Three weeks ago, I had a panic attack triggered by a domestic problem. Although I have been feeling this way each time I feel tense. My body was shaking, my palms sweating, I felt lightheaded and then I threw up. I even had the chills at night. I could not get any sleep at night even with my baby asleep. The longest time i could doze off is 2 hours in a day. I have dark circles under my eyes and I have this aching in my body which I always try to relieve with a massage. I have a massage once a week but nothing seems to relax me. My body is so tense and i got so irritated easily. no one can talk to me because i have this headache that doesn't seem to go away even with all the painkillers.
Finally,I listened to a family member's advice to see a doctor coz i wasn't looking very good at all. I look and feel so terrible.So, I went to the emergency room of the Makati Medical Center. After the examination, I was diagnosed to have an anxiety attack or a panic attack. I was given a medicine to help me relax and was asked to see a psychiatrist. No, I am not losing my mind but the doctor said that a psychiatrist would help me how to cope with the anxiety.
I went to Asian hospital since it's the only hospital nearest to where I live that has a psychiatry unit. I wanted to make the most out of the visit because the consultation fee was ,well, a little costly. About 2,000 pesos for an hour's session.after the interview, or should I say, the talk I had with the therapist, she explained that what I have is depression and anxiety. A therapy was recommended aside from the medication that I needed. I was given flouxetine (which i came to know lately was the generic for Prozac) an anti-deppressant , 10mg a day to ease my depression, sleeping tablet (a quarter of the pill) to help me sleep if I got those sleepless nights again and the medicine for anxiety, the one to help me relax. I do not want to mention the name of the medicines because those are not over-the-counter medicines. They are controlled medications and I was even asked for an identification and addresses every time I buy them.
I have started my medication and for the first week, I could feel the side effects. I could not even get myself to get up because I was so drowsy. I was even hallucinating and kept hearing voices. It is scary. But lately, I had adjusted to it and I could do the things that I usually liked to do, like surf the internet.
I still wish to get better. I will be better for the sake of my children. It's just so scary to think that what if i didn't get help? maybe I have gone down to being suicidal again.Thank God for giving me an understanding partner and family.
Now, I want to share this article because I know that there are plenty of people suffering from this and before it's too late, I hope that they get all the help and support they need.
Please read and share it to someone you know that may need this. You may just save a life.
♥♥
Here's an online psycholigical tests that you can use:
http://www.healthyplace.com/site/tests/psychological.asp
Here's an article i got from the web about depression and anxiety
Depression: Recognizing the Emotional Symptoms
But you're not. Major depression affects about 14 million American adults or about 6.7% of the population 18 or older in any given year. And the good news is a lot of treatments work to reduce depression symptoms, and some experts claim depression can be "cured" as well. This guide will help you recognize the symptoms of depression and learn how to treat them.
You may already know some of the emotional and psychological effects of depression. They include:
- Feeling sad, empty, hopeless, or numb. These feelings are with you most of the day, every day.
- Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy. You might no longer bother with hobbies that you used to love. You might not like being around friends. You might lose interest in sex.
- Irritability or anxiety. You might be short-tempered and find it hard to relax.
- Trouble making decisions. Depression can make it hard to think clearly or concentrate. Making a simple choice can seem overwhelming.
- Feeling guilty or worthless. These feelings are often exaggerated or inappropriate to the situation. You might feel guilty for things that aren't your fault or that you have no control over. Or you may feel intense guilt for minor mistakes.
- Thoughts of death and suicide. The types of thoughts vary. Some people wish that they were dead, feeling that the world would be better off without them. Others make very explicit plans to hurt themselves.
WebMD Medical Reference
Depression: Recognizing the Physical Symptoms
In fact, many people with depression feel pain or other physical symptoms. These include:
- Headaches. These are fairly common in people with depression. If you already had migraine headaches, they may become worse if you're depressed.
- Back pain. If you already suffer with back pain, it may get worse if you become depressed.
- Muscle aches and joint pain. Depression can make any kind of chronic pain worse.
- Chest pain. Obviously, it's very important to get chest pain checked out by an expert right away. It can be a sign of serious heart problems. But chest pain is also associated with depression.
- Digestive problems. You might feel queasy or nauseous. You might have diarrhea or become chronically constipated.
- Exhaustion and fatigue. No matter how much you sleep, you may still feel tired or worn out. Getting out of the bed in the morning may seem very hard, even impossible.
- Sleeping problems. Many people with depression can't sleep well anymore. They wake up too early or can't fall asleep when they go to bed. Others sleep much more than normal.
- Change in appetite or weight. Some people with depression lose their appetite and lose weight. Others find they crave certain foods -- like carbohydrates -- and weigh more.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness.
These physical symptoms aren't "all in your head." Depression can cause real changes in your body. For instance, it can slow down your digestion, which can result in stomach problems.
Depression seems to be related to an imbalance of certain chemicals in your brain. Some of these same chemicals play an important role in how you feel pain. So many experts think that depression can make you feel pain differently than other people.
Treating Physical Symptoms
In some cases, treating your depression -- with therapy or medicine or both -- will resolve your physical symptoms.But make sure to tell your health care provider about any physical symptoms. Don't assume they'll go away on their own. They may need additional treatment. For instance, your doctor may suggest an antianxiety medicine if you have insomnia. Those drugs help you relax and may allow you to sleep better.
Since pain and depression go together, sometimes easing your pain may help with your depression. Some antidepressants, such as Cymbalta and Effexor, may help with chronic pain, too.
Other treatments can also help with painful symptoms. Certain types of focused therapy -- like cognitive behavioral -- can teach you ways to cope better with the pain.
WebMD Medical Reference
If you feel or have any of the symptoms above, get help. It's not something to be ashamed of...
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