To Med or Not to Med, That is the Question...

[sae]

I have released myself from head drugs with the exception of the very rarest tiny alprazolam for almost a year now. At first it was a measure of necessity. I was drowning in medication costs from various things. At one time I took a total of 19 pills in a single day, from 13 different medications, including the couple of supplements I was recommended. While admittedly only two were actual head drugs, I was a giant ball of fine print side effects... that is a miserable existence.
I was dumping, self pay, a solid $800+ on medications alone (which is quite alot when you consider my actual earnings each month.) From there I shaved a few off and went the homeopathic route. To be honest, maybe my natural skepticism kicked in, I just didn't see where I was improving at all this route.
In the end I kicked every non essential med, as in the meds that wouldn't assure my eventual demise if I quit taking, and I am down to 6 pills a day, from 4 different meds. It's much easier to afford and I have seen some decent progress since on both the physical and mental/emotional fronts.
I had a prescription for effexor written, I filled it, yet the bottle sits unopened in my collection. Life was much easier on head drugs. I was relieved of the nagging doubt, the constant unease of daily life, yet the moment I ran out and found myself unable to afford the refill for whatever financial emergency popped up and the cycle of fear and depression started over again.
I read so many comments and see there is a contention amongst those arguing over which to take, meds or supplements. I think the journey from panic to peace is a personal one. What works for some may not work for others. I highly doubt I can say with all certainty ditching meds and supplements altogether and trudging through the therapy route solo is the right answer for everyone else. I only know it works for me. I think the only real reason this method seems to be working, albeit very slowly, is that I have come to terms with the reality that my anxiety is most likely not biological, but a symptom of erroneous thought patterns, conditional thinking and Maladjusted coping skills. I am pretty okay with that. I am able to use my strengths like my unwavering patience and hyper - analytical thinking to aid my on my journey and wage war against my neuroses.
What seems to be working for you? Why do you think that is?

[Goomba]

For me it was almost completely cognitive.

I definitely tried an occasional supplement here and there - none had any substantial effects.

Well, except for chamomile tea. That stuff was a lifesaver when my panic was through the roof.

In the end I made lifestyle changes to assure the physical side was in balance. Regular exercise, plenty of going outside, eating a better quality diet that had all the vitamins, minerals, in it as a naturally occurring source.

I think that stuff helped to put me in a position where I could do the mental work, but the mental work was definitely the brunt of what got rid of my anxiety.

I mean, the experience of fear and panic is entirely mental. You can have physical things causing rapid heart beat, etc, but the perception of those things in an anxious/fearful way is a mental process.

[gypsylee]

I just switched from Lexapro 20mg to Prozac 20mg. No real reason for this other than I felt like a change. I'd probably be okay without SSRIs but I stay on them to avoid having to go through the initial side-effects again, should I have another breakdown. I've been on and off these things (mostly on) for twenty years so yeah.

Other than that I do a lot of breathing (LOL) and I try to do meditation/mindfulness type stuff.

I'm also seeing a psychologist to talk about my mother and learn ways of not letting her get to me.

:)

[superchick22684]

I've found the best combination for me so far is therapy and meds. I switched therapists about a month and a half ago and that has really made a difference for me. The therapist that I was with before was pretty good in terms of the talking part but my new therapist has helped me become a bit more motivated in terms of trying to change some of my behaviors and get over some of my phobias. I've struggled a lot recently with isolation because I went through a pretty lengthy episode of depression. As a result I became anxious of going to social gatherings. I'm slowly becoming less anxious by forcing myself to step out of my comfort zone.
Meds wise my ad is keeping me from constant depression even though I still am experiencing some at times. I'm also on an anxiolytic to supplement the ad so that helps reduce my anxiety at times. I'm currently in the process of finding a psych because what my primary care physician has prescribed isn't working as well as it used to.

Other than that I try to do breathing exercises and yoga as well as doing hobbies that I enjoy to reduce stress and anxiety.

[needtogetwell]

Spent 8 years on Effexor, it helped an enormous amount.

I would however caution you with this particular SNRI, if you think you will have to cut it out because you can't afford it in the long run then don't start. This is one really tough med to come off of.

[sae]

Spent 8 years on Effexor, it helped an enormous amount.

I would however caution you with this particular SNRI, if you think you will have to cut it out because you can't afford it in the long run then don't start. This is one really tough med to come off of.

Venlafaxine (effexor) was the one that worked for me in ways no other drug had. I took 300 MG and all was good in the world. Coming down when I couldn't refill was sheer hell, brain zaps, nausea, vomiting... I felt like warm death for about a week. I think that was the push to kick head drugs. Perhaps one day if I still don't have this anxiety/compulsion thing licked and I am a bit more financially stable I will try it again, but that will be the moment I never quit taking it.

[needtogetwell]

Venlafaxine (effexor) was the one that worked for me in ways no other drug had. I took 300 MG and all was good in the world. Coming down when I couldn't refill was sheer hell, brain zaps, nausea, vomiting... I felt like warm death for about a week. I think that was the push to kick head drugs. Perhaps one day if I still don't have this anxiety/compulsion thing licked and I am a bit more financially stable I will try it again, but that will be the moment I never quit taking it.

It certainly was my kick to quit head drugs. Felt exactly the same for 4 months!