In the past few years anxiety has taken over my life. I’ve always had a touch of anxiety but could always overpower it before. That is not the case anymore. The anxiety makes it very hard to socialize. I really want to socialize and used to really enjoy it. I feel like I do not have any friends anymore because of my anxiety and it makes me depressed. This seems to create a snowball effect.

The depression and anxiety is up and down. I have the highs and the lows, but lately I’ve been having more lows than highs. It is becoming unbearable. I’ve tried Zoloft before but it made it worse. I’m scared to try another prescription medication.

My question is, if you have had experience (good or bad) with a certain prescription medication and/or herbal treatment, could you give me some advice? I’m open to almost anything.

I should add that I do the typical things for depression such as working out, taking vitamin D3, getting enough sleep, fish oil, etc. The only thing that seems to be lacking from this approach is the social aspect, which is something I cannot avoid at this point.
Ginny Jin, I agree. I would rather stay away from prescription meds because of the risks and side effects, but I’m desperate at this point. I’m ready to have my life back.
Effie Hogarth, your website link didn’t work
Thanks for the great answers. I wish I could choose all 3, as they were all very helpful. I am going to choose ginny jin’s answer because I think I will use her advice the most.

Update: My boyfriend did some research and bought me kava kava and rhodiola rosea. I have some black cohosh and will try that if these others don’t seem to work. If all else fails I will try another antidepressant.

Tags: antidepressant, anxiety, black cohosh, depression, effie, fish oil, herbal treatment, jin, kava, lows, medication, prescription medication, prescription meds, rosea, sleep, snowball effect, social aspect, vitamin d3, work thanks, zoloft

What worked for you? I am DX with Bipolar I, ADD, OCP, & Anxiety Disorder. I am 30 years as of tomorrow and have been suffering since I was 14. DX since I was 19. I am disabled and am receiving SSD. So I am serious here. I was once a bank manager making almost 100K per year winning many awards for being the top sales person & manager. I was really successful until the worst took over.

I am asking people who have had experiences with the natural supplements if they worked. I have bought the Dr. Daniel Amen system and will be attending his seminal in 11/09. He suggests Fish oil and many other treatments.

What worked for you? In the past years I dealt mostly with the manic side but within the past 2 years I have been dealing with the depressive side. Medications made me gain 40 pounds within 6 months. That in itself makes me very depressed. I am trying to lose weight and have stopped all of my meds. I have also had a problem with alcohol. I have gone 2 weeks without drinking. I was on Lamictal, Ativan, dextrostat (ADD), & Prozac.

Tags: alcohol, amp, Anxiety Disorder, ativan, bank manager, bipolar, dextrostat, dr daniel, experiences, fish oil, lamictal, meds, natural supplements, prozac, sales person, ssd

i have gad anxiety disorder i get tension headaches, weaK arms and legs, sweaty palms , hot face, chest pounding of heart, cant focus, ears popping , sinus pressure,unstable in legs standing and at times lose of appetite and trouble falling asleep and more tired in the am, i currently use sublinqual b12 dots, fish oil, and xanax on occasion, i have heard vitamin d helps what type you get and what the best remedy or herbal treatment..?

Tags: Anxiety Disorder, appetite, arms and legs, dots, ears, fish oil, heart, herbal treatment, remedy, sinus pressure, sweaty palms, tension headaches, vitamin d, xanax

I did it by taking lecthin and fish oil .

Also exposure and relaxation exercises.

Used to have panic attacks all the time.

Crowds made my head spin .

Tags: fish oil, head spin, lecthin, Panic Attacks, relaxation