Finally feel normal

[timetoheal79]

Hey guys, just thought I'd pop in to mention a quick word - in the hope that I can help 1 person.

My history - Been anxious all my life, social phobia kicked in hard around the age 23. I used to smoke a lot of gunga and I have abused many drugs in my time. I always related my anxiety issues with drug and alcohol abuse. I have always had ****ty jobs because I was too anxious to go to school. I've been on and off avanza (mirtazapine) for the past 7 years. Currently weaning off and down to the small dose of 7.5mg. I have been avoiding social situations big time for the past 4 years. My symptoms were just as extreme as everyone else's on this forum and so I started medicating myself with alcohol, beer in fact - between 4 and 10 beers a night after work. Weekends I would get paralytic just to cover up my anxiety in front of others. To say the least I was lost and couldn't talk to anyone about it, I am to proud for that.

I started university in July for the first time in my life. I'm 33 now. The reason I started is because I thought it would help me get better - in fact it just made things worse and the fake shakey smiles were louder than ever. I saw a psych in September around my birthday which only crushed my pride further in to the ground with no alleviation of my depression and anxiety. I have seriously worked on my self for over 10 years in the hope of healing any pain I feel on a day to day basis. There was a theme to my symptoms that I just couldn't pin point though which kept me in the belief that maybe it wasn't all in my head and that maybe it was a little physical. I really can't keep typing right now so I'll just tell you what saved me

- a gluten free diet.

I have been gluten free for 2 weeks. All of my symptoms have been lifted. I can't describe the feeling, but lets just say everything is gone. I haven't tested out the social anxiety much because I'm a bit isolated where I am right now but dealing with people at shops is a breeze. I can't believe what gluten was doing to me and I also can't believe that doctors did not alert me to the possibility that it was a food intolerance. No one did. Because it's not widely recognised that food intolerance can bring on these symptoms. I am writing this in the hope that I can get to one person who can maybe have them self checked out or start eliminating certain foods to find a culprit. Perhaps this isn't you but if I can save one person from going through the hell that I did for all these years just because of a food intolerance then job done. That's why I have come here to talk about this. Please look into it and I also found a great article which you might be able to relate to which may also prompt you to start eliminating gluten and if not gluten other foods which you may have an intolerance for. Peace guys

P.s If this helped you and changed everything about you please come back and let me know. If you want to send me a personal email [email protected] I would love to hear from you.

http://www.celiaccentral.org/SiteData/docs/PsychImpac/9f9149f1f70d5eac/PsychImpactWebinarFinal.pdf

 

[Remus]

Approved thread....

 

[NYSee]

How's it going? Any updates?

 

[ImNotMyIllness]

Brain Swelling..............That definitely happened to me in the 11th grade. At the time, I told my parents (with tears) that it feels like my brain is going to explode. It felt like it was enlarging and pushing out against my skull. The pain was so severe, I had to have an ice pack on my head.

Also, in college, I couldn't eat pasta without severe IBS. IBS is another issue that I suffered with. Ten years ago, these symptoms decreased (no more IBS). I don't have it as bad but I do think I may suffer from Celiac Disease.

 

[EscapeArtist]

My social anxiety and depression ( along with other little things) were 10x worse when i was still eating gluten. I dont even really have anxiety, if i stay away from that and milk ( im gluten and casein intolerant) also its pretty much 90% reduced that stiff, socially paralyzed feeling...i barely used to talk! Nothing bad i can say about gluten free. My sister and mom follow the same diet because the sesitivity runs in families, my sister for her bipolar (which is managed off of it) and my mom for many reason...she has it pretty bad might even be full blown celiac.

 

[gustavofring]

I want to try it, but I'm too much of a distracted idiot to keep track of my food and all the stuff that is in it. When I'm hungry, I usually don't really think rationally. It seems like a lot of effort and expensive.

But I will look into it.

 

[knr9311]

What about a gluten-free diet makes depression & social anxiety better? Just wondering. It sounds amazing & I'd like to try anything that would help!

 

[lonelee1]

i do need to eat better thats for sure. forgot how much a poor diet can effect depression and stuff. -____-

 

[Lonelykitsune]

That's interesting. I wonder if that's my problem since my life has been trauma free and grand despite SA so maybe this could be the reason, might give it a go.

 

[cocorose]

I want to try it, but I'm too much of a distracted idiot to keep track of my food and all the stuff that is in it. When I'm hungry, I usually don't really think rationally. It seems like a lot of effort and expensive.

But I will look into it.

I agree

When there's no money for food you pretty much eat whatever you can get, which includes crap but when you're hungry you really don't care

Sounds interesting though, maybe when I get my life together I will try it

 

[Liliford_]

I tottally changed my diet, for the better, although not to a gluten-free plan, and the change was almost instant. I thinks its down to your body feeling better for the change, getting more of what it needs, but also down to the change in what for me was a monogamous routine.
I would personally positively recommend a 'diet' change to all.