axiety , o.c.d , depression?

[bondgirlx]

i have all three so i can relate. I've been medicated for it since i was 14. I'm better now

but i hear a minor stress reliever is eating a banana the potassium has something in it to make you more relaxed. i also have really bad pms mood swings are just awful for me. so i do a lot of yoga to help relieve myself i also run around with my dog. exercise is the key it always makes me happier

. I also take lexapro i take wellbutrin as well. They work well for me they also mix well with the concerta i take for A.D.D. lexapro actually made me lose weight i think but the bc i'm on (for irregular periods) made me gain weight. Just take whats best for your body. i don't know if you already do but therapy is a miracle worker for me. it's how i let out all my emotions and after the session i feel better but you have to tell them everything cuz if not it won't work. I also recommend a journal if your not into therapy. anything that works for you.

 

[mspixieears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poisinivii02 i have all three so i can relate. I've been medicated for it since i was 14. I'm better now but i hear a minor stress reliever is eating a banana the potassium has something in it to make you more relaxed.

Bummer, my stomach gets upset when I eat bananas...even though I like them

but will definitely look into eating things with more potassium, thanks for the tip.

 

[tachisme]

I'm currently dealing with anxiety and PTSD. I've had these issues for about five years now but I've only been receiving some kind of treatment since early October. I'm currently taking Buspar and seeing a therapist, and it does really help a lot, but not 100%. But I don't know where I would be without it, really.

 

[kaliraksha]

Ok so I reread a little in text books and figured this much that might explain what I was talking about earlier.

When we eat foods high in sugar or refined carbs (omg more sugar) our bodies make adrenaline in an attempt to regulate blood sugar. This is because of the quick spikes that those types of foods give us... basically the sugar level spikes so quickly that more insulin is created... more than it needs and we end up with low blood sugar levels and then the body produces adrenaline. Adrenaline is a big product of the "flight or fight" response in human bodies. SO basically, adrenaline causes you to be on edge... to be anxious or nervous. At least more than you should be if you stuck to foods with lower glycemic index - that the body has to work on breaking down at a steady rate.

It's like that feeling you get after eating a big meal... of being calm and happy and content. Basically, having a low carb diet is suppose to help regulate blood sugar throughout the day so you feel that calm more often... instead of your body freaking out about your sugar level and producing adrenaline to compensate.

I might have made incorrect assumptions... clear it up for me, please! However, a low carb or the right carbs life style is probably healther for a lot of us... and since anti-depressants make ME gain weight... it's not a bad option to try. I'm glad I went on the South Beach diet now that I know about this.

 

[moonrevel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mspixieears Medication does help a lot, but I've found despite the cost and how goddamn hard it is, therapy has helped me with some major issues I've had. While it is painful, it's a better long-term solution to meds. And as many of you know, meds have some awful, debilitating side effects. I can't actually work because the side effects are so...harsh. It doesn't help that I'm so small either!

I can definitely relate to this. At the end of the day, after all of the meds I was on (and after six years I built up quite an impressive med resume), therapy was definitely the best thing for me. The meds did what they had to do, but they had some really terrible side effects. On one I'd gain a ton of weight, another I'd lose too much, some made me too tired to get out of bed, lowered my blood pressure, or made me feel kind of emotionally numb to life to the point that those precious few things that did make me happy didn't even phase me anymore, plus all the long term stuff with liver functions which I'll probably always have to keep an eye out for. I know I needed them, but I wish it didn't have to be as hard on my body as it was. Therapy is TOUGH but I think it's worth it to work out whatever is going on.

 

[kaliraksha]

I totally agree with the whole medication/therapy idea. Medication is a sometimes necessary evil for the pick me up and the strength and confidence to do something to actually solve it. The only solution is facing the problem and learning to catch your patterns and slowly break it. Right now I'm self therapizing after a few sessions with my psychologists... he told me that most of it was up to me but I could make appts to see him when I felt like I needed it.

 

[mspixieears]

Kaliraksha - there's some damn good stuff you've posted there. Low GI food loves me! It's healthier for all people.

The adrenaline thing is also exacerbated by the fact that many newer anti-depressants work on producing noradrenaline, the brain equivalent of adrenaline. I'm not naturally a jumpy person, but every time my med dose goes up, my family have to be a bit less raucous, because everything makes me jump! Soooo embarrassing.

One time, I was sitting next to my cat and he sneezed so loud I jumped. He saw ME jump and then jumped himself. It was hilarious.

 

[AlliSwan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaliraksha Recent studies have shown that people that suffer from ocd, panic, anxiety may find relief in low carb lifestyle. Because it helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. When your body's sugar level is stable the body does not produce high levels of adrenaline to compensate. It's something I recently read... and I'm interested in finding a book to read further into this... if anyone has any suggestions... please do tell!

I've been a low carber for two years now (no lectures, please, I'm very safe and eat right, I just cut out refined flour and sugar, etc) and I thought I was crazy for thinking this, but I totally agree!! When I go off my diet, like for my birthday or vacations, I tend to binge a little bit on sugar and bread, and I get mild panic attacks. The up in carbs really throws my body out of whack and makes me very anxious. It's nice to know there's some logic behind that!

 

[flowerhead]

I've had depression for a while....Prozac is my saviour. Avoid alcohol and remember that lipgloss and cupcakes are a cure for everything

 

[kaliraksha]

Oh yay, a low carb lifestyle is helping some people! I'm excited then... and no lectures at all... I have my cheat moment's to my favorite restaurants every few weeks... but slowly it starts not to be worth it. Maybe someday I will cut it out completely... but since I'm trying to make it my way of life then I am not going to berate myself for cheating... because I'm doing this for the rest of my life I can't expect to not cheat at all for the rest of my life... it's moderation. I'm mostly doing it because no matter what size you are... it totally doesn't mean you're healthy. I have some weight too lose, but after that I want to stay healthy.

Oh and flowerhead, definitely in the mean time... shopping for all my favorite things pulls me through those bad days.

 

[mspixieears]

Lipgloss became an addiction right after my breakdown! How else is a gal supposed to look forward to the coming days, I ask you??? And the bonus: it makes your lips look nice! Who can argue with the therapeutic benefits of lipgloss...ah...

 

[Rank_as]

deleted

 

[kaliraksha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rank_as I have inherited depression, and was on Prozac last year. It was only 20mg, as here they don't like to use anything stronger or different if you are under 18. I am a lot better than I was, but sometimes I have my down days. I did try therapy but as I am a shy, very private person it wasn't for me. I tend to become more down during the exam season, and when I have to spend a long time with many people in stressful situations. School has this effect! I've learnt to cope and have accepted I'm generally more susceptible to bouts of depression than most people.

I can actually to relate to a lot of this when I was in High School. I had a problem with therapy... find someone you like... everyone has a really different approach. The first person I went to was really cold and methodical... apparently good about results though. The second person was just too slow and analytical... I finally found someone with a good mix. I also asked for suggestions from my Psych professor and she gave me lots of insight she told me who was cold and stern and who was "cuddly"-- it just kind of depends on the style that you like. Also, of course you have to be comfortable with them... the first person I talked to was a little too old school for me... they were intimidating... and were not personal at all...and she was a tiny old woman with a thick accent- what you will find is that they are not all like your first experience... or even first couple of experiences. Also, I didn't want to open up at all at first... but once I did I realized I like it and it was a great release... to talk to someone that didn't have a role in your life or ulterior motives. Best of luck to you!

 

[mspixieears]

It took me about half a year to open up but I'm actually really lucky that I found a good therapist first time, and have been seeing her for nearly 7 yrs. I've still got a long way to go, but there were problems I had for years that I was able to work through and are now...in the past.

So do give it a shot, it's hard but lots of things that are good for us often come at a price.

The shopping around has been more with the medicinal side of the problem.

 

[Naked Lunch]

oh baby, i have extreme anxiety, depression, and "overwhelming grief". I was on lexapro for over a year, then switched to paxil about 6months ago, and then to welbutrin. However, i lost my health insurance about two months ago and can't afford my pills so i've been flying solo for a month and it really sucks.

 

[mspixieears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naked Lunch oh baby, i have extreme anxiety, depression, and "overwhelming grief". I was on lexapro for over a year, then switched to paxil about 6months ago, and then to welbutrin. However, i lost my health insurance about two months ago and can't afford my pills so i've been flying solo for a month and it really sucks.

Wow, that's pretty unfortunate. Is your depression reactive (asking because you mention overwhelming grief)?

I wouldn't be able to survive without my medication, as in I'd most likely get really bad. It's a good thing that most prescription medications here are subsidised by the federal government.

 

[Tyester]

I fought depression for the past 2/3 weeks without any drugs. Usually if you can find something to keep your body and mind busy, you won't sit around dwelling on stressful matters.

Ultimately its all about what you can find to work best for you.

 

[joytheobscure]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaliraksha Recent studies have shown that people that suffer from ocd, panic, anxiety may find relief in low carb lifestyle. Because it helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. When your body's sugar level is stable the body does not produce high levels of adrenaline to compensate. It's something I recently read... and I'm interested in finding a book to read further into this... if anyone has any suggestions... please do tell!

That makes so much sense to me, because my crankiness (anxiety) is due to not eating right and my 9 year old daughter and my younger boys are soooo... unreasonable, cranky - horrible- if their blood sugar gets low. Somedays at work I just flat get a knot in my stomach thinking I can't take it anymore... I know that I have tendencies that tend to range on the mildly autistic (aspergers) range... which has a higher tendency for anxiety and obsessions (hmm I tend to obsess over one thing but I dont' have routines - mac is my current obsession) My problem whith people is mainly social phobia.

 

[queenofdisaster]

after i had my daughter, i became severely depressed. i lost a lot of weight, started drinking a lot and i left my baby's father (it was a really bad relationship)... then i was bouncing back and forth between living with family and friends... i recently got married, and i am happy, but i dont think i ever bounced back completely... i never told anybody how i was feeling, because i was afraid what they would think. but now i regret it. i think if i woulda told somebody i wouldnt have had to live the way i was... and now my main problem is that i cant bring myself to get up in the mornings, i hardly ever feel like doing anything and i have severe anxiety. i get hives just thinking about having to talk to people or go out in public... and i feel like i'm the only one, but i guess i'm not... that's kinda refreshing.

 

[Wattage]

queenofdisaster - thank you for sharing your experiences. Being open about things like anxiety and depression takes a lot of courage. In addition, I think it is good to see that we all can identify with each other. I have experienced feelings of intense anxiety as well as depression, along with so many other people I know. Infact, I think I know more people who have been through one or both of these difficult issues. My hope is that more people are able to be open about it. I think when we recognize that we are all feeling the same in some way or another, it makes the blues a little easier to bear. I know one of the worst things for me was thinking I was the only one who ever went through something like this...