Mental health deteriorating lately

[aw90]

Hello Dr. Gould

I'm very glad that I found this site. For the past few months, maybe a little longer, my mental health has been getting worse. I've been consulting my parents, my guidance counselor and my therapist, but nothing is really helping. I've been suffering mostly from depression and anxiety. Depression runs in my family, and my life situation is causing me to be very depressed. I've moved around and  my life has changed so much in the past 5 or so years, yet nothing has ever made me happy. I'm really in need of help concerning my anxiety though. I think OCD comes in to play here as well. I suppose I have some social anxiety, and I am constantly concerned about what everyone thinks of me. Particularly after i've talked to someone, either someone I know and see every day, or someone I don't know, whether it's in person or over the phone, afterwards I obsessively go over in my mind how the conversation went. I am so concerned with how I came across to the person I talked to, I wonder how they took what I said about this that or the other thing, and what they think of me. I also freak out if I even think I was misunderstood. If I feel that I said something and they took it the wrong way, like they might have come to a conclusion that just isn't true, it leads to me having a mental breakdown, even if as I said, it was someone I don't know and may never see again. I'm very concerned about my depression, but this sort of anxiety drives me insane. I am unable to let go of these thoughts, sometimes I only do if another situation comes up and I have new things to obsessively worry about. In my right mind, I know these things that I worry about aren't a big deal and shouldn't matter, but as I said, I am unable to make myself stop obsessing over them. In a few weeks, i'm going to see a psychiatrist about anti depressants, which i'm told will probably help my anxiety as well as my depression. But i'm running out of patience, yesterday I had another breakdown because of a situation I obsessed about, and it's still on my mind today. Is there anything I can do for myself to help slow down my mind or keep my mind on other things, without going back to obsessing over trivial things that make me crazy? Thank You.

[aw90]

I'm sorry I forgot to mention something. For the past 4 years or so, i've been struggling with trichotillomania, the hair pulling disorder. i've been pulling out my eyebrows and eyelashes for those 4 years. I am unable to stop. At first I think it was connected to my anxiety, but at this point I think it's more of a habit, even if I feel calm and relaxed, I still have the urge to pull out my hair. Do you think this has been triggered by my anxiety, I know it's a separate disorder, i'm a member of a support website where I talk to lot's of other people who have various forms of trichotillomania. Do you think though that these urges to pull out my hair are heightened by my anxiety, if I work to get my anxiety under control, do you think it will help the hair pulling as well?

[ILADVOCATE]

Well the question if you want answered specifically should be in the ask a doctor forum. I'd say within my knowledge trichotilomania is a form of ocd. It is treated with anti-ocd medication which are usually the standard SSRI anti-depressents (Prozac, Zoloft, Luvox and the like). So those would treat depression as well. And there are specific medications for anxiety disorder. I don't think anyone could make an exact diagnosis until they see you in person but you obviously have some form of ocd but other issues might be going on as well. Explain it to the psychiatrist you will be seeing and they will be able to understand it. Talk therapy is essential as well but specifically for ocd behavioral is helpful.

[aw90]

Yeah i'm new here, I didn't realize that not all forums are looked at by Dr. Gould, I feel stupid, haha. But thanks for the advice.

[aw90]

Ok, just so i'm clear, theres communities on here where users discuss health issues and such, and theres forums that are looked at by doctors and they respond to your questions, am I right?

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes that's correct. And most of the forums including this one have community moderators as well. You could contact them too. You can post your specific questions under ask a doctor but in the general forums we obviously can't give specific advice but we've all experienced what you are going through. Welcome.

[aw90]

Well thank you very much :)

[LeftCoastChick]

Bulldozer is community leader for this community, and I am co-community leader for the depression community. Buldozer has a wealth of knowledge and is invaluable , as do many folks here. I have quite a bit regarding depression, compulsion disorders and now since being diagnosed BP, quite a bit of newly gained knowledge. Many folks here are walking encyclopaedias it's amazing!