Question:
For the past 30 or so years having been
taking antidepressants of one type or another. Recently, my MD suggested
that anxiety rather depression is my concern. I began anti-anxiety
medication about a month ago. My concern is that I am now very much aware of the anxiety I feel. I'm also
now conscious of the anxiety I have felt for many years. I tell myself that
my fears are absurd and groundless. Yet, the feeling remains. Sometimes the
feeling is so overwhelming that I have to force myself to be functional?
Answer:
Just curious as to what med you are taking and have you noticed any improvement
in your anxiety? Medication for anxiety can really help to get us back on our
feet, but sometimes it isn`t enough. I think you would benefit greatly by
getting into some cognitive behavioral therapy.
I really understand what you mean about telling yourself that your fears are
absurd yet the fear remains. You can tell yourself over and over until you are
blue in the face that there is nothing to be afraid about........but you have
to really believe it. It is hard to believe that everything is okay when you
feel dizzy and your heart is racing
What has helped me alot is Paxil and cognitive behavioral
therapy........they`ve gotten me real far the last few years. You sound like a perfect candidate for cognitive
behavior therapy, learning how to live with anxiety and still
enjoy life. This type of therapy would teach you how to handle those
fearful thoughts and change them to better thinking. Just about two years ago, I developed pneumonia for the 3rd time in 5 years.
(I seem to have become physically ill each December/January for the past 5
or six years). While I was recovering last from that pneumonia, I lost the
ability to fully function. I could function OK in my profession, but at home
all I wanted to do was sleep. Thus I went to psychologist; she had my MD
take me off Paxil and prescribe Prozac. During the 20 months or so I took
Prozac, I gained 80 pounds and seem unable to enjoy life. That's when my new
MD suggested I drop the Prozac and take Buspirone. That's what I've been
taking the past month. As I reflect on the years I took Paxil, I really can't remember being overly
anxious. I've been in various forms of therapy off and since I was in college,
sometimes because of a transient situational disorder, sometimes for
personal growth. Last week I telephoned the best therapist I know for an
appointment. She's booked until after Christmas, but then I'm back with her.
I'm taking Buspar (Buspirone) too and it did take at least a month
to start working. I had to get my dosage raised to the maximum amount and
once that kicked in I really noticed a difference. It takes a lot of
patience. But then my mother started taking it since zoloft didn't work for
her, and she noticed a difference right away on just a small dosage, but
this could have just been placebo effect. Well, I hope yours starts working
soon. What is your dosage? If it doesn't start working soon, then you
might want to ask your doctor for a higher dosage.
