Is this a bad idea?

[Jasmine1006]

i'm a 19-year-old student.
sufferer of anxiety, OCD and mood issues since 6th grade. it has been hindering me for that long and gotten pretty worse (i'll get over something then just "graduate" to something else).
taking a semester off college because of this, and now mom's insurance won't cover me.
have job applications pending.

i really need serious help right now. my mom doesn't believe in meds, but i've done self-help stuff and exercise, and been to a number of psychologists/therapists/counselors since i was 12, and they all only worked in the short-term or i'd go and see them and have nothing to talk about because i was feeling totally fine. i go to an expensive holistic therapist, and i love her but i'm not getting what i need out of it right now and i have to drop her. i think i really need to be on some type of med (and i used to be staunchly against them, but i'm wasting my time and life right now). i know meds aren't a cure all, but i need something stronger than herbs and talk therapy to take the edge off. i feel okay right now, but it gets so bad sometimes no matter what i do.

the regular doctors i go to do not prescribe medicine for this type of thing. i was given 2 clinics to call but one of them won't be able to see me until October (and believe me, this cannot wait any longer) and the other is too expensive each session.

any advice? i really don't know what to do anymore. i'm thinking of looking into a psychiatrist that i can just see from time to time who can prescribe me something and just read self-help books and stuff like that until january when i go back to school and i can see a therapist for free.

is that a bad idea? do i have any other options?

[Julie359]

Good-luck... hope it all works out for you.  Keep us posted x

[Jasmine1006]

hey everyone thanx for your advice...we got the problem solved...my moms gonna help me pay for the clinic that offers therapy/psychiatry...i was shocked when she came home from work and said that...and obviously completely grateful...

thanks again guys for your help :)
and the reason they can't prescribe meds are because...sshh this is so embarrassing but...its a pediatric group...i only go like once a year for check ups anyway but i'm working on getting a doctor more appropriate for me.

[specialmom]

WELL. . .i must say I agree with paxiled.  A psychiatrist would help you put the whole picture together.  You could still keep up all of your other approaches you've been doing.  Holistic help can supplement whatever the psychiatrist thinks is best for you.  My husband takes an ssri----  and his mother OWNED (she passed away now) a homeopathy/ natural medicine and foods store in his home town. She was ANTI- meds.  He did the same thing you did but reached a point in which he needed something more.  In the end, she told me that she was happy that he took care of himself.  Natural was her way of life, but she wanted what was best for her son.  (even though she complained a LOT at first.)  I am a HUGE believer in exercise too as being beneficial, so keep that up too if you have the energy.  You are a smart young lady to take such good care of yourself!  

[Paxiled]

You need a good psychiatrist, not a doctor.  I know, it's expensive without insurance, but you don't see them often -- which isn't good, but it's how it's done.  My view is, medication is a last resort, and you've reached it.  Same thing happened to me.  If nothing else worked, that's why they invented medication.  But be careful with it, do your homework, your psychiatrist may turn out to be as clueless as you are about meds.  As for side effects and difficulty quitting, the best place to start may be Prozac, for that reason.  Or the tricyclics, though they have some unpleasant side effects.  Or if it's simply anxiety and not depression, perhaps a benzo.  There's a lot of stuff out there.  Have a good talk with a psychiatrist, evaluate whether he or she sounds caring and knowledgeable or just spouting nonsense, and then make up your mind.  And have a good heart to heart with your mom about how hard you've tried and it just isn't working.  Good luck.

[MrGreen]

Curious as to what sort of doctors you do go to? Ones who don't give out medication for depression and anxiety? Over here we call them bad doctors. No doubt it must be a specialist of some sort you are attending? Like a doctor who may deal with the bone structure or a brain doctor. They vary. Obviously you are at the wrong doctors for you.

There is a class book called Mind over Mood. Might be worth a look up. It goes through many exercises the a cognitive therapist would go through. Gives you things to fill in and the likes. Explains in easy detail how the book works. One of the best I have read in a while. Teaches you a lot of how a lot of out thoughts and action and symptoms are all related. Great read. Because that is what you need. Talk theraphy is good when you need to talk. I just knocked it on the head for a few months because I said I had nothing else worth talking about.

But there is plenty of help out there. Just a case of finding it. Medication is only part of the answer. The other part is you and facing up to the fears and the likes. But the medication can help you get started. Once you begin to feel good you will want to tackle everything in life. Gives you that surge you may be lacking.

[Julie359]

Alot of people do try and manage anxiety/panic attacks from self-help and herbs and yes they are useful but if you are feeling that this isn't helping and is interfering with your life then maybe it is time to think about an anti-depressant or mood stablizer.

There are alot that the doctor could try you on... SSRI's are very good for panic disorder as well as depression... these may be called Paxil/Paroxatine, Citalopram, Sertraline or another type called SNRI's like Venafalxine.  These all aim to raise the level of serotoin in the brain which the doc's feel is the reason depression, anxiety and panic disorder occurs, due to low levels.

These are very good also when used in conjunction with therapy.  Maybe instead of talk therapy you need something more a long the lines of Cognitve Behavioual Therapy... the therapist will re-train your thoughts and actions and teach you methods to relax and calm yourslf in anxious situations.

Maybe you should go and see your GP or Primary care doctor who may be able to refer you to a CBT therapist and precribe you one of the anti-depressants or as they are called in Amercia mood stabizers.

Hope this is of help...all the best J