Struggling with different things.

[MoonDreaming]

Hi all I hope everyone is doing well.

I don't know if it's the seasonal change, but i've been getting in my feelings again and feeling low. I suffer from depression and anxiety, but at the moment i'm doing ok with depression but suffering more from anxiety.

I was put on Zoloft about a month ago, but I couldn't deal with the side effects and ended up getting off of it. I feel it's better for me because I couldn't go to work that way, but i'm starting to feel that maybe depression wants to creep back in and i'm looking for some kind support, any tips on preventing it or just someone that get's it to talk too that has the time.

My anxiety has been up and down, I usually get tense and I have to be aware of it to relax but I have noticed that when I get panic attacks from it, I end up feeling like my mind starts getting 'manic' and it's ugly. I feel like something else has taken hold of my brain, sort of brain fog but then racing thoughts at the same time. I also can't seem to understand people when they talk to me, I have to ask them to repeat themselves (this is usually right after an anxiety/panic attack)

Anyone relate? Or has any tips?

I am in therapy, I have a Psychiatrist and I do the usual techniques (breathing, meditating, journaling) and I do have a prescription for anxiety that I take as needed but at the moment some kind advice and support would be cool.

Attached is a picture of one of my kitties. I got a camera as a gift and i'm learning.

His name is Little Wing, I found him on the street with a shoulder injury and I couldn't leave him like that. I was supposed to find him a home after he healed but it's hard to find good homes for cats.

[Hb2003]

Omg I’m dealing with the same thing with my anxiety lots of kindness and support to you 🙏

[MoonDreaming in reply to Hb2003]

Hey there thanks for responding

What do you do to cope or to try to deal with it?

[Hb2003 in reply to MoonDreaming]

I do therapy and I put lavender oil on my skin or when I take a bath

[Hidden]

I'm in the same boat as you. I've recently been struggling with panic attacks and anxiety. I felt like I was the only one having these extreme symptoms and I just felt so alone and weird.

Yesterday, I had a panic attack and I felt like I couldn't breathe, my heart rate was up, and I was basically feeling like I was staring at death. I was experiencing the same mind racing and brain fog as you - but the scariest feeling/symptom of panic attacks is depersonalization. I rejected everything because I was scared that I was going crazy. The best advice that I've gotten regarding panic attacks and anxiety was that when you feel it coming, accept it. Don't push it away hoping to never feel that way ever again or just battling your mind to stop all these feelings, because it'll just have a snowball effect. What I've done whenever I feel a panic attack or anxiety randomly creeping in, I say, "Hi anxiety. I see you, and let's work through this together".

I'm still on this journey to finding ways to help me cope and to learn more about my triggers and such. You are not alone in this! We will conquer this demon in our head together! The link down below is a video that helped me understand I am NOT alone in this battle. youtube.com/watch?v=EW06sG8...(Not working as expected?)

[MoonDreaming in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much for responding. I don't get the heart palpitations/attack feeling with panic attacks more like extreme 'itching' in my chest. I don't know if that's the best word to describe it, but it's like my chest is caving in sort of like an asthma attack. I've tried following the advice of my therapist in just trying to be aware or in the moment and have positive self talk like "Everything is ok right now" even though my brain is going red alert lol but it's so overwhelming that I end up becoming debilitated, I have to lay down and then afterwards I feel like I can't think straight or comprehend things the same and have this sort of weird hangover feeling where i'm nauseous and numb. Its a lot to deal with and i'm stigmatized/judged a lot by the people around me, so I need some kind support like this.

I tried watching the youtube but the link doesn't work, send me a chat on here if you can.

[Hidden]

So you have 2 cats then?

We just have the one a very spoilt 17 year old ginger tabby called Baby!

[MoonDreaming in reply to Hidden]

Hi there

No, I have four but three of them I was supposed to find homes for but it hasn't been easy.

[Hidden in reply to MoonDreaming]

Someone I knew had 9 cats and she lived in the inner city as well in a Victorian house.

[MoonDreaming in reply to Hidden]

I have allergies to cats, so even though I love them its taken a toll on my health, and before anyone asks yes I take med's for it but it's causing secondary side effects.