Need advice on what helps relieve OCD and GAD (anxiety)

[Sweet L]

About 4 years ago i started getting bad panic attacks and anxiety so the doctor prescribed me on 20 mg of Paxil.  It worked well.  I was able to finish my undergraduate degree and deal with daily stresses without interference.  I decided to get off the drug because i had gained some weight and believed i was "cured" since i no longer had any symptoms. However, about 4-5 months getting off the drug i realized that my old traits starting coming back.  I started worrying and obsessing about things.  I obsess over what other people tell me or think about me.  If i get into a fight with someone, it bothers me and effects my whole day!  I'll obssess over what happened or how i could hve prevented it from happening.  I'm constantly obsessing over specific thoughts and get bothered and anxious about them.  I went to see a psychologist and she put me on Lexapro since there are less side effects and less weight gain.  I've been on 10 mg for a week now and haven't felt a change.  Is it too early to start feeling a difference?  Paxil seemed to work quicker.  Can anyone please advise as to any suggestions/medications that will help me get over this exhausting pattern. Does Lexapro work?  Should i go back to paxil since it worked the first time or are there other drugs taht work the same as paxil with less side effects and weight gain. I hate feeling like this :(.  I would greatly appreciate any feedback.  Thanks.

L.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Its very likely that Lexapro will work for you, but one week is much too soon....think about 3 weeks before you see bigger changes...r.g.

[Aruba417]

I am not too familiar with Lexapro, but as far as I know, most anti-depressents seem to take about 2 weeks to kick in. Have you asked your doctor about maybe trying a small dosage of Xanax for a week or so until the Lexapro kicks in? I know sometimes you have to "play around" with different meds until you find the right combination. And different meds work on different people. For example, I took Paxil for awhile, and while it helped with the panic and OCD, I was ALWAYS extremely tired. Plus, I also gained weight. I've been on Effexor now for almost a year, and I've been able to keep the weight down on that. But, like I said, meds can work different from person to person. Good luck! I know exactly what it feels like to think you're cured, and then it comes back all over again. It really sucks!

[dymani]

Hi there,
just thought I would let you know about my experience with lexapro. I started suffering from severe anxiety and very bad panic attacks about a year ago and finally decided to seek medical help since it got to the point where I just could not handle it on my own. My doctor put me on lexapro 10mg which he said was a pretty low dose (Iam terrified of the side effects and withdrawal symptoms that I have read about) however, after about 3 weeks I began to feel the difference, my panic atacks have dissapeared and although I still have some anxiety, it is very mild. I have been on on lexapro for 9 weeks now, and I have also found a natural product that works very well for me (Seredyn) I use this during the day when I feel anxiety kicking in.. Iam looking forward to the day when I can stop the lexapro and just take the Seredyn but for now I think it is still too soon, I have also found a Homeopathic practitioner in my area which I will see in a week and maybe he can help me with natural products to get off the lexapro, only because Iam so afraid to get hooked on it. But it definitely has helped me, I have not had any weight gain on it yet either (which is a good thing for me). Well, I hope this helps a litle. Good luck to us all, this anxiety and panic attacks are one of the worse things I have ever gone through...

[WhiteStone]

anger...personify your fears, the ones that cause the worry that must be relieved via the ritual...i am a christian...do not become angry at the person.  only the idea...treat these feelings as entities and express your anger with unbridled fits if you must.  in some sense, you are refusing to submit to these "obsessions".  Otherwise minus the atheist hodgepodge, REBT offers a lot of help in this area.  Dr. Ellis, author of numerous books, has put therapy in basic terms, and has a book "control your anxiety before it controls you".  You learn to release control you never had in the first place...less fretting...and rationally accept what is real...and be reasonably happy with it.  Good luck!

[Sweet L]

thanks everyone for your feedback...going to take your comments into consideration :.  If anyone wants to add anything please do.

[sceptic4life]

i need help.please.PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i understand that nobody is not o.k.he or she is writing letters on this pages.
i dont want a make a topic out of my question i am just sick of getting ignored or i am advised not to post a question to the people that are crucial for giving me answers.
i am ignored or i am asked to ignore myself.
i find a wall every way i turn.
when i find a wall i have a need to brake that wall down.
but to many walls is to many walls.
common knoweldge is something i dont know.
i am in love with a girl that has diognosed shizophrenia and OCD.
i tried to tell her that i love her for a 30 times but she would just runaway from me or diverted the subject or she aimed to hurt me knowing my weak spots.low.PMS got in my way more then a few times.
every time i tried i got an opossite effect of what i wanted to.
i digg my self deeper every time.
i can understand if she doesent love me but her distrust in me will be the end of me.
i have lost nerves and did some stupid things along the way but actually i didnt do no major ****.































please11111111111
my search has began

[sceptic4life]

thank you people.
i cant help nobody if somebody doesent help me.
if this world is coming to its end we just dont have to ask way.answer is easy.
people suck.there is no humanity in this world.
i doubt that nobody didnt saw my post,kind word would be anough for me.
for the reccord:I WOULD HELPED YOU
THANKS FOR NOTHING




P.S.
**** YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Reaper11]

Hi sceptic4life,

Don't worry so much, life is full of lessons and you are experiencing one with your girlfriend. Go with the flow and don't pressure her so much. Maybe she is avoiding you because you are crowding her. My advice to you would be to find a quiet spot to call your own, maybe near the ocean and sit back and enjoy the view, let all your worries float away. Remember the man upstairs loves you so when your down and out ask him for assistance and I'm sure he will help.

Take care and God bless...

[sceptic4life]

how to let go somebody if you think that the only reason for her to push me away is becoause she loves me?i have try waiting.i tryed every possible thing and i just feal helples.i am out of options.i am frustrated,mad.angry.now i can just go somewhere and die before i do some sirious damage.now i am the on who needs help.i am losing it.i dont belive that the guy above loves me.i dont see the sun,i dont see the sea.i dont see other girls.i just want to talk with her and put an and on all this.i am just affraid that all my love will become hate and then who knows what will happen.i need closure ,fast.i should  have never aloud my self to fall in love with somebody like her.
now i am sorry that we had ever  met.
thanks anyway

[dfhgftgj645765]

sceptic4life... i think its amazing that you're in love with this girl. and i dont even know why im on this websyt?? but fate brought me here :) you are right.. you maybe do need some help but posting on here isnt helping. id like you to talk to this girl.. and yes i know you've already tried but be more gentle.. just try it. i registered with this 'thing' just to post htis message to you.. i care. and i hope that means something to you. now i dont know whether i believe in god.. so i dont know whether he likes you or not.. but lets face it he's not that kind on any of us is he? im the only person in my family without a mental health problem unfortunately/or fortuantely i guess. Reaper11 seems like a good guy :) anyway i have to go now.. i hope everything goes well for you.. please dont do anything stupid? i care. and ill check to see if you've written back. but in the mean time smile for me and look at the good things you have. im only young.. and probably not as wise as any of you but id just like to help. anyway i really am going this time :) an if the old guy upstairs does love us.. im sure everything will sort itself out.. and if not.. well it was meant to be <3 <3 <3

[sceptic4life]

thanks.
i need all the luck.
i cant have agressiv aproach couse i am scared that she doesent do anything to her self but like this i am not moving.i dont know what to do.i even talked with her father and he wasnt  to helpul.nobody wants to help me.not even her friends.i am lost.
thank you one more time.

[dfhgftgj645765]

thing is i want to help.. id like to anyway. you say you dont want to be aggressive? well make sure you're not. it'll panic her and from the state i hear she's in it wont help. for now im guna have to say stick it out.. be a good friend to her if you can? like take her shopping.. or 4 coffee? im english.. so i dont know what 'you' do :) but id like things to work out. what exactly is wrong with her?.. it didnt make much sense when i read it up ther? ^^ :)if you dont want to say thats cool.. but id like to know. its kind of not private talking in here? do you have msn? anyway.. best of luck 4 now xx il check back to see if you've replied x ( by the way.. it took me like an hour to find the username and password i made bcos bein stupid didnt realise id need it again but i found it.. so il keep it safe incase i get anything back ) smile 4 me <3 [= x