Posted by West on August 2, 2008, at 11:43:43
In reply to Re: Fast food + cheeseburgers, posted by Justherself54 on August 2, 2008, at 10:26:01
For what it's worth the majority of patients cannot tolerate phenelzine. It's a question of severity - how bad is your depression?
From a side-effect point of view you're (much) better off taking cymbalta. My brother had TR depression and he tried SSRIs/TCAs/Effexor/Moclobemide/Lamotrigine/Lithium before he started taking Nardil w. Lamotrigine and a thyroid hormone, thankfully he's much better. He struggles with staying awake in the day, has put on a lot of weight and doesn't have much energy though.
If you're issues are primarily associated with social phobia with secondary depression you might look into moclobemide (600mg + b.i.d), prozac + nortriptyline, paroxetine, even tianeptine, first- optionally augmenting with gabapentin/clonazepam. The tianeptine and moclobemide are statistically the least likely to cause burdensome side effects, something worth considering when choosing a drug you might potentially have to take for life, although I don't think the efficacy of Tianeptine in S.A is proven, CBT is obviously very useful in treating unhelpful thought patterns and unlearning bad learnt behaviours too so you might try that.
Improving self-image by exercising, getting to a place where you are happy and confident in your appearance, whether its your body or dress, sorting out acne, hair, whatever, eliminating any hang-ups you might have which are holding you back will be important in improving your self-esteem and progressing socially. Learn to know your mind and discriminate: what do you value? What sort of qualities do you think are important/attractive in a person and which of these would you wish to find in friends?
Remember you are not alone: that apprehension, nerves, are an intrinsic part of human conditioning and essential to our survival, however natural and gregarious some people's behaviour might seem- chances are they have just had more practice than you. Put cynically, by improving how you look on the outside you will in turn learn to improve how you feel on the inside. Outward health usually induces a positive response in others, a positivity which is quickly transferred to you, one which you begin to foster in yourself- the cycle perpetuates itself- and eventually you will have greater confidence and a more stable social group to show for it.
Sorry for the lecture. Most of it is really autobiographical. Get the anxiety fixed first, the rest should come.
B Wishes
West
poster:West
thread:842271
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080727/msgs/843671.html