I never realized I had a high tolerance to pain until I had my appendix rupture and was put on a morphine drip with the button to administer. I thought if I could endure the pain, I wouldn't need much of it but the nurses all scolded me that pain management actually helped one heal faster. I believed, for me, that part of dealing with (my) pain was to listen to my body.
Living through a lot of years (I am old) I've been prescribed a few antidepressants, but for me, I couldn't tolerate the way I felt while on them. Again, I chose to not take them because the side effects were worse than the grief, heartbreak or depression I was suffering from. But that was me, that was what I had to discover for my own self.
Alcohol remains my nemesis. We are all different, and I certainly cannot say my way is the best way anymore than someone can tell me what's best for my body. All I know is how to listen to my body and that drinking is out of the question for me now. The more I pay attention to good nutrition, exercise, taking care of my life in a fiscally responsible way, having my support team, the better life gets. It's not to say something major health wise won't pop up in the future, so I take it one day at a time. Wishing for everyone on this thread to feel like their positions are respected with regard to this topic. We all matter.