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Anxiety is taking over my life.
Hi,
I've been noticing that you give very honest and humble advice. Not only have you answered a question of mine, but I've seen the answers you have given others and I like the way you think. So, in saying that, I would like to ask you a direct question. I'm not sure if you know anything about it, or if you can even give me answer, but it doesn't hurt to ask. It is kind of long so I completely understand if you don't answer right away, or if you don't answer at all.
Anyway, I've been experiencing feelings of anxiousness for the past couple of months. I've had quite a few things change in my life. I moved out of my mother's house, where I moved in with my boyfriend and two other friends, got a new job, and pretty started a new chapter in my life. My boyfriend and I spend pretty much every moment together, except when I am working, which is 7AM- 430PM. He just got a new job and today is the first day that he hasnt been home when I am, but he will be at 6. I've noticed that I have become a little obsessive towards him. Everything little thing I do, I'm thinking about him and how it will affect him and what he thinks. I've kind of lost touch with myself. When we didn't live together, he was always so excited to see me when I came over and gave me all of his attention. Now that we live together, the excitement has died a little. He says its because he has just become so comfortable with me and I love that, but I didn't realize that meant that he didnt have to show me as much affection anymore. I'm kind of getting off subject, but that was kind of a little back story. Now lets get to it... This feeling of anxiety I have can be very overwhelming at points, and it has affected living day to day life, but it's not every day that I feel this way... My mother and my sister have both dealt with anxiety & depression so naturally, I went to them for advice. They tell me to get medicated. I know that it has worked for them, but I wasn't sure it would work for me or that I even needed to get that extreme considering i havent tried any natural forms of relieving anxiety. I took their advice and went to the doctor. They proscribed me with Zoloft (which i thought was just for depression, but it also for anxiety, PMDD, PTSD, OCD, and some other things). Today was the first day that I took it and I felt fine up until around 11:30 when I started to feel this overwhelming feeling of axiety take over me. My chest felt heavy, I started sweating, I felt nervous, my hands started getting very clammy, a rush of heat came over me and my jaw got very tight. It was unlike any other feeling of anxiety I have had before. I'm assuming it was an attack. I talked to my sister about it and she said she felt the same way at first but in a few weeks (to a month) she felt better and in 3 months she felt great. I'm just wondering if this is even worth it. I feel more anxious now than I did without it, and I really don't want it to affect my life (work, boyfriend, sanity....) I am very unsure of whether or not I should continue. Do you know anything about anxiety or Zoloft? If not do you have some words of wisdom to help me get through this hard time?
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Maybe give some free advice about: Mental health?
When you went to the doctor, I don't know if you just described what you feel and that mom and sis have it and he just prescribed Zoloft or if the doctor did any testing on you to see if indeed you need the medication. The reason people get side effects and sometimes go through an adjustment period on prescription drugs is for one reason only, pharmaceutical medication are not something natural our body was meant to take in and do well with. They are formed in a lab and can never come close to 'mother nature'. I do not know anything other than that statement I made about pharmaceutical meds based on what I have read from places on line like 'natural news' and from what i have learned by going to naturopathic Doctors. Some times there are people for whom natural means have not helped for whatever the illness whether anxiety, depression, high blood pressure or cholesterol, etc... and the prescription meds take care of their symptom quite well but cause anywhere from one to 5 or more side effects that are also unbearable like cotton mouth, difficulty sleeping, constipation, etc...and now must take a 2,d 3rd or 4th medication to relieve those symptoms. So basically the body eventually gets used to living 'drugged' on the tons of medication that pharmaceutical companies make great money on and doctors are taught thats the only way to help and don't know any better cus they chose to believe what they were told, so they prescribe these medications and many get a kick back from pharmacyes for suggesting or prescribing their medications. Yes, there are some good caring doctors out there, but in todays world, it is better if you think for yourself and keep control of your bodies welfare in your own hands.
Yes, perhaps in time, your body will retrain itself to get used to Zoloft as your family did. Thats entirely up to you if you want to just go with it. You didn't mention trying any natural means first. If you could afford to see a doctor, I must suppose that you have insurance. So if you are having 2nd thoughts about the reaction you had and would rather know about a better more natural solution, then check if naturopathic doctors are covered by insurance. Such a doctor must go through exactly the same training as a regular general med. Dr. and on top of that all the training for natural health and the body so in the end, they can have more knowledge than a regular doctor and therefore know of what things to try. Since each persons body makeup is unique, one will find help with a certain herbal product while another does not. Same as with prescription drug medications too. But holistically speaking, a natural dr will look not just at the symptoms on a physical level but whole health meaning emotional, mental, maybe spiritual (not religious tho) Diet, lifestyle and other things can contribute to a problem. If you are daily taking Zoloft because you were given it, and then go to see a natural Dr. it may be harder for him to get a good reading of whats really going on for you when you are on that drug. Its really your decision to get a 2nd opinion now or not from a natural health dr. or just trust a medical doctor and pharmacy that have profit as their first goal and your welfare 2nd when I feel it should be the other way around like it used to be years ago.
As for the boyfriend seeming different, maybe he doesnt seem to have the same eager expression to see you since he does see more of you now. I suppose if you're needing that excited reaction when you come home, a pet dog will take care of that LOL...they're known to greet their owners enthusiastically at the door.
Considering what you are suffering from, I can't say what you are feeling regarding boyfriend is entirely accurate or true, or whether you are overthinking it. It may be best to look at that scenerio at a later date once you are to feeling normal and no longer suffering from anxiety or depression. I do have a list of things to do for depression but don't know if you have already seen that.
Scientists have found potential causes for anxiety and have broke them down into three parts, brain chemistry, heredity, and life experiences. The brain chemistry one is also what can affect and cause the problems with depression.
Between the feel good hormones that the body creates being low and having a negative thinking process, those two things I believe will account for a great majority of the depression and anxiety related problems many people suffer from today. I've said a lot and yet, its still your choice what you want to do next. Hopefully I've given you more things to think about in deciding how to proceed. Blessings dear and thank you for having such confidence in me.
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