Anyone with an anxiety disorder...?

im pretty sure i have a bit of anxiety too. it would probably be easier for me to go on medication but i know i can handle it and not let it get me down.
lately ive been increasing what ive been eating because i havnt been eating quite enough and my anxiety kicks in sometimes and tells me im going to get fat but i can kick that feeling most of the time, because i know what i'm doing is better for my body. you've just got to be strongwilled and do whats best for your body.

Hey there Kittygamer.

I was diagnosed about 5 years ago with panic attacks and anxiety disorder. My doctor started me on Lexapro, but I didn't want to take the medication at all. I wasn't going to take them but my husband and my parents really gave me no option. (I thank them now.) After starting the medicaiton I gained about 40 pounds within a couple of months and was so upset about that it was ridiculous. I continued staying on the meds though because I couldn't function well enough without them. Although I gained a lot of weight at first, I don't think it has affected my ability to lose weight. Also just becuase I gained a lot of weight doesn;t mean you or anyone else will. Part of the weight gain could have just been that I wasn't using up so much energy being in such a nervous state constantly. I guess my point is that you have to do what is right for you. If you can manage the anxiety with out the meication then there shouldn't be any reason why you would have to take meds. but if you are finding that you are having more bed days than good, maybe try the medcaiton. You never know, you might just find yourself happier because you are less anxious!
Good luck,
Shelly-

I've never been diagnosed by a doctor but I'm pretty sure I have it to some degree. I think mine is social anxiety. A lot of my weight gain has came from being depressed and I'm pretty sure the anxiety has a lot to do with that too. Good luck in finding what works for you.

Yep yep yep! I have diagnosed anxiety amongst a myriad of other things. I'm on Lexapro and Rivotril atm, but have been on a lot of other meds. Never affected my weight and has helped SO much in managing my attacks and general feelings of anxiety, as well as helping my borderline and depression! yay for pills! In terms of dealing with it, without meds...I don't. I cry and can't breathe and feel like I'm going to die. So...not great. It was never the reason for my weight gain, but it is a branch of my borderline disorder (which has also caused my ednos) so it is part of the weightloss for sure. Feel free to message me!

I have high anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, and a slight hint of OCD. It honestly sucks. Worst of all, it makes me give in to my cravings a lot more. It makes it much harder to lose weight, but it can be done. And no, I am not on medication. However, I will take a xanex two or three times a week when I get really anxious.

I also self diagnosed myself. But have a terrible fear of doctors so I haven't been. It started in Jan 2009 when I had to get a few shots because my fam was adopting. Normally we don't get them. After that I was dizzy, had anxiety attacks and depression. Before that I was fine. Since then I have random attacks, episodes of depression and get attacks of extreme dizziness.

I have found that walking with my dog works AMAZING for me. I prefer walking in the woods near our house because it is peaceful. I also stop drinking coffee for a few days if I have a attack, listen to music and read.

I will not take meds (only the occasional Tylenol) or get shots again unless forced.

Fell free to add me as a friend!

I been diagnosed with anxiety with panic attacks. Dr also tried to put me on meds, but I refused to take them.
I am new here so please bare with me
The dr gave me all kinds of " technique" to do when I am in a panic. Unless you have them you really don't have a clue. You can sympathize with the person having one, but still no clue. Not to be rude but that just the truth. It's like you watching someone who has broken a legg. You know it hurts and you try understand. Unless your legg is broke you really don't know what they are going through.
Exercise to stop panic or slow panic for me doesn't help. I can hit the gym and still be as anxious as if I didn't.
I sorry I wasn't much help.

Unless you have them you really don't have a clue. You can sympathize with the person having one, but still no clue. Not to be rude but that just the truth. It's like you watching someone who has broken a legg. You know it hurts and you try understand. Unless your legg is broke you really don't know what they are going through.

This is so true!

i was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, & panic disorder almost ten years ago. my dad is bipolar and shows signs of schizophrenia, so i hope i don't find myself there later. i was first on prozac, then celexa, then finally klonopin. prozac killed my dreams and creativity, so i stopped taking it after 4-5 years. then my anxiety became out of control, so my doctor put me on celexa (another anti-depressant) but i didn't want to take it because i hated the prozac so much. about 2-3 years after that, a different doctor gave my klonopin for my anxiety ... & that was BAD NEWS. i definitely gained weight from being on meds, especially since they made me not care about anything (& that includes my appearance/weight).

i didn't take my klonopin (clonazepam) daily, i only took it "as needed" & i did so very irresponsibly. i would intentionally take extra, or chew them, or otherwise ingest them. sometimes i would drink and blackout because that's what happened to my body when i mixed klonopin and alcohol. eventually i stopped taking them altogether because they barely helped with my anxiety, they actually made my depression WORSE, & i had a, um, let's say life-changing experience during one klonopin/alcohol black out that i can't remember but i'll never forget ... i'll leave it at that.

on a happy note -- my anxiety and depression really faded a lot once i started exercising! i get discouraged on some days, but i try to redirect my bad emotions into something better now, no hiding it with pills and alcohol.

~hand raised~...Yeah. Anxiety. Depression. Medicated and thrilled to have finally found a combination that actually works for me. It's pretty much the core of why I weigh what I do, due to comfort eating, and I do think the stabilising medication is 50 percent of my being able to start to get a grasp on losing weight. I still work with coping strategies because the meds aren't and won't ever be 100 percent. Today being a point in case.

I've gone through bouts of going off my meds, in part because I hate the idea of having to rely of medication and I do believe that a lot of doctors are too quick to medicate. However, if a person has been living with the illness for a long period of time (no, I don't think a couple of weeks counts) medication is often necessary, even if it is only as a means to get to a point where you can learn the skills you need to cope without the meds.

The reality is it's an illness. A treatable illness. And sadly one that still carries a stigma making those who 'suffer' from it believe that they should be able to 'cure' it without medical intervention. Yes, some people can accomplish that, but try to recognise your personal limitations on fighting the illness.