counseling for anxiety - Menopause Message Board

roland92 · 08-25-2007, 04:51 PM

Anyone here tried counseling for their anxiety? I have called a psych doc and wanted to talk to her about alt. treatments for anxiety. Went to a clinic and all they did was hand me a script for effexor, didn't want to dicuss any other methods. The 1st doc said that effexor was what he used for patients with menopause and that was what I needed. T.

njr1980 · 08-26-2007, 06:04 AM

I have been going to counseling once a week for about 5 months and I don't know if it's truly doing me any better. My therapist is still in the process of finding out what the underlying cause of the anxiety is. We haven't begun to work on coping strategies, except, of course, for using Xanax as a 'circuit-breaker', as she refers to it. She basically says the drug stops the anxiety from worsening, but I would much rather learn how to deal with it without medication, as I am sure you would. All in all, counseling has been costly and time consuming for me, but it may be different for you so I don't dissuade you from trying. You could also try searching for local support groups in your area. A lot of people don't realize/believe how debilitating anxiety can be, but don't let that stop you thinking you may need help beyond a bottle of pills.

roland92 · 08-26-2007, 05:47 PM

I really want to work through the anxiety and not rely on medication. I am afraid of meds because I seem to be sensitive to everything I take. Anxiety is ruining my life. I have it every single day and I am really tired of it! Can't have just one day that I can get up in the morning and not dread what might happen or not happen to me everyday. I want to get better for good. Thanks for your reply. T.

lynne1441 · 08-27-2007, 06:23 PM

I too have suffered from what I call "menopause induced" anxiety. I have seen two counselors and a psychiatrist who had some helpful suggestions but nothing long lasting. My last resort was medication, which I hated, and gradually weaned myself from. At last I found answers when I discovered Christiane Northrup's books and a down-loadable book called "The Way Up From Down". I would boil my anxiety problem down to one thing - menopause - and have acted accordingly since figuring this out. I now take an adjustable dose of bio-identical hormones, along with a variety of supplements. I began acupuncture treatments today, which I had used successfully for an unrelated condition. I feel better than I have in months and only wish it hadn't taken me eight years to figure out!

Lynne

lunalu · 08-27-2007, 07:25 PM

I joined a Women's Group through the Women's Center in our city. It is lead by a women psyc who is very interested and has done research on depression and exniety. It meets for 7 weeks and costs $45. It's not therapy per se, but is very helpful with a good facilitator in helping us figure out if this is situational depression/anxiety or chronic depression. It is also educational. Perhaps you could find something along that line for starters where you live. You will find that you are certainly not alone.