Battling depression and anxiety

[Celino]

Hello to all the community at HealthUnlocked

I've recently been diagnosed with depression and anxiety and currently under medication.

I am also waiting to be referred to start doing CBT which I think it will help a lot.

Trying to read more online about some disorders, I know think that I might suffer as well with bipolar disorder.

Although I want to find help for this, it is being very difficult for me to approach my GP with regards to this as I feel very embarrassed and it is very hard for me to admit this as a possibility.

I don't know what to do.

Any support on this would be very welcome.

I am a new user of the app and am finding some of he posts very useful for me.

Celino

[Olderal]

Hello Celino, glad to hear you're battling as altho the medics, therapy and sometimes friends and family can give a lot of help, it is a battle and in any battle courage and resolve are most important, often in my opinion more important than outside help but you'll need that as well. Its a battle that can be and usually is won however so nil desperandum.

I hope that you have ordinary unipolar depression as although it can be longer lasting you have a good chance it will not recur or at least not too frequently. Although you can with diligent reading get a good idea if you are bipolar you must approach your GP to get an accurate diagnosis and he might well then refer you to a psychiatrist to confirm or make a diagnosis, Its important because the treatments recommended for bipolar often and usually differ from those for unipolar or other forms of depression. You should n't feel too embarassed about this ,I can guarantee you your GP sees a lot of people every week with all varieties of depression. In my opinion Wikipedia is quite good on bipolar and Jim Phelps American site PsychEducation.org I've also found very helpful.

Quite a lot can be done to tackle anxiety with self help therapies and your library will probably have several books on Mindfulness, relaxation, breathing exercises and a lot of other techniques that will help. However I know less about anxiety.

I do hope the CBT helps you with both the depression and anxiety. Wishing you well. Olderal

[Celino in reply to Olderal]

Hello Olderal,

I've just read your reply and it makes total sense to me. I feel very lost. Around 3 months ago mental Heath was just a term to me and now the help of friends and family like you said and people like yourself I feel like I'm slowly understanding all of this better and this community is already supporting me so much. I will have a look at Wikipedia.

I hope I can continue to talk to you.

Thank you Olderal

[Clazzy78 in reply to Celino]

Hello Celino,

Sorry you're feeling like you are. The first time depression really hits you it can be hard to accept. I remember feeling that way, feeling angry at myself because I didn't want to have this. Silly I know.

Please continue to have check ups with your GP, it's important so they get to know you a little better and you gain trust in them. Also they like to know how you're getting on with any treatment.

I still feel embarrassed sometimes after 19 years of suffering with depression. But I always go to my appointments as I always feel better when I've been and had a chat to my GP.

Hope the CBT is helpful.

Best wishes 💗

[Celino in reply to Clazzy78]

Hey Clazzy,

I don't even have words for how supported I feel so far using this app.

I feel like I can talk about everything that's been going on with me and this all new world that I am in.

My GP is being great. At the moment I am just on citalopram and propranolol and it's early days but do feel like I'm slowly changing and do feel like it's helping me. As I said, everyone here so far is making such a big difference in all of this.

For better

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[Fi68]

Hello Celino, welcome to the site, glad you are finding some of the posts helpful. I am going to assume that you are in the UK based on the info you have given. The first thing is well done for getting to the GP, even though you find it difficult, you managed to get the GP to understand how you were feeling. The GP is following the right treatment with meds and CBT and it is best to wait and see how this works out.

As for thinking that you have Bipolar, why do you think this? Bi-polar Disorder is a severe mental illness and can only be diagnosed and treated by a psychiatrist not a GP. If your GP thinks that you may have this, they will refer you, but you need to follow your current treatment plan.

I would advise against searching online with Dr Google, it is possible to think that you have everything from a sore throat to the bubonic plague! Let the Dr's do the diagnosing and treating, but certainly do keep asking questions.

Take care.

Fi.

[Celino in reply to Fi68]

Hello Fi,

Thank you for the warm welcome.

With regards to the bipolar disorders, I just have a very big discrepancy on my highs and my lows. And always been like that, but found it very "normal".

This new diagnose is making me see things differently.

It's something I want to bring up with my GP, but embarrassed, but everyone is making such a big difference in my way of thinking that I'm already starting to look at it in another way.

Looking forward to start CBT. I think that it will definitely help.

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