anxiety and depression

tips on how to cope: dealing with your feelings, dealing with the consequences of self-harm in your life. share your ideas and maybe pick up some new skills, too. you don't have to want to stop to learn something new here.

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aroobixcube
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anxiety and depression

Post by aroobixcube » Fri Nov 12, 2004 11:40 pm

does anyone suffer from anxiety disorders and/or depresion?

since my SI reduced a little bit they discovered and diagnosed me with anxiety disorders and depression.

how is for others how do you cope with the high intensity of an anxiety attack?
We learn who we are as the result of coming to terms with our experiences, combining them with the beliefs and attitudes that we have gained from others.

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Post by magebaby » Sat Nov 13, 2004 12:07 am

by anxiety attack, do you mean panic attack, or an episode of severe anxiety?

i try to keep a sort of stock of pleasant memories/images/thoughts in my head that i can summon quickly to comfort me when i become overwhelemed by panic/anxiety. i'd suggest deciding on a couple of images beforehand, so that if you get into a panic/anxiety situation you have it in the front of your mind. try to think of a time when you were really properly happy, deep down.

hugs, if ok,
mage
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No hugs, thanks

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Post by Sharon » Sat Nov 13, 2004 1:28 am

Yup....I've been diagnosed with "Extreme Emotional Traumatic Anxiety Disorder". I damn near had a panic attack this morning just getting myself out the door for this Temp Position for the day. It seems I've always had it, tis why I hurt myself. I go into heavy anxiety when dealing with relationship politics, and now work.

Seems to go hand in hand

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anxiety & depression

Post by aimee929 » Sat Nov 13, 2004 3:58 am

I was diagnosed in Dec 1999 with severe clinical depression & a panic disorder... these have been refined in the past few years... my panic disorder has now become a more generalized anxiety disorder. I still have big problems with anxiety but I rarely have panic attacks anymore. My depression diagnosis was changed to recurrent major depressive disorder (or whatever... basically meaning that i have the same problem with depression, only it keeps reoccurring)

Anyway, I do have the tendency to SI when I have a panic attack. I have only 2 in the past year... the most recent was a few weeks ago.

I also have a "safe place" that I think of & try to imagine myself there. Mytherapist & I have worked on this a lot. Another thing I do is color... I put a package of butcher paper (like bulletin board paper you said in schools) and those child size crayons that are big... and I color. usually, it's not realy pictures, but physically doing something calms me. Sometimes I just need to lay down & try to slow my breathing. Panic attacks are scary. :-?

I hope you are able to find some coping mechanisms...

love,
Aimee
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Post by Sarita » Sun Nov 14, 2004 9:03 am

I have manic depression and anxiety disorder(s)...when i have panic attacks, i carry two rubber bands on my wrist, kind of as bracelets, and i snap them...it's a better outlet on cutting, but it often doesn't work...
scream me something beautiful
a bright red scream
scream me something hideous
jagged and piercing
scream me something...

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Post by green chameleon » Sun Nov 14, 2004 5:07 pm

I have severe depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder. I am also trying to figure out how to handle those anxiety attacks. I often lock myself in my office and play pinball on the computer, or go outside for a looong smoke break. I need to figure out something better though.
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Re: anxiety and depression

Post by Bathelina » Sun Nov 14, 2004 9:50 pm

aroobixcube wrote:does anyone suffer from anxiety disorders and/or depresion?

since my SI reduced a little bit they discovered and diagnosed me with anxiety disorders and depression.

how is for others how do you cope with the high intensity of an anxiety attack?
I get anxiety too. I get really bad attacks, sometimes. Usually when I'm under a lot of stress or annoyed/upset. Really, the best thing is rest. Usually when it's really bad I go to the school nurse and ask if I can lie down. If you cannot lie down, then just take some time to breathe and calm down. If it helps, count to 20 and breathe in and out slowly. Just calming down helps me. I suffer from the sort of anxiety that gives me really bad stomach aches a lot of time.
I hope I helped :)
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Post by herebedragons » Mon Nov 15, 2004 3:27 am

Yes, I have problems with both. I've only been to the doctor about the anxiety (because I was having an anxiety attack and thought I was dying :oops: ) He put me on a low dose of buspar which helps..when I take it. No real advise or anything because my anxiety is not really under control.
Let me think about the people who I care about the most. And how when they fail or disappoint me, I still love them, I still give them chances, and I still see the best in them. Let me extend that generosity to myself.” — Ze Frank

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Post by herebedragons » Mon Nov 15, 2004 3:29 am

Oh actually there is one thing that has helped me a bit. It's something my doctor told me. He said that when it feels like I can't breath I should remember that if I really couldn't breath I would be passed out after a very short time. That doesn't sound like an espessially helpful thing to focus on but it really helps me to be able to tell myself concretely that I MUST be getting air or I would be passed out.
Let me think about the people who I care about the most. And how when they fail or disappoint me, I still love them, I still give them chances, and I still see the best in them. Let me extend that generosity to myself.” — Ze Frank

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Post by Zebraseal » Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:20 pm

Yup, undiagnosed but fortunately also mild anxiety disorder-y stuff here. What I get it, I just try to concentrate on my own feelings a lot, think them over, think about what causes them, what they might be leading to, what I'm really afraid of. But if it's too severe for that to work, I usually just try to concentrate on other things. Something concrete and immobile works the best, like the walls, or the floor, or the feeling of the chair you're sitting on. I try to remember that it's going to pass and there's nothing to _really_ be afraid of.

How long do these attacks of yous take?
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Post by friarygirl » Tue Nov 16, 2004 12:43 am

I'm a Mum from the f&f board, but this post smacked me in the eye (so to speak).

I've had Generalised Anxiety Disorder almost all of my life. I don't have full scale panic attacks (well only twice ever), but a severe anxiety episode is pretty hairy too. I've never had any sort of therapy really, but if I have a very bad attack I just remind myself that in real life and in 10 minutes when I'm feeling better I'll recognise it for what it was - just another attack.

I realise anxiety episodes don't equate to panic attacks, but it can help to try to remind yourself you KNOW what this is, it's completely horrendous, but it WILL pass (of course, that's if you can remember who you are...). If you're capable of thinking of calm places or pinging rubber bands, I think you can usually also tell yourself you do really KNOW what is happening.

Sorry if this is rubbish - I know it's not the same thing - just hoping it might help someone.
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Post by aroobixcube » Fri Nov 19, 2004 10:00 pm

thank you all for your replies: to cover a couple of quries o here, i meant anxiety attacks, but i get both and panic attacks.



*SA* SI* maybe

I was never told how severe my depresion is, but i have depression from the anxiety diorders.

i have bits from social anxiety, generalised, and Obsession thoughts but not the physical actions to have OCD. i cant remeber what else, iv had buspar andthey were o.k. but i had to many to try and stop the pain, and i went very drowsy, i have diazepam for the instant anxiety/panic attack, and trazedone for both.

the anxiety rules my life, ill have anxiety breakdowns all the time where ever i am, in town, at home, anywhere, i cant control it.

ihave to avoid alot, and the anxiety, makes me think odd things like my B.F is slping around when its obvious he's not but ill still believe all these odd things abut life and mainly my B.F because im so anxious about them i hold complete control over my BF and everything so i can control the anxiety etc.

all a bit random.

snapping bands on my wrist has never really appealed to me, i usual smack my head to get the thoughts out, or have a major breakdown.

I was told that allot of anxious pple are perfectionsists, i know i am as everyone encluding the T kps saying it are any of you perfectionsists?


Thank you once again,


Amy. x

p.s my anxiety and control has appeared from the perfectionism stress and worry about failing and the control from previous SA thats y i control my BF also. so the si began, for 4 years now, it got worse as i got with my bf, 1yr and 7months ago. but its geting there.

sorry, i ramble.
We learn who we are as the result of coming to terms with our experiences, combining them with the beliefs and attitudes that we have gained from others.

http://reccuperation.tripod.com

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Post by Zebraseal » Sat Nov 20, 2004 1:33 pm

Ramble on, I love it. :wink:

I'm at least an odd kind of perfectionist. In some ways I'm very laid-back and relaxed, for example I don't really care what grades I get (but then I'm in a university where it's impossible to bet perfect grades for most classes so maybe trying to pass everything counts as perfectionism, too) but I can't even face it if I sometimes notice I've been anoying or stupid in social situations... And I leave the room to cry alone if anyone says anything critical about a presentation I've given or anything. And my creative writing is also a weak spot, because, you know, I have to be PERFECT. (Not.)

*sends good thoughts in your direction* Remember that you can recover from anxiety, little by little. The attacks get rarer and less severe if you learn to be less and less afraid of them.
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Post by Angl06 » Sat Nov 20, 2004 10:26 pm

I have Major depression disorder and post traumatic stress disorder. The anxiety came out firt. I didn't realize the depression until a few weeks b4 I was in the hospital. The anxiety and depression have gotten better an more managable w. my meds

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Post by aroobixcube » Thu Dec 02, 2004 4:58 pm

unfortunatly im on the max of my Ad's so i nd to start learning how to manage my anxiety. My bf tried to help more by telling me my world isnt the real thing and he is human just like everyone etc, you know CBT stuff, and i couldnt live with it, knowing that my anxieties are there and iv altered my mind to think you dont o this that and the other ifyou love someone etc, and well, him trying to attempt what everyone says im gonna get CBT, i cdnt handle it, which is why i dont know how to get control and tell myself enough that the feelings of anxiety go with out me crying yelling and Si'in,

any one have any tricks up their sleeves coz the Psych aint!!!!!

Thank you all for your posts.
We learn who we are as the result of coming to terms with our experiences, combining them with the beliefs and attitudes that we have gained from others.

http://reccuperation.tripod.com

support for Self-harmers and their friends and relatives.

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