One year later...

Since this thread a year ago I saw a psychiatrist for an assessment. He refused to diagnose me with anything, said social isolation and living alone was causing my anxiety, and refused to prescribe me benzodiazepines.............I am not in therapy and haven't been in the past year.

I cleaned up my diet and started the ketogenic diet in August.

For the most part quit alcohol.

Am still doing CBT and DBT on my own.

Depression and anxiety??? Still causing problems although I no longer have panic attacks when I wake up in the morning, and I sleep fine without medication.

I sometimes take the herb valerian at night, but it is only mildly effective.

The big thing I have not done is resolve my social isolation and frankly I think that's the linchpin. I moved in the past year. I do not have family or close friends nearby. I am in a new neighborhood, and know no one, and dearly miss my old neighborhood and its familiarity.

My goal for the coming year is to break out of social isolation. It is going to be a difficult task as I really dug myself in a deep hole.

Today I registered for a half-marathon, and I have 6 months to train, both outdoors, and at a gym. I am interested to see how this vigorous training program affects my mood.

I am tired of managing this. I am not willing to go on AD's as they make me manically anxious. No way. No thank you.

I can't get benzodiazepines prescribed which seems insane as my anxiety is the main problem. My GP and the shrink refuse.

So now it's running and training, continued ketogenic diet, and focus on breaking through social isolation with job, volunteerism, church, meditation center, and/or whatever it takes.