4thekidz

Have been sober 43 days now, and while it looked like the anxiety was tapering, it seemed to have come roaring back the last several days, usually triggered by the prospect of physical intimacy, which has been hit-or miss since Ive been sober. I'm really beginning to think that my anxiety is NOT a result of the brain resetting from years of alcohol, but rather general anxiety disorder which I have always had, but was unconsiously self-medicating so never dealt with it. Thinking of going on Buspar....anyone with experience/input? Thanks!

Dee74

I have no experience with anxiety meds 4thekidz - I think it's always best to have a chat with your doctor and decide together what treatment is right for your particular circumstances....whats worked for others may not be right for you....you may decide counselling is a better option for example?

D

refrigerator

I took celexa for a while. Initially liked it since it cured my anxiety, but long term it became an awful compliment to my already bad drinking problem.

Definitely talk to your Dr and weigh out the pros and cons. These meds are nothing to screw around with.

Stride34

I'd really think about this one. I've never taken Buspar and it may help lessen your anxiety, but I know that medication is only meant for short term use. Which means you will need to get off of it. Addicts and alcoholics love the idea of the quick fix to ease emotional discomfort, but there is no easy way out of this and for every medication there are major downsides. I think taking meds for mental health is only a good idea if its severely affecting your life and you've tried everything else, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is proven to be far and away the most effective way to treat anxiety and depression and other dysfunctional emotions. Have you looked into this?

wellwisher

As an FYI, I went through medical detox, 90 day inpatient rehabilitation, followed up with 90 in 90, got a sponsor and regularly attended AA after my 90/90. I also was going to an outpatient rehabilitation center once a week for individual counseling, and once a week for group counseling. I did not return to work until about a year after I first walked into the detox doors. (this is just for background). So it wasn't like I wasn't working on myself.

About five or six months after my last drink, I began to experience racing thoughts, anxiety and became so indecisive I couldn't make ANY decisions. Through the outpatient alcohol treatment center, I saw their psychiatrist, and he prescribed Zoloft for depression. I was on it for about four months, and tapered off of it under his supervision. I have had no need for medication since then...and that was over a decade ago.

I would get a professional opinion from someone well trained in alcoholism - this may be something that is temporary and related to no longer using the crutch you relied on. If it happened to me six months into sobriety, it could be happening to you now.

Good luck and congrats!

MrDavid

Amen...I ditto that.

Froglet

I have similar issues w/ this, although I have not been sober enough, nor can we both measure who has had more drinks than the other; the idea is that after years of drinking, the body needs time to heal.

When we break our bones, how long does it take to heal? A few weeks, so how about an organ? I don't know either, but it will take quite a while and in the process it is going to be difficult.

I questioned whether or not alcohol supports anxiety and I can tell you it does. Whether thru cravings (withdrawal) or being drunk, the alcohol is poison and targets the nervous system.

I currently take anxiety med if needed only for work and physical symptoms. It has helped but I am trying hard to be clean. My goal is to get through at least 1 month and take it on from there.

A word of caution regarding doctors, at least in the social anxiety/anxiety dept, there has been numerous threads/forums indicating how shrinks predominately use patients as lab rats. They would literally put you on a series of meds to experience. This is true because medication has diff't results on diff't people. I personally went through a couple to find one that works, and it helps.

That's not to say, you should not see one. You should, but use good judgment and listen to your body. If side effects over come you, bring it to your doctor's attention.

bellakeller

Anxiety meds were a disaster for me. When I took the anti-anxiety medication, I think I lost the "urgency" to stay sober and went back out with dire results. Suddenly, the pain of drinking was minimized because I felt little anxiety regarding what havoc alcohol played on my life and on the lives of those who love me. That's just me.

ETA: the anxiety certainly lessened over time. AA helped with that (who knew...?).

Latte

I would speak to an actual Psychiatrist who has experience with addiction.

That is just my personal opinion.

I still have problems with physical intimacy sometimes and it's been a few 24 hours for me. Having a wonderful husband has helped this so much, along with continuing to see a therapist.

I have friends with no addiction problems who struggle with intimacy, so I understand it's not just me, but all kinds of different people.

4thekidz

Following up, my anxiety seems to have peaked 2 days ago and now I am on the backside of the crest. A big improvement occurred last night when my wife and I spontaneously and successfully made love, to both our satisfaction. That seems to be a big side story to my alcoholism and a major reason I quit.

I am seeing a cognitive behavioral therapist and a family MD, both of whom are working with me.

day by day...right?

indakut

Wayward

I was prescribed Buspar a few years ago, for my social anxiety disorder. Honestly I didn't feel it was helping me, so I discontinued it. Certainly it didn't make me feel as sociable and uninhibited as alcohol does. But we're all wired differently, so maybe it will work for you. Also, I didn't like how Buspar made me feel; very lightheaded, spacey, strange, and not in a fun way. It also gave me a serious case of the munchies. As soon as the pill kicked in I would become ravenous and raid the fridge. That wasn't a problem for me really, since I'm not overweight and have a poor appetite to begin with. But for someone with a weight problem... it could become a considerable issue. One thing I would advise anyone who's unfamiliar with this drug; do NOT take larger doses than prescribed, or you may find yourself in the ER freaking out in the same way you might if you dropped too much acid. Trust me on that. Even a 15mg tablet was too much for me, so I'd break mine in half. Good luck, whatever you decide.

yeahgr8

Went to AA, where i found that most people has the anxiety i had always had drinking or not...worked the solution (the steps) with a sponsor...not afraid nor anxious anymore:-)