Duane,
I don't have the issues that you are dealing with so I don't think I can say much of anything that is helpful. If you are worried about becoming addicted to or dependent on the antidepressant talk to your doctor.

At one point in my life I was on a low dose of zoloft, an anti depressant, and it was very helpful to me. I don't see a problem with taking antidepressants -- they can help restore balance to your brain chemistry and might help you with self destructive issues. Again, don't take that as advice, just keep talking it through and do what you think is best for you.

And hey -- congrats on your sobriety!

Hey Duane; Been on welbutrin on and off for 26 years. They help get me through the rough patches. I had no side effects but everyones different. It`s your body for sure but if the doc thinks it`s a good idear give em a try.For me it was about 10 days before I notice any difference.Good luck John

THANKS YOU FOLKS. I GUESS I CAN'T DO MORE THAN GET BETTER RIGHT?? I SHALL TRY EM.
THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR INPUT.. MY SIS IS A RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC TOO. SHE HAS BEEN SOBER 25 YEARS OR SO. SHE ALSO WAS A COUNCILOR FOR REHAB.. SHE HAS BEEN MY MENTOR FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE GUTS TO ADMIT I HAVE A PROBLEMMMMMMMM..
WELL I GOT TIRED OF LIVING FOR BOOZE AND MAKING AN ASS OF MYSELF IN FRONT OF MY FAMILY...
YEP I AM HARD HEADED AND STUBBORN AND WAY TO PROUD..
I DIDN'T DRINK TO GET WASTED, JUST TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF OF LIFE THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH.. AFTER 30 SOME YEARS I RECKON IT IS JUST TIME...
YOU FOLKS ARE A REAL INSPERATION. IT IS NICE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO RELATE TO WITH ALL THIS..
I THOUGHT FOR AWHILE I WAS REALLY GOING NUTS.. THAT I HAD ANOTHER PERSON IN MY BRAIN.. I AM STILL NOT SURE ABOUT THAT..
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT IS "NORMAL" TO GO THRU A SELF DESTRUCTIVE FAZE, TRYING TO FIND OR MAKE A REASON TO GO BACK TO THE BOOZE..
I REFUSE TO WALK BACKWARDS ANYMORE. I HOPE WITH THE HELP OF FINE PEOPLE LIKE YOU, I WILL GROW UP FOR REAL, AND GET THRU THIS AND BECOME THE GOOD PERSON I KNOW I AM... WELL MOST THE TIME. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND INPUT..
MAY YOU ALL HAVE A HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY DAY...... DUANE

YREKADC- I am not a proponent of medications- but I can tell you from experience that anti-depressants definitely have made a HUGE positive difference in my removing alcohol and anger from my life. I too drank to take the edge off...to have a release, a relief and be "happy-go-lucky"... I take Lexapro- which is an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety med, whereas Citalopram is strictly anti-depressant. I'm not a medical expert by any stretch of the imagination...but I can tell you that the Lexapro (very small dose) has REALLY helped me calm down. From what I've read either med is simply to help the synapses in our brains communicate properly- because we're missing some or all of a chemical (serotonin?) that does that for us. These meds don't seem to come with the small print of "may cause nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, or death" caveats that a lot of the pharmaceuticals do- which is why I'm OK with taking them. Definitely work with your Dr. to find out if you are prone to depression and/or anxiety. You CAN do this. :-)

THANK YOU WOKINI: ACTUALLY I DO HAVE BOTH. I HAVE SEVERE HIGHS AND LOWS. IN THE OLD DAYS, BEFORE MY PRESENT FAMILY, I WOULD CUT MYSELF CAUSE I COULD DEAL WITH THE PHYSICAL PAIN EASIER... I AM BEYOND THAT STUFF NOW.. I JUST NEED TO GET MY HEAD TOGETHER AND LEARN HOW ONE DEALS WITH LIFE.
I HAVE NEVER LEARNED PROPER COPING SKILLS. I AM HERE TO LEARN FROM THOSE WHO HAVE GONE OR ARE GOING DOWN THIS ROAD TO WELLNESS. I HAVE TRIED TO AVOID GROWING UP AS LONG AS I COULD I GUESS.. MY SIS SAYS I AM A 19 YEAR OLD BOY IN A 58 YEAR OLD MONKEY HEAD!! UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS ONLY TOO TRUE IN MANY WAYS...
WOKINI, I SHALL ASK ABOUT THE LEXAPRO. HE PUT ME ON SERAQUIL 150 MG, I COULDN'T EVEN GET PAST THE 3RD DAY AT 100MG.. TURNED ME INTO A ZOMBIE,, THOUGHT QUALUDES WERE BAD IN THE 70'S!!?? I DO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO WORK, AND TAKE MY PICS.
AGAIN I THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT,, IT'S ALL GOOD... AND A GREAT HELP...MAYBE THE GRANDFATHERS WILL HEAR MY SONG AND GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO STAY ON THE RIGHT ROAD. EVERYONE TRY TO HAVE A GREAT DAY,, I AM OFF TO WORK.... DC

Hey Duane- Great job on 6 months. I am on a "benzo" clonazepam for a medical issue I have. I have heard some say if you are on one of these drugs you are not truly sober....my ass. This drug helps me function normally. In my opinion many times an ant depressant drug will help you maintain sobriety as it helps you "take the edge off" and helps you transition into dealing with life in a more healthy way. Like anything in life just don't abuse it.

THANKS RICK, I JUST TOOK THE FIRST DOSE. I RECKON I NEED SOMETHING. MY POOR WIFE , SHE WANTED ME TO QUIT BUT DIDN'T KNOW SHE HAD SUCH A BIG BONE HEAD ON HER HANDS. OH WAIT YEH SHE DID... AFTER 35 YEARS! SHE AND OUR KIDS HAVE BEEN MY ANCHOR SO TO SPEAK. THEY ARE ALL FULL OF LOVE AND HAVE WANTED TO HELP ME FOREVER. I NOW NEED TO LEARN TO LOVE MYSELF AS MUCH AS I DO THEM. I AM TOLD I HAVE BEEN A GOOD FATHER AND HUSBAND,, JUST A BAD EXAMPLE,. I AM JUST LEARNING WHAT THEY WERE TAUGHT BY THEIR LOVING FAMILIES.
YOU DON'T KNOW THE WORD NIEVE UNTIL YOU KNOW ME.. MY GRANDPA SAID I WAS SIMPLE MINDED. I SEE THE WORLD THRU A CHILDS EYES. I WAS 13 BEFORE I FOUND OUT HOW BABIES REALLY CAME INTO THE WORLD!! WHAT A SHOCKER. I HAVE HAD MY EYES OPENED MANY TIMES SINSE. THE USAF TAUGHT ME HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF TO AN EXTENT.
OPPS I AM RAMBLING. I JUST MENT TO SAY THANKS. AGAIN. DUANE

I too was addicted to benzo's and it AIN't fun getting off! Have you researched your med? It is non addictive, right? I think that would be key for me. WIth meds though-you need to work on your PTSD in therapy or some form of healing-it is going to keep rearing it's ugly head even with meds. Atleast that is with most folks. Perhaps look into counseling as well (of you have not already).

THANKS KARMIC. I THINK THIS IS ADDICTIVE.. I HAVE A FULL PRINT OUT ON IT, I TOOK THE FIRST ONE TODAY. IT HAS MADE ME SICK AND GAVE ME THE RUNNS.. OH BOY I FEEL BETTER ALREADY.. IT COULD BE COINKADINK TOO. I HAVE BEEN PLAGUED WITH KIDNEY STONES AND ENLARGED LIVER. IT COULD BE A BRAND NEW K STONE FOR MY INTERNAL "PLEASURE"... I AM ONLY TAKING IT TO HELP ME GET THRU THIS SELF DESTRUCTIVE THINKING PATTERN I SEEM TO BE EXPERIENCING. THINKING STUPID STUFF IS BAD ENOUGH, BUT ACTING ON IT IS NOT SO GOOD...
KARMIC, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PTSD 1972, WHILE IN THE MILITARY, NOT MILITARY RELATED. THE GI DOCS SAID I WAS A BOMB WAITING TO GO OFF..SAID I WOULD MOST LIKELY BEAT MY FURURE WIFE AND CHILDREN CAUSE THATS THE WAY I WAS RAISED. I HAVE PROVED THEM WRONG, I HAVE NEVER DONE ANY OF THOSE THINGS. I DRANK TO FOOL MYSELF THAT I HAD NO PROBLEM, IT IS THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT SCREWED UP...I AM OVER THE RAGE, I JUST NEED TO LEARN HOW TO THINK FIRST AND NOT PANIC AND JUST REACT. I AM A CONFUSED MONKEY..
I AM ALSO TRYING TO FIND A THERAPIST KNOWLEDGABLE IN CPTSD/PTSD. THE LAST TWO I HAD WERE FLAKES. ONE HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE OTHER WAS A PREVERT AND GOT BUSTED FOR IT ... I RELY ALLOT ON MY SISTER WHO HAS HAD ALL THE THERAPY ETC AND HAS BEEN SOBER FOR 30 YEARS.. SHE DON'T TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO HEAR, SHE KNOWS ME BETTER THAN I DO.. WE BOTH CAME FROM THE SAME HELL HOLE.
YES SHE STILL HAS ISSUES BUT ALSO HAS COPING SKILLS ETC..
I DO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. LETS KEEP ON KEEPIN ON K,, DC

I agree with many of the other posts:)
I quit drinking and started taking anti depressants within a couple months of each other and I honestly believe that the anti deppressants made life easier for me while I was quitting. I have suffered with anxiety and depression so I remain on my Zoloft. Some people aren't big on meds but I feel like my Zoloft makes me feel like me again!

Best of luck;)

thanks patient; i started the antidepressant 3 days ago. in some ways i feel mellower but i also feel very edgy. easily irritated. i'll just have to give it more time. i'm a strange ol monkey. my body or mind don't like "downers". i used to have blackouts when the usaf had me on valium. i really rather not go thru that again... mostly i am doing ok.. got 6 months 2 days sober. thanks again to all of you for sharing with me. it has helped allot. take care all...dc

Hey Yrekadc, hope you find that the anti-depressant helps. I was addicted to valium, and drinking heaps, in the 80's. When I got sober, I was initially scared to take anti-depressants. But the one I'm on isn't addictive, and it has helped enormously with my anxiety levels. Good luck with it.

I am currently getting sober and take a small dose of zoloft. Without it I wouldn't be able to get out of bed in the morning, look after my daughter or function at all. Much the same as when drinking, lol.
If you decide to take medication, remember to report any side effects or if you don't feel "right" on it, report it to the doctor. Not all medications are the same and it can be a trial and error to get it right. Good luck, and congrats!!