Do you take medicine for your anxiety or use someother method??

Boy do I know that feeling - I too will have to be on meds forever. As I am Bipolar as well as having severe anxiety. I am currently on Ativan, Risperdal & Lexapro as well as Vistaril to help me sleep when I am on hyper mode!!!! Thanx so much for responding!!!!

Hang in there! Hope things go good for you!

Thanx so much - you too!!!!

Boy do I ever know how you feel!!! I too am currently on both Lexapro & Ativan - and they do seem to help - but I like u wish it would go away!!!! But I just take each day as it comes and do the best I can - I mean in life isn't that all we can really do!!! Sending u some good vibes!!!! Thanx so much for responding and wish you a Happy Day today!!!!

You are right! We just take each day as it comes. It WILL get better! Sending good vibes in return:) Regards, Kari

Great - and yes taking each day as it comes - works much better than worrying about what challenges tomorrow will bring!!! Nice to have a friend to talk to when you really need one!!!! Hope your Wednesday is Wonderful!!!!!

Oh, I know what you mean! It is so hard to find a good counselor. Of all the ones I've seen, I only found one who I could really connect with. That's great you can talk to your psychiatrist.. I could never talk with mine. She was kind of icy. I think it's worth it to keep checking out therapists, though. Oh, new news: my mom is going to pay for some meds for me. yaaaay!

Wow - I bet that stinks that u no longer have health insurance - I have been there too and it's so difficult to get that much needed help without insurance these days!!!! Right now the psychiatrist that I am seeing is acting not only in a medical way of managing my meds but also allows me to use the time to dicuss anything that is an issue for me!!! I have been through tons of counselors and often found that if I didn't feel like they were treating me as a true patient and not one of their numbers - it just makes it harder to find one. Trust with me is a huge issue - but I have found the doc I see to be rather open & always listens to me!!!! So I am currently sticking with him!!!!

er... well, I try to be the same person wherever I am and whatever I am doing. I don't change when I am on MyLot, even though they pay me a few pennies and I don't change when I clock in at the cafe and they pay me a few more pennies.

I am also on Lexapro. Wow would love to have a labyrinth near me that I had access to - I bet that can be very helpful and relaxing too!!! Thanx so much for responding and have a Terrific Tuesday!!!!

Wow - so were you prescribed Adderall for ADHD?? I have heard of those getting addicted to it. That must be difficult to deal with!!! Will check out your profile in a few and wish you well!!!! Thanx so much for responding!!! Have a Happy Day Today!!!!

Wow you have a lot of great ideas!!!!! But one quick question - what do you mean by breathing in gold and out gold??? Can you tell me what that means?? You are right about the cleaning the house as well as listening to some lively music - that always seems to help. Thanx so much for responding and have a Great Day!!!

I can understand where you are coming from - I know lots of people who aren't comfortable using meds and that's good for you since you have been able to find other methods that help you. And congratulations on having yours in control now and doing good!!!! That is always wonderful to hear!!! Thanx so much for responding and have a Wonderful Day today!!!

Yes I think you are right about the exercise part - especially taking a nice long walk - which I would love to do more of - especially if I could do it in our neighborhood but there are so many stray dogs running loose - that I would have to take a bat or something with me - cause they get really nasty around here - sure wish they would do something about it!!!

Ya, I believe exercise is the key. Just getting out and walking always helps me. It all depends on the person, but try to go for a long walk each day.

Well that's so great for u that u don't have to take any meds for it - and even better that meditation works for u!!!! That doesn't happen to work for me although I have tried it many times. Thanx so much for responding and have a Great Day!!!!

Thank you! Exercise helps even when I'm not cleaning, or a good dance session when nobody's looking! I just get all that energy out!

Yes cleaning can do wonders - not only does it make the house look better - but I think it also makes you feel like you have accomplished something which is a very healthy feeling to have!!! Oh writing - have to agree with you on that too!!!

Oh I so love the long bath idea - now if I could get the boys to leave me alone so I could relax in the tub - that would be so nice!!! They always seem to have something they think is so important to tell me when I am taking a bath!!!! I used to take Xanax too - but now take Ativan every single day - at least it works so I can continue the day's needs of my boys & other things too!!!

Boy I know what you mean about the panic attacks - they totally caused me to quit college - just couldn't deal with it at the time!!! Totally sucked though because I really wanted to go back to school so after being in the hospital and getting some relief - I went to the local community college and signed up for some classes only to start school again - and lo and behold it - one of the freakin med techs from the hospital was in 1 of my classes and decided to take it upon herself to annouce to the others that I was a nut and shouldn't be here!!! I so nearly lost it at that point and ended up quitting again and haven't been back since!!! I of course was smart enough to file a complaint about her - don't know if anything ever came of it though!!! It's such a shame these days when the wrong people are working in the mental health field - they really take away so much from us as patients when we are trying our best to get the help we need!!!

Well that is wonderful for you!!!! It's always nice to hear when people can get through rough times without having to take medications. As for me - well I think I will have to be on meds for the rest of my life since I am a Rapid Cycle Bipolar with severe anxiety as well as a few other issues too!!! I have taken myself off my meds before and have to say - it's never a good thing - bad things always seem to happen so I have just come to accept the fact that it's better for me & my family that I continue to take the meds that are prescribed to me!!!

Well I tried Prozac years ago but it only made me homicidal and then the Wellbutrin - just didn't work for me. I am currently taking Risperdal, Lexapro, Vistaril & Ativan and so far so good for now!!! I know the feeling about the Ativan - I take it 2 times a day and more if I really need it!!! Hope you have a Terrific Tuesday!!!

Yes I have in fact given that a try - however it just doesn't seem to work very well with me!!! Think it's probably because due to my being Bipolar - those racing thoughts won't allow me to focus long enough to get it!!!

I like the idea of salsa dancing that sounds like fun!! I have tried to meditate but can't seem to be calm enough to get it!! And I am glad to hear you say that medication isn't a bad thing - as so far that's the only thing I have found that works for me!!!

I like the way you try to use calming techniques - and I too have to agree that they don't always work so you have to turn elsewhere!!!! And I know what you mean about worrying that you will at some point need some extra help from meds!!! That's just something that I have learned that I have to live with and it's ok!!!! Thanx so much for responding and have a Great Day!!!!

Well that is really great for u!!!!! That's one less thing you have to deal with in life!!!! Glad to hear that you don't have to deal with this problem!!!! Thanx so much for responding!!!!

Yes you are correct - that's one of what I take is Ativan and so far it's working quite well!!! I used to take Xanax but found that it didn't really do the trick. As well as the Paxil - it worked for a while and then quit so had to change to something new. Thanx so much for responding and have a Great Day!!!!

Well is the reason that you don't always take it due to side effects or because you feel like you don't always need it?? I would be curious to know if it works for you this way - I don't think I know anyone who can take it at times and still have it work well for them. But everyone's different so maybe this way does work for you!!! Thanx so much for responding and have a Great Day!!!

Wow - you are so right about sleeping - when I am feeling really low then sometimes that's the best thing I can do is just go to bed - even if it's only for a quick nap while the kids are busy with homework after school. You gotta do what you can to get through this!!!! Thanx so much for responding and have a Great Day!!!!

Yes I also took Xanax for a while - but found the same effects as you did - was always way out there in a fog and couldn't really concentrate on anything!!! I wish that meditation worked for me but for some reason it never has - it's great that natural methods work for you!!!! Thanx so much for responding and hey Cheers to u too!!!