I Had Since 7 Years A Depression Which Resulted In Anxiety/OCD after using lexapro for certain period I was kind of cured. now a year ago I felt the symptoms came back but more extreme. I have sense of wanting to control my senses and It feel strange to me examples.. I try to control my head when I talk or U feel the words coming out of my mouth strange.. to summarize it I feel strange to the nature of being me and this gives me huge anxiety especially that it keeps running all the time in my head. I have used this year the following medications without real benefit : lexapro-sertarline-brintellix-fevarin and now am on venlafaxine. I have some times during the day some good moments where I feel kind of normal and my sleep eating patroon is good, but the strange feeling of myself does not allow me to go back to work yet.. (main problem is monitoring myself too much ) what do you recommend especially that I tried CBT but also without real results.. am afraid this will take longer time and am already fed up with the situation that I cannot concentrate on the main things in life and instead am only busy monitoring myself ( my eyes blinks, my mouth when I talk , my head when am talking, my hands if I move them.. everything seems weird to me) further I do not use any drugs neither I drink alcohol. Please send me your advice and I will be grateful.
I understand your frustration. but you shouldn’t give up. Finding the right treatment(s) is often a trial and error process. It is to be expected. That is especially true with medication. It’s common for people to have to try different medications to find the one they like or that works best for them. Even when they find something that works, after a while, they often need an adjustment in dosage or a new medication altogether.
You also mentioned therapy. It wasn’t successful thus far but that doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future. I always recommend that people contact four or five therapists. Interview them over the phone and ask them many questions. These questions can include: How would you characterize my problem? How would you treat my problem? How much experience do you have? Have you helped other people with similar problems and how have those people fared? What would your strategy be for treating me? Do you think you could help me and if so, how would you do it?
Then, you would want to ask practical questions such as: Do you take my insurance? How much are co-pays? How soon could you see me? How often should our sessions be? When could I expect to feel better?
Therapists are very different from one another. They vary in their strategies. Some are certainly better than others. Choosing a therapist takes time. It’s important to find the one you like, are comfortable with and who you think has the best chance of helping you. That is the therapist who will likely be your best match.
Once you begin treatment, you should feel at least a little better after each session. If that’s not happening, it may be time to find a new therapist.
The problems you have described are highly treatable. Depression and anxiety are two of the most common disorders in the world. The fact that you’ve already tried treatment and are open to trying it again is very good. You are moving in the right direction. Your openness and willingness to engage in treatment significantly increases the probability of overcoming these issues. It’s important to highlight that fact, since many people refuse to seek treatment and suffer with treatable problems. Thankfully, that is not the case with you.
A common complaint among clients regarding treatment is that they hate to start all over again, with a new therapist. They don’t like the idea of having to retell their entire life stories all over again. It’s an understandable complaint but finding the right therapist is well worth the effort. There are good therapists who can help you but it isn’t always easy to find them. You have to search for them. Consider my advice, above, about contacting four or five therapists, and hopefully you’ll find one you like.
You have the right attitude regarding treatment, which will significantly increase the likelihood of your success. Good luck with your efforts. Please take care.
Dr. Kristina Randle
