Hello everyone,
I am an 18 year old young woman and I am at a total loss as to what to do with myself. I have struggled with severe depression, anorexia, anxiety and OCD for about 6 years now. I have been in recovery from my ED for about 9 months and really need advise as to how to stay on the right track. It would also be nice if someone would talk to me about depression, anxiety, and ocd, sometimes I feel like a total alien. I would really appretiate ANY reply, I wouldn't feel so alone then.

And if anyone out there knows anything about the withdrawl symptoms of Effexor, it would be nice to hear form you, I am currently on it and would like to go off, I think it may be making things worse for me.

Thank you so much for reading this!

Jenny

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Don't judge me by my failures, only by my dreams.

Congratulations on your recovery http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif I know how hard recovering from an ED is. My daughter is 18 and has been in recovery for 2 years. I am so proud of her because I know what she had to go through to get where she is today. You are not alone here and you will get the support and friendship you wish for.
Autumn.

Thank you Autumn.
Your daughter should be very proud.

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Don't judge me by my failures, only by my dreams.

jenny, i just wanted to say that i hope my message makes u feel better. i myself am an 18 yr old young woman and i have battled problems with my weight and depression in the past. when i was 14 i went on a crash diet as i was very heavy at the time, over 9 months i lost so much weight that in the end i couldnt stop, from there it turned into overeating until i would eat everything i could find. i did this for about 2 years, binge eating. i used to lie so much to everyone and i never had any trust or faith in anyone. when i changed schools i had depression and i didnt know why i was feeling like it, i didnt want to do anything or go anywhere. all through this i always have battled with my weight, now im at a healthy weight but continuously i still sometimes get urges to binge eat, though not that often. at the time that i was worst, i felt like i was so alone and wanted to die, everyone around me seemed to be coping yet i couldnt even cope with going out to the shops, i was very smart at school and i had never done drugs, smoked or drinked etc and my parents couldnt understand whhat had happened to me. i told them all i just needed to be left alone, for everyone to stop telliong me what to do and think. i saw a pshychologist for several months but refused to take medication for my depression as i was afraid that i would never get off it and i would become addicted to it. i think if in your heart u really believe u can get over it, then it might help. its really hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but just remember you are not alone! im sure u are a wonderful person despite what u are going through, give yourself time to focus on thinking along the right terms, eg. if ppl put u down, dont listen to them, like my parents used to say to me that i would end up nowhere and i started believing i would, but i didnt...oneday i got so mad at eveyrone and i decided that i would just ignore all of it and think posotive. remember, the days when there was once a time u were happy? try and base your thinking along what u remmeber from those days.! i will write more later. take care for now!

Originally posted by Shattered_Eros:
Hello everyone,
I am an 18 year old young woman and I am at a total loss as to what to do with myself. I have struggled with severe depression, anorexia, anxiety and OCD for about 6 years now. I have been in recovery from my ED for about 9 months and really need advise as to how to stay on the right track. It would also be nice if someone would talk to me about depression, anxiety, and ocd, sometimes I feel like a total alien. I would really appretiate ANY reply, I wouldn't feel so alone then.

And if anyone out there knows anything about the withdrawl symptoms of Effexor, it would be nice to hear form you, I am currently on it and would like to go off, I think it may be making things worse for me.

Thank you so much for reading this!

Jenny



I know just how you feel. I don't have much advice to give you as I am still struggling to survive on this side. But no you are not an alien. There are a lot of people like us around. I see from your message you might benefit greatly from seeking out group therapy. I know around here there was a group for people who suffer from depression, phobias, anxiety, and so on. It wasn't moderated by a doctor or anything, everyone there were people suffering from it or who had suffered from it, so they all understood. I only went twice unfortunately, because it was too far for me and my anxiety was turning into agoraphobia (was not able to go out of my appartment anymore).

But really, if there is such a group around where you live, you would probably not feel as much an 'alien' anymore and get some support and friends that understand you and if they can't help you, they can at least lend you a shoulder.

-Frank

Thank you Wildpink and Frank for helping me to realize I am not alone in the world. Noone really knows the real me. I have so much pressure on me to be "perfect" from every direction. I have begun a councelling program and hope to benefit from it. I trust and know the councellor from previous work I have done, so I have faith in her and her ability. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and to write back, that was so wonderful of you both.
Thanks again
Jenny

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Don't judge me by my failures, only by my dreams.

You're welcomed. I'm happy you found counselling. And if you need someone to chat to now and then when you're feeling alone, let me know. I'm generally available online most of the time.

The withdrawals for effexor XR for me are pretty bad. I hate to tell you this, but at least you will know what to expect.
I am on my 4th day of withdrawal and basically go between bouts of crying and then extreme giddiness.
I found this board today, as I wanted some feedback on what other people have endured, and it has really helped me to find others understand what I am going through.
I sincerely hope you work things out.

Oh, and since I am a newbie here, I am 35, married, with 2 daughters. From Indiana and have struggled with PTSD and anxiety for the last 16 years. I thought I was weird until I was correctly diagnosed. I had anxiety before it was "cool" http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif
Anyway, I really am feeling better since finding this board. I thought I was alone in my struggle.
Thanks all.

Originally posted by JosephR:
Oh, and since I am a newbie here, I am 35, married, with 2 daughters. From Indiana and have struggled with PTSD and anxiety for the last 16 years. I thought I was weird until I was correctly diagnosed. I had anxiety before it was "cool" http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif
Anyway, I really am feeling better since finding this board. I thought I was alone in my struggle.
Thanks all.

Before it was "cool"? Eek, I dunno how I could ever consider it as being cool in any way. Anxiety and panic disorder have totally messed up my life and my dreams. I'm still struggling just to go on with daily tasks. Hearing you having struggled with it for 16 years is almost depressing to me, although I applaud your achievement, I don't know if I'm as strong as you are.

Jenny, I want you to know that you are not alone in this - I am an 18 year old female who struggled with anorexia - fortunately not for very long, and I was able to stop it before it got very severe. I think it was the cause of my depression as well. I have struggled for a couple years with eating problems, and I still get angry easily and takes things personally. I've been on two antidepressants (Celexa & Trazodone), which have worked wonders for me.

I'm sorry I've never been on Effexor before, but I hope someone else has who can help you with it.

I am here to talk to you!

Hi Jenny,

You are definitely not alone. I was diagnosed with OCD when I was 20. (I'm 32 now). I had no idea what was wrong with me at the time and thought I was losing my mind. I had to drop out of college because I was having a hard time functioning anymore. Just finding out that there was a name to what I was experiencing made me feel a little bit better. I was originally on Anafranil which really helped me but had alot of side effects. I then switched through different medications and found that good old Prozac worked really well for me. I've been on it for over 10 years now and am very grateful to whoever invented it. I still have some symptoms , (counting, checking and rechecking, doing things four times) but nowhere near as bad as I used to. I find that my symptoms get worse when I'm under stress. I remember how bad I felt though when my disorder was not yet under control. Just remember that there are alot of people like you who are happy to talk with you and help you.

Hi im a 17 year old girl and ive had problems with depression.Ive self-harmed and even attempted suicide several times. However I havent done this in the last year thankfully! The doctors say they dont no whats wrong but i do im just to afraid to tell! Im extremely parinoid (even my parents have noticed this) also i sometimes hear people say things about me which they diddnt. Recently ive started seeing things in the night that arent there! When hear people say things about me my mind changes it into something negative about me & i get extremely depressed and because of the fact i know its not a normal thing to do! please help im really scared. I dont want people to think im a psychopath i havent had any feelings about hurting any one at all! Im just seeing and hearing things that arent there.

hi-

my name's becka. I am 18 yrs old.

I have been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Before i got this correct diagnosis, i was misdiagnosed with many other things, including, psychotic depression, anxiety with panic attacks, OCD, ADD, language processing disorder,etc.

I have also had an eating disorder for the past 6 or 7 years. I am recovered (at least, for right now) ...i had i think what is called Bulimarexia.

Anyway, i have had symptoms that include: severe depression, suicidal ideation, self injury, panic attacks, Delusions, hallucinations,altered sense of self, thought disruptions, OCD-like symptoms, odd behaviors and obsessions,paranoia, etc.
..all of this is due to my schizophrenia. I have been hospitalized 4 times, and in lots of outpatient programs and therapy.

I am also on Effexor and i have been on it for about 3 years. I have gone off of it a number of times and the withdrawls are horrible. I usually feel like i have the flue for the first 1 or 2 weeks of going off of it, i get very moody and emotional, and i have severe brain shocks. These are common withdrawl symptoms with effexor, from what i've heard.

if you want to talk with me, you can email me: [ please carefully review the posting rules - no emails ]
or just post here.

good luck

-Becka




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Hi im a 17 year old girl and ive had problems with depression.Ive self-harmed and even attempted suicide several times. However I havent done this in the last year thankfully! The doctors say they dont no whats wrong but i do im just to afraid to tell! Im extremely parinoid (even my parents have noticed this) also i sometimes hear people say things about me which they diddnt. Recently ive started seeing things in the night that arent there! When hear people say things about me my mind changes it into something negative about me & i get extremely depressed and because of the fact i know its not a normal thing to do! please help im really scared. I dont want people to think im a psychopath i havent had any feelings about hurting any one at all! Im just seeing and hearing things that arent there.

hi-

i was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia about a year ago. Your symptoms sound very similar to mine. It sounds like you may have schizophrenia or psychotic depression or another similar illness. It is nothing to be ashamed of. I too, also hear things and see things, and am extreamly paranoid delusional (believe the government is trying to turn me to a robot, there are other worlds behind the walls, there are signs/ messages for me in license plates and lights, there are devices that the spies have installed along the highways to track me and scan my brain, etc, etc.)
I hear voices constantly (having conversations with each other and shouting strange things at me) and i see shadows, see things moving, see bugs on the walls, etc.
I also have weird bodily illusions (called altered sense of self) my body feels all mixed up and distorted, i cant tell where my arms, or legs are, i feel seperate from my body, i feel possessed, like other people are living inside of me, i recognize other people and objects as myself or as my family members, etc.

I also have the thought disruptions that come with schizophrenia: unwanted, repeating words/ thoughts, trouble concentrating,poor memory, trouble anaylyzing, etc.

I;ve also had severe depression, severe self injury, panic attacks, etc.

they only way you will ever get help with this, is to be completly honest with your doctors and tell them ALL of your symptoms. You should try not to worry about people thinking you are a "psycho" it really shouldn't matter what other people want to think of you. But I know that may be very hard to do.
Also, your doctor, im sure, deals with these kinds of things all the time. Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are not as uncommon as many people think. Your doctor can put you on an antipsychotic drug that will help a great deal with the hallucinations

good luck

-Becka