Physical symptoms of depression / anxiety

@jmobe Welcome to Mayo Connect! I wonder that the shaking and all that you experience may be a reaction of the adrenaline and energy that being depressed can create. Remember if you can take deep calming breaths, get some exercise, journal, eat healthy, and work through each episode, it will really help. Do you know the source of the anxiety, that you can minimize it?
Ginger

@jmobe - I'd also like to welcome you. It sounds as if you are having some pretty upsetting symptoms. Anxiety can cause lots of symptoms. And so can the medicines that treat it. Will you tell me more about yourself and your anxiety? Are you on any medications? Have you been in therapy?

@jmobe I believe that most of us with anxiety and depression can identify with the symptoms you are experiencing. It is scary. Lots of support here.

@jmobe

Yes, when I had depression and anxiety I often felt like my brain wasn't working clearly. When that happened I felt overwhelmed and had trouble talking, thinking, and doing things that required fine dexterity. The more I had these physical symptoms the more stressed and anxious I felt.

At one point I took Ativan (lorazepam) to help during those times, but it made me slow down too much. It was hard to work in that situation. Eventually I asked my doctor for an antidepressant and he started me on Citalopram, 20 mg for 6 months and then 40 mg. I feel like it saved my life. It completely changed my mind, literally. I can now do things I never could before without the fear and anxiety that always came with adventures.

If you decide to talk with your physician about antidepressants, please ask him/her to do a DNA test to determine which medications will work best for you. That way you can avoid going through experiments to find the right one for you. I have been taking Citalopram for 6+ years now and it still works for me. I went through 20 years of talk therapy before deciding to take the medication. I learned a lot in talk therapy, but never could relieve my anxiety and depression. I'm past all that now and quite happy with my life.

Please share with us how old you are and if you take any medications. Learning more about you will help us help you. This is a wonderful online community.

Thank you Gail! So much great info & appreciate you sharing your personal experience. Makes me feel hopeful. I’m a 59 yr old woman who has suffered since I was 12. Diagnosed when I was 24. Have had great and also a few bad doctors. Always been strong advocate for myself. Always follow dr’s direction & consider their words. My mother suffered all her life too. For so many years I’ve sat on the side line wanting to fully participate in life but couldn’t. It’s so hard to fake that your happy & doing great. Exhausting. I recently came to the sharp realization that this is my life. Pretending. The tide of depression has been high since July. Working w drs, meds, therapy. Feels different this time. Can you explain more about How DNA test works to help please. Again thank you so much!

Thank you for the your encouragement! I’ve never participated in a forum. 59 year old woman dx when I was 24. Depression has been very high since last July. Working on finding the best drugs for me. Have doctor & family support. A lucky girl that way. I never

I never heard of Adrenalin related depression/anxiety. I’m interested in learning more about that. Thanks so much!

@jmobe Depression can be real sneaky, as it sometimes creeps up on us. At times it is only in looking backwards that we can see where we are. We get anxious about all manners of things, and may spiral even further. I
Like others have commented, it is important to keep conversation with your doctor's, don't leave anything out, and trust your pharmacist! We're here for you. None of us are medical Dr's, we can relate our experiences and what worked [or didn't] for us.
Ginger

Thank you merry for your reply. I just did big info of myself to @gailb I recently went through the slurred speech third time in my life. Last time was 24 years ago during a bigger depression. My psychiatrist told me it has nothing to do with depression or the new med Abilify. I just can’t believe that! I can totally relate to how the people who are so depressed that they are dispondent or can barely speak. To me it just makes sense that if a person is unable to speak due to depression, why couldn’t slurred speech be related.

technically its our bodies biochemical reaction to a flight or fright situation .whereby our body reacts in a defense of you .
By releasing increasing adrenaline hormone which acts on the blood pressure nodule inside your right ventricle and also on your kidneys to contract and to increase blood pressure and to put you in a defensive posture .next the hormone from adrenal gland is Epinephrine and it floods your brain tissue targeting the amygdala .amygdala is responsible for levels of depression and anxieties and this hormone increase the levels of anxieties and clinical depression