Anyone deal with anxiety and depression on here?

First of all, I must apologize to some of you. I have been a little on edge here lately, saying mean things, being immature, and things like that. I was banned for 7 days. Sometimes i just have a tough time with my anxiety. It has been wrecking my life for 17 years now and doesn't seem to go away. I have been on different meds every 2-3 years as they lose their effect. Sometimes I feel as if i am battling this alone because of the stigma associated with discussion about the subject. We as men are taught to me macho and tough but i have my limits. I would like to hear others' stories of their battle, how they deal with it, any recommendations on how to help get rid of it. I basically need a friend. If you have a story please share it.

The worst thing i deal with is health anxiety. I have spent thousands and thousands of dollars over the years for unnecessary doctor visits and tests. Its a horrible way to live your life. it scares me because i have a young daughter and a wife and i know i put them through difficult times. Sorry to vent

 

You have a support group here, use it.

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I feel so embarrassed reaching out to a bunch of dudes, hope i dont catch hell

 

Dont be. I can assure you, you arent alone ​

 

We’re all here for you bud, you’d be surprised how many of us have dealt with or currently dealing with that stuff

<3

 

it's horrible man, it has ruined my life. Taken all the joy out of it. Sadly

 

Lorazepam 0.5 mg once or twice a day. Very low addiction factor--one of those DAMHIK things...

 

Hey there . I have slight case of anxiety and I’ve had to at times stop driving , pull over and take a breather . Hell at times I’ve had to step out of my house and walk around while I try to clear my mind .

Anyways I’ve consulted with a accupuncturist and it’s been a tremendous . I don’t like having to take pharmaceutical drugs since it’s not bad . I have a friend that started taking CBD therapy for his anxiety and he wished he would’ve done it a lot sooner if he knew it would help more than taking and testing which drugs would help. if you’re tired of prescription drugs maybe do some research on CBD. You don’t need to smoke it or vape it. The oils can be taken like homeopathic medicines . Also maybe even look into accupuncture.

You’re not alone and regardless that we are strangers in the internet we’re here to listen and help

 

You are not alone man! Went through similar things when I was younger and it took time for me to find a method that worked.

Please feel free to PM me at any time to vent or if you need someone to talk to

 

First of all, you shouldn’t apologize for bringing this up. It’s a tough thing to do, especially when you’re a guy. Be proud of yourself for reaching out instead of calling for desperate or even permanent measures. This is one of the closest online communities I’ve ever had the pleasure to be a part of - with help not only for vehicle troubles, but for all sides of life.

I’ve struggled with depression as far back as I can remember. I honestly wish my parents caught onto it early on to get me on meds, but they used to think I was just over exaggerating. The first “red flag” was saying shit like “I’m gonna kill myself” as early as 7ish. Maybe some kids do exaggerate, but in my case I feel like it was a sign. I’ve lived with depression since, and with it highs and lows... but mainly lows.

During my early teen years, a lot of traumatic events happened in my life that pretty much still impacts me to this day. Back then, I had to go through years and years of Court Mandated counciling and from there I was diagnosed with PTSD, which is essentially an anxiety based disorder. They ultimately gave me the choice to op for medication, but my dumbass said no. I still haven’t gotten medication and I’m not entirely sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. In my case, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease a couple years ago and I already take plenty of medicine. I don’t want to add more pills to the mountain of pills that I already take daily. There’s valid studies for and against it, but ultimately it’s up to the individual and how their body reacts to those chemicals.

Once the depression grabs a hold of your life, you end up not being as active. A less active life builds up more general anxiety, at least in my case. From there you dig yourself into a hole that gets harder and harder to climb out of. There have been times where I wouldn’t want to leave the house for weeks, and when I had to, I had anxiety for the smallest things in the world like driving to the store. It was, and sometimes still is, absolutely ridiculous.

I can’t say how to get in 100% tip top shape. I’m not a doctor or a counselor or a therapist. I can only take small tips from what has helped me in my life and hope they can help you as well. Talk to someone. Maybe try counseling or therapy. That helps a lot of people when they do it on their own terms. Stay active, go jogging a few days a week early in the morning. Hang out with buddies. Go hiking. Get on a healthy diet. A healthy mind can’t sustain itself without a healthy body. “Mens sana in corpore sano.” Staying active is proven to help. Find a new passion, whether it’s getting into a new sport or learning about a new subject. Direct your focus onto the things you like. Just do anything but isolate yourself. Realize that you can’t always feel good. It’s not human. It’s okay to have lows every once in a while.

I hope this helps. I know it isn’t much, but I just want you to realize that you’re not alone. We’re here for you.

 

I wish CBD was legal in NC. Man i can only imagine. i have had to pull over before too. I can only drive on the right lane for fear of having a flat tire on the far left lane.

 

Most of it is health anxiety. I have thought that i had just about any and every disease possible, thanks to Google. My wife started taking my phone away when i get home to keep me off the internet. I will find something that i think is "off" and fixate on it till it makes me sick. Its terrible.

 

I suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD due to loosing my entire family in one single tragic incident. What has helped and continue to help me is the power of positive thinking, positive feelings and positive surroundings and refusing to settle for anything less regardless of the situation and or person. I can honestly attest to the power of absolutely requiring positive vibes in all aspects of my life in helping me deal with the situation as well as the recurring thoughts of the tragic incident.

Even though I do not personally know you, please know that I wish you the best. I'm here for you and willing to help in anyway that I can. Feel free to send me a personal message if you need to. I applaud you for your courage in sharing your story here with us.

Take care and be well!

Your cyber friend,
Chris

 

Kind words, many thanks. Wow. I cannot imagine what you went through. Prayers brother

 

Your not alone and you have more courage than you know just to admit it and post about it. There is nothing wrong with admitting you have a problem god knows we all have some issues that plague us. I've been struggling with depression for years and didn't realize it until about 5 years ago. Long story short my parents got divorced when I was 14 and my mom moved to another state. My dad died when I was 17 so I was pretty much on my own. After these 2 things happened I was so young and no one there to help me or talk to about it I just bottled it all up. I'm paying for that now but it's something I'm working thru. I have a great girlfriend who supports me but I'm still struggling. It's good to know your not alone and that people are there to help even it's just to say hi and check up on you.

 

Prayers out to you too brother

 

OP you are not alone in this. I am not a doctor but I am a RN with many years of experience. As some of the guys here have previously posted, you need to keep your mind busy. Exercise is an excellent source of “me time” that will not only help you unwind from the everyday stress, but also provide great health benefits. I would suggest staying away from crowded gyms. Start walking around the neighborhood or a park. As your endurance gets better start jogging and so forth. This will help release endorphins that will actually help you relax. Try your very best not to do this on a treadmill, as it will defeat the purpose of visual and mental distraction while exercising. The worst thing you can do is do nothing. Consider anxiety a vicious cycle. If you never start breaking out of it you will be stuck in it for ever. Talking to someone is always a great option also. This helps relieve some of the stress load you are carrying on a daily basis. A good friend of my is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. He once described anxiety as a spring that is slowly getting compressed down. It eventually reaches a point where it cant compress no more and it snaps up which leads to an anxiety attack. The idea here is that we never allow the anxiety spring to reach the bottom. As it compresses down daily we need to find a way to uncompress it and reset it for another day. I hope the information helps. Feel free to PM if you have any questions. Best of luck my friend

 

Mike, hopefully you get help here and other sources. Reaching out is a good thing, but you might get differing/ conflicting messages from people- as you see, you certainly aren't alone in whatever you are going through.

Social evolution moves much quicker than biological evolution, so I always try and take the long view. Our needs haven't really changed in ten thousand years, but our wants and our ability to satisfy them are almost too much to grasp for us simple humans.

100% agree, physical exertion keeps stress at bay. Diet and regular sleeping patterns are also important. All these will help increase energy and positive sense of self.

A treadmill allows you to get physical exertion while doing something else enjoyable. I bought a Kindle Fire in 2011 and read every morning while doing my 45 minute run, rain or shine. It is the only "me" time that I get to read without distraction.

Like others have said, best to you on your difficult journey. Stay safe and try to see the good in everything.

 

Just wanted to chime in and say happy Monday to all and hope you guys have great weekend.