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How to Help Myself with Depression, Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Posted by littleonefmohio @littleonefmohio, Mar 19, 2018

I have had depression most my life. I have took medication for it but I do not stay on it long because of being scared of the side effects or the withdraws from coming off of it. I do not want to become addicted to medication. I have never been addicted to anything so not sure why I feel that way. I have my ups and downs like most people do with mental health I guess. Its hard to talk about it to doctors because I do not trust them either. So how do I get help for myself. I always feel alone even though I am not. I was blessed raising my granddaughter 3 years ago which has helped me stay focused off of me and on her but I constantly feel alone. I live with my ex husband because he helps me with my granddaughter both raising and supporting her. I never want to go anywhere. I have no friends. I have siblings but they have their own life. I do go out once in a great while just to get out and I do enjoy it when I am out but then I come home and right back not wanting to go anywhere. I feel guilty all the time about my life for one reason or another. I have panic attacks, anxiety, along with the depression. I have tried talking to doctors that just want to talk it out but I don't stay long with that because I feel guilty talking about me and my problems and my past. So can someone tell me what they do for this that works if anything? Thanks for letting me vent this.

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ClimbingMountains81 | @climbingmountains81 | Jan 24 9:24pm
In reply to @cookiepic "@climbingmountains81 I know how you feel as l have anxiety too. Some days I'm better than..." + (show)
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@climbingmountains81
I know how you feel as l have anxiety too. Some days I'm better than others. As you l also have gastritis and with the worrisome feelings you have its not good for your gastritis. And l have to watch what l take because of it. I just had a common cold and got worked up because of the medicine. I started seeing a therapist a year ago and she has helped me greatly. My anxiety is caused by health anxiety. I'm afraid to take alot of these antidepressants as they are habit forming and hard to get off. Right now l take buspirone 3 times a day. I was on alprazolam but my doctor won't fill that anymore and l was doing good with that one. I was on it for many years but she won't fill any habit forming antidepressants even though l was not abusing them. Therapist can't prescribe medicine. I wish you luck with whatever you decide to do.

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@cookiepic thank you! I wish you the best!

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ClimbingMountains81 | @climbingmountains81 | Jan 24 9:25pm
In reply to @ancl123 "@ancl123 10:30-3:00am so I can go to bed with hubby. This is awful so done with..." + (show)
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@ancl123

10:30-3:00am so I can go to bed with hubby. This is awful so done with this. Yes hoping Prozac does something. I’m scared nothing will help 😢😢😭😭keep reading all these horror stories.

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@ancl123 how are you doing lately?

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ancl123 | @ancl123 | Jan 25 4:07am
In reply to @climbingmountains81 "@ancl123 how are you doing lately?" + (show)
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@ancl123 how are you doing lately?

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@climbingmountains81
Still the same. Prozac 20 now hoping it starts to help soon. How are you?

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2 replies
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ClimbingMountains81 | @climbingmountains81 | Jan 26 10:16am
In reply to @ancl123 "@climbingmountains81 Still the same. Prozac 20 now hoping it starts to help soon. How are you?" + (show)
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@climbingmountains81
Still the same. Prozac 20 now hoping it starts to help soon. How are you?

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@ancl123 ok, I hope that begins to help soon! I’m still waking around 3am, trying a few different things but don’t like feeling groggy/down the next day. Benadryl works well but can’t take that every day. Tried some L-Theanine last night at 3am and it helped me fall back to sleep but feeling a little down today so maybe need to take it earlier or take a lower dose. Hang in there and keep me posted!

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ClimbingMountains81 | @climbingmountains81 | Jan 26 10:37am
In reply to @ancl123 "@climbingmountains81 Still the same. Prozac 20 now hoping it starts to help soon. How are you?" + (show)
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@climbingmountains81
Still the same. Prozac 20 now hoping it starts to help soon. How are you?

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@ancl123 how is the sleep deprivation going? Are you still getting around 4 hours?

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ancl123 | @ancl123 | Jan 26 11:13am
In reply to @ancl123 "Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was..." + (show)
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Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was born I went on lexapro due to very upsetting insomnia, anxiety and depression postpartum. I had this issue of insomnia and anxiety before my first was born as well but thankfully I was ok for many years while my kids were little and was on no meds. I was prescribed lexapro after my last daughter born, rough startup but eventually It overall worked for 8 years at 10mg. I would still have flare ups of insomnia which I wasn’t crazy about occasionally still once or twice a month. I slowly weaned to 5 went off and had no issues other then some crying spells. 4 months have gone by. I went off because I didn’t want to be on meds longer and felt overall better and was hoping to loose some stuck weight. I did loose my dad in February and have a very stressful issue with my 16 year old behaviorally so perhaps wasn’t best decision.2 weeks ago I started to spiral with depression and anxiety I was waking up at 5am often I think brought on by stress. Decided to go back on 5mg lexapro a week ago. My insomnia got much worse after trying to restart 5mg lexapro I wake up at 1:30 and can’t go back to bed. Freaked me out and stopped it. My new symptom is panic attacks which I didn’t have in the past where adrenaline rushes through myBody multiple times a day. I am now trying tryptophan, theanine, valerian, and cbd and thc gummies is my next option.the last 3 nights I have slept 3- 4 hrs last night I popped a Xanax because woke up after one hr and couldn’t go back to bed. Not sure whatTo do. I also am getting to premenopausal age so perhaps some of this factors in. I’m thinking this is a relapse and will need meds for life 😭Has anyone restarted lexapro or there drugs and had a success story? Scared to go through side effects startup and have to switch meds. Anyone here on meds for life?Thank you in advance 😊

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I had 6 nights at 5hrs sleep no pills which was great and then the next night tried 6 since it was my birthday and wanted to feel better then it went downhill last few nights 😭took some sleep stuff remeron one night and trazadone another. I just want to be normal 😭and sleep well again

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ancl123 | @ancl123 | Jan 26 11:15am
In reply to @climbingmountains81 "@ancl123 ok, I hope that begins to help soon! I’m still waking around 3am, trying a..." + (show)
Profile picture for ClimbingMountains81 @climbingmountains81

@ancl123 ok, I hope that begins to help soon! I’m still waking around 3am, trying a few different things but don’t like feeling groggy/down the next day. Benadryl works well but can’t take that every day. Tried some L-Theanine last night at 3am and it helped me fall back to sleep but feeling a little down today so maybe need to take it earlier or take a lower dose. Hang in there and keep me posted!

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@climbingmountains81 I feel your pain it’s good that Benadryl even makes you sleep. What time do you go to bed?

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1 reply
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ancl123 | @ancl123 | Jan 26 11:26am
In reply to @ancl123 "Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was..." + (show)
Profile picture for ancl123 @ancl123

Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was born I went on lexapro due to very upsetting insomnia, anxiety and depression postpartum. I had this issue of insomnia and anxiety before my first was born as well but thankfully I was ok for many years while my kids were little and was on no meds. I was prescribed lexapro after my last daughter born, rough startup but eventually It overall worked for 8 years at 10mg. I would still have flare ups of insomnia which I wasn’t crazy about occasionally still once or twice a month. I slowly weaned to 5 went off and had no issues other then some crying spells. 4 months have gone by. I went off because I didn’t want to be on meds longer and felt overall better and was hoping to loose some stuck weight. I did loose my dad in February and have a very stressful issue with my 16 year old behaviorally so perhaps wasn’t best decision.2 weeks ago I started to spiral with depression and anxiety I was waking up at 5am often I think brought on by stress. Decided to go back on 5mg lexapro a week ago. My insomnia got much worse after trying to restart 5mg lexapro I wake up at 1:30 and can’t go back to bed. Freaked me out and stopped it. My new symptom is panic attacks which I didn’t have in the past where adrenaline rushes through myBody multiple times a day. I am now trying tryptophan, theanine, valerian, and cbd and thc gummies is my next option.the last 3 nights I have slept 3- 4 hrs last night I popped a Xanax because woke up after one hr and couldn’t go back to bed. Not sure whatTo do. I also am getting to premenopausal age so perhaps some of this factors in. I’m thinking this is a relapse and will need meds for life 😭Has anyone restarted lexapro or there drugs and had a success story? Scared to go through side effects startup and have to switch meds. Anyone here on meds for life?Thank you in advance 😊

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Around that are you taking an ssri?

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ClimbingMountains81 | @climbingmountains81 | Jan 26 1:12pm
In reply to @ancl123 "Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was..." + (show)
Profile picture for ancl123 @ancl123

Hello! I am a 47 year old mom of 4 kids. When my last daughter was born I went on lexapro due to very upsetting insomnia, anxiety and depression postpartum. I had this issue of insomnia and anxiety before my first was born as well but thankfully I was ok for many years while my kids were little and was on no meds. I was prescribed lexapro after my last daughter born, rough startup but eventually It overall worked for 8 years at 10mg. I would still have flare ups of insomnia which I wasn’t crazy about occasionally still once or twice a month. I slowly weaned to 5 went off and had no issues other then some crying spells. 4 months have gone by. I went off because I didn’t want to be on meds longer and felt overall better and was hoping to loose some stuck weight. I did loose my dad in February and have a very stressful issue with my 16 year old behaviorally so perhaps wasn’t best decision.2 weeks ago I started to spiral with depression and anxiety I was waking up at 5am often I think brought on by stress. Decided to go back on 5mg lexapro a week ago. My insomnia got much worse after trying to restart 5mg lexapro I wake up at 1:30 and can’t go back to bed. Freaked me out and stopped it. My new symptom is panic attacks which I didn’t have in the past where adrenaline rushes through myBody multiple times a day. I am now trying tryptophan, theanine, valerian, and cbd and thc gummies is my next option.the last 3 nights I have slept 3- 4 hrs last night I popped a Xanax because woke up after one hr and couldn’t go back to bed. Not sure whatTo do. I also am getting to premenopausal age so perhaps some of this factors in. I’m thinking this is a relapse and will need meds for life 😭Has anyone restarted lexapro or there drugs and had a success story? Scared to go through side effects startup and have to switch meds. Anyone here on meds for life?Thank you in advance 😊

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Yes, I’m still doing the 5 mg of Lexapro daily. Might change that if the sleep doesn’t straighten out.

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ClimbingMountains81 | @climbingmountains81 | Jan 26 1:13pm
In reply to @ancl123 "@climbingmountains81 I feel your pain it’s good that Benadryl even makes you sleep. What time do..." + (show)
Profile picture for ancl123 @ancl123

@climbingmountains81 I feel your pain it’s good that Benadryl even makes you sleep. What time do you go to bed?

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@ancl123 I’ve been going to bed around 10:30 even though I want to go to sleep a little earlier but my family is still awake. Afraid if I went to sleep earlier I’d just wake earlier so later is probably better right now, huh?

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