Does anyone here have severe anxiety, PTSD, OCD or other related issues?

Anxiety is my biggest issue and the component of depression that frustrates me the most.

Sometimes I just worry over things senselessly and can't get the troublesome thoughts out of my mind.

Anyone relate?

Oh my gosh yes. Anxiety is terrible. Some of the things i worry about are just insane. It will wake me up at night, i toss and turn, when i do fall asleep i dream about it. Whatever the "stress of the day" is. Then there is this whispering depression that just seems to linger. I wonder if other people are happy and would i recognize what a "normal" state of mind feels like. Is this normal? I dont know. I just know i can relate to what you are saying. And it does affect my weight and what i eat and how often unfortunately. I wish i could be one of those people that didnt eat when they were depressed. I am the opposite unfortunately. I dont know a solution though. Just day by day is all i can do.

Yes and yes. Severe anxiety/panic disorder resultant from PTSD, coupled with insomnia.

So sorry to hear you both suffer as I do.

I wish I wasn't too anxious to take my anxiety medication!

I just have to laugh at myself sometimes because I know that my fears usually aren't logical. That in no way means I can easily dismiss them!

Yup, anxiety is a demon in my life as well. I have GAD as well as specific phobias and insomnia. That, coupled with my MDD has been my biggest obstacle to weight loss.
But, it can be done! Thank God.

I suffer from anxiety, too. The only thing that has ever helped me is Celexa. I was actually amazed when I started taking it how effective it is. It's not a cure, but it's taken the edge off.

I have severe work-related anxiety which has kept me jumping from one job to another for the past 5 years. I'll just quit at the drop of a hat if I'm not completely happy and regret it immediately afterwards when I realize I can't afford to be unemployed. This has happened more times than I can count and I've burned so many bridges. I get severely depressed after this...and of course, I eat. I have no health insurance (a peril of being unemployed so much) so I can't afford medication just yet. I'm hoping I can control myself this time and find a decent job that won't stress me out too much.

By the way, I also have anxiety about money, the future, and for some reason dying (I'm always afraid I'll have a heart attack)

I'm definitely a little obsessive-compulsive as well.

Definitely can relate.... Anxiety here as well. Usually manifests itself in strange/obsessive thoughts.

Wow. I am sorry that so many of you have the issues I do but it is a relief in a way, to know I am not alone! I am the only one in my circle of friends who is fat and anxious!

The strange, obsessive and health-related fears are the most bothersome in my opinion.

*hugs everyone in this thread*

I have been taking anti-depressants for over 16 years. I started out on Imiprimine and then switched to Zoloft. My anxiety got so bad that I even had to take Valium for a while. At first I took the Valium every day, and then I got to where I only had to take it when I was having a panic attack. Every panic attack I have ever had has happened when I was driving. I've never been in a serious car accident, so it doesn't really make sense. Funny thing though... whenever I try to explain my panic-inducing fears, I always seem to end the tale with "I didn't say it was a rational fear!"

Has anyone tried that color therapy?

I went to the Dr's once absolutely convinced that he would put me on xanax for panic episodes. But he insisted that I try paxil (again) and be patient ... for up to six weeks. SIX WEEKS!!

He was right. One day I noticed that I'd been better lately and it was right around a month and a half or two. I fall asleep easier. I don't panic about social situations. I don't run old conversations thru my head ...

Hee! I'm another one with irrational fears; I live in the smallest, safest town ever, and I'm totally afraid of being mugged. My weirdest? I'm afraid of going down hills. I don't like driving, biking, walking, or riding a horse down hills. Which is great, considering I live in the freakin' mountains! I'm totally terrified the car/bike/horse is going to lose control and crash.
I do that still. Even though my panic attacks, etc are practically gone, I still have some social anxiety where I dread meeting new people and run old/unpleasant conversations over and over again in my head. Huh.

*Onceuponadrive*
I sent you a PM..........I cant believe someone else does what I do with work....

Ladies I would also recommend you getting enough potassium. I find when I am not doing so well on pot, my blood pressure rises and I am more prone to anxiety attacks. This last week was court so I had 2 sever ones anyways!

Depression, Eating Disorder, Anxiety, probable Borderline Personality Disorder, diagnosed as highfunctioning autism, Panic Attacks...

I'm going back to my shrink on Monday...well, A shrink...itll be my third...what a good achievement.