Absolutely. Cannabis helps tremendously for me. If you prefer not to get intoxicated in any way try CBD. All the subtle mood lifting and pain relief with none of the stonedness. Lately Ive tried kratom too, lot of benefits from it but its probably not for everyone, do some research on it. Theres a netflix documentary about it called Leaf of Faith but it works just as well for us nonbelievers

On the physicality side i can't recommend yoga and meditation enough. Look up psoas release yoga for beginners on youtube or simple guided meditations and skip around if they sound too hokey til you find a teacher you like.

Work out, stay physically fit, stay active. It's not easy but everyone I know that has ever done it says it works. I know a lot of people do it because they want to look good or be healthy, that's great and all but I do it because I need to control my depression.

I hate to hear of your predicament. It's good to hear that you found some benefit, at least in the past, with medications. Speaking as a mental health practitioner (therapist) myself, the first thing out of my mouth would be to suggest you get back in to see your Nurse Practitioner to discuss how the med isn't working as well as it had been, and what the next options are. Do this now. It could be as simple as increasing the dose. But, aside from that, every month, new meds come on the market, with less side effects and better outcomes. They may suggest you try a different med. Next, I would re-start talk therapy again. EMDR (probably the therapy type you tried) is a very specific type of therapy, typically used to treat trauma and PTSD. Just good old general talk therapy (like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or 90% of the other therapists not advertising as EMDR) can be very beneficial in learning new coping strategies for anxiety and panic. Most therapists can roll with it if you are talking about wanting to learn some good coping skills. There are skills you can learn that will reduce panic and anxiety in real time (which is not typically the focus of EMDR). Whatever you do, just hang in there, and keep trying. Take things step-wise. Know that good talk therapy and good meds, together, are two powerful weapons against anxiety... Meds can take you to where if feels manageable, and therapy helps you learn how to manage things better yourself (which is hard to learn when things feel unmanageable!). It's a 1, 2 punch. You've got this.

People tell me that I am anxious or depressed. I do not agree. My affliction is despair, which is a reaction to observed reality

I despair for the future of humanity. We are depleting Earth's resources at a rate which is several times the possible renewal rate of those resources. We are polluting the biosphere at several times its recovery rate. Despite that, people in power continue to promote “growth”. As a result, quality of life and individual freedoms are steadily declining. Increased human conflict is inevitable. My children are inheriting a world in which misery and poverty will be impossible to avoid.

BTW: Growth does not benefit most people. It benefits and enriches the plutocrats and oligarchs, by increasing their inventory of "domesticated human livestock".

I've struggled with depression and anxiety on and off for many years. A combination of the right meds and good talk therapy have been very helpful for me. With meds, it's very important to be carefully monitored by a professional who specializes in this, like a psychiatrist or psychopharmacologist, because everyone's needs are different and can even change over time as your needs or physiology change... Talk therapy has helped me understand the sources and triggers of my depression and deal with deeper issues that it's masked and better ways to handle difficult emotions, understanding what caused me to develop depression was a combination of pre-disposition and life experiences that I learned not to handle in a healthy way... I also struggled with OCD which is connected with the anxiety, and found that dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) helped me manage that... Now I'm at a point also where I'm able to manage things better and feel more stabilized, so I'm doing more things I can handle like exercising more and adjusting my diet... I also practice meditation and use outlets like writing and art... And most important: learning how to be kind to myself and be on my side, because even though I was doing all these things, I was still getting in my own way and sabotaging myself. Without turning that around, nothing else would have mattered.

Not currently (today) stressed out but (in the old Army days) I found my Friday night five mile run with the mountain of Colorado in the background, was like hitting the "RESET" switch. Chemical changes that made everything less stressful and anxious. Wish you luck finding a new solution. I know several who have stress, depression and anxiety issues. According to them, the periods between when medications no longer works and the discovery of another chemical solution, is not a good time.

I wish you much success in finding a new solution.

Yes, and yes. I fight both all the time.

I've been on meds for the depression, and have weened myself off. It's not as
bad as it used to be, and I can work through whatever comes up. Learning coping
mechanisms in therapy was really important.
Depression meds are only supposed to be temporary, and for many people,
the efficacy wears off quickly, and you have to change to something else.
Not the easiest thing in the world when you can't afford to see a doctor, let
alone pay for prescription drugs.

The anxiety is fairly new, if you can call ten years "new". I'm usually able to
talk myself out of an anxiety attack when I feel it coming on. If I can't, I have
meds for it. The only drawback with them is that they knock me on my ass and
the only thing I can do is go to bed, which is not always convenient. Luckily, the
attacks don't come very often. The last bad one was a year ago.

I can't even imagine trying to deal with needing therapy right now, given the state of mental health care in this country. When I needed therapy, I was still working, and had really good insurance that covered everything. If I needed it now, I'd be
screwed, and not in the good way.

Good luck to you going forward. I sincerely hope you are able to get what you need to be well.
Don't give up. We have to be our own advocates!

I know it doesn't work for everyone, but I have used the herb St. John's Wort with great success. It can thin your blood so if you're on blood thinners be careful.

Also, if you're going to try it, use a good quality one preferably from a health food store. The crap from your neighborhood Walmart/Target/etc. did nothing for me.

Get a grasp on your life and beat it ! Medications are a temporary fix , Go into the bathroom and look into the mirror and say" I'm not happy " and when you figure that out FIX IT !

I'm currently weaning of meds to start new ones. I'm an absolute mess at the moment. I am fortunate enough to be seeing my doctor once a week while we get things right

Time to increase your dosage. As with any meds, dosages always need adjustment...or try a new one.

I have since childhood and was thought to suffer from asthma until I became an adult. Now that I know what it is, it's easier to deal with but still debilitating. I cry for no reason. One sad thought, that's all it takes. Smoking weed helps. I don't take too many drugs since I'm under treatment for cancer, which doesn't help either. But I know it is environmental. Still doesn't help to know the cause but at least now I know why I have this problem.

I have dealt with both throughout my life. I realized early on that med's were not the way for me so I used/use cognitive behavioral therapy and this has helped me manage the condition. (My mother has also dealt with this so it seems to run in the family).
I have recently had a relapse due to excessive stress and it has been a positive because it highlighted some things that I still need to address. I was able to deal with the relapse in a short amount of time compared to the weeks, months or years that it may have taken in previous episodes.
This time I also used herbs and supplements to help me deal successfully with excessive stress.
There is an Australian Doctor who wrote a series of books (back in the 1950's) on this issue. You will find them on Amazon. I have used them and they helped me understand what was going on in my body and mind and offers ways to manage one's thinking process. Her name is Claire Weekes.
I hope this helps. Please feel free to message me if you would like me to elaborate on what I have posted here.

TMG for depression and Kava Kava for anxiety.

All I know is drinking makes mine much worse. If I drink say Friday and Saturday night (pretty hard with friends, for example), anxiety and depression is intense on Sunday, Monday, and some of Tuesday (but Friday and Saturday were a blast) so I look forward to the sober time. Meds in the past didn't work for me, so every week is a mix of feeling OK with pockets of anxiety. Like you said, in all different types of environments/situations. Sucks. Good luck, sir.

Yes, small amounts of St. John's wort helps, but is a blood thinner and might give you a nosebleed if you take too much. Also 5-htp, which is cheap, and both herbs are found at WalMart.

Derris scandens, a back pain herb from Thailand, but sold in capsules on Amazon, also calms the nerves. In my case it sharpens my vision, increases my tolerance for the sun, reduces or deletes dyslexia symptoms, sharpens my memory, and blended my gender fluid mind, relieving extreme dysphoria.
I'm not sure how it affects other people, however. It's cheap so might be worth a try for someone with those issues.

Effective things to relieve depression and panic attacks:

Taking an early morning walk resets your thyroid for more energy and better mood.

Taking CBD oil, found in most health food stores, relieves anxiety, panic attacks and depressoin.

Link: A 2015 study concluded that CBD oil treats numerous forms of anxiety, including social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Cannabidiol not only made participants feel better but also changed the way their brains responded to anxiety.

[medicalnewstoday.com]

Came off anti- depressants .Had crippling panic attacks to the point where I felt I would rather suffer the humdrum depressive gloom.. ! Basically ..if you are prone to depression ..the unfortunate down side , is that there can be the predisposition to anxiety .Intrinsically, all of these states can be inter-connected ..Not sure if this is helpfull..but i've worked in mental health nursing for 32 years .. And can look through the mirror..from both sides ...

CBD oil works for me and my family. Takes a while to find the right dose, but once you've got, you're good.

I smoke a lot of weed it's illegal here in Washington

Exposure therapy, time, meditation, Buddhism. Not necessarily in that order.

I stayed inside my house, basically, for about two years on account of acute situational social anxiety. With time, the anxiety has dwindled to nearly nothing. Curiously and non-judgmentally examining my own thoughts and their underpinnings (a la Buddhism and meditation) has helped reframe my mind on the whole issue. More and more, I am trying to confront and endure stressful, triggering situations (aka "exposure therapy") to further my progress.

Yes I have depression and anxiety problems. I take my medicine for that and slowly I started to feel better. The only problem is that sometimes I get jumpy and sluggish sometimes.

Ketamine tharapy?

? alcohol, meds, mediation, even religion.

No cure yet

I have severe anxiety that prohibits me from working as well. It's slowly improving and so I have hope that someday I will be able to cope with life normally. Several things have helped me begin healing.

First and foremost, I got out of the abusive relationship that was causing the anxiety.

I learned what works for me to handle my panic attacks. Counting things helps a lot. I turn the pages of a book and count them. I count my fingers. I count light fixtures or telephone poles. Anything I can see or touch. I have a crisis text message line I reach out to if I can't handle it on my own. I use breathing exercises. I keep a list of what works on my phone and posted in my bedroom because when I'm having an attack, I can't think and can't remember what helps.

Ironically, I'm afraid of psychotropic drugs. I found a doctor who did a blood panel and prescribed vitamin D. I was deficient and that can cause depression and anxiety.

I process through my emotions. I list memories, ideas, thought patterns, etc that are associated with my negative emotions to find the underlying beliefs creating my anxiety. This is what has helped me the most but until I was doing the other things as well, it was a very slow process.

I do guided meditations I find on YouTube and also do the full on crossed leg mediation when I can. If my anxiety levels are too high, I can't do the serious stuff so the guided meditation helps more then.

Another thing that is really helping lately is learning to place healthy boundaries on others. I feel much safer and so my anxiety is reduced.

I also go to therapy. I feel my therapist helps support the other things I do at home. She can't fix it herself but she can give me suggestions on how to work through things myself.