How can I deal with anxiety

[ohajiki]

I suffer with anxiety and depression and now have my 'official diagnosis' of this and am now waiting for my next course of CBT. I get anxious over a lot of things - usually work - but the biggest struggle is currently at home.

We share quite a thin wall with a loud next door neighbour who periodicially makes it unbearable with the noise levels and this leaves me anxious, upset, insomniac and frequently in tears. If it's late at night, I worry myself physically sick and quite simply don't sleep. Whenever it gets stupidly loud, we complain, she apologises and we have some peace for a little while but it will start up again. (in the past she has had screaming rows with her bloke and we've had to call the police on one occasion). We've had expensive soundproofing put in two rooms but it doesn't cancel out everything, particularly the ongoing basslines when she ups the music level.

The only problem is that I am left with this extreme anxiety, which is building daily and I am becoming utterly fixiated on it, so that EVERY sound is making me paranoid and anxious, as if I am expecting it happen. The sound obsession is starting to spread to other areas now. I cannot physically sleep without headphones, which don't help if I am stuck in anxiety like now.

They are currently in and I am stricken with panic and fear already and have being just churning bad thoughts all afternoon. It's also a ridiculous thought because even if they did kick off, there's nothing I can do about it. I'm being totally irrational and I'm so so so sick of it.

I've just finished a course of hypnosis currently with little effect so far, have gone through group therapy a year ago and CBT six months ago.

To add to the mix I CANNOT go on meds because we are trying for a baby also. I was on diazepam for panic attacks but the doctor took them off me and gave me propanolol for the attacks but said it would be a bad idea to do so because of trying to conceive. The next doctor I saw earlier this week said "you are on the waiting list for CBT and you won't stop trying for baby so no medication, therefore I cannot help you." Also, the constant stress isn't exactly helping conception either.

What else can I do? Any kind of advice would be more than gratefully received.

[bookletters]

Well CBT should help you deal with this. As for the "trying for a baby so no meds" well.... a lot of people do try for / have babies whilst on meds so perhaps you'd need to seek a second opinion from another doc?

[Zaf]

I dont want to seem brutal but is it a good idea to be trying to conceive when you are feeling so unwell?

Z xxx

[ohajiki]

 

I'm sorry. I sound so selfish in that regard.

My partner and both families really want children/grandchildren as do I.

We're finally in a place physically where we can try for children and have been trying for quite a few months now.

[Got]

No, you are not selfish, nor are you pathetic. You are struggling with depression and anxiety, and it is very hard. When you are depressed and anxious you can feel under immense pressure to do the things that you need or want to do, but your health has to come first. Here are the facts:

This is an serious situation that requires serious action. Having a baby now is a very bad idea - not only mentally are you not in the correct frame of mind to deal with a pregnancy or having a baby, the process of having a baby and all the hormones involved are very likely to make your mental health conditions even worse. When you eventually do have a baby your depression may become postnatal, and then you will not bond properly with your child. Having a baby whilst suffering mental illness increases the risk of serious mental illness in the child. Your risk of miscarriage will be increased due to your raised anxiety and stress levels, and if you have a miscarriage then your mental health problems will increase tenfold and you will forever blame yourself.

Think about what I've said.

Love Steve