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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
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Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
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by foofoo, Dec 28, 2001 12:00AM
I have suffered from mild anxiety my whole life(worried excessively,nervous,stomach problems). Despite this I was never treated. when I was twenty I was under alot of stress and my anxiety took a turn for the worse and I was somewhat of a wreck, constant nervousness, hard time talking comfortably with people, whom I`d never had trouble talking to before and also getting along with people. I was constantly crabby and unhappy and I just could not relax. Even after this I still went untreated and forunately the job I was at I got layed off and found one with a lot less stress. As a year went by I started feeling better. at age 25 I got married and had two children and the stress came back and so did the anxiety. I began drinking 4 or 5 beers in the evening I guess to relax but was unconciously medicating my anxiety. Finally my worries turned to being an alcoholic so I quit cold turkey. Withing days my anxiety level was so high that I couldnt sleep,eat, or hardly think. I was in almost a state of delerium. During this I went into this weird state where I felt dreamy and unattached to my body. Like my mind wasnt sitting firmly in my scull. I finally went for treatment and the doctor gave me ativan and celexa. within days the anxiety and disattchment were gone . 4 weeks later the doctor pulled me off of ativan and the detachment and anxiety came back. I went back on ativan but now the anxiety is less but the detachment is still there. Is it possible I am permantly stuck in this awful detachment forever. Its been 5 weeks and Ive been in it 24-7. Im deathly afraid
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Dec 28, 2001 12:00AM
, Dec 28, 2001 12:00AM
NO, its not possible to stay stuck in this state, but the drug treatment is not sufficient. You must see a therapist and talk through what is blocking you. The detachment is a form of defense against unwanted thoughts, feelings or memories. It means you are still frightened about something you are not talking about. That's where you can push through the detachment.
