Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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Medications

abcdefghijklmop1
abcdefghijklmop1

I guess I would like to know your opinion on anti anxiety meds. I suffer from a very mild high functioning depression as well as anxiety.The doctor gave me soloft which I felt it worked right away. I started with 12.5 for 4 months , then 25 and now my dose is 50.I don't feel any different any more. I feel like me. I  guess it is not going to change my personality.I struggle   a little in social situations and I think nothing has changed for me. I haven't made changes I need to make. My excuse is all the crisis going on with my teen. therefore, I have not been focusing on me.  I think that now that my teen will probably will be more estable changes will start to happen! Can medications change the way one interacts with people? Can medications rid one of the fear of being judged?

PaulBunyan
PaulBunyan
I just started taking anxiety medication, and feel better. I think it is just another option, since I have seen a psychologist, and some personal things in order to overcome my anxiety. If I had just taken the medication, and not talked with a psychologist, and did some self reflection to find my issues, the medication its self wouldn't have worked. That is just me thus far, and of course everyone is different. I have had relationship issues and issues with codependency which caused a lot of my anxiety. The more I started to see that and focused on myself, there has been a slow change in my feelings and attitude.
Best of luck!
GirlinCalif
GirlinCalif
I agree with @PaulBunyan, that medication itself isn't always enough, especially at first. Has your psychiatrist suggested that you also talk to a therapist? A therapist can help you with dealing with the personal issues you have going on.

Zoloft, I have heard from several people I know, is an excellent medication for anxiety and depression.

Talk to your psychiatrist and let them know how you're doing, so that they can determine your next step.

Good luck, best wishes!
Tropicaloo
Tropicaloo
If they work for you that’s great. For me it’s not worth the side effects and coming off them is hell. Antidepressants make me suicidal. For some people they actually save lives. It’s such a personal choice.
arfie
arfie
For me, meds changed my overall behavior, but they did not have the power to remove underlying issues such as the fear of being judged by others or my even harsher self-judgement and self-abuse. In my personal recovery, it took a dual effort of med and psychotherapy. The med therapy provided me with an emotional baseline to shoot for within my psychotherapy.
Brockster
Brockster
I totally agree with the overall sentiment here. Meds are not going to "fix" anything. After being on different meds for quite a while now, I realize that I was probably under that same misconception that my brain chemistry was just wrong and taking meds would make everything okay. What I've been slowly coming to realize is that feeling anxious and sad and stressed and whatever is just as much a part of life, maybe even more so, than feeling happy and excited and serene. The meds are there to keep me on an even keel while I explore and learn to deal with the emotions and the sensations and fears; they are not there to take them away (as much as some part of me still wishes that were the case).
Community LeaderMid
Mid
Zoloft, for me, helped to improve the depression and provided me with calm for anxiety physically.

Mentally, I had to work to change the way I think and do anxiety. So many thoughts cluttering the mind makes it difficult to make simple decisions.

Medicine, by itself, is a temporary relief, to give the mind and body a chance to relax from the stress.

Where it feels like the medicine is "not" working, it is providing the even keel for the worst symptoms. As we find a better balance, other symptoms that were also present, become more noticeable.

Best wishes on finding what works best for you.
abcdefghijklmop1
abcdefghijklmop1
Thanks for your responses.Yes there is no magic pill !
I have been doing therapy for years now and was not able to make a movement towards achieving my major goal which is something so simple that most people take it for granted. Therefore , after many months of discussing it in therapy I decided to take meds. I guess I have been distracted with circumstances and did not take my own advice of taking care of oneself first!
I am glad I put this thoughts in writting and today I will start working on myself!
GirlinCalif
GirlinCalif
Did you say you have been with the same therapist for years? If there is a life goal you'd like to reach, ask your therapist to guide you to reaching your goal.

If this therapist isn't helpful, get a new therapist. I went through 3 therapists before finding the one that helped me the best.
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