Anti-depressants and Sobriety?
 

Hello. This is my first post, i think, tho i have been lurking for a while. I'm an alcoholic, recovering in AA. And i have just over 6 months sober! Which is amazing! I never thought i could make it. But I'm still having a major problem with depression. My counselor thinks I am severely depressed and wants me to have a mental evaluation done. If they want me to go on anti-depression medication... I'm not sure how i feel about it. I mean, I do need help NOW. The longer I feel like this the harder it gets to not drink and I'm afraid it could actually be dangerous for my sobriety to not try them (i've really been struggling the last couple of weeks), but i've also heard a lot of the oldtimers at my AA group that thinks it's a bad idea to take anything (even antidepressants) so i am not sure what to do. Does anyone here have any experience with taking them during sobriety? Did they help you? I'm really getting desperate cause i really am working the steps and doing a good program (i think) and praying to my HP regularly, but i feel so empty and dead inside, and having a very hard time functioning. I don't sleep well, or enjoy anything anymore. I can't think straight,or remember ANYTHING. I mean, goals my counselor and i went over and i signed (sober) and i don't even remember seeing it, much less signing it! I'm wondering if this is normal for 6 months abstinent. Has anyone else felt this and can tell me it will pass on it's own? My husband thinks i should take them. But I want some opinions from others who have tried it, before i start putting more chemicals into my body. So thank you in advance for any suggestions or helpful advice.

Welcome....:wavey:

Of course you need to do everything possible to end the depression.
:hug:..I'm sorry that it's happening to you.

Do not listen to anyone who tells
you to not take whatever your doctor suggests.

I take several med's daily. I've been AA sober for 20 years.
What and why I use them are between my doctors and me.

I see no reason to ask an AA member.
I also don't ask my doctor on how to do my Steps...:)

Congratulations on your sober progress
Blessings to you and your husband

Hi Exquisitered
Welcome to SR :)

I have no experience with anti depressants in sobriety....and I'm not in AA, but I would get the mental evaluation done. At least then you can decide what to do when you get the results.

I agree with Carol. For my money the opinion of your counsellor, or any trained professional, beats the opinion of anyone else hands down.

D

I took anti-depressants for depression from about 6 months of sobriety until I had a year. I stopped taking them per my doctor's rec. after I'd been feeling better for a few months consistently.

I believe in calling a plumber to fix my pipes, a mechanic to fix my engine, and a doctor to fix my body/mind.

Medication is an outside issue and one that does not pertain to A.A. No one in A.A. - doctor or not - is a professional when it comes to health conditions and treatment. These are all referred to in the traditions.

M

AA Oldtimers have vast amounts of sharable knowledge when it comes to quitting drinking.

AA oldtimers also have opinions on everything else under the sun, just like we all do.

They used to lock my oldtimer grandmother up in the psych ward for depression. That was perfectly acceptable.

My own experience, strength, and hope?

I am thankful that I have the wisdom to choose between the opinions of AA oldtimers and the medical knowledge of doctors when it comes to medications.

(P.S. - no matter what an AA oldtimer says, it's okay to have novacaine when getting your teeth drilled. ;))

I've been taking anti depressants for a long time, tho when I was drinking they didnt' help much. Now that I'm sober they're working again and it helps me a lot and keeps me more stable, with less mood swings. I'd give them a try. They've done me a lot of good.

I'm on antidepressants now...and I have about three months sober. I must be on these meds or I will relapse/kill myself.

Please discuss this important medical matter with your doctor.

AA has no opinions on outside issues. That doesn't mean that some don't have strong opinions on such things!

I have suffered from clinical depression most of my life since adolescence.

Antidepressants have greatly improved the quality of my life.

For the naysayers in AA on such an issue, that's their problem, not mine. :)

Thanks so much for the replies! You pretty much confirmed what I already felt was right. If the doctor decides I need them, I'm going to try them. Maybe the people in AA who doesn't think they are a good idea simply never needed them. I felt torn about them, cause it seems like a lot of the people in my AA group are kind of anti-doctor. I mean, my doctor prescribed me Campral when I first quit. I took it for the first 90 days. And I learned pretty quick to not mention it to other AA'ers because a lot of them think you shouldn't take any drug, or something. But you know, I think the Campral helped. The only reason I quit taking it was because I don't have insurance and I got tired of paying so much for medicine. They don't have a generic Campral yet, or I'd have keep taking it for the first yr. So I guess I need to quit getting medical advice from the people in my meetings... I mean, my doctor has been in AA for 19 yrs. He IS an old timer haha so if he doesn't think it will hurt my program. I don't know why I should worry about what the others think. I just do. I think it is part of my nature to constantly question myself.

Thanks again! It feels great to have a place to come for advice when I don't really trust my gut instinct.

:ghug

Hi exquistered, thanks for your post! This is such an important topic.

I for one am a dually diagnosed recovering alcoholic/addict. My co-morbid diagnosis is major depression, for which I was recently hospitalized. Depressive diagnoses may be common these days, but it is nothing to f*ck around with.

My antidepressant not only relieved my depressive symptoms such that I was not longer an immediate suicide threat (and getting better all the time), it actually quells my cravings for drugs/alcohol/cigarettes! I can firmly say that without this assistance, I would not have made it. I have tried so many times, and the urges were too much for me. I feel like this particular antidepressant is a miracle drug that makes my recovery possible, on every front.

Now, not everyone has this reaction to this particular med, but my point is that not every drug is created equal. I hope you will learn to see the distinction between those drugs that help you and those that harm you. Often, the distinction can be made for dosage and indication, also.

Depression can be life-threatening. Think about it - you rely on your brain for everything. If it isn't working properly, and such that you have no motivation for life itself, that is a dire problem.

Exquisitered,

Yeah, like others have said, despite AA having no opinion on outside issues, and a BB recommendation to seek outside help, AA members will give you all sorts of unsolicited opinion.

I found I did not need anti-depressants once I recovered throught the 12 steps. Felt that spiritual awakening in my life, and I decided to taper off the Effexor at 5months sober. It went fine for me. That, in no way, means that it will go fine for you.

The only thing I would be careful of, is that untreated alcoholism often manifests in depression. It's tough to tell them apart sometimes. So, when you say you are working a good program and working the steps, what step are you on? You can answer this for yourself. Those that don't know exactly what step they are on, usually aren't on one.

In my opinion you should do what the doctor says.

Who cares what people at AA think. Taking anti depressants is not the same as abusing alcohol.

I had my anti depressant dose doubled when I quit and it's definitely made it a lot less painful. I don't consider myself to "have a problem" because of them any more than I consider taking aspirin for a headache to be a problem.

You can't get a buzz off anti-depressants either, so the potential for abuse is non existent.

These old timers are probably Big Book people right?

Tell them to read page 133.

Quote from 1st edition Alcoholics Anonymous.



Exactly!

Your experience may vary from mine. I see all kinds of old timers. Those who tend to think that their sober time makes them authorities on all things to do with alcoholism, and those who follow the BB. And every shade in between.

One thing I share with new guys I work with is the kinds of things they will hear from sober AA members.

1) Opinion which may or may not be useful.
2) Experience which, coming from an alkie that's been where you are, might be worth listening to
3) Things out of the Big Book on which you can absolutely rely.

I'll second what Stone said. Tell them "Old Timers" to stick with what's in the book.
Keep in mind that the effects of alcoholism may take up to two years before you're considered "Back to Normal". Therefore tell your Doctor about your drinking, how long you've been sober, etc... as this may help them determine the best course of action.

exquisitered, I am so glad that you decided to take the advise of a doctor. Depression often goes hand in hand with addiction and since you have some time away from a drink I think it is natural for you to be concerned if your depression is not getting better. Don't worry about what others think...your sobriety and your life are yours to live...don't let some foolish judgmental people derail you from making the best decision for you.

I should chime in here, because since I've been sober I have been prescribed Wellbutrin primarily to treat ADHD but also for a more mild form of depression. Ever since I have been regularly taking the medication I literally have not felt this good in probably 9 years. My mood remains much more steady, my anxiety levels have dropped dramatically and my ability to focus on the task at hand has been phenomenal. My doctor also told me that it would help with the cravings and urges, and at first I didn't believe him, but I can now tell you that it has most certainly helped the seemingly compulsive urges to drink. Apparently Wellbutrin is frequently given to people who are desirous of quitting smoking, so there appears to be some sort of positive effect on cravings.

I've said this on here before, but it is definitely worth repeating: If you are able to combine a steady exercise regimen to go along with your newfound sobriety and (hopefully) the right medication for you, then believe me when I say you will begin to feel all the joy that life has to offer again. Working out will improve your health as well as greatly improve your self esteem. I would definitely suggest that you do it if you are able to safely.

Congratulations on 6 months, and keep fighting the good fight!

:ringI fully agree with with Least.
I am also living with depression and live on anti-depressants. They help a lot.
IMO i'd say give it a try, you have nothing to lose, but "sanity" to gain.

"Depression hurts emotionally and physically" - it sounds like you have an amazing hubby who is supportive, and We also support you and are with you... It will get easier with time.:ring

they started working only after I gave up the booze... they do work, but I had a terrible time getting off them...

I too am on antidepressants and I believe they are helping me. I take zoloft for depression, as well as wellbutrin. I have Ativan for anxiety/panic attacks. I don't know about anyone else- I have heard some stories about Ativan being addicting, but this has not been the case for me. Sometimes I go several days without any without any adverse affects, and it also doesn't give me any kind of "high" or "boost" so there is no point in abusing it. Of course, this is my experience only.

Someone once explained it to me this way: if you have a headache, you might take aspirin. Why would we treat depression any other way? Of course, I always research everything medically and I don't automatically jump on medicine for a reason I don't understand or agree with, but I think if there is medicine that helps someone with depression symptoms it's at least worth looking into.