Posted by spencer on July 8, 2002, at 1:40:52
In reply to nervous about drugs, posted by flower on July 7, 2002, at 16:49:52
Obviously I don't know what is actually causing your anxiety, but if it is a chemical imbalance in the brain then you will find it hard to find "normality" just by trying to think through it. I can understand what you are going through, but antidepressants can help you back to a state of "normality" so you can start dealing with the underlying issues.
From a state of almost suicidal depression and anxiety, Effexor helped me back to where I was able to make the most of cognitive therapy and to undertand the destructive powers of negative and irrational thinking. But you have to be prepared to deal with the side effects as your body adjusts (but they will largely go away) and then you may have a few withdrawal symptoms if you try to go off too quickly. I stopped taking Effexor last week after a year's treatment. I tapered off over about a 2 month period and apart from feeling dizzy for the first two days everything went very well. Strangely enough the feeling of dizziness went away during a strenuous session at gym and it hasn't come back.
You don't have to feel guilty about taking AD's. If you had a bad infection I'm sure you would take antibiotics and if you had a bad heart you would also take medication. Depression and anxiety can in large part be physiological conditions which prevent us from thinking rationally. AD's can put you back on track. In the long term if you have the energy to exercise regularly and fairly vigorously you may be able to naturally generate the chemicals that help keep your brain functioning correctly.
poster:spencer
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020628/msgs/111714.html