Help me please!!!!?!

Help me please!!!!?

I'm under a great amount of stress, I have a family member that was in a bad car wreck, the dr. say that he is brain dead, his mom and dad are in court over him, and my job is not going so well, I feel like i'm losing my mind, don't know what to do anymore, i'm not sleeping, my mind just wont rest, I'm taking effexor, I have been on this for about a year, and was doing well, untill all of this happened. I have called my dr. but she is not going to be back in town until next week, just don't know what to do. can anyone give some info?

I'm very sorry to hear about your losses! I have a generic stress buster tip sheet I will give you. I have come up with these things over many years plus taken classes because I have bipolar disorder, and a person with this condition has to be really good at handling stress. So here goes:

I'm taking a stress management class now, here are some tips from my handouts:

Identify the stress-is it some life event (like divorce, losing a job, someone dying?) or daily hassles?

Identify your symptoms of stress. Headaches? nausea? shoulder tightness? That way you can nip it in the bud next time.

Prevent stress:

If a situation caused you stress before, prepare for it. Figure out how to avoid it. What I do, is ask for help or start cutting back on what I do, usually both.
schedule meaningful activities-like hobbies, volunteering, art, etc.
schedule time for relaxation-exercise, use a guided imagery tape, meditae, read a novel
Have balance in daily life-too much activity is stressful.
develop a support system-seek out supportive people rather than critical people.
take care of your health-eat well, get enough sleep, exercise, etc.
talk about your feelings or put them in a journal
avoid being hard on yourself. try to be reasonable.

Coping with stress you cannot avoid

talk to others about it.
use relaxation techniques (look at a candle, hot bath, plus what I mentioned above)
use positive self-talk
use humor-watch a comedy, read a funny book
participate in religion (if that applies to you)
exercise
journal
make or listen to music
do or go to see art
play games or do a hobby

My personal tips:
Try turning the heat up in the house or dressing much more warmly. It is hard to feel anxiety when you are too warm. I was able to cut out Ativan use altogether by using this trick. Saved me big $$ too, because pills cost way more than heat. Hot baths work too, and in a pinch, like at work/school, you can try running hot water over your hands. (Obviously a cold weather tip)

Avoid caffeine like the plague. Also, some cold remedies can cause anxiety. Look for the "agitation in children" warning on the box. Adults can get problems too.

Try meditation tapes like progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery. They may seem silly at first, but they work!! They help reduce stress, which makes depression worse. I made my own, by getting “The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook” (maybe your library has it?) and reading the imageries into a free program I downloaded, called “Audacity.” I can't stand my own voice, so I digitally altered it with the program so I sound like someone else. You could also get a friend to tape it for you.
Go out with friends, and if you don't have any, find a club to join and MAKE yourself go until you actually look forward to it. Isolation makes everything worse. You don't want to talk about your problems the whole time, just go have fun and get a break from your troubles!

Exercise at least 1/2 hour a day, and anytime you feel really anxious/stressed. Exercise is a great mood stabilizer and cuts down on anxiety a lot.

If your anxiety or stress makes it hard for you to sleep, here are some good "sleep hygeine" tips so you can sleep better. Like go to bed and get up about the same time each day, even weekends. Don't use your bedroom to watch TV and read and use the computer and all that-just use the room as a bedroom normally would be used. Don't do stuff that pumps you up right before bed, like exercising and using the computer. You want to use that last hour to wind down-Take a bath? Make the bedroom really dark, cover up the clock radio, even so the light doesn't shine at you. If you live in the rackety city, use a noise generator (makes wave sounds and the like) or soft music to cover up the city sounds. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening.

Put a lot of colorful things around the house, happy type things, and keep the blinds open and let the sun in. Get yourself some flowers. Put on some nice clothes. Make a list of things that make you happy. Here's some things on my list: A basket full of fluffy kittens, bread fresh from the oven, fireworks popping on a warm summer evening, the first fireflies of the season, the scent of Jergen's cherry almond lotion, the crisp sound of a saltine cracker breaking, fresh sheets on the bed, standing in the boat and flicking a topwater lure out onto the lake at daybreak, etc. Use all your senses and read that list when you are breaking down.
Work on time management if being overwhelmed and late for things and too much to do is getting to you. Cut back on other responsibilities temporarily so you can spend more restorative time with friends and family.

You got a husband/boyfriend? Extra physical touch is very helpful. Most people in the US or UK are touch deprived, so hold hands more, hug more, give shoulder rubs, etc. A pet is good to cuddle with, too, if your home situation allows you to get one. (I'm an animal lover, don't get one if you can't commit to it for 15 years). If you already have a pet, Fluffy or Spot would really love the extra attention.

And finally, this is kind of addressed in the classroom stuff, but this works great for me - distraction!! Do crosswords or sudoku, read a novel, play a video game, do some kind of art, anything that is totally absorbing. If you have a friend who does crafts or plays cards, have them over! Don't isolate yourself by doing too many things by yourself, but a couple hours a day might be very helpful. Thinking about your situation won't do any good, that's just ruminating.

Good luck! I hope at least one of these things helps you out.