Perception while depressed

[Rkk71]

I have been diagnosed add/depression/anxiety. The anxiety and depression have been going on for a year now. Besides being anxious and feeling overly stressed, the depression for me isnt really intense feelings of sadness. Its more feeling kind of unreal, emotionally numb, and I just feel my perception of everything is different, especially the unreal detatched feeling. Ive tried several AD's that only seemed to make me feel worse. I have weird memories and sometimes thoughts that pop out of nowhere. I usually dont have a total loss of interest in life, only a day or two maybe out of the week that im feeling a bit worse. I'm scared I am developing a more serious illness like schizophrenia or something, even though I really don't have any symptoms of it. But the unreal, and different perception of how everything makes me feel whether im at home or in public scares me. I feel like an observer but not part of the world. Is this normal for depression? I'm a 24yr male and this has been going on for a year, I'm really afraid of developing a serious mental illness!!

[cstratt]

sounds like a hormonal imbalance. have them tested.

[Jennifer375]

Did this sense of 'unreality' occur before the meds or only after you were taking them after a while?

Id guess your having a bad reaction to AD's,, not everyone responds to SSRI's in a positive manner. SSRI;s work by making the brain create more seritonin, then not allowing it to break down the excess... in a brain thats not deficent in seritonin this causes and LSD type of effect which is also likened by science and psychonautes as the closest sensation to schizophrenia that somone whos not can experince.

I had a reaction like this to paxil... If it was me Id be talking to my doctor about either going off them entirely and seeing if you dont feel 100% better, and if you dont,, try some of the newer generation of anti-depressants.

* May your angels watch over you and keep you safe Rkk*

[Catgurl]

First off schizophrenia is very different than depression and other anxiety disorders. Chances are if you were Schizoi you would already know by now as it usually shows up in young adulthood. If you want to get better try cbt. Cbt is what has helped me and I recommend it all the time. We used the books Been there, Done that? Do This! by Sam Obitz in my group and it's an excellent book. I use the Tea form exercise in it daily to keep my anxieties under control and it is the best thing that ever happened to me. I have not had a panic attack in over two years and I'm off all meds now :)  It takes some effort but it is well worth the results you'll receive. Good luck!

[Rkk71]

let me correct myself......a more serious illness than depression!!