Hi and help!!!

[emagine]

Hi Everyone. I joined this forum because i'm starting to face the reality that my anxiety is too much for me to overcome alone. I'm driving myself crazy and those around me crazy. I'm always over analyzing everything and just feel like anxiety is getting the best of me. I've put off taking meds on a consistent basis because I don't want to be reliant on meds to be 'normal'. But, i'm tired of this craziness ruining my life. I've been prescribed paxil, which has helped in the past. I've had so much going on in my life this year that my dr upped the dosage. I stopped taking it though because it made me sleepy and again i ddnt want to rely on meds to function. Any suggestions, i'd appreciate it.

[erasmus2002]

You could try cognitive therapy as a route to understanding yourself. The one-on-one discourse will give you infinitely more than reading stuff on the internet. A good cognitive therapist will challenge (and help) you to take control of your life. Once you realise that you have real power to challenge your anxiety I can guarantee it will fade quickly. Meantime, you can really move things along by focusing on the problems of others and not yourself. Wherever you are I am sure that there are people in desperate need of support and comfort. Why don't you volunteer to help with a local childrens' leukemia organisation? Phone them up and say "I want to help you and I'll do anything to do so." Work hard for them and you'll sleep well at night. Guaranteed.

[Paxiled]

Therapy is your first choice.  Drugs medicate, therapy deals.  Try it first, natural alternatives and possible physiological explanations second, meds last.