I took some meds for my anxiety a long time ago, when I was ~18... for a couple months or so. I don't even remember if they helped as I wasn't aware it was anxiety back then. I ran to the doc with what I thought were heart problems; found out only years later that the pills he prescribed to me were primarily anxiety treatment. I would never go back to that doc again - he did not tell me what was wrong just gave me a script... I figured out all of it years later completely by myself.
I never took meds again for it but did self-medicate with alcohol, like many of us. In the last years of my drinking career my anxiety was extreme... I will save you from the description of the thoughts I had back then. I actually thought I had developed a serious anxiety disorder and would be stuck with it for life, drinking or not...
Amazingly, after about a month sober, MOST of that debilitating anxiety was gone. The only thing I do have now is a generally hyper mind with a lot of internal stimulation often without any reason. I try to tame it by many of the methods others have mentioned above: exercise, meditation and other relaxing activities (I love spas!), keeping busy (so that my external reality can match the internal one), a balanced diet, social life, and trying to not take more than I can handle at least for a while now.
Still need to work on my daily routine, structure, and sleep schedule.
The main form of anxiety I still have and need to improve is related to my self perception of my competence in work and other "performance-oriented" activities. This is what some like to call "creative anxiety". I am a very creative person but also have very high standards for myself, so I run into problems with these often.
I started psychotherapy a few weeks ago, and my therapist has been quite helpful with the above issue.
Lawgirl - I really suggest that you give sobriety a good few weeks at least - it's "magic"
