The only guy, and also I assume the only turtle?...
Seems to me the practical part of this (reasonable safety measures) and the psychological part of it are separate, though I appreciate how easy it is to conflate them....
I don’t expect people to come together in unity. The divisions are too great. But perhaps at least our leaders can endeavor to tell the truth and treat one another with decorum and civility. That...
Caution, attentiveness, good bike maintenance, and realistic evaluation of risk are all good. Obsessive thinking and rumination, not so much. If you feel like you’re in the latter category, a few...
I agree with Hibee....
You might want to try an MBSR class. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. There are a number of them available online these days. It takes some effort, but can be transformative. It’s good you are...
There’s no “quick fix” way to develop a more positive outlook. Changing this sort of thing takes a real effort. But it’s possible. A gratitude practice can help. Every night, write down one or two...
Coffee in the morning. Every morning. Caffeine free tea in the late afternoon or later (often chamomile or passionflower). Occasionally, green tea....
When I tried Lexapro, it did not make me tired. It was actually more activating. But it probably impacts people in different ways....
I think people know when it’s time to try medication. Sounds like you are there. Maybe start with a small dose and increase as needed. That could help minimize side effects. You can do this. Millions...
In my city in the US there’s a good amount of mental health services available, but most competent providers are private pay so it is difficult to afford services unless you’re relatively well off....
Lexapro works great for some people. Not for others. Trial and error like all of them. Starting on a very low dose might help minimize side effects. Some docs recommend use of a benzodiazepine on a...
Feeling high anxiety. Trying not to succumb to it. I’m taking an online mindfulness course. Hoping it will help....
Anyone try this tea for anxiety? If so, did it help?...
No experience here but make sure you ask the doc about diet restrictions and drug interactions. There may be a fair number of them. Hope it helps!...
I might have OCD or GAD, depending on who you ask. Maybe both. This is my usual pattern: I do something, then later I regret it, then castigate myself for it, and worry intensely about the...
Karen - How do you manage to deal with all of the side effects from these medications, especially when starting them? I might be able to deal with that if I were retired. But as it stands, I have a...
We each react differently. Melatonin didn’t work for me. I didn’t feel well when I took it. Zaleplon worked better. Or a first generation antihistamine. All trial and error I suppose....
Glad you found the solution, Dan! I just cannot tolerate all the trial and error. The psychiatrists are just guessing....
He GG. Thanks for the update. I’m in pretty much the same position as you. The only thing that I found really works for me is benzodiazepines. But I will not take those other than on a very rare...
There are lots of free guided meditations available. Many intro to meditation books too. You could read anything by Thich Naht Hanh. Or John Kabatt Zinn. Or get the free Insight Timer app and join...
Anyone tried it for anxiety or OCD? Some very small studies showed positive results. I’m going to try it....
I’m interested in this too. I have read some recommendations for taking it every day and others prn. My doc said he hasn’t had very good luck with it. But I’m still interested....
Maybe an increase in the medication would make sense, though obviously that is something you should discuss with your physician. As you probably know, sometimes when you increase the dose of...
Yes, for a long time SC and Kitt really carried this forum. Then when Kitt passed away, it fell to SC. Now there are other regulars who offer advice and support. Of course people will come and go on...
Anyone in touch with Scaredy-cat? Seems like it must have been a year since she’s been around here. I hope she’s doing well. She helped a lot of folks on this board. We are lucky we have others who...
Anxiety was worse this week. The only relief I get is when I’m very busy at work. But when I have down time, the anxiety creeps in. I registered for an MBSR class. Anyone try that?...
The agitation or anger could be a really difficult side effect in longer term if it persists. But it seems many medication side effects dissipate over time. Hope so!...
I will be interested to hear how you get on with this. I also experience both OCD and generalized anxiety. I tried an SSRI for almost a year but I think it did more harm than good so I tapered off...
Timtam - it is worth keeping in mind that the "net" has some useful information, but also boatloads of rubbish. Meds can be used for more than one purpose, including off label in some instances. So...
Why would you eat coconut oil? Does it taste good? Just wondering, since I have only heard of that as a cooking ingredient. Hope you feel better....
I do this. And really castigate myself about mistakes. Then worry about consequences. It very destructive. Severely impacts my quality of life. In my case, OCD related....
What have you done to try to address the anxiety? Meditation? Therapy? Exercise? Medications? Something else?...
If you have OCD, arguing with the thoughts is counterproductive. It is likely to make the OCD worse. Fuels the fire. See an OCD specialist, at least for a consult. Ask about ERP and mindfulness. Good...
In the US, this situation is being addressed relatively well at the local level in SOME places. But quite badly in other places and terribly at the National level. As Oceanfisher points out, it has...
You are not helpless. You probably cannot help having certain thoughts, but you can decide what you will do when you have those thoughts. I don’t mean to pretend this is easy. It is not. It’s hard....
I have discussed this subject at some length with my therapist. One thing to realize is that most people have these sorts of thoughts. The difference is what you do in response to the intrusive...
Dan what ssri do you take? I was on Zoloft but am tapering off slowly now. Thought about trying buspar but my doc said his experience is that doesn’t help most of his patients....
Since I increased my SSRI dose, I find I’m remembering my dreams much more often. I guess maybe my sleep is more interrupted. I don’t mind though; many of the dreams are amusing stories and I can try...
It is interesting how different people experience different side effects. I’ve been on Zoloft for around 10-11 months. I had various side effects including bad agitation at the beginning. But I did...
Did they give you Phenazopyridine or some other medication to deal with the burning / pain? Hope you feel better soon!...
Glad to hear you’re done with it. The brachytherapy recovery should be better than recovery from RP would have been, so hopefully you’ll be feeling well soon. Must feel good to have the procedure...
How did your surgery go? Hope you’re doing well....
Thanks Rrakkma. The Sertraline start up was a bit rough for me. I needed Klonopin to get sleep and I often woke very early AM with extremely uncomfortable agitation. The only thing I found that...
Thanks Turtle. I’m hoping that the very slow taper will help minimize side effects. But we’ll see. My bigger concern is whether I’m better off with or without the Zoloft. I also have a fairly...
I feel like it’s obvious to others. But objectively it’s probably not, other than perhaps to a very small number of people who know me best....
Does the OCD bother you enough to get treatment for it? Or is it just a minor annoyance?...
I have an OCD diagnosis. For sure, it is an anxiety disorder -- and for many of us causes a heck of a lot of anxiety!...
Doing fine when I am very busy. Feel anxious when I have down time. That is not good for me, because I am getting to the point in life when I would like to have more downtime. I worked very hard in...
As mentioned in another thread, I am starting to taper off my Zoloft. I know that some people experience increased anxiety when tapering. How can I distinguish the increased anxiety that is a side...