I am a person totally against drugs and would say go thru the withdraw and then try to find natural ways to deal with it.
Have you ever trued Zoloft? Zanax is not an antidepressant. There are many different meds out there to help you.No need to suffer.
I know how you feel about withdrawals. I went through that when I tappered myself off Zoloft. Pure hell. I know now that I need Zoloft and will not put myself through that nightmare again.
Find a good phyciatrist and also a good therapist.
and to midnight64-I also believe in natural ways to deal with issues. But when you have tried that and it doesn't make a difference,you have to do what you have to do.
There should be no shmae in taking meds to help anxiety/depression. It is a medical illness.Just like diabetes etc.
That is a pretty broad statement, "totally against drugs" when you haven't any experience with them based on your posting history. I agree with carmen to avoid meds if you can, but not everyone can come out of a true depression without a med. In fact, my meditation book said only a few can, and said USUALLY only meds can get you to the calm state which is needed before the meditating can work to give a good effect.
If you look at the recent research that is well posted on the net it was found that antidepressants are seldom more effective than placebo. CBT and aerobic exercise remain the top most effective for depression.
Some antidepressants can cause depression in some patients. While you may not be addicted you may well have nauroadaptation and this requires a long slow taper to get off. A quick 2 to 4 week detox is a recipe for total hell. Go to the web site Surviving Antidepressants or Paxil Progress - NOT A TREATMENT CENTER. I worked in this area for over 12 years.
Anxiety is not a medical illness like diabetes. Diabetes is a autoimmune condition that can not be reversed (Type 1). This is a victim position and a way to sell powerful mind altering chemicals that never cure anxiety. Tens of thousands of people recover from anxiety woithout drugs and drugs will not teach you the tools to do this - in fact the tend to deregulate the neurology so that recovery is more difficult.
I worked in neurophysiology for years - neither depression or anxiety is a medical or biological illness. If you read all the depression outcomes CBT - exercise and other non drug modalities are the most effective.
Depression/anxiety is a medical illness. I walk 1 to 2 miles a day and that does help me a lot.But I still need the antidepressant to survive.maybe one day down the road I will be able to get off them again,but until then,I will stay on what I need to be on for my own sake. Zoloft brought me out of a deep depression yrs ago after losing twin babies. I also did therapy for a yr. But I did not get better until after the Zoloft kicked in.
For anyone who is suffering anxiety and or depression,please seek a good phyciatrist and find a treatment plan that works for you.You DO NOT have to suffer! Good luck:)
Read this from the Journal of the American Medical Assn
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/01/28/the-depressing-news-about-antidepressants.html
I respect your comments. But I know what works for me. And if taking Zoloft the rest of my life is what I need to do,then it is what it is.
I believe therapy and the right medication can work for just about anyone that has anxiety/depression. Once again finding a good phyciatrist and therapist is a plus.