callmemilly

I suffer from chronic anxiety, have all my life. I haven't slept much in about a week, a lot of work stress building up over months. Situation there probably won't improve until late Sept.

In the meantime I just broke down this week a bit mentally and physically and finally saw my doc. (I've had insomnia for months, but it just reached a breaking point this week).

Of course they gave my sleeping pills I think zopiclone. I'm worried about dependence of course. I have to see the doc again Monday and I'm afraid she's going to suggest pills for anxiety, and I feel like I need help but I'm just scared of taking pills.

I wonder if anyone has had any positive experiences with this stuff. I've had yrs and yrs of therapy and I think I've gotten all the benefit out of it I can. But still my work has an eap program so I might contact them too.

I have no experience with pills really, just wonder if there is anything I should look out for. I'm not taking the sleeping pills every night.

RDBplus3

Fortunately I do not have to take pills for what ails me, and I insist on NOT making judgments or giving advice for what happens between a DR and patient.

When anxiety is eating my lunch and churnin' and burnin' in me, I do the following prayers, over and over ...

3rd Step Prayer
God, I offer myself to You--to build with me and to do with me according to Your will. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Your will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Your Power, Your Love, and Your Way of Life. May I do Your will always.

7th Step Prayer
My Creator, I am now willing that You should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that You now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in the way of my usefulness to You and others. Grant me strength, as I go out from here, to do Your will. Amen.

11th Step Prayer
Lord, make me a channel of Your peace--that where there is hatred, I may bring love--that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness--that where there is discord, I may bring harmony--that where there is error, I may bring truth--that where there is doubt, I may bring faith--that where there is despair, I may bring hope--that where there are shadows, I may bring light--that where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted--to understand, than to be understood--to love, than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that I may find. It is by forgiving that I may be forgiven. It is by dying that I may awaken to eternal life. Amen

and the Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Then, if all else fails, I do the insane:
99 Bottles of God on the Wall ... 99 Bottles of God ...
and you can guess the rest of that tune ...

RDBplus3

BlueFairy

I haven't taken pills for anxiety but everything I know and have read about them say they are some of the most addictive prescription drugs out there. My yoga class has helped me quite a bit. thought I'd try that before any pills. I don't know what stage you are in as far as quitting drinking goes but everything I've learned says anxiety worsens when you quit and it will get better if you get it under control. If you don't it can worsen. Everyone says exercise helps as well-- I couldn't tell you if it does or doesn't because it is such a way of life for me I'm just not a good experiment. I know a good 1/2 hour in the jacuzzi calms me down though. :-)