[MusicLover82]

Anybody have any advice to overcome chronic worry (an OCD symptom I have pretty often)? My psychiatrist has not been able to prescribe me anything to help with my worry, since antidepressants eventually make me hypomanic, and I'm sick and tired of dealing with it!!!

I finally decided to go back to my psychologist after several years of not being in therapy. My worries are really frustrating and I need someone to help me manage them and hopefully overcome the worrying completely.

I take Lithium, Trileptal, Latuda, Risperdal, and Xanax. My diagnoses are Bipolar 2 and OCD.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I had a bit of this the other day and I blame my anxiety. I get the feeling of overwhelming doom that something horrible will happen to me or a loved one. I actually waited for my bf to get home from work because I was worried about him driving even though he's the best driver I know. I get a feeling that even a plane can come crashing through my house! I just take a PRN ativan and hope for the best. Could your xanax help you with this? I'm also on trileptal and its been my rock. I just stopped taking buspar because I'm hoping my pdoc will give me a better PRN like xanax. I hope I offered some help!

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[Icare dixit]

If your worrying is related to instability, treating just that should fix it. Both unstable self-image and unstable future plans and judgements of what is feasible. Some psychotherapy and/or limiting your options for, changing your idea of, simplifying your perception of, success may be necessary to get a better perspective on what is important and what is not (treating the OCD).

Diminish your options for control: exposure and response prevention. Make it into a game of sorts. If feelings of lack of control or too many "good" options make you worry.

Use your depression to find a stable perspective on the future.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by RxQueen875

I had a bit of this the other day and I blame my anxiety. I get the feeling of overwhelming doom that something horrible will happen to me or a loved one. I actually waited for my bf to get home from work because I was worried about him driving even though he's the best driver I know. I get a feeling that even a plane can come crashing through my house! I just take a PRN ativan and hope for the best. Could your xanax help you with this? I'm also on trileptal and its been my rock. I just stopped taking buspar because I'm hoping my pdoc will give me a better PRN like xanax. I hope I offered some help!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think those irrational worries are (or could be) mildly psychotic. For me they were: antipsychotics and stability were all it took to make it manageable. Also just playing a game thinking of all things that possibly could go wrong might desentisise your (very) mild "proto"-delusions.

Also try to think about the upside to any worry: e.g., if a plane crashing into your house, it is very unlikely you'll notice any of it.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

I think those irrational worries are mildly psychotic. For me they were: antipsychotics and stability were all it took to make it manageable. Also just playing a game thinking of all things that possibly could go wrong might desentisise your (very) mild "proto"-delusions.

Also try to think about the upside to any worry: e.g., if a plane crashing into your house, it is very unlikely you'll notice any of it.

The psychotic bit may be true bit worrisome. Never even thought about that. The one thing I worry about most with BP is psychosis. Maybe I was a bit paranoid at the time? Ive been switched to saphris and maybe its not doing its job?! Now you got me thinking. Maybe anxiety triggered a bit of psychosis? The only time i recall having true psychosis is when I had a black out panic attack and lost the ability to talk. I somehow drove home but later in the day started hallucinations. I came too and did some self harm too. Only time Ive had this and could tie it to anxiety and an attack.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by RxQueen875

The psychotic bit may be true bit worrisome. Never even thought about that. The one thing I worry about most with BP is psychosis. Maybe I was a bit paranoid at the time? Ive been switched to saphris and maybe its not doing its job?! Now you got me thinking. Maybe anxiety triggered a bit of psychosis? The only time i recall having true psychosis is when I had a black out panic attack and lost the ability to talk. I somehow drove home but later in the day started hallucinations. I came too and did some self harm too. Only time Ive had this and could tie it to anxiety and an attack.

I think it could very well be. Indeed, your antipsychotic dosage/type may need some work, but it does take some time to see the full effects (as in having no residual (pre-/proto-/post-)psychotic anxiety).

I think pure neurotic symptoms are pretty rare for us: anxiety together with a vulnerability for psychosis will play a part, making the combination (more) self-supporting/catalytic than anxiety on its own.

We just aren't the "typical" neurotic type of people. An example is what you mentioned with a panic attack: for me, if severe enough, it will cause brief (sometimes also catatonic) psychosis.

Edit:
But it is less worrisome: a lot easier to treat than "pure" self-supporting anxiety.

I have really bad anxiety as well. I guess it's fairly common for BP people to get diagnosed with OCD and/or GAD? I have both.

I try to handle my anxiety without meds. I wish I had meds, but my pdoc won't give me any because he's an idiot (which is one of the many reasons I'm trying to change pdocs). I was actually in denial about my GAD and OCD for a long time, and my pdoc was the one who kept insisting that I had both of them, yet he won't give me any kind of anxiety meds. Ridiculous, isn't it?

Anyway, I practice relaxation techniques. It helps to soothe myself with calm music. Some people like nature sounds, but it doesn't matter really... You just need to find music that relaxes you (even if it happens to be heavy metal, for example). Meditating is nice too. I don't do yoga, but I heard that is pretty relaxing.

Sometimes stress can exacerbate anxiety, so working out can actually help *reduce* your anxiety levels since working out reduces stress.

[pirilin]

Originally Posted by MusicLover82

Anybody have any advice to overcome chronic worry (an OCD symptom I have pretty often)? My psychiatrist has not been able to prescribe me anything to help with my worry, since antidepressants eventually make me hypomanic, and I'm sick and tired of dealing with it!!!

I finally decided to go back to my psychologist after several years of not being in therapy. My worries are really frustrating and I need someone to help me manage them and hopefully overcome the worrying completely.

I take Lithium, Trileptal, Latuda, Risperdal, and Xanax. My diagnoses are Bipolar 2 and OCD.

I'm on lithium and xanax too.
How much of each med?.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

I have really bad anxiety as well. I guess it's fairly common for BP people to get diagnosed with OCD and/or GAD? I have both.

I try to handle my anxiety without meds. I wish I had meds, but my pdoc won't give me any because he's an idiot (which is one of the many reasons I'm trying to change pdocs). I was actually in denial about my GAD and OCD for a long time, and my pdoc was the one who kept insisting that I had both of them, yet he won't give me any kind of anxiety meds. Ridiculous, isn't it?

Anyway, I practice relaxation techniques. It helps to soothe myself with calm music. Some people like nature sounds, but it doesn't matter really... You just need to find music that relaxes you (even if it happens to be heavy metal, for example). Meditating is nice too. I don't do yoga, but I heard that is pretty relaxing.

Sometimes stress can exacerbate anxiety, so working out can actually help *reduce* your anxiety levels since working out reduces stress.

I think it is very important you first try everything else before trying meds. If you know how to get relief without them, you might use them to give just that extra push needed to finish that self-supporting anxiety once and for all. Then very gradually lower the doses or you are back where you started.

If it is anxiety and psychotic problems working in tandem, in a positive feedback loop, focus on the psychotic issues first. Then anxiety reduction skills. Only if you really need them (if you see a bump in the road coming which threatens all your progress made, or you have this residual stuff you just can't shake off) use an anxiolytic for only a short while (with a plan when to come off it and how to make sure you don't need them (ever again): how to compensate).

Anxiolytics is like a contract with the devil: make sure it is for a limited time.

You might actually have a good psychiatrist (I once met one: they do exist! )!

Yes, OCD and GAD are common, but I don't think you could ever say they aren't very much entangled with your other problems, all working together. Anxiety causing instability, instability anxiety, anxiety more anxiety, more instability, and so on.

All pussycats are beautiful.

[Crazy Hitch]

For a year I had chronic anxiety ... my pdoc tried a few things ...

One thing I wouldn't recommend from experience:

He put me on Valium 3x a day (7mg).

I became dependent and it was a ***** weaning off them.

[MusicLover82]

I should mention that I recently went through a "traumatic" (not sure if it should be called that) situation. For 5 months, my husband was unemployed (primary breadwinner) and I was constantly having to be strong for him and try to reassure him that everything would be okay. My hubby is very emotional, but not diagnosed with any MI. Needless to say, it was a VERY HARD 5 months. I probably wouldn't have to be on so much Xanax had we not gone through that time. I still am dealing with fears of my husband becoming unemployed again and facing that kind of difficult time again. :-( It was utterly terrifying and I still feel like I can't totally relax and trust that everything is okay.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by MusicLover82

I should mention that I recently went through a "traumatic" (not sure if it should be called that) situation. For 5 months, my husband was unemployed (primary breadwinner) and I was constantly having to be strong for him and try to reassure him that everything would be okay. My hubby is very emotional, but not diagnosed with any MI. Needless to say, it was a VERY HARD 5 months. I probably wouldn't have to be on so much Xanax had we not gone through that time. I still am dealing with fears of my husband becoming unemployed again and facing that kind of difficult time again. :-( It was utterly terrifying and I still feel like I can't totally relax and trust that everything is okay.

I'd say it's a valid reason for worry. I'm going through the same financial situation right now and even when I was working I'd worry about being back "here". It's an experience that traumatized you so it's going to take time and id suggest therapy. And I hear you on needing Xanax during that time too. I've been using my PRN a lot more worrying about how we're going to put food on the table tomorrow. Just remember that medicine only takes us so far. Don't become a slave to it. Work on your fears from the inside and that means facing them head on. I hope you feel better!

[260Rogers]

Try to keep busy. Try not to over think things. Easier said then done. Focus on the now and your breathing.
QUOTE=MusicLover82;4985689]Anybody have any advice to overcome chronic worry (an OCD symptom I have pretty often)? My psychiatrist has not been able to prescribe me anything to help with my worry, since antidepressants eventually make me hypomanic, and I'm sick and tired of dealing with it!!!

I finally decided to go back to my psychologist after several years of not being in therapy. My worries are really frustrating and I need someone to help me manage them and hopefully overcome the worrying completely.

I take Lithium, Trileptal, Latuda, Risperdal, and Xanax. My diagnoses are Bipolar 2 and OCD.[/QUOTE]