I drink when I think about stuff like having to drive my daughter somewhere or go see my son who is just 45 minutes away, so when I mentioned stuff like this to my doc, he put me on the Celexa.

Celexa is an antidepressant and anxiety med. I think that if there is help for anxiety, we should take it, not risk it by being forced to white knuckle it.

Yea...I told him that he speaks like Tom Cruise...No pills for mental struggle,just heal naturally with exercise and some magic liquid from frogs legs:-)

lol...(o;

I just reread my post...I didn't mean that I drink then drive...just to clear that up. I drink so I can get OUT of driving anywhere. (o;

Ppl can heal naturally, sure, but if there is too large of a risk that says, 'hey, I really don't think I'm gonna make it alone', and we find ourselves drunk, then damn, I'm gonna take the way out that is safer than drinking! Doesn't mean I have to take it forever, but til I'm feeling out of danger.

I think AA is a crutch, til we can stand on our own two feet, just like taking some kind of medication is a crutch, or heck, even God for that matter. He is who I lean on at times (should be always, but hey, I'm working on it).(o;

Thanx rainbowbubblz I agree with you....
That think , that some people(like my bf.) live without any crutch(except GOD)...I just think that life without any is hard...Not to be able escape from yrs anxiety..

If you really do suffer from chronic depression or anxiety, then Anti-Depressants are not a crutch. They just help you stabilize.

The thing is, those drugs (like Zoloft) are made to be taken regularly so that they build up in your bloodstream. Taking one before a social event wouldn't do anything for you. There are a lot of antidpressants and mood stabilizers though- probably hundreds. Maybe Zoloft isn't working for you. If you try something else, you have to give it a month or so, to see if it will work (unless it's making you sick).

Unfortunately a lot of people use religion as a crutch. They fall into it completely and they're way is the only way and they are being dishonest with themselves and everyone they come into contact with. They push the religion and are very unhappy if others don't see it they're way and become a follower. Then it fizzles out and they still think they are right. This behavour really pisses me off.

anxiety is an awful thing to have.... that feeling of "will it happen?" and it is something that when we fear it happening just makes it worse. I agree with Jacker....a zoloft is not going to help ...... and like bubblz said, there are other antidepressants out there that deal with both. I know for me it took at least 6 months of not drinking or using for my anxiety to ease up. I don't have the fear of it coming now......and i never feel bad for having to take my meds..... i had to accept that i need them too....... hang in there

I am probably not the best person to be giving advice on this...I have had mental problems for years. I've been on just about every pill out there. My most recent combination was Prozac and Klonopin and I was still drinking on top of that to self-medicate. I also took Ambien for years in combination with alcohol. I have no idea why I am even still alive. I have no problem with taking the meds, it's combining it with alcohol that was a problem for me personally. I would talk to my doctor if I were you. Sounds like you could benefit from taking something and there is no shame in that.

G'Day Eurogal... Well treating anxiety with medication can be done via the antidepressant way (for mild anxiety) which your saying doesn't work, or via the "benodiazapam" route, or a few meds like "buspar or vistiril."

Buspar and vistiril are nonaddictive and a mild sedative, typically health care providers have no problem with prescribing them in addition to an antidepressant.

The other group... the 'benzo's' are highly addictive. They act chemically like alcohol on the brain. The research also shows that even though they reduce physical anxiety they actually increase "mentally/psychologically" anxiety because one believes they can not function day to day without it, and get anxious if they do not have it everyday.

You may not want to hear this, because it might sound in lines of your boyfriends thinking; but Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for anxiety, panic disorder, social phobia is shown to be more effective then medication. However this type of therapy requires lots of work by the client: learning muscle relaxation, exposing yourself to social situations (letting the anxiety build and then watching it naturally go down, and using your relaxation in the anxiety provoking situation), and cognitive resturcturing (examining your thoughts and weighing out the truth of them, and reprogramming yourself with calmer more realistic thoughts...for example... A negative automatic thought for social anxiety might sound like "I think people are looking at me and they are thinking bad things about me." You would look at the reality that occasionally people do look at others, buy dislike you why?...blah blah...then replace it with a healthier thought, "People are busy and not really paying attention to me...they don't know me why would they not like me, this is silly thinking..." on and on. See how that works?

The therapy takes about 9 months. You can look up counselors/therapists/psychologist, in your yellow pages and if you call ask if the therapist does "CBT therapy." Thats what I would recommend if you have anxiety. Good luck!

OMG!!I have bad depression and anxiety. Im not ging to sit here and tell you what to take that is between you and you doc. You need something tho. And you have to take it EVERYDAY!!Sorry but that is the facts>Try
Hun when you have that urge to drink call someone please!!!!Do you have a sponser? Are you going to AA meeting?Please tell yourself "I cant,He can,I think ill let him."And let him .Pray and mean it.This is if you dont want to drink? Europ, Im here alot if you need to talk im here for you...

Anxiety is something I am all too familiar with. Got addicted to xanax and valium because of my "nerves." Not fun, it is like a little cocktail in pill form.

Have you ever considered hypnosis? Perhaps get a referral from you doc, they can teach you natural relaxation techniques when you feel your anxiety rising. Is really quite often effective. Check it out!

Hi Euro,

My husband is also a counselor in a drug/alcohol rehab hospital. He has never criticized anyone needing help and/or medication for any type of illness. I have anxiety disorder also, and take meds for it. I see a pdoc and he prescribed Lyrica. It helps so much with my anxiety and it's non-addictive. Most Drs px a bynzo like xanax, etc. These are highly addictive but work the best for anxiety disorder. I respect a dr who would not px them to an addict. I have to be completely sober for one yr before he would even consider it. I wouldn't even want to take them anyway. You have every right to get medical help. Medication is not a crutch. There is no reason why you or anyone else shouldn't receive medical health care. Your bf sounds ignorant and controlling. Many people criticize taking meds for any mental disorder and believe we are just weak and should be able to will it away. It doesn't work that way. These type of disorders are no different that any other type of illness like diabetes, etc. I hope you don't hesitate to get help because someone else doesn't get it.

I also wanted to mention that many people self medicate with alcohol to manage disorders. It's very common.

Like KK said, there are all sorts of different techniques to help manage anxiety. Meditation, breathing excersizes, visualation exer...

Good luck!