Newly Diagnosed

[cierrac19]

Hi, I'm Cierra from south-western Pennsylvania. I have a really hard time figuring out what to write for these things so here it goes: I'm 19 and was recently diagnosed with depression, general anxiety, social anxiety, and I have A LOT of panic attacks. My therapist suggested joining an online community. I'm new to this whole concept so any and all help would be greatly appreciated! (insert laughing emoji here) I just started medications and have been seeing a therapist for about a month so I'm still new to the world of anxiety haha. A little bio, I'm an HHA currently but I plan on going back to vet tech school as soon as possible. All through high school I was a devout music major. I've never had many friends and I've always just kept to myself. In college I opened up a little bit but that's when my anxiety took a turn for the worse, and it has been getting harder and harder to handle with every passing day. In February I started dating my wonderful boyfriend, Mike (in the attached picture), who is absolutely amazing at calming me from a panic attack and is my main support system. He has anxiety as well, although he's much better at handling it and it isn't quite as troubling as mine. I don't mean to make that sound insensitive, but that's how he describes it. As my therapist said, I'm stuck in a limbo of sorts, referring to where I am in life. So when one thing goes wrong, that limbo just closes in on me. Anyway, I'm excited to talk to some of you and gain some knowledge on my disorders and maybe some tips and tricks to coping with them. Thanks for reading!



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[Rinka]

Hi Cierra, welcome to the community. I hope you will find some support here, that will help you though your hard time. Please don't be shy to contact me should you face some difficulties. I know it sometimes feels that way, but you are not alone and you can lean on people, should you need it.


I wish you a good time here.

 

[JCP]

Welcome Cierra

 

[Alex]

Hi there, an online community can help as it did me when I was first diagnosed. Don't worry about what to write, just say it as it is because sometimes it's hard to articulate. Sometimes forums and communities like this are good in that you can see you aren't alone and that others go through the same thing. At times that can give you peace of mind.


With anxiety and depression it takes time, and also to find what the triggers are. Often they are subconscious, but talking can help. It seems you have many things to look forward to, and having someone around that understands your anxiety is a blessing.

 

[oportosanto]

Hi' date=' I'm Cierra from south-western Pennsylvania. I have a really hard time figuring out what to write for these things so here it goes: I'm 19 and was recently diagnosed with depression, general anxiety, social anxiety, and I have A LOT of panic attacks. My therapist suggested joining an online community. I'm new to this whole concept so any and all help would be greatly appreciated! (insert laughing emoji here) I just started medications and have been seeing a therapist for about a month so I'm still new to the world of anxiety haha. A little bio, I'm an HHA currently but I plan on going back to vet tech school as soon as possible. All through high school I was a devout music major. I've never had many friends and I've always just kept to myself. In college I opened up a little bit but that's when my anxiety took a turn for the worse, and it has been getting harder and harder to handle with every passing day. In February I started dating my wonderful boyfriend, Mike (in the attached picture), who is absolutely amazing at calming me from a panic attack and is my main support system. He has anxiety as well, although he's much better at handling it and it isn't quite as troubling as mine. I don't mean to make that sound insensitive, but that's how he describes it. As my therapist said, I'm stuck in a limbo of sorts, referring to where I am in life. So when one thing goes wrong, that limbo just closes in on me. Anyway, I'm excited to talk to some of you and gain some knowledge on my disorders and maybe some tips and tricks to coping with them. Thanks for reading![/quote']
Welcome to the community Cierra! I just joined as well How have you been feeling since you have started therapy, have you felt any improvements?


Also, do you noticed any change when you started medication?


I am glad that you decided to join, opening up will certainly help and also, with a boyfriend to help things will be easier right?

 

[kgord]

Hi Cierra, and I hope you will find this community helpful. There is a lot of knowledge to be gained here. By all means go back to school as soon as possible. It sounds like you have some good supports around you at this time which should make coping with your anxiety easier. These are just some of the things that can make your life easier and be helpful. I think that finding the information ahn you need is a good thing to do. I think in the meantime, maybe talk to your boyfriend and find out some of his strategies for coping with anxiety.

 

[cierrac19]

Hi Cierra, welcome to the community. I hope you will find some support here, that will help you though your hard time. Please don't be shy to contact me should you face some difficulties. I know it sometimes feels that way, but you are not alone and you can lean on people, should you need it.
I wish you a good time here.

Thank you! I really appreciate that.

 

[cierrac19]

Hi' date=' I'm Cierra from south-western Pennsylvania. I have a really hard time figuring out what to write for these things so here it goes: I'm 19 and was recently diagnosed with depression, general anxiety, social anxiety, and I have A LOT of panic attacks. My therapist suggested joining an online community. I'm new to this whole concept so any and all help would be greatly appreciated! (insert laughing emoji here) I just started medications and have been seeing a therapist for about a month so I'm still new to the world of anxiety haha. A little bio, I'm an HHA currently but I plan on going back to vet tech school as soon as possible. All through high school I was a devout music major. I've never had many friends and I've always just kept to myself. In college I opened up a little bit but that's when my anxiety took a turn for the worse, and it has been getting harder and harder to handle with every passing day. In February I started dating my wonderful boyfriend, Mike (in the attached picture), who is absolutely amazing at calming me from a panic attack and is my main support system. He has anxiety as well, although he's much better at handling it and it isn't quite as troubling as mine. I don't mean to make that sound insensitive, but that's how he describes it. As my therapist said, I'm stuck in a limbo of sorts, referring to where I am in life. So when one thing goes wrong, that limbo just closes in on me. Anyway, I'm excited to talk to some of you and gain some knowledge on my disorders and maybe some tips and tricks to coping with them. Thanks for reading![/quote']
Welcome to the community Cierra! I just joined as well How have you been feeling since you have started therapy, have you felt any improvements?


Also, do you noticed any change when you started medication?


I am glad that you decided to join, opening up will certainly help and also, with a boyfriend to help things will be easier right?

Thanks! The therapy has definitely helped. Not so much fighting the disorders, but my therapist has been amazing at helping me find what possibly caused it and some triggers. As for the medication, I've inly been on the daily anti-depressant for a few days so I haven't felt many changes other than drowsiness haha. But I also have one to take when I start feeling more anxious than normal to help calm me so I don't have a panic attack. That one helps so much. It's like the billion thoughts going through my head just start slowing down and disappear. It's great. And definitely, my boyfriend has helped so much already, he's a huge support.

 

[cierrac19]

Hi Cierra, and I hope you will find this community helpful. There is a lot of knowledge to be gained here. By all means go back to school as soon as possible. It sounds like you have some good supports around you at this time which should make coping with your anxiety easier. These are just some of the things that can make your life easier and be helpful. I think that finding the information ahn you need is a good thing to do. I think in the meantime, maybe talk to your boyfriend and find out some of his strategies for coping with anxiety.

Thanks! He refuses to face his anxiety. He just shoves it deeper and deeper and keeps it to himself until he has a meltdown. We're working on it together haha.

 

[oportosanto]

cierrac19 Thanks! The therapy has definitely helped. Not so much fighting the disorders, but my therapist has been amazing at helping me find what possibly caused it and some triggers. As for the medication, I've inly been on the daily anti-depressant for a few days so I haven't felt many changes other than drowsiness haha. But I also have one to take when I start feeling more anxious than normal to help calm me so I don't have a panic attack. That one helps so much. It's like the billion thoughts going through my head just start slowing down and disappear. It's great. And definitely, my boyfriend has helped so much already, he's a huge support.


**


No problem, I am glad to be able to give you any sort of help...


What exactly does the therapist do to help you identify those triggers? He just talks to you and see where you are more sensitive? How do you feel about taking anti-depressants. I do agree that you are fortunate to have a caring boyfriend!


What about meditation or yoga to calm down your mind?