social phobia/anxiety

[Smurfy]

i've been asked to switch meds again. Depakote, now. from what i've read, it's more potent than the shit i was taking, the stuff that gave me tremors, loss of memory, serious muscle spasms, constant twitching and much more. my BP was 160/105 for about a week straight until i dropped it outright. i've lost count on how many med switches i've had this year.

How many different psychiatrists have evaluated you this year? if you are having terrible sucess with course after course after course of meds, then perhaps a 2nd opinion (or 3rd? or 4th?> i dont know). It's all got to be very frustrating for you.

Yeah depakote should be potent stuff for you.

 

[H_T_]

just one. i think it might be too potent.

 

[supershooter]

just one. i think it might be too potent.

I havent been checking in on the thread that much lately. Sorry to see you are still having problems with getting the right meds. I really dont see the point, especially with your situation. It seems that the meds are not helping you at all. Or would you be worse without them? I have been having my ups and downs. When I first started this thread I was at my worst, but then I was feeling better for a little while. Now I am worse then ever. The human brain is a mean mother F'er. I get so tense with anxiety that I get really bad headaches and backaches, and I couldnt imagine adding the possible side effects of meds.

 

[salemlot]

I havent been checking in on the thread that much lately. Sorry to see you are still having problems with getting the right meds. I really dont see the point, especially with your situation. It seems that the meds are not helping you at all. Or would you be worse without them? I have been having my ups and downs. When I first started this thread I was at my worst, but then I was feeling better for a little while. Now I am worse then ever. The human brain is a mean mother F'er. I get so tense with anxiety that I get really bad headaches and backaches, and I couldnt imagine adding the possible side effects of meds.

Does working out help anyone? For me a hard workouts helps me with my anxiety it even makes me feel confident sometimes. You should try Effexor i saw on a commerical it helps with the aches? I take it but i dont remember ever having aches before taking it so i dont know if it helps with aches or not.

 

[mb2]

A few observations:

If you go to three different psychiatrists, you are likely to get three different diagnoses. I've seen this happen repeatedly with my own clients (I'm a psychologist). It is important not to get hung up on your diagnosis.

Panic/anxiety disorder often just disappears. We have no idea why.

Therapy can be helpful, but you may want to try cognitive/behavioral therapy rather than "insight therapy." In CBT, the therapist helps you literally change your thinking. It especially helpful with phobias.

The benefits of medication are grossly overstated. A huge percentage of people get nothing from them and, of those who do, a huge percentage are experiencing the placebo effect. It is very important not to get overmedicated. Some psychiatrists keeping adding drugs to a patient's regimen. Eventually the drugs become a problem themselves.

Beta blockers are a good way of treating the symptoms of social anxiety, since they can be taken on an as-needed basis. Psychiatrists seem reluctant to prescribe them for anxiety -- probably because they are so inexpensive. Many performers use beta blockers for performance anxiety ("stage fright").

I am curious how many of you are using AAS. I have a feeling these drugs are far more mood affecting than is realized.

I'm also curious how many of you are doing regular cardio. Multiple studies have shown that it is as effective as meds for most people with anxiety/depression.

 

[H_T_]

A few observations:

If you go to three different psychiatrists, you are likely to get three different diagnoses. I've seen this happen repeatedly with my own clients (I'm a psychologist). It is important not to get hung up on your diagnosis.

Panic/anxiety disorder often just disappears. We have no idea why.

Therapy can be helpful, but you may want to try cognitive/behavioral therapy rather than "insight therapy." In CBT, the therapist helps you literally change your thinking. It especially helpful with phobias.

The benefits of medication are grossly overstated. A huge percentage of people get nothing from them and, of those who do, a huge percentage are experiencing the placebo effect. It is very important not to get overmedicated. Some psychiatrists keeping adding drugs to a patient's regimen. Eventually the drugs become a problem themselves.

Beta blockers are a good way of treating the symptoms of social anxiety, since they can be taken on an as-needed basis. Psychiatrists seem reluctant to prescribe them for anxiety -- probably because they are so inexpensive. Many performers use beta blockers for performance anxiety ("stage fright").

I am curious how many of you are using AAS. I have a feeling these drugs are far more mood affecting than is realized.

I'm also curious how many of you are doing regular cardio. Multiple studies have shown that it is as effective as meds for most people with anxiety/depression.

interesting. yeah, the meds are outrageous. the affects and cost. some people need them, but probably not as much. how does a heavily medicated person properly convey the side affects to their doctor or staff? usually it gets put on the back burner and if the patient complains too much, their labeled non-compliant. i'll give the cardio a shot, i should be doing more anyway.

 

[supershooter]

A few observations:

If you go to three different psychiatrists, you are likely to get three different diagnoses. I've seen this happen repeatedly with my own clients (I'm a psychologist). It is important not to get hung up on your diagnosis.

Panic/anxiety disorder often just disappears. We have no idea why.

Therapy can be helpful, but you may want to try cognitive/behavioral therapy rather than "insight therapy." In CBT, the therapist helps you literally change your thinking. It especially helpful with phobias.

The benefits of medication are grossly overstated. A huge percentage of people get nothing from them and, of those who do, a huge percentage are experiencing the placebo effect. It is very important not to get overmedicated. Some psychiatrists keeping adding drugs to a patient's regimen. Eventually the drugs become a problem themselves.

Beta blockers are a good way of treating the symptoms of social anxiety, since they can be taken on an as-needed basis. Psychiatrists seem reluctant to prescribe them for anxiety -- probably because they are so inexpensive. Many performers use beta blockers for performance anxiety ("stage fright").

I am curious how many of you are using AAS. I have a feeling these drugs are far more mood affecting than is realized.

I'm also curious how many of you are doing regular cardio. Multiple studies have shown that it is as effective as meds for most people with anxiety/depression.

Is it safe to use beta blockers like that?

 

[H_T_]

i've developed a sleep pattern that is really making my life miserable. i get home from work and almost immediately go to sleep for a few hours 3-4. then i wake and cannot fall asleep until 3-4am. and wake at 7. on top of this, i'm up to 2mg a day of xanax. everyday now. it used to be .5-.75 once every other day or so. so by Thursday, i'm wound up, irritable, unable to focus, etc. to be absolutely sick with fatigue and unable to sleep. then on the weekends, i'll sleep 15-16 hours a day. my doc says there's nothing wrong, so don't offer that.

 

[Gymgurl]

(((((HUGS)))))) xoxoxo