Very depressed right now 😢

[mags78]

My anxiety finally took its toll on me. Im sitting here on the sofa, exhausted and crying because im scared this is it, there is no way out of this black hole. I convinced myself im dying from some neurological disease because my physical symptoms like skin burning, buzzing cause me so much stress. Today im feeling lonely and detached from the world. I feel nauseaus, and hopeless, scared things will never get better. Apologies for this pessimistic post. Is there a way out of it??

[flimsymimsy]

Hi Mags sorry to hear your going through a tough time.I totally understand what your going through as i could have written the same post as you probably same as many people here. Im not sure where in the world you are but have you spoken to your gp about how your feeling or do you have a crisis line you can contact? there not as scary as they sound and can offer a listening ear on the phone or some places offer live chat if you dont feel comfortable to chat on the phone.When we feel this way it is hard to see a way out and im in a similar place right now. I am lucky that i sought help from the crisis team and put me in touch with the home treatment team and am due to go into a rehabilitation centre to get the help I need. Are there such places where you are as that may be a posibility? but I think the very first step is to see a gp if you havent already. Plus you can keep chatting to us here .

But in the meantime lets see how you can get through the day/night depending where you are. Plan each hour in steps of says 10 minute slots and take each 10 minute slot at a time. So in the next 10 minutes you will make yourself a hot drink. The following 10 minutes you make a snack. The following 10 minutes you do something you normally enjoy. See where I am going with it?

The idea is to occupy the mind and break the thoughts your having. The longer you sit on the sofa crying which I also do the harder it is to get out of that depressed state. So wipe those tears and say I am better than this and go and push yourself to do the first step of making a nice hot drink or something you enjoy.

Let us know how you get on xx

[mags78 in reply to flimsymimsy]

Thank you for your support. I contacted my gp many times. It is usually a 5 min appointment and i leave doctors office with another prescription for antidepressants. I take them. Just not sure if they are working or if the dose is right. Im feeling extremely anxious ans struggle to sleep and here in the UK it is very difficult to get prescribed tranquilisers like xanax or valium. It is a horrible state of mind... im watching other people outside right now, getting on with their lives and i know it is all in my head. I would give anything to change it, but it seems so hard. Im seeing my doctor tomorrow again. And a neurologist later. If only there was a quick fix. Wishing you all the best x

[flimsymimsy in reply to mags78]

Im also in the uk. I know what doctors are like as mine is the same. It was the home mental health team that i was prescribed a short course of diazapam to help with the panic attacks I was getting cause my gp wouldnt prescribe them. Have you tried cbt before? that is excellent for anxiety and depression and there is usually a waiting list if you go on nhs waiting list usually around 12 weeks or longer sadly but if you can afford it go private. I pay £35 for mine and he comes to my house but I could only afford him for a short while due to cost.

If you google cbt for your area and you maybe able to self refer. If things do get worse then I would highly recommend contacting the access team who put me in touch with the community mental health team and they can work with you long term.

Meditation is also good at calming the mind and there are loads of guided meditation audios to listen to on youtube. If you havent done it before I would start off with 10 minutes a day and build it up as mind tends to wander if you jump straight in and do longer.

The main thing is to keep busy which is hard when motivation is low due to depression.

We can get through this it just takes time and you will get better but sadly theres no quick fix although im sure we all wish there was.Hope everything goes ok with doctor tomorrow and then the neurologist xx

[mistybrooke84]

There is hope, and you're going to conquer the control the anxiety has over you! The symptoms you described are classic anxiety symptoms. CBT is the best treatment for that type of anxiety (from my experience, I'm not a medical doctor.) In CBT you learn how unlearn the anxiety by changing your thoughts which affect what you believe and how your brain responds to things that shouldn't be stressful. Health anxiety and agoraphobia are conditioned responses. Panic disorder is literally the fear of fear-fear of the panic attack. Which also can be unlearned. These are things I've struggled with. Also, cling to faith. You're going to be okay and unlearn all the bad stuff! Much love your way.

[Jeff1943]

Mags78, my daughter has anxiety disorder and yesterday mentioned she experiences skin burning too. Have you seen your doctor and had a few tests to rule out physical illness? I will presume you have and if you haven't then go see your doctor and tell all, it will give you reassurance which is importance.

I know how you feel, most folk here know how you feel, because we've been there. The worst thing is not knowing what the hell's happening so we always fear the worse. Like your neurological disease. Only it isn't that and your nausea isn't something life threatening either.

What's happened is that most likely you went through a tough time and it's had its affect on your nervous system which has become over sensitive. In this state our nerves begin to play tricks on us, we experience symptoms which imitate genuine physical illness but aren't. Small worries are magnified into unscaleable mountains. And we can experience a secondary depression because we get depressed about being anxious.

So really the only thing that needs sorting is your nerves, if you can eliminate their over sensitisation then all the other distressing symptoms and bad thoughts will yield.

The trouble is your constantly frightening yourself half to death and it's the fear that fuels your sensitive nerves. So the fear causes symptoms which cause more fear which causes more symptoms which causes etc etc If only you could starve your nerves of fear they will return to normal and you will recapture your quiet mind.

If your anxiety is overwhelming and you've people and a job to support then the right course is to see your doctor about a course of anti-anxiety medication. But whether you feel you need meds or not you can recover by overcoming your fear...by simply accepting it for the time being. Frame your mind to coexist with ut for the moment. And stop fighting your anxiety as that only causes more strain and tension which doesn't help your nerves. So surrender to your anxiety, accept it as an unwelcome guest but one that you can live with for the time being.

By accepting the symptoms and bad feelings calmly you deprive your nerves of the fear hormones that have been causing their sensitivity.

If you can learn to accept all the symptoms your on-the-blink nervous system can hurl at you then you disarm your anxiety and send it on its way.

So don't fear, accept. Don't fight, surrender. And before long you will be joining that happy bafnd travelling the Yellow Brick Road to recovery.

[mags78 in reply to Jeff1943]

Thank you so much for your post. It made me feel do much better. I had lots if tests to rule out other causes. (except for MRI as doctors think it is not needed). But i struggle to believe that anxiety can cause it all, deep inside i worry im ill and dying and won’t see my daughter grow up etc. I have always had health anxiety and each time there is a physical symptom i simply think the worst. And that is how anxiety and depression develops. I will remember your words and will try to accept things as they are. That is how i recovered in the past, many times. Just that each time it happens it feels like this time is no way out. I have to remond myself i made it in the past and i will make it now too. Thank you for your support. Maggie

[Jeff1943 in reply to mags78]

Mags, you may care to read the book by the woman who first advocated the acceptance method, its a short book, you will recognise yourself in its pages: 'Self help for your nerves' by Claire Weekes available on Amazon new or used for just a few pounds.

[reinagrace]

hi mags78 Anxiety does have strange symptoms and if after an exam/checking blood , etc. they rule out any physical illness, it's helpful to at least know what you're dealing with, that it is anxiety. At that point, try to find out if there are triggers that make you feel worse and avoid them if possible. I still battle troublesome symptoms, but staying away from triggers does ease it, and also I really need to talk to friends when I'm down. Hopefully there is a support group near you? Try deep breathing and praying . Turning to something like xanax or valium all the time isn't a good thing anyway- i reserve my benzio for only extremely urgent situations. the CBT people suggested here, is a good idea and helpful. if you are able to, maybe just walk outside for a few minutes and just observe what's around you, something simple like that can help distract. I pray you feel better.

[Tigglypoo]

Ohh mags lots understand how your feeling it's very hard but you must keep going keep busy and try to get out meet friends ,your not alone I feel your pain ,Christmas is very hard time I hate all the fuss ,wen you just want to curl up on sofa , I get very agitated and it's hard to relax so I put on some music to relax too ,keep going keep fighting ,I have an 83 year old mother to cope with so very tired and work part time ,I often feel like giving up , keep safe get out meet some friends but get some support ,always here for chat xx