I was curious to find out if other cysters have problems with anxiety - I am already taking a small dose (10 milligrams) of Prozac for it but lately other PCOS symptoms (skin, weight, breakthrough Yasmin bleeding) seem to be up the wazoo and so does the anxiety.
My brother has OCD and so do second cousins of mine so it could be hereditary as well (I also had surgery for a brain hemmorhage when I was 12 - I'm 25 now but maybe there is still some post-traumatic stress disorder left over from that which could be linked to anxiety).
Almost all of my anxiety seems linked to people not visiting me - I live in North Carolina and it's getting to be Spring now; I grew up in Miami (which doesn't have any seasons) and none of my friends have ever been here to visit - I feel like they have missed the seasons and it's "my fault" for not emailing them sooner to remind them that they have an invitation to visit me. Every year since I've been here (when I moved for college in August of 1999) it seems like the same thing going through my head - "It's Fall now and the leaves are pretty" or "It's Spring and the flowers are out - why aren't my friends here to visit; I should have emailed them sooner." or "Other friends of mine from college had their childhood and high school friends come to visit - why didn't mine?"
I told a counselor (in college) about this obsession once and she sighed and said something like, "That's the same one that always seems to come up."
One of my oldest friends from childhood (since 1989) had said she has time off this summer and wants to come up (from Miami) to visit but I just keep thinking, "It will be hot and humid during the summer and the schools will be out of session/people will be on vacation so there will be less going on than there is now - she sill either feel bored or she will be uncomfortable because of the weather and not have a good time." I almost told her not to come but then realized that might hurt her feelings so I didn't say anything.
Does anyone else have this problem? Am I going insane?
Hmm .. where do I start ... I have Post-Tramatic Stress Disorder, Panic Disorder, rape survior (twice), been stalked (twice), harassed verbally (twice), etc. I have finally found an anti-depressant that works for me after 15 years. I love my Prozac!!!! I am feeling so much better!
__________________
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I have anxiety when my hormones aren't balanced. I haven't been diagnosed with OCD but I definitely have it. I compulsively check my email and other things online. I have struggled with playing with my hair compulsively for years. I used to be addicted to computer solitaire and other games. I got addicted to video poker for 3 weeks when living in state with that. Fortunately I always avoided alcohol and drugs.
I obsess about the future and my career. Since reading Dr. Vliet's books I am obsessed about avoiding toxic chemicals and monosodium glutamate/"natural flavorings"/hydrolyzed vegetable protein and aspartame, which cause brain damage and are endocrine disruptors.
Sigh. My brother and mom play with their hair, and my brother obsesses about the future too.
__________________ Had hysterectomy with ovaries removed Feb. 6, 2006 because of severe mood problems suffered for 15 years from PCOS. I'm 27 & was in law school until last December. Elizabeth Vliet is my doctor; get her books for great info on PCOS and effects of hormones on the whole body, including moods. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
*hugs* I definitely have some OC tendencies, as my counselor likes to call them, and I know exactly how it feels to know how ridiculous you are being but not being able to stop anyway. *hugs* I never realized how much anxiety I had about simple things until I started treatment for depression. One of the hardest assignments I ever had from my counselor was to rearrange my shower routine. It literally gave me butterflies in my stomach to wash my face before I shampooed... The good news is that once you've recognized what it is that you're obsessing over and you acknowledge that it's irrational, it gets a lot easier to settle those thoughts and replace them with logical ones. It just takes practice. Good luck, sweetheart!
BlueAngel22, what part of Illinois are you from? My dad grew up in Champaign-Urbana and went to the U of Chicago.
Ladies, have you read a book called "Brainlock"? My brother (who also has OCD) read it and said that it helped him a lot. I read part of it but am visually impaired and wasn't able to get it on tape yet so I haven't read the whole thing (talk about post-traumatic stress disorder: I had surgery for a major brain hemmorhage at age 12; I think anyone who spends 3 weeks at age 12 attached to an IV in the trauma unit of a major hospital will suffer from something afterward!)
I had germaphobia when I was 7 (while this weak blood vessel was in my brain, getting ready to burst - the blood vessel rupturing was what caused my PCOS).
I remember this lady coming to our class at school and saying, "If I have a cold and I sneeze and touch the door and then you touch the door you have got my cold."
For almost a year after that I would wash my hands several times a day and I didn't even want to go to the playground. One time (still in first grade) my mom took me out to dinner and the waiter had bad allergies - when he smeezed I started to cry! He said, 'It's just allergies" but I wouldn't stop crying - I was too scared I would get sick.
The year before I had the brain hemmorhage I had started middle school - I would wake up several times throughout the night and make big lists for myself of things I "should" do (some involving school, others just being OCD "rituals"). Of course that's not what caused the brain hemmorhage but my mom thinks that the extra stress at that time could have contributed to the blood vessels (the bleeding started over memorial day weekend of 1993; the end of my first stressful year of middle school).
I have suffered from depression/anxiety as long as I can remember. I didn't realize it wasn't normal until about 5 years ago, when I began receiving treatment. It has been hard but I have accepted the fact that I do suffer from this problem and I need my medicine to stay well and happy. I take 300mg of Effexor XR a day, and Lorazapam for anxiety as needed. I have learned to be aware of my warning signs and when I know I am slipping into the dark, I take steps to help myself before I get really bad. I have two immediate family members who suffer from OCD and both of my grandmothers had serious emotional and mental disorders. In my house, if you're related - you're crazy. lol I am sure that the PCOS doesn't help my problem, but as long as I keep seeing my doctor, stay on my medicine and know when to ask for help, I am happy and sane.
Best of Luck,
Therese
__________________
Therese - 34 | DH - 48
DD - Aleksandra Sofia Tat'yana - 6.20.04 (Russia)
DS - Geoffrey Aidan Luis - 5.16.06 (Domestic Open) "By choice we have become a family;
first in our hearts, and finally in breath and being."
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
anxiety/OCD 
lol I am sure that the PCOS doesn't help my problem, but as long as I keep seeing my doctor, stay on my medicine and know when to ask for help, I am happy and sane. 
