a professional health product not found at a health food store). I buy it at either my doctor's pharmacy or at a compunding pharmacy. Why 25,000 IUs? Because I have a serious deficiency, a malabsorption problem coupled with my other health (immune-related) problems. I'm just one if those people who needs that much every day.
Most healthy people can use up to 5,000 IUs. It all depends on how much one needs. A 25-hydroxy test will help determine one's Vitamin D levels. (I have to pay $30 each time I have a general analysis. OHIP doesn't cover the 25-hydroxy test anymore).
An excellent book explaining about Vitamin D and all it's benefits is written by Dr. Zoltan Rona, entitled, "Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin".
Here is a link: http://www.hans.org/magazine/713/impressive-benefits-vitamin-health.html
S
Stebro
Guest
I only take 800 IU's now, I used to take 2000 though. I do also have a malabsorption problem. My doctor told me that I could get defficient in all fat-soluble vitamins due to that problem.hockeyfan1 said: