SSRI, CBT or what?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: neither here not there
Posts: 5
SSRI, CBT or what?
Damn, I wasn't a full blown alcoholic until I took Zoloft. I began having serious anxiety when all in the last five years I graduated college, married, moved from California to Minnesota, bought a house, got a dog, bought a Duplex to rent and fix up, had a kid, then another etc. I began having panic attacks, later diagnosed as GAD. Been anxiety ridden since a kid, but the last five years brought it to a forefront.
Soooo, I was prescribed Zoloft a few years ago and that was the most awful experience of my life. Never was much of a drinker prior to. Zoloft had way too many side-effects. I wonder if anyone can share that an SSRI drove them to drink or just brought their self-medication or even drinking problem to a forefront. I don't want to hear any post experience about how it took away the depression, because quite frankly, I can't deal with another SSRI in my mind. I really am working the Cognitive Behavioral Techniques to deal with issues, but my self-medication is awful.
I want to hear how people feel stress induced anxiety changed over time relative to their drinking OR if it was really just their stopping drinking that changed things. Yes I have been to AA and am involved in church, community, family is aware of problem etc.
Thanks
Soooo, I was prescribed Zoloft a few years ago and that was the most awful experience of my life. Never was much of a drinker prior to. Zoloft had way too many side-effects. I wonder if anyone can share that an SSRI drove them to drink or just brought their self-medication or even drinking problem to a forefront. I don't want to hear any post experience about how it took away the depression, because quite frankly, I can't deal with another SSRI in my mind. I really am working the Cognitive Behavioral Techniques to deal with issues, but my self-medication is awful.
I want to hear how people feel stress induced anxiety changed over time relative to their drinking OR if it was really just their stopping drinking that changed things. Yes I have been to AA and am involved in church, community, family is aware of problem etc.
Thanks
....Welcome to SR!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: WA, USA
Posts: 2,591
In my case anxiety increased when I was sober and I bacame more socially withdrawn. I have heard that some ssri's can increase temptation to drink, and at the same time, drinking dilutes their effectiveness.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 26
Hi there,
I started Serzone for Social Anxiety Disorder and continued that until it was taken off the market. I was then forced to take Paxil and about 6 months after that (when I turned 21), I started drinking. The "alcoholism" phase didn't start until about a year ago. I stumbled upon some information that other people who had been prescribed Paxil had also experienced increased cravings. so I switched anti-depressants and the cravings decreased, but were not gone entirely.
As a sort of experiment, I start Paxil back again and the same day, the cravings came back full force. Now I have stopped all drugs and have cravings still, but am unable to get that "happy" feeling with alcohol that I used to get. I mean, I drink, but it used to be that within a few minutes a sort of "peace" would come over me, now it doesn't happen. I tried all the way to 16 shots one night and still didn't get drunk and didn't wake up with a hangover like I always did with Paxil. I did some research but since the effects of anti depressants are not completely understood, it's impossible to discover exactly what the hell is going on.
I started Serzone for Social Anxiety Disorder and continued that until it was taken off the market. I was then forced to take Paxil and about 6 months after that (when I turned 21), I started drinking. The "alcoholism" phase didn't start until about a year ago. I stumbled upon some information that other people who had been prescribed Paxil had also experienced increased cravings. so I switched anti-depressants and the cravings decreased, but were not gone entirely.
As a sort of experiment, I start Paxil back again and the same day, the cravings came back full force. Now I have stopped all drugs and have cravings still, but am unable to get that "happy" feeling with alcohol that I used to get. I mean, I drink, but it used to be that within a few minutes a sort of "peace" would come over me, now it doesn't happen. I tried all the way to 16 shots one night and still didn't get drunk and didn't wake up with a hangover like I always did with Paxil. I did some research but since the effects of anti depressants are not completely understood, it's impossible to discover exactly what the hell is going on.
God is my benzo
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Charlotte, nc
Posts: 198
I'm just gonna come out and say it. Maybe your not, but could you be blaming the meds for your alcohol abuse? I could be wrong, and if so I apologize. I say this not to put you on the spot but because I care.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: neither here not there
Posts: 5
Blame
No worries on the reply.
Blame? I blame myself for the Alcoholism. I take full responsibility for my actions, but realize how helpless I was. I did not have a lot of what I believe was necessary to provide myself with better direction. There could be blame for that too right, heh;p I just want some input on people's to comment on their experience. With stopping my drinking, I am anticipating depression to follow. That will be an interesting one and want to be able to cope with that. I took the Zoloft for GAD, but am now an alcoholic and am curious what is going to come down the road.
Blame? I blame myself for the Alcoholism. I take full responsibility for my actions, but realize how helpless I was. I did not have a lot of what I believe was necessary to provide myself with better direction. There could be blame for that too right, heh;p I just want some input on people's to comment on their experience. With stopping my drinking, I am anticipating depression to follow. That will be an interesting one and want to be able to cope with that. I took the Zoloft for GAD, but am now an alcoholic and am curious what is going to come down the road.
Last edited by roundeler; 02-16-2008 at 11:52 AM. Reason: ops
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Pugetopolis
Posts: 2,384
Originally Posted by 29a 
I'm just gonna come out and say it. Maybe your not, but could you be blaming the meds for your alcohol abuse? I could be wrong, and if so I apologize. I say this not to put you on the spot but because I care.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Pugetopolis
Posts: 2,384
Originally Posted by roundeler
No worries on the reply.
Blame? I blame myself for the Alcoholism. I take full responsibility for my actions, but realize how helpless I was. I did not have a lot of what I believe was necessary to provide myself with better direction. There could be blame for that too right, heh;p I just want some input on people's to comment on their experience. With stopping my drinking, I am anticipating depression to follow. That will be an interesting one and want to be able to cope with that. I took the Zoloft for GAD, but am now an alcoholic and am curious what is going to come down the road.
Blame? I blame myself for the Alcoholism. I take full responsibility for my actions, but realize how helpless I was. I did not have a lot of what I believe was necessary to provide myself with better direction. There could be blame for that too right, heh;p I just want some input on people's to comment on their experience. With stopping my drinking, I am anticipating depression to follow. That will be an interesting one and want to be able to cope with that. I took the Zoloft for GAD, but am now an alcoholic and am curious what is going to come down the road.
You are no more to blame for your having alcoholism than you are to blame for your suffering from any other disorder or malady you may be afflicted with.
Depression is natural for an alcoholic in the early stages of recovery. And naturally the alcoholic wants to circumvent being uncomfortable. If you are currently being treated for GAD, just continue that.
Alcoholism, as with other illnesses requires treatment. And, as with other afflictions, such as clinical depression, bi-polar, diabetes, or what have you, the ultimate responsibility lies with the sufferer. In other words you are responsible for your own recovery.
God is my benzo
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Charlotte, nc
Posts: 198
And ditto for that as well jim. I was born an alcoholic. My body and my mind do not react the same as normal folks. For this reason I don't blame myself and I don't blame others or other things.
I was really worried when I wrote that roundeler. But one of the things that helps me is having people around that'll call me out when I need it.
My best advice is to let your doctor know that you are in recovery. If you do need the medication, make it plain that it can not interfere with your recovery. Your dr will understand. If he doesn't get a new dr.
And here is a bit from the old 29a experience vault. I was on anti-depressants, benzodiazapines, mood stabilizers you name it. I'd tried everything paxil, effexor, welbutrin, xanax(i tried a lot of that ;-) etc. I took some combo of drugs for almost 10 years. When I quit drinking, and started putting my life together, working the 12 steps. I found alcohol was more of a problem than I had thought. I no longer needed the drugs. that being said.....
I AM NOT A DR. it's just my experience.
What ever you do, stay strong, don't let anything come between you and your sobriety, everything else will fall into place.
I was really worried when I wrote that roundeler. But one of the things that helps me is having people around that'll call me out when I need it.
My best advice is to let your doctor know that you are in recovery. If you do need the medication, make it plain that it can not interfere with your recovery. Your dr will understand. If he doesn't get a new dr.
And here is a bit from the old 29a experience vault. I was on anti-depressants, benzodiazapines, mood stabilizers you name it. I'd tried everything paxil, effexor, welbutrin, xanax(i tried a lot of that ;-) etc. I took some combo of drugs for almost 10 years. When I quit drinking, and started putting my life together, working the 12 steps. I found alcohol was more of a problem than I had thought. I no longer needed the drugs. that being said.....
I AM NOT A DR. it's just my experience.
What ever you do, stay strong, don't let anything come between you and your sobriety, everything else will fall into place.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
