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13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 58

Ativan overdoes nearly killed me, or i should say nearly made me kill myself. i was taking 6mg a day with no guidance from doctors. just an unlimited supply and the doctors advise "take one whenever you want", which resulted in complete delusion and me 'losing my marbles'.

now i am on 10mg of paxil (down from 20mg 2 weeks ago) and sleeping pills at night. i respect that the meds have stabilized my mood and have helped me get through a troubling time in my life. hate the fact that i am reliant on them. i want nothing more then to be off the meds and go back to living a medicine free life and have no health anxiety. where i can go out and finish off my twenties with fun and games and no worry that drinking this beer will have a negative reaction with my pills and kill me.

I will be off them soon

Sunny II

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 376

After years and years of on again, off again psychotropics.... I finally accepted that for me?..... it is best to just keep taking them forever. I used to try to go off my meds about every 6 to 12 months and would find myself severely depressed and hospitalized wondering why I was there. I'd feel great for awhile.... just long enough to forget that I feel like crap without them. Anyway, I'm a big proponent of psych meds .... for me. Everyone has to figure out for themselves what works for them. FYI, I have been on the same meds cocktail for 10 years and it really has helped me to stabilize... Daily I take Buproprion (Wellbutrin) 300 mg, Fluxoteine (Prozac) 40 mg, Respiridone (Seroquel) 50 mg. I don't think people here are anti-medications. The main message is that CBT will take you much further than meds alone. Wish it were as black and white as "take them" "don't take them".... but it really is an individualized decision.... hopefully made with the help of an MD and a pdoc or psychologist.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

Hi Kevin,

After following the forum posts for several months I agree that one can get the impression that people are anti-medication here. I seriously doubt that this is done intentionally, rather just a reflection of their own personal viewpoints surfacing. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if 50% or more of the people here were on medication in one form or another whether they're taking a daily SSRI or a benzo PRN (as needed).

I think it's understandable (and healthy) to have a certain level of fear with regards to taking medication, what with all the horror stories and related personal experiences about side-effects, adverse events, problems with withdrawal, etc., not to mention the general stigma of taking medication. I also think a backlash effect has been occurring in the past few decades after all the promises and miracles of SSRI's and other new medications didn't fully materialize.

With that said, studies have shown that medication and/or therapy are effective courses of treatment. More recently, CBT has been shown to be one of the most effective courses of treatment. As we know, CBT takes work, and depending on the severity of the condition, medication may be required to bring a person's functioning level to a point where they're able to engage in CBT or psychotherapy.

As it's been said by others, everyone is different and may or may not respond to a particular course of treatment(s). While it may be difficult to do, there shouldn't be any self judgment tied to another person's related experiences or opinions. I find that reading the experiences of others suffering from the same disorder that effects me is extremely helpful and reassuring. I also keep in mind that these are personal experiences and they may or may not be the best thing for me.

In my opinion, the best we can do is treat our anxiety disorders with treatments that are best suited to our individual cases. While I don't believe there is necessarily a "cure", effective treatment can keep anxiety in remission so we can go about leading healthy, productive lives.

Take care,
Flint

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

Hi Kevzabob,

I have been on and off Celexa for the past 10 years.. I just recently joined this group, because I just don't want to have to take medications forever, so I'm trying this program.

I'm not against medications. They works really well for me. SSRIs in particular. Yes, they make my symptoms worse at first, but a week or two in, and I start seeing the improvement. And when I go off, I taper off slowly. I'll take 20mg week 1, 15mg week 2, 10mg week 3, 5mg week 4 and 5 and then I take 5mg every other day, and then off. But, that's how the meds work, and they work for me. I don't think I'd be here without them!

I wanted to try the program because I started a new job and my anxiety came back and it was really bad! Worse than all the other ones before, which drove me to seek out options. A way to cure it for good.

Hope that helps!
Ocean

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Kevin

I just reread my post and realized I sound a bit aggressive. Actually my thoughts are that everyone should do what works for them. The forums are a place to say what works for them. You should work with your doctor. CBT works. The program works. And we want your posts and opinions. We are a group right. Information is important. What works for you and how you do it is important.

Here for you,

Davit.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11214

Hi Kevzabob,

Everyone is not against medication here. Some individuals chose to use medication due to their doctor's advice. Most Doctors agree that therapy in relationship with medication is best to manage certain anxiety disorders. Inform yourself, keep asking questions and decide what is right for you.

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 659

I just went and checked out the depression center and they do have a Forum Title called Medications where people can discuss there medications...Thought you might like to know..

Red

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 659

Kevin,

I thought you might like to know that most of the people here are on medication and are very happy with the results they are getting using them. I am one of the people that does not take SSRI's because they make my condition worst and do not help with my anxiety they actually make it worst for me..I do not want to go into all the details here but they made me very suicidal and detached etc etc..I respect your right and everyone elses right to choose to use meds and I think that it is only fair that my choice or any other members choice to not use meds be respected as well..It is everyones personal decision whether to use meds or not and to do what is best for them personally..I really don't think it is something that needs to be or should have to be debated or defended here in the forum..I would really like to stick to discussing the CBT program in the other forum subject titles..

The CBT program here has been the real lifesaver in my case. I agree anxiety can come back but if you apply yourself and work the program you will have the tools you need to combat it when it does and it will never be as bad as it was before. I do think your Thread titled Medication was a very good idea and that they should make it a permanent forum title like Mod's Corner. That way it will give everyone with medication question a place to discuss the issues they are having with there medications or a place to discusses medications that they would like to try..I think they have this as a forum title in the depression center. I am not absolutely sure though..I guess we will have to go over there and check it out..Its located on the forum page under additional help top right hand side...its one of there many sister sites. Just thought you might like to know encase you are interested in additional help and didn't know about all they have to offer here..

Well it's late, got to go now,

Red

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

Kevzabob.

Look around you, there is a medication for every thing, from colds to cancer. This bombardment gives us the impression that every one is sick or defective and we don't want to be less than perfect. That is what the adds say. "you are defective, you need to take this and it will fix you." Don't you know people that brag that they never take anything. Buckleys won't stop you from ever getting a cough again, unless you take it for ever. Same with other medication. So you take it. Medication will not cure your anxiety, it will control it to some extent and is a good adjunct to CBT. The choice is still personal. But if it worked there would be no need for the program.

In canada 37% of the population will see a doctor looking for medication to treat some form of mental illness or condition. Add to that the number of people that won't take anything and it becomes obvious that we are not alone.

Anxiety in itself is not a problem it is when it becomes uncontrolled. Of course it can come back, it is in your memory so unless you do CBT to learn how to keep it there or control it when it escapes you will fight it all your life. I was a feller, a certain amount of anxiety and panic kept me alive and probably the same for you, after all that is what it is there for. It is when it becomes uncontrolled that it is a problem. Cutting down huge trees is less anxious than sky diving. In fact it is not the act that is the problem but the replaying or dwelling on it that is. The perception has to be changed and medication can not do that, but it can keep you calm enough to learn how. Unfortunately it can also interfere with doing CBT by taking away the reason to do it in the first place and this can be a reason for people to be afraid of it.

Also for some of us SSRIs make us very sick (mentally) for more than the standard adjustment period. And for me they did not stop panic attacks. CBT did. If I want to I can override my controls and induce a panic attack. It is all still in my memory just buried under a lot of positive thought that keeps it there. It will always be like that but over time we can forget the reason to access it even if we can not actually forget it. There may well be times when a person has to resort to medication to give themselves a break while they replay the coping skills to bury it again. Times of stress or trauma, Such as a death or accident, financial stress. family stress. Fortunately because you will have the tools in place it is usually only for a short period of time. I'm medication free but there is no guaranty I will stay that way. But I intend to reinforce my freedom every day in the hope of staying that way.

Here for you,

Davit.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 14

So why is everyone on here so against medication, they help. I was on Paxil for 12 years and have now changed to cipralex. I thought I was better When I joined the fire department, but seven years in anxiety reared it ugly head again. I believe that one is never really free from anxiety and it can always come again.

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