stubbs

Hello everyone,
I am no seeking medical advice but wanted to know how many of you have seen a doctor in early sobriety and gotten on meds to help with deporesion and anxiety?
I am 3 weeks in and I just feel depressed and anxiety is starting to take over my life in the past week.I am sure this is related to my early sobriety.Ive been reading and seen people up to 6 months still depressed after stopping drinking.Ive never Been mr.happy go lucky but this **** is getting unbearable.
I've tried antidepressants I. The past and they seem to work for a little while then wear off.I have also always drank on them too.That is another question I have,Have any of you noticed them working better while sober?Thanks a million guys!

MIRecovery

I like to make the analogy off early sobriety and medications to a car with bad gas. It is really tough to tell what is wrong with the car until the gas is run out of the system. the same is true of alcoholism until your brain chemistry stabilizers to the new normal. It is very difficult to tell what else may be wrong with you.

I do know that quitting drinking solved all of my anxiety and depression problems with no additional medications. the only treatment I found that worked was going to AA meetings

least

My depression meds definitely work better now that I'm sober. And I think you're expecting too much at this stage of the game. Three weeks is very early in recovery. Give yourself more time to see if you return to normal. If after a couple months you still feel this way, then see your doctor.

ImperfectlyMe

I did feel depressed and anxious. I almost half way through my third month. Still struggle with depression-anxiety from time to time. I have not taken anything more then an Advil (I'm not opposed to meds). I just want to let my brain heal before introducing any new drugs, I'm talking medically prescribed. But this is just me and I think it's worth a talk with your doctor. I hope that you find some relieve

Anna

My depression occurred long before my drinking but it wasn't treated. So, I needed to get it properly diagnosed and treated before I could begin recovery. I started taking antidepressants and I started to 'care' about recovery.

I do know that most antidepressants don't work properly when you're drinking.

Louise82

Congrats on 3 weeks, stubbs. Yes, the first few weeks are naturally tough for a lot of people but it's never a bad thing to go and have a chat with your doctor, even if it's just to tell them that you've given up drinking.

Yes, my ADs definitely work a lot better without alcohol. Indeed, when I was drinking they weren't working at all. As my doctors told me numerous times when I was drinking, alcohol is a depressant, which was why I felt even more depressed when drinking, even when I bothered to take the ADs.

Gottalife

I believe all medications would work better when sober.

Depression, anxiety, mood swings etc are all normal parts of early recovery. It's a painful business learning how to face the world without chemicals. Many a kind doctor has prescribed something to "help" the patient through this pain but the problem seems to be determining whether the pain is due to recovery or some other mental illness. If its' a mental illness then the doctor's help will likely be essential.

But if the uncomfortable feelings are just recovery, the medication only removes the symptoms temporarily in my experience. When the meds stop the symptoms return. There doesn't appear to be any way of permanently dealing with the pain of early recovery, other than taking some action like that suggested in AA's 12 steps.

Living

I was on AD's before I quit drinking and yes they work better. If you have made it three weeks (congrats) you have made it through the physical withdrawl, now you need to work on the mental healing.

See your doctor and explain what you are feeling.

Best Wishes!

stubbs

Thanks to you all for the quick reply'sSo what would be a ballpark figure of these feelings going away?2,3 months?6 months? A year?I I is everyone is different.I can see why so many relapse .These feelings wear a person down and escaping into a few beers is so tempting.Im going to see my doctor next week and see what he thinks about all this.

serious

i think besides medication and escapes to the bar we often overlook simple things that could help out tremendously in this situation.

- exercise. i think it's essential. it's certainly going to lift your mood and reduce anxiety.
- nutrition. drinking always comes with pizza, burgers, etc. making a goal to eat raw, wholesome and organic foods, which are packed with nutrients, which your body is completely deprived of, will change your energy levels, mood and overall sense of well being. dump processed sugars, stuff that has label of ingredients and anything that is unnatural. nature had made some awesome stuff for us to eat and be healthy. "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food", said Hippocrates and he was right. before going the chemical route (we've already tried that with alcohol) try some natural things.
- keeping the house clean reduces my anxiety (i am the last person to ever even think about something like this, yet it works).
- going for a walk
- enjoying time with family/friends
- doing something fun like going kayaking

there are lots of other options too... explore more.. connect.

Nighthawk8820

I think if you can do it without meds, you should. It can be tough, but you don't want to start a possible new addiction when trying to recover off a different one.

Gottalife

My experience as an AA recovered alcoholic is that it is not so much about time as it is about progress in the program of recovery. After step 5 I was much better and able to sleep, and after step 9 the whole world looked much better. In terms of time that took a couple of months, maybe three at the outside.

I know a few AAs who have been dry ten years or more and still haven't got that peace. When I talk to them about it they tell me they have not yet got past step 5. Draw your own conclusions.