Help!!

[alynnm]

Ok so I have been to my doctor a couple times about this. I get panic attacks and have social anxiety disorder and am OCD.  But I am only 18 years old and my doctor will NOT prescribe anything. She says I am too young and just have to deal with it. I went to the pharmacy and got herbal anxiety pills but they don't really do anything. They were the strongest ones I could find and they won't work. I don't know what to do anymore because this is taking over my life. I have stopped going to school and work. All I do is sit in my house all day long. And I get all panicky even when I am at home! It's starting to depress me. I'm not sure if I should go to a different doctor or something. This doctor has only been my doctor for a few months (And she just got out of medical school). Please, if someone can give me any help at all it would be greatly appreciated.

[alynnm]

Thank you sooooo much!! This is exactly the advice that I was looking for and need.

[Paxiled]

You need a psychologist, and if necessary, a psychiatrist for meds, not a family doctor.  Never see a family doctor about mental issues, they're not trained for it.  Though ssris have been shown to cause suicidal thoughts in some people, they also eliminate them in others -- the same studies show this.  But there are drugs other than ssris, at least for anxiety, and older classes of drugs, the tricyclics, that aren't implicated with suicidal ideation.  A psychologist can help you with talk therapy, maybe cognitive therapy, and if that doesn'[t help, you can try medication.  As for herbal medicine, it's much more complicated than taking one herb or one remedy.  You generally have to combine remedies to get a beneficial response.  If you really want to pursue the natural way, see a naturopath or a real herbalist, someone with training and experience, not your family doctor.  There's also a good book to read by Cass called Natural Highs that discusses most of the natural remedies for anxiety and depression, how to combine them for maximum effect, and dosages.  It's written by a UCLA professor of psychiatry who uses natural remedies in her practice.  I also believe that 18 is the cutoff age for suicidal ideation, although in truth the ssris can cause the same side effect in adults.  They can be pretty weird.  But at least start with a psychologist, who can help you make these decisions and maybe help you see what's bugging you.  Other things that might at least bring some comfort are meditation and exercise and acupuncture and other relaxation exercises.  You're young, don't wait too long to get help.  You don't want to get to the point where this becomes your natural way of thinking and become conditioned.  Take it from me, I waited too long.  Good luck.

[mike1122]

Hi im 15 and that's exactly what I do I sit and think about if im going to die all day long and I get angry at my self and sad. I can't take it anymore. But unlike you I haven't been to a doctor because my mom won't take me, she says its just anxiety and I hate it. But anyways what I do is cry it really helps me and just get it out because its just stuck in there and I know that makes me anxious. So really just try it. I hope it works for you good luck

[alynnm]

Absolutely not!! I hardly even drink. And she was the one who told me that this is what is wrong. She is a family doctor. The alternative she gave me was to try the herbal medication you can buy at the pharmacy but it doesn't work.  I have also bought three self help books and they don't help at all. She said that the type of medication she would have to give me is known to give people my age suicidal thoughts. Does anyone know of a medication that won't do this or an over the counter that helps.

[silverberg]

I was wondering, Do you have a history of drug abuse? also who Dx you with PA, SAD & OCD? Also what kind of Dr. is she?

these questions all help ( give insight) as to why she may not give you meds? also has she given you an alternatives?? besides "just deal with it"?