Worried about anti-depressant medication

[emido]

Hi again,

I have been to the doctor this week and described how my anxiety and panic attacks have gotten much worse over the past few months.

We discussed CBT and continuing with Propranolol but my GP was also recommending anti-depressants. About 10 years ago when I was very ill with anxiety and depression, I tried anti-depressants (can't recall which type) and felt very ill, had hallucinations and insomnia and stopped taking them, so I am worried about starting again.

Last year I attempted to stop smoking and was given Champix (which as well as assisting stopping smoking, is an anti-depressant) and that did not go well as they made me sick and and really affected my ability to work and think straight!

So now my GP tells me that I should think about taking meds for anxiety and I do feel that they might be helpful as I am struggling badly with panic attacks at the moment. But I am worried about coping with them and making it through to the point where they might start to help. Any advice, recommendations or experiences anyone has would be helpful.

[Hidden]

I should ask for some medications, after all, if you have a physical illness or an operation medications would be prescibed and really our minds need it just as much, if not more. Don't be frightened you are among the mulitude sufftering in this way. Hugs from cotonroad .

[hozo]

Hi emido,

If anti depressants did not suit you before maybe try a talikng therapy. If you begin to feel anxious stress hormones start up and then it is like chicken and egg - you dont feel ok and you worry about not feeling ok.

Its ok to not feel ok sometimes its a very human thing.

A counsellor can help to talk things through with. if you then understand what is happening you will be less anxious.

[emido]

Last year I had six sessions with a counsellor and I then had clinical hypnotherapy for about three months. Eventually the therapist said she wasn't sure that she would be able to help me any further. I kind of got the feeling that because my sessions were discounted she didn't want to continue indefinitely with me. Anyway, my GP said talking therapies would be good but perhaps in concert with medication to help me at this moment in time.

I appreciate your comments. But what I am experiencing at times is a bit more than not feeling ok. We all have anxiety and I realise that it is normal and necessary to experience anxiety. But my panic attacks are affecting my life greatly.

[knowles8586]

Antidepressants take a few weeks to work

They all have side effects but these go if you keep taking them after a couple of weeks

[hozo]

Therapy can help you with feelings of anxiousness, panic attacks and phobias, by helping with providing you with ways of dealing with certain situations as they occur and exploring the cause of these.My opinion is that as we are naturally social beings living in some un natural ways at times, emotional distress that goes un helped leads to mental health problems, I have had such good experience with counsellor- Person Centered model, this helped to look at the 'experiential processes' I had/have- they are changed as the understanding I gained altered my perspective. I very personally feel that meds wouldnt have really resolved much although they may provide a change of feeling. I very much hope you find someone to understand. BACP has info on types counselling. hope this is not annoying to you.