[unidlehands]

Hi there

I posted some time ago regarding starting to feel like myself again (http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1327) and thought I would update you all with my progress.

Well, it has been over a month since I last posted and I can satisfactorarily state that I am still improving and would consider myself back to about 80% normal, it has been a slow but gradual improvement.

I have just had my Effexor XL dosage upped to 225mg daily to give the beneficial effects a bit more of a kick (Effexor XL acts more on the Noradrenaline and Dopamine receptors at larger dosages) and am having good results from this.

I am still taking a very low dose of Diazepam (1mg 3 times a day) but hope to be coming off this very soon and the effect from this will be more psychological than chemical due to the low dosage.

One other factor that has helped me considerably since my last post is getting copies of two books by Dr Claire Weekes:

• 
  Essential Help for you Nerves
  Self Help for Your Nerves: Learn to Relax and Enjoy Life Again by Overcoming Stress and Fear

These two books have helped me greatly in understanding my condition and offers practical advice in a very easy to read format, and I can tell you that if you read these books and follow the advice given then you will start to feel better. Just reading the book and noticing descriptions on the physical and emotional symptoms I have helped greatly and the stating that these are all caused by a sensitised nervous system that can take months to settle down to normal.

So all in all I am very happy with my progress upto date but I thought I would highlight an updated version of what has helped in my recovery:

Chemical Drugs
Effexor XL (225mg per day, taken in the morning)
Diazepam (1mg, 3 times a day)

Supplements
Fish Oil Capsules high in EPA - high EPA content is important (1 capsule in the morning and 1 in the evening)
High Strength Slow Release Multi-Vitamin Capsule (1 capsule in the evening)

Cognitive Methods
Reading the books mentioned above and following the four simple steps of:

• 
  Accepting the physical and emotional symptoms as being caused by anxiety/depression and a sensitised nervous system
  Facing things and not avoiding them at all costs
  Floating through, or in other words relaxing through any bad feelings, anxiety attacks, panic attacks, etc and not running away from them, just let it come and relax your body through the experience
  Letting time pass as it can take months for a sensitised nervous system to return to normal

Distractions
1) Exercise
2) Reading
3) Walking
4) Playing video games
5) Watching TV
6) Talking

Anwyay, I hope this gives some of you some hope and motivation as the key to recovery really does exist within yourself and you just have to be strong and not fear your emotional and physical symptoms and eventually you will start to care less and less about them as I have.

Thanks for your time,

Graham (a.k.a. Unidlehands)