Depressed and in need of advice and understanding.

I last posted when I was on day 10 of sertraline. I am now at 3 weeks tomorrow. I thought I was improving but yesterday and today I've had a nervous tummy, many bathroom visits, feel shaky, and overthinking. It's New Year's Eve. Do I send a best wishes email to my daughter who ignored the one I sent last week. I am sick with indecision.

Can I ask if any of you who suffer with anxiety have practiced any techniques? or read up on what is physically happening to your body, ie, adrenaline.
I could explain here but it’s best that you read up on it yourself.

I know this technique works. Please read the comments if in doubt, what have you got to loose?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUx5kLFyx-M

@hairspray100 how are you?

@kate1949 I'm the same. I can never properly relax and always expect the worst. Bizarrely I cope well with things but being hypervigiliant and anxious is always there. I know mine is due to an awful childhood too. It's exhausting.

Ooops.
Forget my last paragraph above. I see this is now in the Active Forum.

Thank you Doodle and Katie1949.
Doodle, I did take a brief look at the Black Dog thread. Everyone seemed very chatty and getting on with things which is encouraging. I think I'm not just ready for the chatty bit yet but may join it with a just short post.

Katie1949, I'm so sorry for your fears. That cloud that hangs over everything.
Do you take medications still have the shakes.

Out of interest, can anyone tell me....... I posted in the Heath Forum and this thread was oldish. I thought posting would then take it into the Active Forum but I don't see it in Active. Can anyone explain. Thank you.
......

Coolgran I can relate to your post. I have posted many times about my horrendous childhood. I can honestly say I was terrified every day as a child. This hasn't really gone away. I am very afraid of life - waiting for the next awful thing to happen. It usually does. Yes there have been lovely times but I always have this underlying fear so I can never truly enjoy anything. I too suffer with shakes (shaky hands) which is embarrassing. I hope your medication works and you start to feel better. It's no way to live that's for sure.

Coolgran so sorry you feel like this. Many of us can sympathise with the description of how you feel. Depression and anxiety can affect all of us at some point.
The medication will help but as you realise already it does take time.
It won’t fix the underlying problem but might help you be more calm about it and cope with it better.
Family problems get to us all. Main source of worry for a lot of people. You are not on your own.
We can’t offer a solution, only a sympathetic ear and support if you would like to join us on the Black Dog thread you would be most welcome. Take care.

I know this is an old thread but it does seem very relevant to me. I think I can relate to Hairspray100 who if if recall correctly said that a family issue didn't help. Apologies off I've got that bit wrong.
All my adult life has been difficult and I've coped with anxiety. First of all with my ex husband and then my daughter who still blames me for many things. Recently things have spiralled and I felt like I was going over the edge. Shakes and tremors, anxiety through the roof, knots in my stomach, no appetite, diarrhoea.
My doctor started me on sertraline and I'm on day 10. So far I'm slightly calmer but still not good. The problem issue won't ever go away. I will always be blamed. It is a stressful relationship but I don't want to lose contact though I don't t think my daughter would care. Not sure. I don't want to push things in case she just cuts contact with me. We aren't close and I can't see that improving because of how she sees the past.
I have had one counselling session so far where I was pretty much told I need to deal with it and accept the consequences.
I am hoping that the sertraline will help me be stronger and although the situation won't change, that I will be able to cope better and not worry so much. It is so painful to have an awful conversation go round and round in your head constantly increasingly.
I pray that this medication will work for me. I'm wondering did it work for you Hairspray100.
I think Allsorts was also dealing with an issue that would not change. Again apologies if I've remembered incorrectly.
I wish the next 4 weeks would pass quickly in the hope this medication works.

Thinking of you Hairspray Such a lot of lovely replies which I found comforting too. Wishing you good health and sending positive thoughts

Hairspray 100
I can truly sympathise with how your feeling. Don't feel alone your not as you can see here. I have taken sertraline in the past for anxiety and depression it does help it took about 4 weeks before I began to notice a difference in how I was feeling. You will get through this be kind to yourself it won't happen overnight so don't beat yourself up. It's one day at a time until one morning when you'll wake and think "ooo I feel a bit better today" Take heart it will get better.

Hairspray100 I have been on sertraline for about a year and a half. I started on a low dose and it had to be increased but feel better for that. I also had counselling through Vocal which helped me articulate my difficulties though the things that make me down will never change. Reading things on Google can be helpful but if you believed everything you would never go out. Hard to stop though! I've not joined the Black Dog thread yet but may do in time. I do sometimes feel a bit aggrieved as many of the things that make me down are not my doing.

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Hi there
You sound like me, I am a week in on taking sertraline so I'm up and down, I did sleep better tho from day one so I'm optimistic,
It's good to read other people's posts as this dreadful illness makes you feel all alone

Many,many thanks xxxx

Please go for a walk daily. Only for around 10 minutes then build up from there. When meeting someone say "Hello and smile". The enormity of that simple step will make a huge difference to you. Walking is a great healer for any problems we meet along the way. Good luck in all you do.

Hello everyone,
I am so grateful for all of the suggestions. All very wise and useful.
I appreciate every post and thanks for all of the advice.
I will log off for a little while and have taken it all on board. Take care of yourselves and I will post at a later date.
Xxxxx

Ps. Some women just need totesterone
I wondered if this was my prob as sisters were fine but politely got a few whiskers! I got none which showed as levels dropped mine went very low we can forget it's not just a male hormone
My thought is if we top up thyroud hormones why we wouldn't we top up sex hormones if it is causing distressing symptoms as the brain needs these, for some more than others
I'm protecting myself now from more bone deteriation as Iv had a hip joint problem! Also what do we get as hormones diminish.... old bones old skin maybe heart prob ....

Hormones aye!!! I used to think it was a myth😊 we were brought up to get on with it. ( unsure if men woukd manage) my mum used to say this may be you in yrs to come!
I get it mum. Bless

..something causes it. ! I thought I was going mad tbh. And awful panic and anxiety. You don't just catch depression unless a huge life event
I paid for consult at Louise Newson to ask finer questions she put it through to gp and get on nhs !

Please do t take on board any hurtful comments it's because they don't understand ! And YES you need to offload somewhere.
I wonder (as Iv been there) if this is hormones. Like very low ostregen. I felt like I was in a constant pmt for yrs🙄😩. No hrt on offer.
Now older women can have it please go to Louise Newson. Read her Balance sheet it speaks to older ladies
Iv got natural bi identical now and getting woomph back
I'm 70 maybe not for everybody. I was always upbeat and a bit bubbly in younger years
Also what affects us is thyroid deficiency have you read that. Sorry if mentioned I'm in a rush lol I couldn't rush for yrs! Thyroud uk is a great place and forum. Sadly gps aren't trained in it they say fine no action when TSH is at 4.6!!! Endocrine say to be under 2! Good to check old records too when you were well
Like process of elimination
Sorry to ramble just passing on my journey!!!

Depression is qualitatively completely different from low mood. It is beyond the imagination of those who are well. I do not blame them for that - as Kate1949 says: "That was me beforehand."

I have never been so frightened in my life - and my poor family were distraught.

My DD suffered a similar episode antenatally and I really thought I was going to lose her - she became a completely different person and did not get out of bed for weeks. Her illness was so severe that ending the pregnancy would have been a serious option.

I agree wholeheartedly with your post Lucky. I also understand people who gave never suffered not being able to imagine it. That was me beforehand. My brother suffered terribly and I used to get annoyed with him to my shame now.

No upset here - I just wanted to make the distinction between a situation where someone can employ such techniques as daily gratitude and the more serious form of depression where this has no chance of helping.

The problem is making the distinction from the outside. In the one case it is very helpful, and in the other it can make things worse by making the person in this awful situation feel they should be able to do these things to try and get better.