I'm new here...suffering from Depression & Anxiety most of my life

[Justbreath63]

I have been suffering from depression and anxiety for most of my life! Medications only seem to work for awhile; but in the big scheme of things does not "cure" the symptoms. I want to get off these medications because I am tired of "masking" my issues. Help!!

[Agora1]

Hi Justbreath63, You are absolutely right in that medication only work for so long. They have a time and a place in our life with anxiety by being a crutch they we may need at that moment. Meds along with therapy can sometimes bring someone some relief along with some answers and guidance to go forward w/o meds.

I don't know what other methods you have used in the past besides medication. If you could fill us in more on what has been going on in your life as well as methods used, it would help others to respond and support you. There is an answer to living with anxiety w/o medication as well as ridding yourself of the constant fear and stress. My best to you x

[Justbreath63 in reply to Agora1]

Hi Agora..thank you for the reply! I recently had surgery to remove a benign meningioma from my frontal lobe. I am relieved and fearful at the same time. Doctors think I probably had this for a while. I am wondering if the tumor has had something to do with my depression and anxiety. They do not have any solid answers. I am currently seeing a Psychiatrist to help manage my medications. True of the matter, I have been on so many different medications in the past 24 months that I do not know what works or what doesn't. I'm really filled with extreme fear and anxiety right now. Thank you for listening!

[Agora1 in reply to Justbreath63]

Justbreath63, I am not a doctor, so I don't know if the depression and anxiety were caused by the tumor. That is an interesting thought.. I'm sure time will tell if you start having a change for the better now that the tumor has been removed. Like with everything else our bodies take time to heal. I'm sure your psychiatrist will work along with your surgeon and primary doctor in finding what may be best for you right now.

I can understand your fear and anxiety right now which can be intensified by what you have just gone through both physically and emotionally. As for the medication issue. Unfortunately it is trial and error in finding the right med as well as the right dose that works for each and every individual. Unless your psychiatrist is doing talking therapy as well as managing your medications, it might not be a bad idea to talk with someone (therapist) who can help you work out as well as bring down some of these fears you have.

You may even be able to find something on YouTube regarding Anxiety after Surgery that may help. You Tube has a lot of credible videos that can help us.

Wish you well. We are always here for each other. xx

[Justbreath63 in reply to Agora1]

Thank you so much for the support! I appreciate your input and concern. I will check out Utube. You are correct..only time will tell.

[Justbreath63]

Hi Bubblegum..thank you for replying! I have tried CBT in the past. Currently I am managing my depression & anxiety with Prozac, Trintillex and Seroquel. I am weaning off of Prozac right now. Ultimately, I would like to be off of these medications for good. It's been a vicious cycle for most of my life. I am at a point that it's not worth the "highs and lows". I want to manage my depression & anxiety without having to rely on meds. Maybe CBT is worth considering again. Thank you!!

[Justbreath63]

Yes. I am trying to work with my doctor. I have not tried mindfulness. Thank you for your response.

[TAPNewEngland]

You may have to be on meds forever and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. They are there to keep you in check and it's important for you to stay busy and as positive as possible. Just know that you will have bad days and they will pass. Take walks, exercise, work, read, etc.

[Justbreath63]

Thank you TAP!! I appreciate your thoughts and support. Be well.

[Opossumish]

I agree with TAP New England that some of us need to be on meds forever, and that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Rather than characterizing medication as "masking" symptoms, I prefer to think of it as "managing" symptoms. Because there's no "cure" per se, managing the symptoms may be the best we can hope for at this point in time.

Like you, I respond to meds for a while and then I don't. One drug shrink described his technique with me as "the crop rotation method" of anti - depressant usage! One non - medication treatment that is helping me a lot is Trans Cranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), which is particularly useful for people who don't get relief from medications. It's an outpatient procedure with no side effects, covered by many insurances. It's a big time commitment initially; now I'm down to getting it weekly. I'm happy to give you more info if you're interested.

If you found CBT helpful, you might want to look into Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which combines CBT and Mindfuness. It teaches skills for Emotional Regulation, Distress Tolerance, and Interpersonal Relationships. I agree with Bubblegum666 that mindfulness can be an invaluable tool. There are a number of free apps that help with mindfulness, too.

I've had MDD for over 40 years. I'm finally well - managed with meds, TMS, DBT, individual counseling, and Ketamine Infusion Therapy. Recovery is literally a part time job for me, but I'm finally feeling ok now and so can you!

I'm glad you're reaching out and hope you can give yourself credit for the courage that that takes.

Take care and keep us posted!

[Justbreath63 in reply to Opossumish]

Hello, Oppossumish! I appreciate your feedback and openness. Thank you so much. I will definitely look at all the other options for the treatment of depression and anxiety.

TMS is offered by my psychiatrist. But like you said it is a big commitment. I'm not quite sure I want to go that route, yet. I'm glad it has worked for you.

I'm curious about DBT though. I will do research on the subject, as well. At this point in time I want to reduce all the medications that I have been taking over the years. I also understand that I may need to take certain meds for life. I know that because I am a Kidney Transplant recipient who has to take immunosuppressant medications for the rest of my life.

I'm just looking for a "balance". At this point, I do not know what is working and what is not working for me. I have been medicated for years that I have no clue which medication is doing what; which ones are causing what side effects...

On top of that I just had recent surgery to remove a meningioma (benign tumor) from my left frontal lobe, which complicates things even more.

I can only take a deep breath and go with the flow for now...one day at a time!!

Thank you again for the support. Be well.

[perfectdestruction]

Medication will never cure the symptoms, unfortunately depression and anxiety are not curable. They are treatable though, so you can live your life and keep them in check but just taking medicine will not help. Medicine needs to be taken along with therapy and other coping mechanisms to help alleviate the anxiety/depression (such as exercise/meditation, yoga, reading). I read a great book called "When you can't Snap out of it" by Louis J. Bevilacqua, it's a good read for people suffering from anxiety/depression

[Justbreath63 in reply to perfectdestruction]

Thank you for your help and input!!🙏😃

[CynthiaNichols]

Feels sad reading your post. Yes, I agree medication will provide you relief, but just for a while. Depression and anxiety disorders are not exactly the same. However, depression can lead to anxiety. Since depression lowers the patient's energy levels and affects their everyday life in every possible aspect, depressed people tend to feel overwhelmed and threatened by their day-to-day tasks and personal relationships. If one experiences some of the symptoms, the best you can do is go to a doctor and let the professional like Voyante Sérieuse at martine-voyance.com/qui-sui... to determine whether your problem is, indeed a medical depression. Asking for help is the first step out of this undesired situation.

[Justbreath63 in reply to CynthiaNichols]

Thank you for your support Cynthia!😊🙌

[Audiomarc1]

Be honest with your doctor.