Seasonal Depressive Issues.

[LostInMyStory]

Around this time last year I was shocked and taken aback by these new things called anxiety attacks, (different from panic. More of a mental episode with a few physical symptoms.) and now around the same time as last year, I feel my self withdrawing again, and having a few episodes of strong anxiety where I have to lay down. If this continues out of my control. Which im trying my hardest to keep it under my control. Then I don't know what I'm doing to do. I can't be hospitalized again. :/ or I believe I'll be put into more of a longterm facility. The only thing that I found that helped with my anxiety last year was cutting, and ive been clean since early May, and I really want to keep it that way. I don't know if its seasonal or the anxiety I'm getting is situational. It's probbably both, but however it may be, I can't let it happen. Last year it messed up my schooling, and now I can't go to school, I'm getting my GED, im in trouble with court for truancy last year and If I don't do exceptionally well mentally and physically, such as look happy, and have my life on track, I could be facing anywhere from probation until I'm 18 to Juvy until im 18. and I also have a job that I'm going to be starting soon and that I need to get my ged. so does anyone know how to tell if it is seasonal?

[Thirteen]

Might be seasonal, but may not be the seasons. Okay, that made no sense.

What I mean is, could school be the trigger of this, instead of the change of season? Either way, its something worth consulting a professional about, especially since it seems to be interfering with your everyday activities (i.e. academics, the cutting issue, etc.).

[LostInMyStory]

idk if its worth consulting my counselor with yet, it isnt that bad. but Im worried that its going to. my thoughts mess with me, i have periods where i drift off into a daydream and it seems so vivid and i cant control it. the most recent was about my ex, i imagined she killed her self and her whole family and friends blamed it on me, and i beleived them. just really bad things that in worst case scenario it could happen. but yes its not likely

[~CourageousSurvivor~]

Hey there,

I went ahead and moved this to the anxiety forum. I thought you might get some better responses here. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to let me or another Moderator know.

As for you issues with anxiety; have you sought help for this? I know that sometimes people get on medicines that can help and sometimes just having a therapist to help them work through the attacks can really help. Do you think looking into some type of professional help would be beneficial?

Sorry I don't have a lot to say on this issue. But, I hope I helped a bit. If you need anything feel free to pm me.

Jenna

[LostInMyStory]

yes i asked and begged for help pertaining to the anxiety but there are no real anti anxiety meds for minors. no narcotics are allowed to minors, the closet thing they ever put me on was seroquel and all it did was tranquilize me, and over time it made me schizophrenic if i missed a dose. but yeah, i hope i do get some opinions, or someone just ask questions and try and help me figure this out. i need to know if this is gunna worsen again.

[Thirteen]

You're 20, you're not a Minor at this point. Anti-Anxiety medications aren't recommended for people under 18.

Maybe you should re-talk to your doctor, and see about getting on some sort of medication? They do have medications that don't need to be taken every day, but can just be taken when you're having an Anxiety episode. Xanax is a common one for this, I have a friend who has Xanax for when he has Anxiety issues, he doesn't use it every day. And the "schizophrenia" you got from the medication beforehand was most likely just a side effect, so perhaps if the doctor brings it up, you should let them know what happened beforehand, and they'll most likely avoid putting you on it again.

Plus, as the above poster said, therapy could prove to be beneficial. So maybe see about getting into therapy as well.

I wish you the best.

[LostInMyStory]

Im really worried about this, please does anyone else have any suggestions or ideas?

[Katrina]

Hi Steven,

Good to hear you've been clean as far as self harm goes for a couple of months now. That's great, and I, too, hope that you'll continue down this path you're on now in regards to that. As far as your concerns with Seasonal Affective Disorder, the first thing I would say is just to be really careful with self diagnosis. If you put yourself into a certain mental illness, it's almost as if you'll start to mold yourself around the symptoms of this mental illness and they'll start to show up even if they were intending to in the first place...does that make sense? With that said, though, it does legitimately sound like there's something going on, and I do agree that you need to go ahead and get this sorted out with a medical professional before it gets worse. MayoClinic has a great resource on symptoms and signs of SAD and Reverse SAD as well as when you should know it's time to see a doctor. Again, though, please be very careful with this information and take it with a grain of salt - only a mental health professional will be able to properly diagnose you. (:

If you do end up going to a professional, there are treatments - light therapy (phototherapy), medications, and psychotherapy, and I'm sure that the professional can help you to find something that's right for you if they feel that it's necessary. MayoClinic (which I've been using as a resource when replying to this thread) also suggests a few "home remedies" that might be worth a try:

• Make your environment sunnier and brighter. Open blinds, add skylights and trim tree branches that block sunlight. Sit closer to bright windows while at home or in the office.
• Get outside. Take a long walk, eat lunch at a nearby park, or simply sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help — especially if you spend some time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning.
• Exercise regularly. Physical exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety, both of which can increase seasonal affective disorder symptoms. Being more fit can make you feel better about yourself, too, which can lift your mood.

None of these changes would be too difficult to make, and they may end up helping you, so I'd say that they're definitely worth a try! I hope things begin to shape up for you soon; keep us posted. (Quick edit: I've also gone ahead and merged your threads - please don't create multiple threads. If you'd like to seek alternative methods of advice or feel as though you're not getting replies as quickly as you'd like, feel free to try HelpLINK, Live Help, or the chat room. Thanks!)