MEDICATION NECCESARY?

Hi.Im a 20 year old male...i went through alot of bull over the past 3 years wih drugs and developed depprssion and anxiexty symptons.I am right now coping with it finally by seeing a hypnotheraspist..so far i have improved mildly..my symptons arent as bad as they used to be but there still there...i went to see a pro doc for prescribing me meds and she recomended I take a small dose of zoloft or lexaporo or some kinda werid med for 6 motnhs.She said after 6 months ur brain will rebalnce itself u will and almost be back to normal...Im wondering if i should take the meds or would taking these meds lead to future problems and make my symptons more severe..I know alot of people that got fuked up from taking the anti-anxiety/depressant pills and I dont want to be one of them..im mostly worried on the time i get off the drugs...to go clean turkey from anything after 6 motnhs usage and no damage done?i think that doctor needs a slap in the face..plz ne1 who is familiar with meds give me advice..thx

[bumpybumps2010]

hi i have just read this i suffer from anxiety and the doctors tried to give me pills,but i would advice against them only reason is i worried about other problems they might cause.... thats just my opinion on tablets toe doctors are so eager to give them you, councilling is what i have started and its working great i still have bad days but feel more positive now,and that you can get better and you need to tell your self this its a temorary thing that i can take controll of,dont get me wrong you will get bad days but we all do,dont dwell on them when you do!!!
try councilling first before medication,
i will say i did take beta blockers though in 2003 for 4 years and i could get out and about and relax and they chill your mind out , but i dont take them now as i feel they only temporarly solve it good luck!!

[nursegirl6572]

The choice to try medication isa personal one, and everyone feels differently about it.  Personally, the type of medications we are discussing were a Godsend for me...they helped me to live life again and not be housebound with anxiety any further.  I went from being anxious almost 24/7 to living a totally normal life.  Yes, therapy was vital in that process alsok, but the meds really made a difference for me.  Any medication comes with risks, and it is important to weigh the risks and benefits before starting any medication.

You could always try therapy first to see if that is all you need, the decision to try medications is always going to be there, so it is something you don't have to necessarily decide right this minute.

Depending on what drug you were using....it is believed that it takes quite a while for the brain to "return to normal", as addicts are believed to be lacking a lot of "feel good" chemicals due to the fact that the drug replaced those natural chemicals.  One thing is for sure....depression is VERY common after discontinuing use of drugs like opiates (cocaine, pain pills)...and that takes a while to restore harmony.  I know that many former addicts DO choose to try an antidepressant med to counteract this.

Depending on how bad your drug problem was, it may benefit you to visit our "Addiction-Substance Abuse" forum...as those people really have a lot of experience with this kind of stuff.  They could give you some insight.  Just remember that no matter WHAT any of us tells you, the decision is YOURS to make, and you cannot guage what kind of experience you would have with a med based on others' opinions or experiences.

Hang in there!

[format26]

first of all thx for the replies.Ryan i really like how u said "The improvement that you seek cannot be found in the form of a pill".You really convinced me that pills arent the answer.And nursegirl I just want to know are u still on ur meds? the reason y i went through all the **** was yes drugs but mainly because I had one really bad trip on LSD.I hate keep bringing it up in forums and convos because it makes me remeber and that is y im taking therapy.But ya one nite of lsd made my past 3 years hell.I regret every bit of it but what u gonna do. All i want to know is whats the best way to "get my brain back to normal" as u say.I never had problems before lsd and my family roots are awsome with no probems.Lets say She prescribed a low dosage of zoloft for 6 months? its mind boggling on who to believe these days and if the wrong answer is chosen It will be life scaring mentally.I dont want to be on zoloft for 6 motnhs that have anothe problem occur after withdraw of zoloft and end being on 6 difernt meds buy the time im 23.

[nursegirl6572]

Well, one bad "trip" of LSD isn't going to change your brain chemistry.  It sounds as though you had an anxiety reaction to what you experienced, therefore making you predisposed to feeling anxious. Almost the same as those of us with panic disorder.  It's the initial (terrifying) experience that really affects us, hence leaving us nervously awaiting the next bomb to drop...which, with enough worry and ruminating, sure enough, it happens.  Therapy is a great way to overcome these fears....have you found it successful at all?  What kind of therapy are you participating in? One on one?  Group?  CBT ("cognitive behavioral therapy")?

I look at the medication modality more as a way to help control my symptoms while I can "get a grip" so to speak, more than looking for a way to "fix my brain".  Of course, a pill isn't the answer to everyone's problems, but in a lot of cases, it gives some of us back a lot of normalcy helping us to function better on a day to day basis.  And, to be totally honest, I'm not NEARLY as concerned as to the "why" it works for me, so much as the fact that it does.  I understand the theory behind how these meds work, and while it is logical that the theory could be accurate, again...I'm more concerned about how it changes ME for the better.  In the past, I've taken Zoloft, Prozac and Lexapro (all at different times obviously)...and each one was successful for me, with the Lexapro and Zoloft seeming to work the best.

To answer your question, I hadnt been on medication for a while now (about 2 years) and I have steadily become more and more anxious, and in the past 6 months or so, I've reverted back to a lot of "avoidant" (agoraphobic) behavior that comes with panic disorder.  Luckily, having gone through this before, I know myself well and knew it was time to get back on the horse, therefore I resumed taking Zoloft about a week an a half ago.  I've already noticed a minimal improvement, and thus far, have had no side effects (luckily).  I had tried last year to resume the Lexapro that I was most recently taking, but the side effects were a bit too much for me this time, which is why my doc and I decided I would go back to the initial med that helped me so much after being diagnosed with PD at age 18 (Zoloft).  For some of us, medication is pretty much something we have to decide is just a long-term, lifelong need, which is where I'm at now.  I've done this to myself so many times....taking a med for years, only to stop taking it b/c I felt "better".  Unfortunately, within a year of cessation, my anxiety and panic would return.  I also have many friends that have done the same.  At some point, it just becomes something we have to decide for ourselves is necessary to keep our anxiety in check as much as possible...for the long run.

People have had success on short-term courses of these meds, depending on the situation of course....but yes, there IS always a risk of actually feeling worse than you started after stopping the med.  You are young enough, that I would say it would be worth it to explore other avenues first, like continuation of therapy (or even changing to a different kind of therapy), and other non-med methods.  Of course, it goes without saying that if you aren't finding a lot of relief with your current treatment method, then something has to change, as no one needs to suffer needlessly without trying other options.  It all depends on how much the anxiety is affecting your life, and how debilitating your symptoms are.  It sounds like you developed an anxiety disorder as a direct result of the "bad trip", which again, wouldn't be "chemical", it would be psychological, which, in that case, I would think that therapy WOULD be successful.  If it isn't, it may be as simple as finding yourself a new therapist, or trying a different therpay approach.

Lastly, I highly doubt you would be "scarred mentally" forever if you tried a medication.  Again, it is a personal decision and everyone has a differing opinion about the topic.  I HAVE seen a lot of very positive outcomes for anxiety with these kinds of meds, but then, there are also the people who have had a negative experience with them, and the people they simply did nothing for.  I'm telling you, that in MY experience, the difference for me was LIFE changing.  It gave me my life back.  And, if I have to take a pill for the rest of my life, I'm okay with that.  If I had high blood pressure that required a medication to control, I'd have to accept that. Same way if I was diabetic.  I feel the exact same way about needing a medication to BEST control the symptoms of anxiety and panic.

Keep us posted....and remember, you never have to make a decision overnight.  You can think about it as long as you wish, it is YOUR choice and you have to do what is best for YOU!