The Guzler

So I went to see a D&A counselor about a month ago, and she said that I had re-wired my brain over the twenty years of severe alchohol abuse and drug abuse. I made it so that the only time I was happy was when I was drinking, The only time It would release the endorfins or whatever, was when i was getting plasterd. So when i soberd up it was awfull, I was angry and depressed all the time. It was bad, I was having trouble at work and at home, freeking out at people, everyone was scared of me. I was ready to start drinking again just to be half sane, because i was definitely insane. All I could think about was having a drink and getting wasted. This condition was not getting better, it was getting worse. The D&A counselor suggested that I start taking prozac. I am not one who believes in this type of drug, I was against it totally, but i went along with it because i had nothing to lose.
Today I feel like a mew man, I am not angry or depressed, I dont freek out. I have no desire to drink or use drugs, This totaly blows me away, I have only felt like this when i was a kid, before I started drinking.I obviously have a chemical imbalance in my brain! I think prozac is going to help me stay sober for the rest of my life. I feel great, I wonder what its goona be like coming off the prozac when i stop taking it? lol
Anyway please post comments and suggestions, this forrum has been helpfull for me! Thank-you.

NEEDTOBESOBER

I am aware of the way alcohol causes your brain to change, i went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago and she prescribed Campral which is a medication for alcohol withdrawals and will make you not have cravings and make you not want to drink, and it also changes your brain back to normal activity and I can already feel the effects of it changing my brain cause I am thinking differently the way i use to. Prozac works for depression too- right? just wondering cause sometimes i think i was depressed even before i started drinking and maybe I have an existing depression problem i wasnt aware of cause i always used alcohol to stop feeling depressed.

mertyl

guzler. I am glad that you feel great. You said you wanted some thoughts. Like you, i am not a person to believe in that sort of thing. I am not saying that it is not helpful. But for me, when i was 18, the doc tried to put me on paxil, a very small dosage, and after 2 days i quit them because they messed me up. He has recommended i try after i tell him that i am down in the dumps alot or feel like i have panic attacks, but i have never been interested. I guess i am afraid of who i will become and i also drive a commerical vehicle, so i dont want to lose my liscence because of the side effects.
Please keep in touch and let us all know how you make out. Its great to see you so happy.

mertyl

Anna

Hi Guzler,

I found the same thing that you did. I have a chemical imbalance in my brain and I was depressed and anxious for years. I struggled with this for a long, long time, until I eventually began drinking to deal with the problem. I thought that drinking was my last hope. Then, finally, I found the right dr and the right med and unbelievably to me, I started to feel good. I stopped drinking and have never gone back.

I don't take prozac, but I take another anti-depressant and I don't plan on ever stopping it. It's been almost 6 yrs now. I have had to go off it twice for different blood tests and never had any problem at all with withdrawls. I did however, start to feel depressed and anxious again after about 10 or so days. So, don't worry about that, just talk to your dr. You may be able to keep taking it indefinitely.

hoobie

Glad to hear you're feeling so good. I was on prozac for a year. It made my anxiety non existant. I got off it because it made me really really sleepy and I was on the lowest dose possible. I noticed that the positive effects stayed with me up to almost a year after stopping it. I think that's because prozac actually helped change my negative thought patterns and my over all attitude on life. I figured that would last forever. That was 8 years ago and I started drinking chronically about 6 years ago. I'm now looking into to trying another anti anxiety drug due to my latest problems.

I'm happy you're turning things around

Cindi R

Antidepressants can change your whole outlook on life...
I've been on a few different combinations to find the right one for me...
but they do work!
So glad you've found one that works for you!
I've been on them for about 3 years now...
Don't knock them until you've given them a fair trial...

Erin

Hey Guzler
I started taking Wellbutrin a month ago and it feels great. Lots of people have chemical imbalances - it's not a big deal it's just the stigma attached.
I have no desire not to take it.
I'd give it more time before thinking of getting off of them.
There's my two cents.
Glad you're feeling great!

OnRecoveryRoad

I'm really glad you opened the subject. I too drank for 5 years and refused to admit I needed to be medicated. (Funny, it didn't even occur to me that I was medicating with alcohol). I was prescribed Celexa and I feel great...and do not have the desire to drink! So it does work for those you need it.

I'll keep coming back.

Dreamz

I completely agree with OnRecoveryRoad - its a really helpful and useful subject as I am sure there are many people out there who disagree with taking meds to help with addiction, wthdrawals etc.

Thanks GUZLER

REZ

Have you considered going to AA or NA meetings? I am a big believer that addiction is a physical, mental and spiritual disease, so that recovery must also be physical, mental and spiritual. Anti-depressants seem to be working on the physical part of your addiction, but what about the mental and spiritual?

OnRecoveryRoad

I don't think anyone stated here that they AREN'T using mental and spiritual aspects. I am in AA.... I am using biological assistance with AA. This is a disease with many aspects. I took it to mean this subject was opened as far as anti-depressants in conjunction with other help...

IndigoNA

I'm taking prozac too, great antidepressant, I've read that it has a pretty bad withdrawal syndrome though... but why get off of it ?

felicity

I'm glad to hear this is helping you!!

I take an anti-depressant, too ....

This is because drugs and alcohol (I used both to excess) actually DO change your brain chemistry, often resulting in-- gulp-- um, brain damage. It takes medicine to correct the chemical imbalances caused by drug abuse a lot of the time (I consider alcohol a drug, so I just use the generic word "drug" to describe all mind-altering substances).

Keep taking your meds, and stay sober!!