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Posted 12/31/2011 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
 

 Starting out i am 17 years old and i have had anxiety my whole life. It wasnt till about 2 years ago when i had my first panic attck :/ scariest thing in my life, might i add.  - anyways, i learned to kinda cope with them after trying many medicines - adivan, buspar, (to many to remember) ... but recently about a week ago i have started feeling major depression and racing thoughts about me going insane or what if i do? etc.. it makes me worry and become very scared. i went to the doc. 2 days ago and they gave me Zoloft. so what i want to know is... for one: am i going crazy? or am i just worrying because of my anxiety? also... what can zoloft do for me? i dont want to be sad anymore.. im nervous all the time worrying about going crazy or hearing voices.. and sad because i keep thinking of the future and what i am going to do, blah blah blah.  Anyone have any advice...??

Posted 12/31/2011 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hi amdam and welcome!

I am sorry to hear that your symptoms have recently been getting tough to handle. I am glad to hear that you are under a dr.s care, as it can be a challenge to get the dosage for an antidepressant correct for someone your age.

I am hoping that you shared all that you have been experiencing with him/her, so that you can get the best possible help. Anxiety can certainly make you feel like you are losing your mind...but this is only a feeling, not the reality. It can however cause depression and loss of hope for the future, like you mentioned...and I would like your dr. to be aware of these issues that you are dealing with.

Have you also considered or been recommended therapy? It is a great long-term solution for anxiety and/or depression. It will help you to gain the tools to deal with the challenges that you are facing, and work with the medication that you are using. Many of us here have had incredible success with CBT...a therapy that teaches you to change negative/scary thinking patterns into postive/rational ones, thus freeing you from a lot of the anxiety symptoms that you carry.

I hope that you will have a good experience with your new Rx. I am sure that others will respond with how they responded to this medication. I wish you the best and invite you to post anytime. We are here to support and help when we can:)

Happy New Year!

Scaredy Cat
Posted 1/1/2012 1:09 AM (GMT 0)
amdam, Sorry to hear you are suffering from panic attacks and depression. I personally have been dealing with GAD, Panic Disorder, and Depression since I was 14, so I totally get where you are coming from. I have been on Zoloft 3 times in the past, and I just recently went back on it in October.

Zoloft is in the family of drugs called SSRI's. They are antidepressants that work for both depression AND anxiety/panic disorders. I have had tremendous luck with it, but the initial start up side effects can cause some increased anxiety until your body adjusts to the medication. Just so you are aware of that.

Don't think that the zoloft isn't working if this happens to you, it will go away the longer you are on the med. If the side effects become too bothersome you could always ask your doc for something to help you get through the rough patches. I personally take xanax with mine for the time being.

Best of luck to you on your journey, I hope the zoloft works as well for you as it has for me. ((hugs)) Fox
Posted 1/2/2012 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you. Recently i have been feeling worse with side affects including fatigue yet insomnia (if that makes sense) ,headaches,nausea, and my anxiety has sky rocketed! My sadness is still from over-thinking about the future, and that life has nothing to offer me. but when i can get myself to think positive i get out of that sad "zone". I still cannot stop worrying about going crazy, my mom is a mental health therapist (crazy house therapist) so maybe her stories from work just make me overreact & over think about it. I wanna stay on medicine because i want to be more carefree/happy & worry less. i have only been on Zoloft for about 4-5 days now, 25mg. Do you think i should up my dose considering the chance of more/worse side affects? and if so .. when?

also, how long does it usually take this medicine to work at its full potential?
Posted 1/2/2012 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like you have a professional right in your house in your Mom. I hope she doesn't refer to the place she works as the "crazy house". This is what mental health experts are advocating against is the negativity that people with mental health disorders deal with.

Anxiety and panic is a mental health disorder. You are not crazy nor am I. We have anxiety and with the guidance of a Dr. and a good therapist you can be better.

I just started Zoloft a couple of weeks ago and so far it is a challenge as the side effects are a bit tough but I will give it time.

It can take up to 6-8 weeks for the full therapuetic effect to be felt thow you should be feeling better after the first couple of weeks. No medication will take awake all your anxiety. You will have to learn how to cope with it. This is where your Mom can help you out with her training.

I wish you the best,

Kitt
Posted 1/4/2012 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
No she doesnt refer to it as the crazy house..
& today i feel 10x more relaxed on my zoloft (still 25 mg.) i feel sooooooooooooo much better.
i have only been on zoloft for about 5 days & i can already tell my anxiety/depression symptoms are going away.
or maybe its just me lol, but still! zoloft is amazing.. i feel great. & happy.
Posted 1/4/2012 10:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi

Good to meet you and welcome. Sounds like you have had a tough time of it anxiety is a hard thing to deal with and it is a common thought that you are going mad/crazy and I can relate on that one. I am glad you have asked for help and are receiving treatment as that is the first step.

Medication do take a while before you notice the full effects of the medication and can have some negative side effects at first so keep in touch with your doctor. Medication will only help with the symptoms they are not a cure all so it is important that you identify the cause and then address the issues and good way of doing this is by doing some therapy such as CBT.

I am glad you are feeling better do keep posting and let us know how you are getting on.

Hibee
Posted 1/4/2012 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
Great to read that your are feeling so much better. Coming here and sharing your concerns about anxiety was a brave thing to do. Please keep on talking with us and with your Mom re how your doing.

Everyone should have a support network and we are here for you.

Hope your day is a good one.

Kindly,

Kitt
Posted 1/6/2012 7:41 PM (GMT 0)
not feeling better today, still sad and scared about going crazy :(
Posted 1/6/2012 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
Good Afternoon. You are not going crazy; it may feel like your world is tipping upside down but that is the anxiety.

Have you talk things through with your Mom ?

Kindly,
Kitt
Posted 1/7/2012 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah i always talk things out with my mom.. she assures me i am not going crazy, but i always feel like i am just going to snap.
Talking to my counselor does help.. but usually only for that day. I hangout with friends and try to keep my mind busy but it seems i always go back to thinking "what if...." and my mind obsesses over that one scary thing i over think about... i don't hear voices, nor do i see anything. But my anxiety makes me freak out. like i don't feel normal or something. confused
Posted 1/7/2012 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
also still taking 25 mg. Zoloft!
Posted 1/7/2012 2:27 AM (GMT 0)
It takes time amdam...I don't worry about losing it mentally (could care less about that, LOL!) but I struggle with worry regarding physical health.

It seems that it is either one or the other (fearing for mental or physical health)...but they are both extremely common fears for those who suffer with anxiety.

I have read about an equal amount of posts on both subjects. Anxiety can neither cause us to lose our minds, nor contract some horrible disease...but that doesn't stop us from worrying about it!

I have a favorite mantra that I like to repeat to myself when I am struggling with worry. I say:

"I am okay, it is only fear that is making me feel this way."

This reminds me that what I am scared of is not reality...it is just anxiety. The words that we say to ourselves have power, so keep up the positive thoughts...they will sink in and help to calm your mind:)

Take care and keep posting.

S.C.
Posted 1/8/2012 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
I am taking an antibiotic, minocin 100 mg. (Triax Phar?) does anyone know if it interferes with my Zoloft.. 25 mg. ? should i up my dose or ?

smurf   thanks.

Posted 1/10/2012 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
What is the highest dosage of Zoloft? Ive been on it now 6 times but I should know this. haha
Posted 1/10/2012 5:31 AM (GMT 0)
givinguponit, to my knowledge the highest recommended dosage is 200 mgs, but I have read cases where people take more. I don't know how safe it is to take more, but I am not a doctor. Take care, Fox
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