Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Anxiety turning into Depression

Excellent suggestions Tink!

I hope it works out for you..I am on both Cymbalta AND clonazepam and they have worked very well together. I hope you get some relief as well.

the right doctor and the right medication can make all the difference.

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OMG SUE, you do not know how absolutely true this is!

I spoke with a registered nurse this weekend. She suggested I ask my doctor to increase my depression med as it (Celexa) is for both anxiety and depression. Perhaps it just needs to be tweaked a bit. To everyone I really appreciate your suggestions, good or not so good.

Magician,
Do not let up on this treatment.
I finally got on a dose of cymbalta that helps me.
We understand how miserable it can be..
I can

magic woman, aloha

anxiety and depression are like brother/sister...either one can get you with the other.

i adamantly refuse a med designed to trick you into thinking 'yo, this is ok...' when it's not ok. cronic pain, complex medical situations, and serious problems without a suckcessful resolution are very hard on the person living with 'em and not the doctor. doctors kinda miss that part.

you have every right to be concerned and unhappy about what's happening to you. you have every right to be angry- with the fates, your personal cosmic muffin, the stars.

the trick isn't in a pill; the trick is learning to talk to yourself- it IS not your fault and don't get angry with yourself.

seek out myriads of little victories, smell the peonies, treat yourself well.

all the best,
hang in there.


btw...you're free to call the suicide hot line is the lamest, dumbest line i've ever heard...ever.

I hope the medicine tweaking helps you. Seems like you have a good ability to assess yourself when you are feeling anxious or depressed. and that has to be very helpful in moving towards getting help quickly.

In the same regard as others have said chronic pain can breed some of thes issues so don't be too harsh on yourself.

Best wishes.

I'm not an MD, and I'm not prescribing at all. But I've studied a lot of alternative medicine, and I have a couple suggestions.

Have you tried Valerian for your anxiety? High quality Valerian can be as powerful as diazepam without unpleasant side effects or potential for abuse/addiction. Your doctor, unfortunately, was right on one count--benzodiazepines (valium, etc.) are addictive and very hard to kick. As a recovering alcoholic I avoid those and opiates like the plague. One warning on Valerian--it's some of the nastiest smelling stuff in the Universe, with an odor like really bad tennis shoes. Hold your nose and swallow fast.

If that doesn't work for you, try Chamomile and/or Kava.

Again, I'm not prescribing, just suggesting.

I wish you health, peace and happiness!

This is not a post I want to turn into a flame war, just as there are different methods for anxiety and depression and I am ALL for trying any that you can from what Ben says to the holistic approach, yoga..any kind of method you want to try, but I feel like I must say that at times DRUGS of the legal nature are the ONLY option for SOME people.

What some people do not understand is depression isn't something you can control, you can't just snap out of it, there is a hige difference between being blue and clinical depression.

When a certain actor got on a certain daytime news show and said that psychiatry and depression meds were quackery was a sad day for me, he is one foolish swoop discounted what Drs. and patients like me have worked on for years trying to get rid of the stigma that comes with saying that you have a problem with anxiety or depression, like MANY people said and overwelmingly woman said obviously this person has never had a baby.

There are times for what ever reason that our bodies do not make enough of a certain chemical in our bodies, it is nothing that we can control, and we can't do anything to make it better on our own at times we need medical and drug intervention plain and simple.

There is nothing wrong with drugs at all, I do agree try other things first but if you are feeling suicidal or anxiety so bad that you can not deal with every day things in your life THAT IS NOT NORMAL and just wishing it away won't happen.

If it weren't for my Drs. and the drugs I am on I know that I would not be here today, if people had told me just get over it, your making a big deal out of nothing, you can control it I would have decided it was no use. I was tested and found to have several hormones that were depleted in my body and wasn't making enough of them, there was nothing I could do.

I don't want anyone to think that drugs and therapy or even in patient treatment is a bad thing it is not!

Angelmom, when it comes to depression, I agree with you completely. Standard medicine is the best bet. Antidepressants aren't dangerous or addictive and work well.

I know it for an absolute fact; I've been on antidepressants for almost thirty years. If you like, I can describe the physiological mechanisms believed to cause chronic endogenous depression. Physical (as opposed to reactive) depression seems to be a fairly common sequelae in recovering alcoholics.

On the other hand, most of the anxiolytics are pretty dangerous stuff. I suggested three natural alternatives I've found to be safe and effective.

I don't want a flamewar either. I was making suggestions from my experience. I've joined this forum, among other reasons, to keep my .45 ACP out of my mouth. I know a lot about depression.