I'm new to these message boards so, I wanted to start posting on my experiences with suffering with Anxiety. It has been 3 long years and counting since I started suffering with massive anxiety and depression. At first I couldn't sleep, I kept waking up in the middle of the night with worries constantly going through my head at the time I had a very stressful job and I was burned out. A few weeks passed and then I couldn't eat, drive or be with large groups of people, I tried to stay away from as many people as possible except from my parents and my one or two best friends. A month later, I suddently quit my job and became depressed staying home, I couldn't leave the house, I was too afraid. I went to my family doctor and he sent me to a specialist where he said that I was suffering from Anxiety, depression and having panic attacks. My doctor put me on Celexa and Alphrazolam, I had bad side effects with the drugs, I couldn't focus or think straight, I was like my dad said a statue I couldn't do anything. After weeks of therapy, I suddently stopped taking the medication and stop going to the doctor altogether and that's when things got worse. I'm afraid of being in public and that's the main reason I can't work, I'm too afraid to be in public, I get very paranoid when I'm in front of large crowds like in the mall or at a grocery store or on the road driving stuck in traffic and I get very impatient and I just want to run a way. Recently, I've been doing a lot better and I've been able to go out with friends and start having a little fun, but overall, I'm sitting around the house unemployed and depressed because I don't like being out and dealing with the public. Some positive things that I've been doing in the last few months is that I've been doing a lot of reading that helps a lot and regularly going to the gym in the daytime when it isn't as busy. This is where I stand now, obviously none of my friends or parents understand what I'm going through, they all think it's in my head or I should get out there meet a girl, get married and then my problems will all go away and I know that is not true. Hopefully, today is a good day, you get the good and the bad :)

welcome toronto
read up on agoraphobia and panic disorder and get some self help recovery books and follow their advice, can be ordered from a bookshop online
you were given the right meds, celexa is an antidepressant which can stop panic attacks, but it often has early side effects that can be quite severe, the answer is to reduce the dose for a while and take more of the other med which is a valium type generally known as xanax
valium type meds help you to adjust to any new antidepresant, you may consider trying the celexa again

xanax on its own will help you to get out and do things, carry a few tablets with you when out and disolve 1 under the tongue if you become panicky
you need to learn new ways of relaxing and calming yourself,
the gym is good but always exercise in a relaxed way, letting go of all excess tension in your muscles
stay with us and read the other posts :jester:

Hi
Sorry to hear you are having a rough time right now.
I believe that thinking positively and living in this very present is a major key to getting better, combined with meds, books tapes.

If you keep thinking what you are thinking ( anxious ) you will keep getting what you are getting ( anxious ).
if you can get your head around the fact that you are thinking about panic situations, or your anxiousness then thats what happens you cant get any other outcome than panic and anxiousness. We can worry about the past, then worry about the future, until it all becomes a scrabbled mess in our brains, and we see no way out of the worry, but if you stop that thought process you will find great relief.
It takes 24/7 of this kind of thinking, you need to re-programme all the nasties that got in your head.
So from this moment on whenever a thought pops in (a bad one ) stop yourself and say now why did I just choose to think that, replace it with anything else, ie, must get the car cleaned, what a hot day ,anything but anxious thoughts.
I suffered for years and years, by the way people said just dont think about ( yeah right !) but in there own way they were right, we nervous people think about anxiety all the time, what if, oh no cant cope, cant go there, where people with "normal thoughts" dont actually think about anxiety.
Once you realize that you are in control and it will take some time, but you have the rest of your life right , you can do it. It is a better choice to fill your brain with good thoughts than anxious thoughts.
Its very hard to explain this as it comes to me easily now,
But if you keep focusing on what you Dont want ( panic )that is what you will keep getting , there cant be another outcome because you havent thought of anything that you DO want.
Think only of what you want. Do not think of what you dont want.
I know this is a ramble, but it does work.
Look up Dr wayne Dwyer, also Dr Robert Anthony( freebies)
best wishes
Sue