Hi there, I am new to this forum and I think you guys can help me more than my doc seems to be helping.
I am in University and I have had anxiety for over 10 years but have never received help for it. Trouble sleeping, breathing, concentrating and I have negative thoughts which my doctor attributes to anxiety.
Firstly, I recognize all of my symptoms as anxiety except for negative thoughts. For instance, when I'm doing a test I will start to tell myself (in my mind) to do bad on it or when I am exercising I will tell myself to be unhealthy and stop working out. Is this a normal part of severe anxiety?
Next, I am currently studying for my law school admission test but as you could probably guess, it is extremely hard with my anxiety. My brain can't concentrate on anything anymore, I space out and I feel like something is fogging up my focus. I can barely read one paragraph and understand it. My anxiety was really starting to affect my grades and my life, to the point where I couldn't even talk to people because I couldn't say what I was thinking, I couldn't find the words and I would get very confused. Anyway I've been seeing my school's doctor and for over a month, I have been taking Cipralex. Before this I was taking ativan which wasn't doing anything. I have been on 10mg of Cipralex for about a month now and I feel no difference. In fact, I feel worse. I have asked my doctor to please refer me to a psychiatrist but she refuses, she says she can only refer me inside the school to the counselor. I really want to see a psychiatrist and I feel so helpless.
I think I will need to quit trying to study for law school :(
Thx all for listening, any advice is better than none.