Depression or Anxiety?

[Yipeyul]

My anxiety is through the roof! I feel like I am failing at everything and I cannot get myslef out of the spin cycle.

But this leads me to devastating depression and I feel like the world would be better off without me.

I wish I knew what was the cause and what was the effect. Am I anxious and that makes me feel depressed and hopeless or am I depressed and hopeless, and therefore consumes with anxiety to try and feel ok....

Would love supportive feedback

[peanutbuttercup]

Hi yipeyul, I’m the exact same way. I can’t even think of a good reason for the anxiety...except I’m afraid of the anxiety which makes me depressed which makes me more anxious and on and on. I don’t know which comes first either, the chicken or the egg. I have a question though do you think it matters? Maybe it is just all interconnected somehow.

[Yipeyul in reply to peanutbuttercup]

Well for starters, you're screaming put a smile on my face

Well for starters, you're screaming put a smile on my face with a

The reason why makes a difference to me to figure out what kind of treatment that I should be pursuing. I have very good reason to be depressed as I am in therapy for my childhood sexual abuse. If that is a Cause, then there is no need to treat my anxiety separately. But if this is more of a chemical imbalance based on my anxiety, and therapy will just be more difficult.

[Yipeyul in reply to Yipeyul]

Please excuse my erroneous talk to text. It is your screen name that put a smile on my face

[Yipeyul in reply to peanutbuttercup]

What do you mean you're afraid of anxiety?

[peanutbuttercup in reply to Yipeyul]

Well for me the anxiety is more physical than anything, and I feel horrible,. So I’ve become afraid of it or the depression, whichever is causing me to feel horrible. Ever heard or experienced something like that?

[Yipeyul in reply to peanutbuttercup]

Definitely heard of it. From many people. But no, I have not experienced it myself.

[peanutbuttercup]

Thanks I tried peppermint patty , but it was taken. 😁 What does your therapist say about it?

[Yipeyul in reply to peanutbuttercup]

My therapist doesn't know. I started with a new psychiatrist who I will not see again until Thursday. She is not sure either.....

[arcenciel]

I hate to say it, but it's very common for anxiety and depression to occur together. In my life, my pattern has been to start out depressed and unable to sleep, but then to move on to intense anxiety. From the moment they start, these depression/anxiety episodes have lasted about 4 months or so. I'm going through one of those times right now, and it's complicated by the fact that my marriage happens to be splitting up. Real challenging times. I absolutely recommend, if you can, that you find at least a psychotherapist, if not a psychiatrist as well. Medication helps get you stable, and the psychotherapy is very important for getting things out of your head. I hope you find a way to feel better.

[Yipeyul in reply to arcenciel]

Arceniel, thank you for your understanding. I am sorry that your marriage is falling apart and I'm sorry that you are also going through one of these episodes.

I do have both a psychotherapist and psychiatrist, but this kind of came out of nowhere. I have been dealing with old trauma and suddenly the daily stresses of life became unbearable.

Thank you for telling me that you have had this as well and that it can go away

[Fluffy44 in reply to Yipeyul]

I too found that my present anxiety is caused by my thoughts running wild on the things I did in my past. I know God has forgiven me but why do the keep popping up in my mind when I can’t do anything about the past! Yuck!! I hate this!!!

[heidijm]

I had a very different upbringing to you but I can relate to some of what you said though it sounds like you might benefit from joining a support group. I have been to a counsellor and had CBT and medication. I read a lot I read myself off my symptoms although they are still there it's me in control of them instead them in control of me. I only get phased by my anxiety a few times now. I understand it a lot. You benefit from reading a relate book called starting over again all about love and relationships . It's become one of my favourite books . It's difficult read in places but it makes a lot of sense and was very helpful. Not sure who the author is you would need to Google it.

[dee_bells in reply to heidijm]

Your anxiety and depression could be from many triggers or events. I have many reasons. I was physically and verbally abused by my ex-husband He tried to kill me and I jumped out of a moving car. I’ve had 11 concussions. I found my favorite profession and my career was everything.

I’m in an estranged marriage, my son almost died, my brother has verbally abused me, called the sheriff on me, then I was the one taking care of my elderly mother and my older sister who has autism and my brother called the state and said I was abusing my mom and sister. The state investigated the case and found it had no merit. I was in a huge depressed and anxiety during those six months. And my step mother and stepfather died in 2013. My dad passed in 2014 and my mom died in 2017. And my autistic sister now lives with me. She is mentally about 8 years old.

I’ll always have her living with me and I’ll probably pass away before her.

There is always something and I hate it. I need to learn how to manage my anxiety.

I would work out your past with a therapist and medication. Just my opinion.

But take care of you. You’re not to blame for what happened to you in the past.

Be well! 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Sorry for rant—☹️.

[Yipeyul in reply to dee_bells]

Im so sorry for what seems like an impossible load. I am impressed with you.

[dee_bells in reply to Yipeyul]

Oh yeah the hits keep coming. It’s a struggle but I did manage to get out of house and that was huge. Be strong!

[Yipeyul in reply to heidijm]

Thank you.

I searched for the book that you mentioned, is it the one by John Ferguson?

Also, curious how you know that we grew up differently?

[heidijm]

Sarah litnovff I think that's how you spell it.. look at the relate range of books on Amazon. I just assumed that we were brought up differently . No two people are the same it would be wrong of me to assume you are like me. But anyhow the book may help sort some of the understanding bits out and give a better perspective about the future.