22 Year old Anxiety and Deppression. Please give advice

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I am a 22 year old college student who has suffered from Deppression and anxiety for years, but seem to be experiencing it worse now than it's been for a long time. When I was 17, a junior in college, I went on accutane which seemed to trigger depression. I went to a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with Depression, anxiety, OCD and Body Dismorphic disorder. I was put on 20mg of Prozac which was very successful and pulled me out of the depression. I had over a year of complete satisfaction and happiness. It was a great feeling. When I started college, I had a bad experience and developed anxiety. I have attended 4 different schools in 4 years, and though I have grown accustomed and comfortable to each one, I have experienced panic attacks my first few days of attendance. During these panic attacks, I get hot and cold flashes, I lose my appetite completely, shake, I am restless, fatigued and I get an overwhelming feeling of loss of control and utter helplessness. It is a horrible feeling and whenever it happens, I want to be sedated. I have been fine for the past year, but recently, I went abroad with my school and the first few days, I had the panic attacks and anxiousness. Since then, even though I am back from being abroad, I am anxious. I think it is times of change that these attacks happen. I over-analyze everything... If someone says something a certain way, I become very paranoid that they are angry with me or upset. I also find all situations awkward when they clearly are not. I guess overall, when it comes to my anxiety, I over-think. I let non-issues bother me. I am constantly concerned about my appearance, about what people think, what they know... It's like walking on egg shells all the time. It triggers my depression and I get very self conscious. I can never relax, not care and just enjoy things. I am in the process of getting an appointment with a counselor. I would just love some advice from anyone on what they think this might be.

Thanks a lot and I'd love to hear your thoughts.
 
Yeah I've been there bro, you know beleive it or not what you just described is not as uncommon as you think.

Eventually as you start growing into more of man, you will get more and more comfortable with yourself and who you are and you won't worry as much about your appearance and what people think or if they are angry at you and so forth.

I used to be just like you at 22, today I'm 30 years. 22 Felt like yesterday.

Anyways you sound like a good guy, honestly I don't beleive in counselers and all that stuff, I guess its good to talk to somebody, but please don't let them start you on any type of drugs or anti-depressants or anxiety meRAB. Keep your body and mind as fresh and natural as possible.

But I think you are 22 years old still unsure of yourself or should I say still finding yourself as most 22 year old men are. Obviously you sound like a very intelligent guy and thats part of your over analyzing and over thinking. But some of that is good thing beleive it or not. Although I know what you mean why can't you just relax and enjoy yourself and not care what anybody thinks. (the waY IT SEEMS OTHER PEOPLE LIVE THEIR LIVES). WELL DON;T WORRY YOU WILL GET THERE.

Now if you are really feeling overlly depressed, I don;t know if you exercise or not, but join a gym and eat healthy if you are not already. Excersing every day or at least a few times a week, lift weights, do some cardio it will make your body and mind feel a whole lot better.

But if you still find yourself too depressed, then go to a doctor and get a full physical. Ask him to check your Testosterone and other hormone levels, have him check that you don't have some kind of vitamin diffeciancy, etc.. And until you get all those results and know exactly what your are dealing with don't start any of those meRAB (Anxiety, anti-depressant) even if your primary offers them too until you know exactly what is going on with your body physically. And remeber you have to special request the tests I mentioned above they are not the standard blood tests you get when you see a doctor)

Other than that do your best to enjoy life, the comment that people tell you all the time (I'm sure) "you are young enjoy life now before you turn 30 or 40, 50, etc..." Its true bro, I wish I could go back to my 20's and not worry as much as I did, but its hard I know its hard to change the way you think. But you have to try and remeraber the whole exercise thing and eating right. You know what they say healthy body = Health mind.

And remeraber you are not alone or strange for having those thoughts many people including myself have went through it or are going through the exact same thing you are going through right now.

If you have any other questions, let me know and Good Luck Brother!!
 
A few questions for you.

Are you still on the Prozac?

By hot and cold flashes, do you mean that you also blush a lot?

Do you exercise and eat healthy?

Have you had a complete physical work up by your Primary Physician, did you have your Testosterone Levels checked and what were the nurabers, often times docs may say your T levels are normal when in fact they are far from normal. I'll explain if indeed you have had them checked and you know your actual nurabers.

By the way I just want to let you know again that I have experienced just about everything you mention, including severe blushing and a whole host of other symptoms. So I totally sympathize with all that your feeling. And today while I still experience some mild anxiety I'm pretty much over most of those feelings, for me as well it happened right at 17 through my mid 20's. Most severe though late teens early 20's.

I think it happens about 17 because its the age that we realize we are no longer little kiRAB and we are entering man hood and its kinda scary for a whole host of obvious reasons and for whatever reason it just sets off in us a whole host of emotions and insecurities and other feelings that bring on the anxieties and insecure feelings.

Now the I'm 30 which I know is not that old, but for me all of sudden I'm getting some anxiety about aging and that more than half my good years are over etc..

Anyways I'm just blabing let me know the answers to some of my questions and let's see if isomeone or myself can give you some helpful advice other than our sympathy and understanding, which I guess is helpful too. LOL
 
I've had experiences (41yrs). Anxiety/ADHD has cost me everything I've had several times. I can remeraber like it was yesterday. In 1987 I was in basic training at Fort Sill, OK (beautiful place) and at the end everyone has to complete a 21 mile road march. We marched all night due to heat of the summer. You would think marching 20+ miles w/ full gear & carrying an M-16 ALL night would exhaust someone, as it did for EVERYONE else in my platoon except of course me. I slept for about an hour then I was up walking around. I am convinced I have some sort of adrenal problem or in short major anxiety. Anxiety can destroy your life IF you allow it to.

It makes you overly sensitive to nearly every kind of stimulus. MeRAB, caffeine, fooRAB, weights... every kind of stimulus is an overload. I adapt to things VERY quickly so all is not a loss.

I havent' figured out the depression & anxiety connection yet. But there most definitely is a connection.

My TSH test turned out to be 1.87 but I still had a major over sensitivity to cold and chills. I began using a Raw Thyroid (1) EOD and my temp has up from 96.6 t0 98.1 so I'm on the right track. My GP is totally useless. I've read where a user dropped his prescribed Syntheroid and began use Raw Thyroid so it being weak is rubbish. It works for me.

I wish you well.
 
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