How to Help Myself with Depression, Anxiety and Panic Attacks

@ancl123
I have been off and on anxiety/depression medication since my 20s and now in my 50s. Hormone changes, especially with pregnancy/postpartum/peri-menopause and menopause increased my symptoms and made my panic attacks worse.

You have some stress and loss added to your anxiety/depression which is affecting sleep. Are you working with a psychiatrist to help you manage your medications?

Don’t worry about how long you are on medications. Make sure you are getting the treatment needed to help you sleep and manage your day to day life as best as possible.

Here are my thoughts. Please go to your family doctor and get some blood work done to see if there is an organic cause of your panic attacks. I say that because it is a new symptom for you. Also, you need to see a female doctor who can deal with your peri- menopausal symptoms. Lastly, at 47 your melatonin levels have dropped. It regulates your sleep cycle and also helps in preventing dementia, and, it is thought, some cancers. I started out with 1mg. one hour before bedtime and now take 3 mg. Cleveland clinic has helpful information on melatonin and sleep disorders. I have gone through very stressful times that affected my sleep. But I have also dealt with illnesses that also affected my sleep until I was properly diagnosed. Two conditions, at the same time, or one illness, coupled with a stressful situation are all possibilities. I think you need to get some medical testing, certainly take a small amount of melatonin from now on, ( and raise the level by a few milligrams to see if that helps ). And please talk to a good therapist. I think that this is a multi- faceted problem. I have gone through something similar.

@colely I have a very simple answer. Stop reading newspapers, stop watching the news, drop your Facebook account and pray. What is going on now is enough to give anyone panic attacks. I am 74 and I never ever thought this was something we would ever have to deal with.
Where is the greatest generation when we need them?

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 😊

@colely I have a very simple answer. Stop reading newspapers, stop watching the news, drop your Facebook account and pray. What is going on now is enough to give anyone panic attacks. I am 74 and I never ever thought this was something we would ever have to deal with.
Where is the greatest generation when we need them?

Hi!
I'm so sorry you are going through all of these problems! Are you seeing a doctor? Also read the side effects of the medications that you are taking. That may provide some information to the symptoms that you have.

I don't take any medication for anxiety but I do have anxiety! My husband died in 2024. I miss him terribly. Here I am at 79 and all alone. I have no family except one son who hasn't spoken to me in 20 years! There are many times when I am terrified on how to deal with things! When that happens I turn to God and put all my problems in his hands and it works! Just talk to God like he's your best friend and he is! You don't have to go to church to find God. Although church can be very nice. God made you and he can fix you!

You have some problems now but you also have some very nice things in your life. You are only 47! I wish I was 47 again! You have a lot of wonderful years ahead of you. And, you have 4 wonderful children to share those years with!

I hope things work out with your medications. I'll say a prayer for you.
God Bless You!
PML

@daveshaw I do pray and I don’t want the news anymore.

@daveshaw I do pray and I don’t want the news anymore.

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 😊

MeryW....I have taken Effexor/Venlafaxine for about 30 yrs, sometimes replacing with something else, but always go back to Effexor. My issue is anxiety and this med seems to work best for me. But presently I am slowly replacing the Effesor with Mirtazapine, as read it has no sexual side effects. Been about 2 weeks. I also take CBD/CBN oil which very much helps with sleep and so far has no side effects other than not giving a shit about the future. I do think CBD oil might be a great addition when attempting to lower or change medications. Good luck!