Help! I've got depression, OCD and social anxiety all at once!?

Question

Ive been suffering from depression for more than year, so i thought it was time to take action. Along with depression, ive got mild ocd (but it still effects my day to day life) and social anxiety. Ive been to a practionar nurse, which didnt really help because i completety froze up and only opened up to her little bit. Shes referred me to a GP. Im worried that when i go to see the GP, i'll freeze up again and be too ashamed/shy to tell her how i feel. I feel much more at ease when i write how i feel, so do you think that it would be a good idea if i write about whats going on on a peice of paper and let the GP read it, and go from there? Apart from doing this, and getting counselling, what else should i do to get on the road to recovery? The social anxiety and depression has made me have no friends at school, which in turn is making my depression worse, and thus my OCD as it worsens when im stressed. How can feel more postive about going to school, and life in general? Plz help!

Answer 1

Yes, that's not a bad idea. If you are too uncomfortable speaking with your physician, then write it down and hand him a letter and make him read it. If he refuses, go to another doctor, and don't be intimidated!

It's all about you. If the doctor isn't respectful of your condition, and I think he/she will be, then you should seek someone else. I think what will happen is after you see the doctor read your letter you will normally relax a bit, and will be able to talk with them at least a little. After that, they will be able to offer some type of treatment, and you will be on the road to recovery.

On your next visit, you will be even more calm, whether it be by medication, or by some other therapy, you will feel more able to communicate with your doctor about how you are feeling, and he/she will be better able to treat your condition based on your symptoms.

I am not a MD, but I've gone though similar experiences to what you've described, and I just telling you from my own experience what worked for me.

Answer 2

First of all, relax a bit. It is quite common to have symptoms of anxiety and depression go together, but you seem to have the impression that you have a bunch of diseases all happening at once. You are probably not becoming deathly ill, but you may have one primary problem happening with a bunch of distressing additional symptoms that will get better when the main problem does.

Rather than advise you on any particular treatment, if you are under this much distress, it is almost always a better idea to discuss your symptoms with a psychiatrist first. Make sure that when you meet with him or her, that you are able to have a DISCUSSION, meaning both of you share your agenda. If you are able to simply tell him what you want and he just nods and agrees, this is not a discussion--you need information from him as well. It can be very difficult to pick or find a good psychiatrist, and this is perhaps the most important point.

If in doubt, do ask your doctor for a referral, and as always, discuss these and any questions with your doctor first.

Answer 3

Social anxiety can cause these feelings, which can also lead to severe depression,
http://www.socialanxietyinstitute.org/ds...

There is hope; I've been there, and still am there, it is a long, hard struggle. I recommend
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cognitive_b... worked best for me, with mild anti-anxiety meds. I suffered from social anxiety for over 15 years. I've tried individual therapy, and group therapy and studied psychology for 10 years, as a profession, but also with the hope to cure myself.

Depending on your comfort level, you could go to a psychologist that practices CBT and specializes in anxiety disorders, seek a group therapy, or create one. Usually those that do attend the group therapy are a bit more high functioning because as you know, it can be difficult to speak in a group.

Another idea is to see if there are any local research studies being conducted that you could participate in.

The program that finally worked the best for me is this one: http://www.socialanxiety.us/findinghelp.... and I was lucky enough to have a structured behavioral group to go along with it. Sometimes the people that actually attend this program come back home and form groups.

I recommend a mild anti-anxiety med in addition to CBT therapy.

Any questions, let me know ... I can't tell you how much this has improved my life!


Another great website: http://www.markway.com/acceptance/menu.h...

Answer 4

Write it down and just hand it to the GP. The thought of reading out loud might make you lose your nerve. Let the doctor read it. The doctor can help you with the rest.

.

Answer 5

Well, instead of talking to a nurse or a general practitioner, you should seek out somebody who is specialized in your conditions, a counselor or psychiatrist to be more precise. When you go to the GP, see what he offers, but ask him to refer you to a mental health specialist and they will evaluate you and know how to deal with your emotions and get you to open up comfortably when you freeze up in front of them.

Answer 6

i'm quite specific which you haven't any longer yet been clinically determined with any of those matters. you will desire to no longer declare to have them till you have been clinically determined via a psychiatrist. Self-diagnosing a intense psychological disease is like claiming which you have maximum cancers or HIV in the previous a doctor tells you which you're unwell. That suggested, a thank you to be clinically determined is to bypass via distinctive bypass to with a psychiatrist who will take your historic previous and be conscious your habit. it may unquestionably take a protracted time to get an precise diagnosis as a results of fact psychological ailments are not common to diagnose. Your physician could be hesitant to slap a Bipolar label on you till she has outfitted up an important volume of data to help the diagnosis. people in some households are genetically predisposed to psychiatric ailment, yet a individual's ecosystem in many cases performs a particularly smaller place in no rely if she or he develops a definite disease. additionally, you may take drugs particular on your disease. maximum of those would be dealt with with anti-depressants and stress drugs mutually with SSRIs and benzodiazepines, respectively. in case you do have Bipolar, then the physician will probably stay faraway from anti-depressants as a results of fact they are in a position to set off rapid cycling and mania. drugs oftentimes prescribed for the scientific care Bipolar disease incorporate Lithium, anti-convulsants, anti-psychotics, and benzodiazepines. purely bear in mind that the element-outcomes of those drugs are oftentimes so unfavourable that an incredible sort of folk are drugs non-compliant. those are not drugs that would desire to be taken via anybody who does no longer heavily want them.

Answer 7

Well you've made a start, well done. Can't say much else, I'm a walking misery myself.

I really sincerely hope you feel better ♥