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Severe depression and anxiety attacks, help anyone?
Sorry this is long, please take the time to read!!
f/22 I was diagnosed with severe depression 4 months ago. It started with insomnia, I had trouble concentrating at Uni, felt insecure about my future e.g. what profession to choose, and then I started having terrible anxiety attacks & was crying all the time. I had to move back to my parents because I couldn't take care of myself anymore, and at some point I was scared to leave the house. Now I take an antidepressant and something against anxiety, and I'm also seeing a therapist and I feel a lot better, but I still have those horrible anxiety attacks. I don't trust myself anymore, I fear that I might go crazy and start screaming in public if I have an anxiety attack, or that I might do something to myself once I'm alone. I would never willingly hurt myself, but I'm not myself anymore when I have an attack. The semester is about to start again and I really want to go back to Uni and continue my studies, even if it's only a couple of courses, but I'm literally scared out of my wits by these anxiety attacks. and what's worse I can't concentrate on studying, and I'm supposed to sit exams. I don't want to tell my friends from university, because I know they can't keep a secret and I don't want to be tagged as 'the weird one'. I know I shouldn't give a fuck, but its hard enough without people giving you weird glances.
has anyone gone through something like this? how did you deal with anxiety attacks? please help me!!!
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Want to answer more questions in the Health & Fitness category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Mental health?
Two questions that need to be answered first. Are you being treated by a psychiatrist and psychologist or a general practitioner and some other form of therapist. If the answer is the second pair you need to change doctors.
I've gone through what you are now going through and understand how you feel. On top of the depression you can add in be scared out of your wits, at least I was. This is a terrible place to be and it takes a while to climb out. For me it was my third therapist that clicked with me.
With her help we identified the root cause of my depression and then worked on ways to deal with them. As we did so other deeper problems surfaced and we dealt with them. That was 5 years ago; the initial cause of my depression was, as I now put it, the straw that broke the camels back. There were deeper problems that I was keeping buried and once the dam broke they all came tumbling out.
I'm in a better place today; it took a lot of work and a lot of support from my therapist,psychiatrist, friends and family. Some of the problems will never go away they are that deep seated. I have learned to understand them and understand not only how to deal with them but they were not my fault. They go as far back as childhood.
I tell you all this to show you there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I know you are in a scary place right now. With the right doctor and therapist you can and will work your way out, but it is up to you.
I know you do not live in the states; most likely in the UK or Australia and probably covered by National Health Insurance. Feeling the way you have written I would suggest two things. First I do not think you should try and go back to UNI this semester; I do not think you you are ready for the added stress.
Second: Go to the nearest hospital emergency room and ask for help. Bring a copy of the letter you wrote us with you. You possibly need a change in medications and Doctors. Given how hard it is to get appointments with National Health doctors and as a first responder myself, I would consider from what you have written that you are in an emergency condition and in need of immediate help. If you cannot get to the hospital call 999 or the emergency number for where you are at.
Most importantly please remember that how you feel at the moment is not permanent; there are better days ahead.
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Get rid of your therapist and family doctor who aren't qualified to handle this. You need to proceed to an emergency room and ask to be assessed by the on-call psychiatrist.
If you feel you might harm yourself or feel like you're headed to being out of control or can't function it's an emergency and has to be seen to at an emergency room.
Tell them in absolute detail exactly what you wrote us here, fears, anxiety attacks and whether medication in your mind is working and that you were told you had severe depression but are confident something else is going on that isn't being treated properly.
Don't worry as they can fix your problem. However, they may want you to stay there with them until they can figure out what your illness really is, how it's working against you and the proper path to take.
If they believe you might be a harm to yourself or others to you or in a situation that could harm you they ask you to stay. Doesn't mean you're crazy, just that you need help and rest.
If I were you and I've been there with bipolar disorder and anxiety attacks a plenty I would go to the hospital after reading this and get it seen to. Everything else in life needs to drop as the type of symptoms and things going on suggests a crisis that you need to avert pronto. Be well.
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If you have anxiety issues with exams, you may be able to get special accommodations through your student disability services department.
I was able to get a doctor's note saying that I have anxiety, and then use that to get a designation as a student with a disability. The disabilities department was able to set it up so that I write exams in a separate room, as well as some other accommodations that are related to other mental health diagnoses.
Most schools should have some sort of system like this in place.
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