Anxiety/depression

[Tomshardware]

"Been through bad time lately with suffering with this. Dark thoughts as well. I know some posters on here suffer with this. Anyone come through the other side of this shit?

"A number of posters have been yellow carded and told to stay off this thread unless they have anything constructive to add.This is a thread that has been very useful to so many, for any other posters with scores to settle, argue on another thread. This thread is sacrosant.Thank you"

[charleyfarley]

Good luck Ted hope all is is ok with your tests today

[ted fenton]

Yet another endoscope today plus the fluid (Ascites) is back in my stomach ffs ! Never mind Grandad shit happens !!!

[Westham67]

If dont want to do a DBS OXFAM will ask for a non family members email address for a reference

[Westham67]

"Thanks you for you kind word gents I find cooking very therapeutic, Normally I am slap dash but last night I took 3 hours to put a decent curry together slow cooking every competent that's in freezer in bags and will last me 3 days"

[charleyfarley]

"Yes as SOH says, keep it going westham67 you certainly are a battler, and pleased for you Willtell that you found a way out of your health problems Keep battling and sharing"

[Side of Ham]

Keep it going 67 it’s nice to hear you have the ability to use some perspective to fight against a possible attack of anxiety….the more that can help you the better chance (I’m presuming) of a long term solution for you?…..and hopefully a lot of happiness and contentment comes your way.

[Willtell]

Well done 67. Glad to see you on the way back. Just over a year ago I suffered anxiety feelings after being on tablets for an out of the blue arthritis attack after a 3rd Covid injection. I’m not a conspiracy theorist but it’s hard not to put it down to that injection. I’ve never had sleep problems but did and also woke up with feelings that I couldn’t breathe. It was weird as I’d never experienced it but I stopped taking any tablets and fortunately the swelling stopped in hands and feet. Arthritis all but disappeared and anxiety went as well. If I find myself awake in early hours I just put my ‘dickhead’ light on so not to disturb the wife and read a book that’s not too interesting. Works every time… There’s usually a way out of health problems so don’t ever give up hope. It needs working at but alcohol is never a solution.

[Westham67]

"There is no elephant in room I dont even know what are you trying to imply. ? All medication that alters brain chemistry has side effects to start with some worse than others I am about 90% better, I have had 4 good days starting with the charity shop on Tuesday ,Wednesday gym in the PM not AM Thursday I went shopping cooked a decent meal the first time in a long time . I was trying to sleep and I thought I know this feeling what have eaten of drank that conflicts with medication and knew I was not going to get a good sleep, I woke up I have been waiting for an email and it had not been sent and I started to freak out and I thought to myself you are just tired and the anxiety went away. I did my shift in the charity shop with aide of Lucozade. I am doing 10am to 4pm Sunday CBT has helped me to help myself. Anyone on the borderline of getting better I would recommend voluntary work its get you back into the main stream ,interacting with different people every day and its work with no pressure, I have been ill since June 21 when I came back from the UAE and now I am nearly fixed"

[mashed in maryland]

"Pointing this out won't go down well, but its an elephant in the room: One of the most common side effects of SSRIs is disruption to sleep Excessive caffeine won't help but if you're on SSRIs it might not be your afternoon cuppa causing the problems"

[Westham67]

Michael Sealey hypnosis on YT . There is anxiety am speaking publicly one. Go with it and you feel like you have a fallen into hole full of peace

[Westham67]

Michael Sealey hypnosis on YT . There is anxiety am speaking publicly one. Go with it and you feel like you have a fallen into hole full of peace

[Moncurs Putting Iron]

"My sleep based anxiety was mostly been triggered by work and occasionally relationship woes. It took two forms: Go to bed tired but scenarios and ideas, plans rattle round my head OR drop off at 10pm but be wide awake at 1am as if it was 6am with the same problem. What used to help me in those circumstances was grabbing and pen and paper and writing an action plan based on everything that would not leave my brain whilst lying there. It was almost like it was leaving my head via the pen and mind and body were satisfied 'It would be sorted in the morning' Havent needed to do it in years but it occasionally flares up and when it does this approach really works for me. Hope that's of help to someone if only to highlight that disrupted sleep happens to many of us."

[Manuel]

"''Generally sleep OK but lately been waking early feeling anxious and worried about things'' I've been that way for a long time and it's frigging horrible I know. Middle of the night too. I don't have any advice except if you can get in the mood try to watch something that might make you laugh and cheer you up, and book a trip if feasible, it's important imo to have something to look forward to, or it's just a long black tunnel in front of you. Personally, I don't think your choice of tea bags will make any difference to how we might feel, but that's just me, but believe alcohol can make you feel worse afterwards. Good luck."

[Tomshardware]

"Thanks all, good points about caffeine and lack of sleep. I try to buy decaf teabags when I can, need to be more strict with myself about making sure I only drink decaf as it definitely doesn't help with anxiety. Generally sleep OK but lately been waking early feeling anxious and worried about things. Pents, I've lived with it for years and mostly function OK but when it goes up a notch then things can spiral to a point where not living anymore seems preferable. I struggle socially and social situations which I can't avoid can be a nightmare. My instinct is to run and hide but you can't go through life avoiding everything. I've had CBT and found it helpful, I'm also on Citalopram."

[Pentonville]

Tomshardware - what's going on mate? What's triggered it

[zico]

"Can only echo what Ted said 67. I have just found out that I can release some funds from an old pension when I hit the big 55 in June. Will certainly make things a little more comfortable for a while and that in itself has released a lot of worry. Funny how a few more pennies help eh! What's helped me in the last couple of months is I've started watching old feel good movies. Won't help everyone but it gets me away from reality for a couple of hours. Society is a funny one. Whilst I don't volunteer anymore I do deliver to people and it's always the old ladies who are lovely and the people who seem to treat you best and give a little tip are always the ones who can't really afford it themselves. I visit a disabled guy who hands me three quid, I try and turn it down but he insists. Mr and Mrs Cavendish - Barkley or whatever in their 6 bedroom mansion you are lucky to get a thank you!"

[ted fenton]

Well done 67 your doing a grand job volunteering and hopefully as I found you'll get that good feeling of having helped people !!! Wish you well mate and hopefully onwards and upwards.

[Westham67]

"CBT has helped me realise when I am going wrong and how to fix it. I was put in emergency housing and there was only a microwave and my thinking was I dont have to get up for anything so was I downing 2 in 1 coffee for fun that was mid October 21 until a few weeks ago when my depression went down and then we started working on getting some structure in my life buts its easier said than done only this week have I got going to bed at 10ish and getting up a 7am and going to the gym 1pm one rather than 1am. I am one cup of tea in the morning the rest decaf Only in the last 2 weeks have I realise how much lack of sleep and caffeine sends me into tailspin of anxiety , obsessing over nothing and getting low mood ultra negative thoughts and back in to the depression I started working t as a volunteer in the Shelter (Charity for the homeless ) shop last Friday and Yesterday my shifts are 1pm to 5pm my shifts are 1pm to 5pm Tuesday and Friday, Its a laugh some of the shit people bring in"

[zico]

"Caffeine free coke or Pepsi is nice actually. I've had to cut down as my bladder is the size of a babies, or that's what it seems, and I drink a lot of coffee and coke zero. Quit the booze three years ago. So when it's available I get the caffeine free coke and have recently tried Kenco caffeine free coffee which is ok to be fair. Mike is right with the anxiety causing sleep issues. I couldn't sleep naturally for two years. Just as I was dropping off I would have a loud bang or electrical spasm in my head which would jerk me awake. It was diagnosed as exploding head syndrome, although interestingly I saw an article the other day explaining exactly what I had. Was ion sleeping tablets for two years. Three days on one day off on which I couldn't sleep. Was exhausted and then one night without a pill I just dropped off. The syndrome got less and less and strangely I have been ok since , came off the tabs slowly and haven't had one in several years. Went as quick as it came. Weird! Tom if you want to vent just whomail me if you like."

[arsegrapes]

"I am on caffeine free tea and instant coffee, although I still have a decent machine made coffee but not in the evening. There is caffeine free coke, but can't comment as don't drink fizzy drinks."

[Mike Oxsaw]

"I know I keep banging on about this but 67 has highlighted a major source of anxiety - simply a lack of sleep; you can't sleep because you're anxious and you're anxious because you can't sleep. There's a good chance that you're in a sort of ""midnight oil"" routine - a hangover from when you were younger - mine probably started by waiting up for ""pirate TV"" to start after the little white dot on the telly had done it's stuff; never happened, but staying up late seemed a very ""adult"" thing to do, so I kept at it. Then I discovered pubs, clubs & discos and a 40 year long routine was set. You need to retrain your body to prepare for a (good) night's sleep. No food or drink (except oh-so-boring water) in the 4 hours preceding the time you want to hit the sack, lower the lighting level where you are in that period if you can (to mimic sunset) and absolutely no electronics in the bedroom - and, yes, that includes your mobile phone. An alarm clock, if you must have one beside your bed, should have a red - not blue or green - display. If you have a ""night light"" option on your phone/TV/computer, activate that, too whilst using it in those pre-beddy-by-boes hours. No instant results, though - took me about 4 weeks...and then another 2 to realise I really was sleeping better."

[Moncurs Putting Iron]

"Like Mike (And Brooking bless him for it) Tom, WHO Mail."

[Takashi Miike]

"toms, whomail"

[Westham67]

"Tom I am getting better but a lack of sleep and caffeine put me back to where I was. Cut caffeine down if you drink coke , tea or coffee"

[Tomshardware]

Feeling consumed by anxiety at the moment. Hoping it'll pass but at the moment it's making every day feel a daunting prospect just to make it through.