Anxiety and Addiction...

[Lil Bit]

im so lost right now.....i suffer from severe anxiety and also am an addict. i just recently graduated from a 1/2 way house, and during my time there learned that "most" of my using was to self medicate my anxiety, downers downers, downers.... well now i have 5mths clean and im seeing a shrink who has tried me on every anti-anxiety and anti-depressant. i am having a lot of side effects to all of these, zoloft, paxil, wellbutrin, buspar, trazadone, seroquel, prozac, and remeron. The problem is i have been prescribed benzo's by my last three doctors, and i have to admitt, "im an addict i can not take those" i used to take klonopin, and xanax "unperscribed" when i was younger, now i took too many and would black out (not a good time!!) but i feel that if i am refered by 3 different doc's, maybe that is what i need to be on. i could have my boyfriend hold on to them and just leave me what im perscribed, but i don't want to be babysat....i trust myself, i just don't know what else to do, im panicing everyday, and with the side effects of these med's it is hard for me to get through the day, never mind with my 7mth old daughter.....what should i do????????? i just want to calm down and not shake all the time...any suggestions? :shrug:

[journeygal]

Hi Lil Bit and welcome.

I moved your post to Mental Health. We do not give medical advice here, but some others may be along who can share their experience with you.

Take care,
JG

[In memory of miracle]

Welcome lil bit ! My name is Trish and I am an addict . I know for me I haveto abstain from all mood altering drugs ( narcotics , benzos ) I am diagnosed with generalized anxiety .When i first got clean I was always anxious .New places , new people . It took time for me to learn how to be comfortable without the benzos . They only gave me temporary relief , when they wore off I was twice as anxious .I have had to do some work in therapy , and realize my solution does not lie in a pill , although I do take meds that are not addicting .Give yourself some time to get used to being out of the halfway house and find a method of support , aa helps me a great deal ,good luck to you ! Trish

[MootPoint]

Hi Lil Bit
I'm an alcoholic/addict with generalized anxiety disorder.

I've been tried on all sorts of non addictive meds to control my anxiety. For me, none of them have worked. Or maybe the anxiety is worse than before I started using. Dunno. My only hope is therapy, and it is helping..

I'm hoping you have better luck than I have had. I've heard of all sorts of ppl who have had luck with these meds.

Have you tried another doc? Maybe a second opinion would help.

[Lil Bit]

Thanks for your suggestions, i am currently in theorpy, and have a group. na/aa does help with some stress, but even walking into meetings gets me anxious???? i don't want to have to rely on a pill to make me feel better, that is why i used drugs....i'll just keep on talking and asking for help. hopefully as time passes i will feel "normal," as they say. this anxiety has been an issue all my life, it just so much worse now that reality is kicking in. well thanks again!!!


...One day at a Time

[In memory of miracle]

Way to hang in there ! keep the faith ! Trish