'cured'?

It's been a long while since I've been on here and even
Longer since I updated this blog!

I guess I wanted to come back on and say that after 4+ months after starting sertraline things are continuing to go extremely well for me. I always swore that I didn't want to take medication for my anxiety. I was terrified of meds, even the thought of taking them was enough to have me in a panic but earlier this year my anxiety hit a new level and I knew that I had to at least try the medication and honestly I'm so glad I did!

In the last few months I've started going out on my own, going to appointments, shopping etc... I've been away on a week long break a few hours away from home, I've even been on a job interview!! I could only have dreamed about doing things like this a year ago. I still can't quite believe it when I jump in the car on my own and go wherever I want/or need to go. I no longer feel like a burden on other people or have to arrange things so that someone else can come with me. It really is amazing and has done wonders for my confidence.

I guess the only downside is that I do still have panic attacks is certain situations but I am still only on 50mg of sertraline which is the lowest dose. The panic attacks I do have don't happen all that often and I can always cope with them now. They don't worry me anymore or have any kind of hold over me. Since the 27th of April I have been out every single day, pushing myself to do something. In the beginning it was difficult and very strange but now it's natural. I no longer feel agoraphobic and I feel a lot more like my old self.

I felt the need to come on and update this as when I used to look up online for 'success stories' and hope that I could get better. There was very little to be found and it made me feel that I couldn't get better. I guess the truth is that when things are going well you're not really going to come on and say that.

I know that medication isn't the answer for everyone, and for me it was the last thing for me to try, so I guess I'm lucky it's worked! God only knows what I'd be like just now if it hadn't! But if your anxiety is at the stage where it's interfering with your life or you're struggling to cope please give it a chance. It's nowhere near as scary as you think it's going to be. I imagined all the worst side effects possible and I actually didn't really get any. I honestly wished I had done this years ago and saved myself the hell that I went through for years waiting to wake up and be miraculously better. There's so much that I feel I missed out on and I could have spared myself that. I'm looking forward to making up for though :-)

I wish you all the very best.

L x