[jefftele]

i know depression and anxiety are bedfellows but when my depression eases anxiety creeps in along with obsessional thoughts and dissociation i'm asking myself if my problem is really anxiety as i can see how it holds me back and keeps me in the dull safe zone, now this all seems to make sense and i feel annoyed that after years of therapies and meds and professional help this wasn't pointed out,now anxiety seems my real problem next question is how to heal myself, anxiety disorders i know are hard to beat and i asked myself do i just accept it and learn to live with it?

[Juliana]

For me, anxiety and depression often go hand in hand. I'm not always depressed when I'm dealing with a lot of anxiety, but when I'm depressed there's ALWAYS a lot more anxiety. For me, it's impossible to find a line between the two of them. They are both present at the same time. If I'm depressed, it is inevitable that my anxiety will be through the roof.

Anxiety is not something you just have to accept. I had agoraphobia and really bad panic attacks for over three years (didn't get depressed during that time, though; kinda surprising) and my anxiety disorders stopped me from leaving my flat and living my life. I got treatment, though, and I'm so thankful for that. The medication I take helps with both depression AND anxiety and I found that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy helped with both too.

Anxiety orders ARE hard to beat, but so is depression. I'm at a point in my life where I feel like I have beaten both of them, though, so I know it's possible. I know that I will always have to be vigilant and I will have set-backs, but I'm leading a very full life and feeling pretty good.

Talk to your therapist or doctor about how you're feeling. There are treatments available. Good luck to you. Don't give up. It's a hard struggle, but it's not impossible. You CAN feel better.

[Soidhonia]

Hello Jeff.
I am sorry you are going through this at this time. The main way to learn to live and deal with the anxiety is through professional help and possibly medication. A physical may be in order as well sinece it could also be health related. Please consider getting the help you need to be able to go forward in your life. Take care and good day. Soidhonia

[desperado]

I can sympathize w/ you guys.

I'm feeling better depression-wise, but the anxiety is pretty bad........trying to fight it........really rough.

I've tried yoga, running, stretching, mindfulness, deep breathing...........oh yeah, relaxing music, too. But it just seems totally out of control a lot now.

Juliana, besides CBT & meds, how do you cope w/ & fight off anxiety?

Thanks, my fellow Canuck

Des

[Perna]

I know that annoyance when you finally figure something out and wish someone had told you sooner. But no one else knows/knew either. I like to think that sometimes we're slow on the uptake for a reason; I know it can take me a long time to figure something out but once I "learn" something I learn it well and have the concept forever. Makes me think my "construction" is good quality :-) and such a base will be able to hold further, better learning. As time passes I've been able to see a larger picture and that the complex twists and turns of my psyche couldn't have been shown to me "easier"/sooner.

[Juliana]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
desperado said:

Juliana, besides CBT & meds, how do you cope w/ & fight off anxiety?

Thanks, my fellow Canuck

Des

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Hi fellow Canuck!!! Besides using the techniques that my CB Therapist taught me and taking meds (mainly Lexapro these days), I do yoga (Iyengar and Ashtanga) -- that helps me a lot with the anxiety. I also try to get out with friends more often and have some fun once in a while. For me, distraction has been one of the best weapons against my anxiety. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I feel like the anxiety is still lying in wait and I have to work so hard all the time at keeping my mind focused on other things. That gets tiring and the anxiety still sneaks up on me quite often -- no full-blown panic attacks lately, though. I do a lot of exposure stuff -- making myself do things that I used to be extremely phobic about. I also play the "what's the worst thing that could happen?" game with myself a lot and TRY to logically talk my way out of anxiety. That works sometimes... not all the time, though.

So, I feel like my anxiety isn't controlling my life so much anymore, but it's still there. Procrastination is still a HUGE problem and I think that's related to my anxiety... and causes MORE anxiety.

[Meta]

I don't see the benefit of staying in the dull safe zone-because I feel like at least with myself, when I am there, I feel like life is passing me by. And it's very hard for me because I am shy, self-conscious, and anxious much of the time(goes great with my bipolar-haha). I do have chronic disorders and I need to accept that is not going to change but what will it take to function my best in spite of it?
I think we talk a lot about meds and exchange a lot of info about them--which I am deeply grateful for --but I think one part is the non-medical part. People have been telling me for years to do yoga and / or meditation. Which I pooh-poohed. I do exercise when I am feeling less depressed and anxious, but become very reclusive and don't go to the the pool when depression returns.
I have to keep reminding myself that just as a stroke is a medical problem that requires meds, the disabilit and requires and improves with regular OT and PT, Diabetes too usually improves with exercise. Still, it's hard for me to remember pills are not the exclusive answer to depression and anxiety. Boy, I keep needing that reminder. I am grateful for psychcentral because others keep reminding me about sleep, eating right, exercise. It's so easy for every other coping mechanism to go out the window especially when I am depressed. I even have a pattern of stopping seeing my therapist who I have had for 6 yrs when I get depressed. I restart when I am feeling better
I think that's an indicator of how bad depression is --I just don't want to let anyone see me that way. But back in the fall, I resolved this time I would keep going no matter what.
Also, I most definitely need a refresher course in assertiveness training, and CBT which I found helpful at one time. I need those to strengthen myself with others and to combat the negative thinking I am guilty so often of.
Hope I didn't hijack your thread. apologies in advance if I did.