Anxiety

[Hoofy]

Yes, it is in your head but it doesn't mean it isn't real*. I would check out the workshop recording I posted above and try not to be so hard on yourself as that just creates more anxiety.

* - that said, you are not your thoughts so if you can step back and notice you're having a thought, that's quite a good mind practice to adopt.

[...Mole...]

I've dealt with crippling Anxiety for the majority of my life, it made school absolute hell and I struggled every day with it and ended up being bullied a lot!, the quiet social anxious kids are always easy targets I did end up falling in with another group of friends who were all awkward nerds like me but didnt help me much in the real world.

College/University I suffered a lot too and when I left home and some form of routine my Anxiety took over to the point where I wouldnt go in over tiny things I managed to scrape through barely and land a job (My career is creative and my Portfolio speaks more than Uni results thankfully) Work has always been a struggle and unfortunately(fortunately maybe) I hid it really well but stress was always a problem. I've held a few lead positions and generally have been well respected/ well regarded with what I do but i could never accept the feedback praise and always been severely hard on myself, Like a lot of people who have dealt with Anxiety since childhood i fell in to a deep depression, ended up filling the gap with a horrendous gambling addiction, threw the brakes on that when I seriously contemplated killing myself a few times. Got help, stopped gambling eventually.

Therapy never really helped my anxiety/depression, got put on loads of different types of anti-depressants, even beta blockers to see if it helped anxiety. so started to slip back in to depression, threw the towel in with my job accepted job in another country thinking it would help everything (newsflash: it never does) so then I had the stress of moving, my partner still being in the UK, financial burden of doing it totally last minute and leaving all my debts, house, car in the UK, rushing in to renting a house I couldnt really afford and things came back hard. If i didnt need to go to work to earn money to pay all my burdens I wouldnt of left the house at all, I just came back and slept for 14 hours a day after work.

I ended up going to a doctor again and talked through my problems again and got referred to an english speaking Psychologist who worked in conjuction with a Psychiatrist, still working through a lot of my problems but within a month they had diagnosed me with ADHD(predominantly inattentive) and explained to me it may of been the cause of a lot of my issues and that whilst some people end up growing up and devolping coping mecahnisms with it a lot more people end up never diagnosed and having to live with a lot of the psychological damage that it can cause. It hit me like a tonne of bricks and after talking through it with them and doing my own research everything started to click in to place and it started to make sense.

Not that clicking in to place helps really, its a rollercoaster of emotions and the fact I always thought it was depression/anxiety that would go away at some point in my life (wishful thinking at 34) instead of a condition that isnt curable but somewhat treatable and workable. I've struggled a lot since then with anger/depression about it especially after my parents telling me they thought something wasnt right with me when i was 7-8 but thought I would grow out of it.

Anyway I'm now prescribed extended release Methyphenidate Hydrochloride, been bumped up prescription strength a few times and on a fairly high dose to get any of the concentration/focus effects from it. It does help a lot with being able to focus on my job and personal creative endeavours but learning to live with ADHD and its complications is another beast and medication does not treat everything, Long road ahead and hopefully someday I will get a grip on the Anxiety that's wrecked my life constantly. It's still there and constantly at the forefront of my mind and I guess maybe it always will be and I just have to accept this is how I am.

Sorry for the long rant, I dont vent this stuff often and most people think I'm fine as I have a fairly succesful career so they think I'm okay, they just dont see im a total mess of an adult

[miniman]

Best thing I ever did was get the meds (Sertraline) - I started taking it when we were expecting our daughter and I couldn't be "Dad who never does anything / goes anywhere". It also had a massive positive impact on my career prospects. I'd previously tried CBT to no useful effect.

[mcelliott]

Had a bit of a dip between xmas and new year, put it down to too many late nights and getting up late, lost all my routine which is important to me, feeling better the last few days, good food and exercise helps big time. Still taking Citalopram, some side effects that come and go, but those dreams though....

[No_Idea]

Finally got the CBT assessment this Friday. Been getting in really low places just lately and snap really easy. Our baby is nearly 7 months now and it's all so demanding with the screaming, I'm losing the will to live. My job is st this time of year working outdoors and just fed up with it all. Seriously fed up with being me now.

[Piginapoke]

No_Idea said:

Finally got the CBT assessment this Friday. Been getting in really low places just lately and snap really easy. Our baby is nearly 7 months now and it's all so demanding with the screaming, I'm losing the will to live. My job is st this time of year working outdoors and just fed up with it all. Seriously fed up with being me now.

It's a cliche but the 1st year is tough, but it does get easier. I hope the CBT helps.

[Kneedragger95]

Piginapoke said:

It's a cliche but the 1st year is tough, but it does get easier. I hope the CBT helps.

This.
Our Daughter is now 2 and a half and I can vouch that the first year for me was difficult.
Once your kid starts communicating in ways other than screaming and they start to develop a bit of a personality parenting becomes much more of a joy.

[No_Idea]

Thanks chaps. I've just got to hang in there until then.. Certainly isn't doing my anxiety any good!

[Hoofy]

Make sure you put aside time for self-care. That includes mindfulness, of course.

[...Mole...]

Has anyone here been prescribed Cymbalta/Duloxetine for anxiety? My Psychiatrist recently prescribed this to help with my Anxiety/depression alongside my ADHD medication I already take (Concerta XR).

I know these SSRI/SNRI's take a while to kick in but the Side effects have pretty much started instantly and my appetite is almost totally gone(concerta does that already) and I'm finding it really hard to sleep even when I'm tired. Just hoping these go away soon as it's only been a week so hopefully I can see if there is any benefits to it soon.

I have noticed I've been a bit calmer and was able to somewhat relax one night though, so maybe there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

[mcelliott]

...Mole... said:

Has anyone here been prescribed Cymbalta/Duloxetine for anxiety? My Psychiatrist recently prescribed this to help with my Anxiety/depression alongside my ADHD medication I already take (Concerta XR).

I know these SSRI/SNRI's take a while to kick in but the Side effects have pretty much started instantly and my appetite is almost totally gone(concerta does that already) and I'm finding it really hard to sleep even when I'm tired. Just hoping these go away soon as it's only been a week so hopefully I can see if there is any benefits to it soon.

I have noticed I've been a bit calmer and was able to somewhat relax one night though, so maybe there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm on Citalopram, first 2 weeks my anxiety got really bad, then slowly it got better, I was warned about this, I take mine with my last meal so side effects mainly come when I'm sleeping.