Anxiety and depression: How are you guys holding up?

I’ve been battling anxiety and depression for years now... I’m finally seeing a psychologist, but honestly? I’m terrified I won't ever get the upper hand on this. Sometimes the tears just start flowing for no reason at all. It makes no sense. I have a job, my own apartment, I look fine, my family is there, I have friends... but I just can't handle being alone.
When I'm home by myself, the fear hits me hard. A full-blown panic attack.
I always need to know someone is nearby. And when I don't have a partner around, the depression becomes absolutely unbearable...
Has anyone else here gone through this??
How do you actually move past it?

So, are you guys taking anything at all? Like, any kind of meds? Antidepressants, anti-anxiety stuff... anything?

Sophia Clark2 said:I’ve been struggling with anxiety and depression for years now... I’m finally seeing a psychologist... but honestly, I'm terrified I won't be able to overcome this. Sometimes I just start crying for no reason at all. It makes no sense—I have my career, my own apartment, I look fine, I have supportive parents and a good circle of friends... yet, my biggest issue is being alone.
When I'm home by myself, the fear hits me—it turns into full-blown panic attacks.
I always feel the need to have someone nearby... and when I'm not in a relationship, the depression becomes almost unbearable.
Has anyone else here dealt with this??
How do you move past it?

Believe me, I know how hard it is—I rely on antidepressants myself. You really have to face it—well, get comfortable with the fear... it isn't easy, but you have to try.

For instance, I developed several different phobias that intensified and multiplied during my depressive episodes—and I managed to conquer them through direct confrontation... and fighting back against them... hm.

Honestly, I’m right there with you. I’ve got them too, and man, the anxiety is real. I feel like I'm constantly stuck in this low, depressive funk, just crying over nothing sometimes because it's all so overwhelming... it's honestly awful. It feels like we're dealing with the exact same struggle. Does anyone actually have a way to tackle this successfully?

Depression... it’s basically what happens when you just stop moving and let life pass you by without doing anything about it.

Steven Ross74 said:Depression is simply the byproduct of an inactive lifestyle—one we essentially choose for ourselves.

I have to disagree—your assessment is only partially right. While it's true that a sedentary, stagnant way of life can certainly trigger a depressive state, depression itself often has much deeper "roots." We’re talking about things like trauma, losing loved ones, domestic abuse, or any other form of violence... (and I won't even begin to list them all here)... 😢

Grace Carter80 said:Are you on any medication? Like antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds?

No, nothing at all. I really wanted to handle this without...

fadedmason said:It’s tough. Honestly, I’ve had to rely on antidepressants, and you really have to face it—you have to get comfortable with the fear. It isn't easy, but just try...

For example, I developed all these different phobias that spiraled out of control during my depression. I finally managed to overcome them by facing them head-on... fighting against... well, you know.

How did you actually pull that off? Did you see a therapist? What kind of fears were we talking about? Sorry if I'm digging too deep... it's just important to me to beat this at least once. I'm miserable every single day. :-(

Sophia Clark2 said:How'd you pull that off? Did you hit up a therapist or something? What kind of fears were we talking about? Sorry if I'm digging too deep... just really need to figure this out before I lose my mind. I'm miserable every single day. :-(

Swing by the Panic Disorder thread. We're actually getting somewhere with the whole fear thing over there.

Sophia Clark2 said:How did you manage that? Did you see a psychologist? What kind of fears were we talking about? Forgive me if I’m interrogating you... it's just important to me that I master this once and for all—because right now, I feel unhappy every single day. :-(

It was everything—phones, people, going out in public, even seeing someone in a police uniform... just various undefined triggers depending on the situation.
Let me give you an example regarding the phone... just looking at it used to make my blood run cold. God forbid it actually rang—the fear, the sweaty palms... to overcome all that, my doctor told me that for my next appointment, I personally had to be the one to call so there wouldn't be any issues (even though she knew exactly what would happen)... and so, I tried calling. The phone rings, and suddenly there's a literal stream running down my palms, my hands, my head—everything is soaked, and I'm shaking so hard I'm worried I'll drop the receiver. When she didn't pick up the first time, I felt such relief. So, I thought, okay, try again, while internally praying to God that she wouldn't answer—and truly, she didn't. After a long while, I finally got through to her, and I couldn't stop stumbling over my words. This was happening while I was in Germany; instead of speaking English, I started speaking American and stuttering... she realized what was happening and just laughed softly, saying "it's okay, just tell me," and that gentle tone really helped me.
-But don't think I completely conquered it overnight; it took immense effort and constant work. You are the most important factor—you have to motivate yourself. A psychologist or a doctor can only provide a roadmap or some insight on how to solve it... essentially, the help can only come from YOU, and no one else.
Good luck!🙂 🙂 🙂

- Perhaps you experienced a shock when you were alone and it's still lingering in your subconscious... try to recall it. There is a cause, we just don't know it yet—something we might uncover through various types of therapy...

-I understand you in a way, because I personally know that state of mind...

-I went to a psychologist because my doctor recommended it, but unfortunately, it didn't help much. In fact, it almost made things worse because through all that talking, I felt like I "lost myself"—my privacy, my personality, my stance...

-In a way, you can be your own psychologist. For instance, take a pen in your hand that doesn't actually write, and ask questions to yourself—to that "other" version of you—and let her write the answers back...

Sophia Clark2 said:No way, I'm not taking them—I was really hoping to just power through this without...

Look, you seriously can't just white-knuckle your way through depression and anxiety on your own. If things aren't getting better, maybe it's time to find a new psychiatrist (though you don't strictly *have* to) + you absolutely have to stick to the meds.

Grace Carter80 said:You simply cannot fight depression and anxiety entirely on your own. If you aren't seeing progress, look into switching psychiatrists—though that isn't strictly mandatory—plus strictly adhering to your medication regimen.

😁 I agree that medication was a lifesaver for me too (finding the right therapy and the right prescription is everything)—but as for the rest? Well, "working on oneself" is much harder than people make it sound when you're stuck in that headspace... and frankly, having the willpower to even attempt that is often the very thing you lack when you're struggling...🙂

fadedmason said:😁 Look, I’m totally with you on the meds part—they definitely helped me too (it really just comes down to finding the right therapy and the specific prescription that actually works for your body)—but everything else? Not so much. It requires this whole "inner work" thing, which sounds great in theory, but honestly, when you're stuck in that hole, having the willpower to even start is basically impossible...🙂

👍
Honestly, there isn't much left to say. I really hope User123 sees this. And look, because depression basically strips away your drive to do anything, you seriously need someone (someone who actually knows what they're doing) to help steer you toward the light when things first start going downhill. Just popping pills isn't a magic fix.

Sophia Clark2 said:I’ve been struggling with anxiety and depression for years now... I’m actually seeing a psychologist, but honestly, I’m terrified I’ll never get past this. Sometimes I just start crying out of nowhere... I don't even know why. On paper, everything looks fine—I have a job, my own apartment, I look okay, I have family and friends... but my biggest issue is being alone.
When I'm home by myself, the fear hits hard. It turns into full-on panic attacks.
I always feel like I need someone nearby. And when I'm not in a relationship, the depression feels totally unbearable...
Has anyone else dealt with this??
How do you move past it?

I've been dealing with depression since I started high school three years ago. Mostly because I never really fit in and it feels like nobody in my class actually likes me. I'm the quiet kid, usually just talking to the same three people...

The anxiety hits me constantly too. It makes me want to cry, and sometimes I even get suicidal thoughts...

My old group of friends tells me they don't even recognize me anymore. I don't even want to go out because it feels like everyone is out to get me. As for dating? Forget about it. I feel like I'm so unattractive that people just turn away from me...

I try to keep it together, though. I just bottle everything up inside... I try to cope through music, and it helps for a day or two, but as soon as something goes wrong, I'm right back in the gutter...