Depression as of late

[treyjeff]

Hi everyone,

For the last 3-4 days I've been experiencing a truly defeating mixture of depression and anxiety. Whenever I go anywhere other than work and my apartment, I get extreme anxiety and depersonalization symptoms, including dizziness, that have robbed me of joy. I can't even ride the subway without freaking out inside. This has made me very depressed. I just want to enjoy going out again. Any tips or encouragement would be great, as this has truly been brutal.

Best,

Trey

[Hidden]

I'm not sure what to say other than if you seem to be getting worse, don't be afraid to get some kind of help like seeking out counselors and maybe even a psychiatrist. Some churches have groups that meet, there are the organizations DBSA and NAMI that run support groups. I know about all the stigma and it can be hard to ask for help. I'm going through a lot myself. Don't give up.

[treyjeff in reply to Hidden]

Yeah, trying to make an appointment with a new therapist. Beyond just that, I think just going out and doing things will help me. Tonight I rode the subway a significant amount and walked around the city just fine. So I know I can do this, I just don't know why it's so random or what triggers the anxiety. Thanks.

[Eklektik in reply to treyjeff]

Hey Treyjeff. You are doing the good thing going out and doing things. Maybe just try smaller things when the big ones are too much. You've got all my sympathy with the fact that it gets completely random and not identifying any trigger. I get that too. In those cases, I try stuff that does not involve reasoning: breathing exercises, meditation, manual tasks, a walk when I can make it past the door, or even stay with the feeling of anxiety (ACT Therapy, more difficult). Mostly, I just wanted to say you are not alone. I hope you get well.

[Daveacr1959]

7-8 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep is anxiety fuel. 45 minutes of daily cardio exercise to produce endorphins that battle your anxiety and depression. A 5-10 minute pure cold shower daily. And 10 minutes of deep breathing exercise. Make sure your dr says you are healthy enough for this. Almost all people are. I do the cold shower twice daily it’s been so helpful. You tube the Wim Hof method. And it doesn’t have to be ice cold water 60-65 is ok too . The more you do it you can lower the temperature. The cold water does something in the brain and nervous system. You don’t have to buy the program. There is enough on you tube to figure it out. Plus Wim is the kind of person that only wants to help people. He doesn’t care about money.