Living with anxiety social anxiety and depression

[MrsCatiaCharran]

Hello everyone! I am so happy to have found this site I cousin cry I have always felt so alone and stuck no one to talk to who understands what we are going through! I struggle with social anxiety and anxiety as well as depression and it's ruining my life. My anxiety is so bad that I cannot set foot at work I don't know what to do.. I have been to gp they gave me setraline I'm scared to start this! Has anyone tried?

[Mycrazyself]

I usually feel the same.

[Mycrazyself]

I am looking for friendship. Not sure how to make them. I feel more confidence without a alcoholic drink.

[Mycrazyself in reply to Mycrazyself]

Correction on last reply? Have more confidence with a alcoholic drink. I can rely on that. My family keeps me happy at times.

[Mycrazyself]

I don't believe I taken that medication for anxiety. I take Quinapril and Amlodipine for anxiety.

[MrsCatiaCharran in reply to Mycrazyself]

Thank you, I'm scared to start setraline but I am desperate to be anxiety free I think I may try this tomorrow. Thank you for your replies!

[Mycrazyself]

We can be friends. Not sure if I can say on this post.

[MrsCatiaCharran in reply to Mycrazyself]

Of course I'll add you on to my list!

[Nil237]

Hi Charran, I have been suffering with work related stress anxiety since 2013. I have been dismissed recently due to anxiety and social anxiety depression. I am on sertraline started with 50mg. now gone up to 100mg. I used to use citalopram. This site is wonderful, I had so much support from everyone here. You are not alone. Just start your medication. If you need anymore help Just ask for your GP to refer you to CBT or talking session may help with your anxiety and depression. They are very helpful. I hope you will recover soon.. It's not easy to cope by your self. You may need outside support. I really do wish you well. Only the people who experience this could understand what you're going through. Please be strong don't let this to destroy your life.. Wishing you to get well soon. It's not easy but don't let anything drag you to let your self down.. All the best wishes and Hughes xxxxx

[MrsCatiaCharran in reply to Nil237]

That was such a positive message I actually have tears, I thank you kindly for the support and words you have spoken! It's scaring me but I do think I need to resign and start my medication and have a new beginning! It's so unfair to feel the pressure of work when we're dealing with this! I try and be positive I really do and I will fight this all the way! I honestly think this job is what is keeping my anxious I get the worst anxiety and panic attacks when I am at work! It's time to move on! Right now I am so worried about not going in tomorrow but I know I will be in hell if I go in! Maybe I'll go docs and get signed off this is too much! I'm so worried I'll be dismissed

[Nil237 in reply to MrsCatiaCharran]

If you don't want to go don't go. I gave my heart my soul to my work for years. But I have realised at the end if you are healthy to do their job you are best. If some little thing goes wrong with your health they don't want to know you. And to be honest the people you work with drains ruins your life. I have worked 17 years for NHS. After 2010 all management changed and my life become harder and harder to cope with new management and at the end I could not go back because of my anxiety and depression. If you could find another job before it comes to the stage like mine please look for a another job.. You should always thing of your self first not them.. Don't allow them to drain you and your family.. I still feel destroyed by my work place.. ALL the best my love xxxx

[MrsCatiaCharran in reply to Nil237]

Thank you! You have been a great help! Work is making me ill and I do have to think of me first! I will start my medication and go docs and get signed off so they can leave me alone I dread the phonecalls and emails etc from them it stresses me out! Only way is a new beginning for me a new job! Thank you xx

[Nil237 in reply to MrsCatiaCharran]

I really do wish you will make a new and fresh start. If you feel this bad this means that you are getting effected deep down. Get signed off and start looking for a new Job.. I will pray and hope the best for you.. Keep your hopes up please.. Keep your smile on your face.. xxxx

[fib4 in reply to Nil237]

i can relate to this.the only thing is i worked in dietary for a hospital should be caring right? wrong. i worked there for 10 years,never called out was always on time and gave 110% to my job. i broke my foot in october and had to go on medical leave; they hole your jobs for 3months. i needed one more week before i could return i appled for an extension and was denied and lost my job. the moral is no one really cares about you or your problems and the job was so stressful i hated to go in because management kept dumping more work on us. so that added to my anxiety and depression. i even had tmj which is a jaw problem. since i'm out of there a lot of my symptoms have lessened. so i can totally relate to you

[cc120]

Hi MrsCatiaCharran, a shallow and probably not to helpful response: I wouldn't be depressed if I looked like you. However, suffering from anxiety/depression/social phobia myself I do know that at a certain point nothing can help you feel better, not even striking good looks.

I see that you are in the UK. Having suffered from depression (been on antidepressants for 30 years) I was advised by a member of healthunlocked to request that my GP refer me to the local Mental Health Assessment and Advice Team. Had a consultation with a Specialist Registrar to the consultant. Who made a diagnosis and referred me to iCope for cognitive therapy, treatment determined by a psychologist.

However, if you feel you have a borderline personality disorder, I have since been informed that you should say that's what you feel to your GP who will refer you to a suitable department /psychiatrist.

Might be worth posting what medication you have tried in the past and see how these effected others.

By the way have you felt like that in all jobs or did this one bring it on?

[MrsCatiaCharran in reply to cc120]

Thank You for your comments and your help, I am due to start cognitive behaviour therapy to help me cope with my anxieties! I don't have a personality disorder but would indeed like to see a professional but here in the UK the waiting list is never ending. I just need to make some changes in my working life that is really causing my anxiety and get CBT help! I am also quite scared of starting the medication Setraline but need to give it a go so I can feel better. Once again Thank You so much for your comments and for your help!

[cc120 in reply to MrsCatiaCharran]

I see from drugs.com/sertraline.html what Setraline is usually used for, but see there are others for eg social disorder. I don't know how a pill can pinpoint conditions in that way, but makes me wonder if I should be on something other than Paroxetine.

[cc120 in reply to MrsCatiaCharran]

PS This is a really helpful site to understand why we are how we are:

psychcentral.com/

[Kainan]

Hi. I can definitely relate. I was so depressed and socially anxious that I didn't show up at work for a long time and that started with avoiding their phone calls. I didn't even have the courage to go outside. So I understand where you're coming from. I'm on here quite often so If you ever need a friend

[MrsCatiaCharran in reply to Kainan]

Thank you! It's awful to feel anxious and panic at work I was due to go in tomorrow but I cannot face it, work is the main cause of my anxiety and I have come to a point where I made the decision that I need to leave! But it's easier said than done of course, I should start my setraline but scared to and I only feel safe at home or with family and its ruling my life and I can't let it! So the best thing to do is tackle it head on! I don't want to be dismissed I've never been dismissed and hopefully the doctors will help and signed me off! But then the pressure of work will be intense!

[Kainan in reply to MrsCatiaCharran]

It truly is. Having anxiety at work is so awful because it takes so much out of us, much more than it is supposed to. I was really drained last year but since then I've switched to a different position and now I feel much better doing the job. The good thing is that you now know what you have to do (which is like half the battle), and hopefully you can tie up loose ends and start off fresh. I wish you the best

[rverde]

I've tried so many medications and the only one that seemed to help me is lamictal. However meds also work differently for different people. I've tried so many kinds of therapies but I'm not giving up even though I'm so weak, tired, scared, anxious, and often lonely and also depressed. I believe we just need to try everything and not give up hope. <3