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12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

3rd Therapy Session - My Experience

This post is the 3rd one dedicated to express what I am learning from each therapy session.

Yesterday it was a different day for me because on the previous night I only slept 2 hours and my anxiety levels reached high levels that I did not feel for a long time. I arrived at 7pm at the consult with the therapist and started the session.

We started talking about the possibility of being with a bipolar disorder since I have many symptoms associated with it. I told that I went to my doctor this week and the medication was changed with a mood stabilization and a anti psychotic. Previously I was being medicated with antidepressants but it seems 3 months on the antidepressants made my anxiety levels much worse. Both my doctor and therapist told me that even thought I am experiencing mood fluctuations it can not be concluded yet that I could have a bipolar disorder since what is called the "manic" symptoms is situational and derivate from concrete factors, do not came out of the blue. Moreover, the antidepressants were clearly making me more anxious and affecting my sleep and should be abandon.

My therapist told me that because of my perfectionisms and being so exigent with my self, not giving me any time to rest my mind, caused me this levels of anxiety. The depression come later, because as I am not able to relax, my body try to adjust these prolonged anxiety periods with a depressive one.

I discovered an interesting thing about myself. My family thinks or expects that I am a very organized person and I never challenge this with them. But looking to myself and and my true personality I do not feel like a extreme organized person (I am on the middle range). What happens is that my attitudes (or behaviors) do not reflect who I am, because I try very hard to be very organized which is in contradiction with my true personality. In this way I became very anxious and even obsessive trying to be perfect and being exigent with myself, entering in the pangs cycle and increasing my anxiety levels.

I know that I need to do my activities but I should also give permission for myself to relax everyday and have a balanced life. This is not easy but I am trying to be a better person each day and do not be so thought with myself.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

3rd Therapy Session - My Experience

You are right when you said that should is not very motivating. And it is not specific. If I think in what my life would look like if I were able to relax I am getting more specific.

I will be more relaxed if I keep some limits on myself, using for example time management skills. I would do my work with a more relaxed attitude and do not get upset about its difficulties and problems, solving what is within reasonable, and do not try to do more than I can give. If a were more relaxed person I would enjoy doing other activities (besides work) and developing relationships with other people.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

Benefits of Yoga, Meditation, & Tai Chi

I am practicing yoga for 2 months now and I have found it very useful. I am having 2 classes a week with an instructor and practice 3 mores times a week by myself at home

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

Myth or Fact

I think if people with mental illnesses learn how to deal with stressful situations they can have a productive work experience and as the same as the so called normal people. It is here that CBT cames on handy, giving us the tools to deal better with stress at work and on other aspects of life as well.

I think people with mental illnesses lost their ability do deal with stress at some part in their lives and have to discover again these lost capabilities.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

3rd Therapy Session - My Experience

If I were able to relax I could do so many things in my life, because I would know how to deal with problems and stressful situations that are inevitable and present in my life.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

Saturday Morning

Saturday morning. Today I wake up very refreshed and it was the third consecutive night that I had a decent sleep. The change of meds is producing its effects. It is a beautiful day here in Algarve (Portugal) with plenty of sunshine and me and my wife went outside to do some walking and buy some vegetables and fruit in a local market.

The picture that is on my profile was taken this morning inside the market building. Its construction has a neo-arab influence inserted in the artistic movement called art nouveau, and it was built about 100 years ago.

After the market we went to a coffee shop to drink a cup of coffee and read the newspaper. Now we are getting ready for lunch and I will relax this afternoon at home whatching some TV and reading a book.

P.S. Anybody knows if it is possible to insert pictures directly on the posts?

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

Stress Management - The Power of the Word "NO"

Hello all. I found that stress management techniques, even if we understand them, they are difficult to incorporate in our daily lives. Yesterday I had a pleasant day with an exception. I was getting ready to go out to the beach and I didn't found my sunglasses and beach towel. Because I am very anxious I get crazy about not knowing where I put my things. I was stresses about this and my mother called me to have a coffee with her after 1 or 2 hours. I love very much my mother but this is the kind of situations that annoys me much and contributes for the increasing of anxiety. Trying do do several things at the same time. I get frustrated and overwhelmed even with small things like this. At first I got very anxious and said that could have coffee with my mother. But later I was feeling really bad and have a phone call with my mother explaining the situation, that I would like to go to the beach, and that I would like to be with her but had already other plans. I advice her, if she want to help me, to call in advance so I can arrange the necessary time to be with her.

I know it is my mother and I love her very much. But it seems I have to educate people who are important to me, about my emotions, and especially my family, so they can understand and contribute for my recovery.

Members, I would like to know if you use the word "NO" and if you find it useful as a stress management technique.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

Where does Social Anxiety Stem From?

Until I was 18 years old a I was a very shy person. Then I went to the university in Lisbon (Portugal) and lived alone until I was 30 years old. During this period (18-30) I was a very active person, making a lot of friends and being very social. When I was 30 I moved again to my home town and since then I have been suffering from anxiety and depression. For the past 7 years I didn't enjoy meeting new people and avoid social events because I feel bad with myself. Now I understand that this happens because of my cognitive distortions and I am working to resolve theses issues.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

Existential Anxiety

Hello ashepp3. I understand what you are saying. About 6 months ago I felt the same way as you, having many questions about life, the reason of our existence, and our place in the universe. Now I only think of these issues from time to time and I recognize that they were associated with my depression. In my experience, if we take care of ourselves, we will get better with time and do not give to much importance to this thoughts, because not all the questions have an answer.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 619

Everything is Going Fine But my Sleep

Hello all. Just to give an update. As I was getting worse with high levels of anxiety and sleeping very badly I went to a new doctor to ask for a second opinion. I was having antidepressants (SSRI's), 20mg Lexapro and 7,5mg Mirtazapine and was clearly getting worse. Before the appointment with the new doctor I wrote my clinical history so I could not skip any important informations. He conclude that I could have a good probability of having a bipolar disorder.

In this way I am removing the antidepressive medicine and introducing a mood stabilizer (Valproate 1000mg) and a antipsychotic (Olanzapine 10mg). The result is that on the 3 last days I had a decent sleep and I am also better from my mood swings. I hope I will be fine on the next days

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