View Poll Results: Depression after recovery
No long term depression
24
39.34%
I've been treated for depression
37
60.66%
Voters: 61. You may not vote on this poll
have you had to be treated for depression since, you've stopped drinking?
I got nothin'
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: My house.
Posts: 4,890
I should have mentioned that before I got help for my depression the longest I could stay sober was almost 80 days. I have 402 days sober today.
I think it's very important to be totally honest with the health care providers. My doctor knows I'm an alcoholic...and so does my therapist.
The thing that's scary for me is that when my meds aren't working I get a major case of the fk-its. It's hard to explain what this is like...it's impossible for me to pull myself out of it...and remembering that is so important. That's why I'm still in therapy.
I honestly think my doctor would NOT prescribe me meds if I wasn't in therapy.
Everything I'm on is non-habit forming. I cannot get high off of it. No benzos.
I know, no medical advice, but here's a little bit for anxiety sufferers to ask a doctor about if he/she does not want to be on a habit-forming med for anxiety:
Now, this doesn't focus on the mental anxiety, but it can help relieve the physical symptoms of anxiety: beta blockers. I was started on Propranolol and am now on Metoprolol. This is a double bonus because it helps regulate my blood pressure and cuts down extremely on the palpitations. I was having premature beats big time before I got on beta blockers...and those palpitations were causing my anxiety to go through the roof. Perhaps I was lucky that in treating the physical symptom helped to relieve quite a bit of mental anguish.
Please talk to your doctor about any of this...and above all...be honest about your using history. Lying when it comes to this will not help you at all.
I think it's very important to be totally honest with the health care providers. My doctor knows I'm an alcoholic...and so does my therapist.
The thing that's scary for me is that when my meds aren't working I get a major case of the fk-its. It's hard to explain what this is like...it's impossible for me to pull myself out of it...and remembering that is so important. That's why I'm still in therapy.
I honestly think my doctor would NOT prescribe me meds if I wasn't in therapy.
Everything I'm on is non-habit forming. I cannot get high off of it. No benzos.
I know, no medical advice, but here's a little bit for anxiety sufferers to ask a doctor about if he/she does not want to be on a habit-forming med for anxiety:
Now, this doesn't focus on the mental anxiety, but it can help relieve the physical symptoms of anxiety: beta blockers. I was started on Propranolol and am now on Metoprolol. This is a double bonus because it helps regulate my blood pressure and cuts down extremely on the palpitations. I was having premature beats big time before I got on beta blockers...and those palpitations were causing my anxiety to go through the roof. Perhaps I was lucky that in treating the physical symptom helped to relieve quite a bit of mental anguish.
Please talk to your doctor about any of this...and above all...be honest about your using history. Lying when it comes to this will not help you at all.
Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 323
Hi in reference to the original question posted by captainzing2000
Yes I had moderate/severe depression when I came into AA. I remember specifically 3 days in a row when I laid my head down on my pillow to go to sleep and tears ran down my face.
Exercise and singing in the shower helped a lot. Prayer was very important for me personally. Every day is a struggle to forgive myself and forgive others. That seems to have a lot to do with the depression in my case. I had to believe very basic things, that my higher power I choose to call God wants me to do the right thing in life. That i'm still here so there must be time to create good in the world before I someday die as we all do. That theres no reason to believe he doesn't want me to lead a happy fulfilling life.
Yes I had moderate/severe depression when I came into AA. I remember specifically 3 days in a row when I laid my head down on my pillow to go to sleep and tears ran down my face.
Exercise and singing in the shower helped a lot. Prayer was very important for me personally. Every day is a struggle to forgive myself and forgive others. That seems to have a lot to do with the depression in my case. I had to believe very basic things, that my higher power I choose to call God wants me to do the right thing in life. That i'm still here so there must be time to create good in the world before I someday die as we all do. That theres no reason to believe he doesn't want me to lead a happy fulfilling life.
Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Queen Creek, AZ.
Posts: 54
I want to reply to this.
I am on many meds. Immunosuppresant(to prevent rejection of my liver), depression medication and anxiety medication.
I am not ashamed of this because they help me be a better father, son, and friend. I learned long ago that I need help and I couldn't do it myself. Believe me - I tried. I am not as strong as I thought and had to get help. I had such bad anxiety attacks that I would just drive around for hours on end (close to a hospital) crying, sweating, heart beating fast, I just knew I was going to die, it was pure hell.
My daughter saw the start of one of these attacks and luckily her Mom picked her up right then. I went and got help the following day.
We owe it to ourselves, family, friends and society to be the best that we can be. If we can do that without medication, Great. If we can't then we need to swallow our pride and get help.
Still a lot left to do.
My personal goal is to get off all medications except my anti-rejection medication - I will be on that the rest of my life. I will work on this goal until the end if need be. If I can then good for me. If I can't then it is what it is!
Thanks for reading.
I am on many meds. Immunosuppresant(to prevent rejection of my liver), depression medication and anxiety medication.
I am not ashamed of this because they help me be a better father, son, and friend. I learned long ago that I need help and I couldn't do it myself. Believe me - I tried. I am not as strong as I thought and had to get help. I had such bad anxiety attacks that I would just drive around for hours on end (close to a hospital) crying, sweating, heart beating fast, I just knew I was going to die, it was pure hell.
My daughter saw the start of one of these attacks and luckily her Mom picked her up right then. I went and got help the following day.
We owe it to ourselves, family, friends and society to be the best that we can be. If we can do that without medication, Great. If we can't then we need to swallow our pride and get help.
Still a lot left to do.
My personal goal is to get off all medications except my anti-rejection medication - I will be on that the rest of my life. I will work on this goal until the end if need be. If I can then good for me. If I can't then it is what it is!
Thanks for reading.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: KC MO
Posts: 980
I have never been treated for depression.
I am one of those that has to be pretty bad off to consider a doctor. I have seen some MD's that ,well "RUN FORREST RUN" comes to mind.
Don't get me wrong, I know there a lot of good doctors. But all it takes is one to really change your mind.
Just my opinion.
Fred
I am one of those that has to be pretty bad off to consider a doctor. I have seen some MD's that ,well "RUN FORREST RUN" comes to mind.
Don't get me wrong, I know there a lot of good doctors. But all it takes is one to really change your mind.
Just my opinion.
Fred
Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 2,548
quote..""depression and untreated alcoholism (p.52 of big book) have very similar symptoms"".
well i can tell you i have suffered both and i think their about the same as chalk and cheese.
if you suffer from depression..please seek the right help from someone that knows what their talking about..
if you suffer from alcoholism ...please seek the right help from someone that knows what their taking about...
i think its dangerous to put the two on the same shelf.......imo.
well i can tell you i have suffered both and i think their about the same as chalk and cheese.
if you suffer from depression..please seek the right help from someone that knows what their talking about..
if you suffer from alcoholism ...please seek the right help from someone that knows what their taking about...
i think its dangerous to put the two on the same shelf.......imo.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,937
we were a prey to misery and depression
It shouldn't be a difficult topic to discuss, but it is. It is an integral part of this disease.
IIRC for 90% of us the depression lifts after just a month or so. 9% of us recover by the end of the first year. 1% will need treatment beyond that.
I was one of the 1% and was on anti-depressants for the first three years I was sober.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: southern U.S.
Posts: 153
Originally Posted by least 
I was drinking to medicate my long-standing depression, which started many years ago. Now that I'm sober, my anti depressants work like they should.
Still have depression but it's more manageable and not being made worse by drinking.
Still have depression but it's more manageable and not being made worse by drinking.Same for me.
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