YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

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I started having anxiety problems 4-5 years ago...nothing diagnosed prior to that. Changed jobs, moved, cut ties etc. I take meds for anxiety now, but not always sure that anxiety is my issue, the meds don't always help. Is it depression? Sometimes, maybe, I'm not sure. I don't have the extended or frequent dark moments that so many depressives seem to bring up. Most of my issues seem to manifest themselves in the form of anger, irritability, frustration, verbal screw-ups, and all too short sited decision making. I saw one therapist, then another who pissed me off so bad, I quit seeing her and haven't been to a new one since. Anybody have similar symptoms? What have you done?

Hello "Horatio". I have challenges with anger, rage, irritability, impulsiveness. Sadly, for me, growing older is what helped the most, and I still have episodes of rage that worry my loved ones. It is so shameful.

[1] it does get better

[2] professional help really helps. reaching out to others really helps.

[3] you will have relapses. they are failures, but they are not fatal and they do not mean that the work you have done is for nothing. your relapses will grow more and more infrequent with the positive work you are doing

[4] helpful stuff sometimes feels worthless at the beginning. sometimes you have to give up, try something new, before coming back to a certain technique, and finding out that technique really works great. Two steps forward and one step back is still forward motion.

All the best, cheers, we here are all cheering for you and for your greatest today and tomorrow!