LonelyDude

I've been reading a lot of threads where I see people taking about the anxiety they are suffering through pre and post drinking. I was wondering why so many just seem to try to deal with it instead of seeing their doc for help.

Seems like a bad situation to not seek help for. Just curious, not casting stones.

ScottFromWI

Probably lots of reasons - fear, shame, lack of money/insurance, lack of knowledge. I know I tried to do it on my own for a long time ( get sober ) and I really have no reason as to "why", but I know that once I got help it made things much easier and better.

Rar

I can't speak for anyone else, but I have been treated for anxiety for years. Many of those years I was on anti-depressants too, but I weaned off those. Years ago, I started having one or two beers after work which calmed me down and helped me to sleep. Over the years, the after work beers increased to 3 and 4, then 4 and 5, and eventually 6, 7, or 8 every day. Three or four months ago, my anxiety became worse and I saw my doctor. He put me on the lowest dose of an anti depressant, but that only made my anxiety worse. I continued to drink because it did, in fact help my anxiety and calmed me down. At least I was thinking it did. I would probably still be drinking except one of the blood tests I had to check my iron levels, showed elevated liver enzymes. My doctor said she thought I was self medicating with alcohol, but didn't offer an alternative to my anxiety except the low dose of anti-anxiety meds I was taking. Now, I am on Day 16 without alcohol, but my anxiety has increased. I expect I will have to see the doctor at some point.

FreeOwl

for me.... I think that what I feel as anxiety and depression are simply "normal" levels of life emotions that are feeling strange and unfamiliar because of sobriety.

Or, perhaps they're heightened - but even if so, don't seem bad enough to resort to medication. At least not at this point. I'd like to see whether ACTIVE sobriety will help me gain the tools and balance my body's chemical levels to a point that my sleep returns to a healthy state and my reactions to life's daily challenges equalize a bit. I'd like to learn to feel and be OK with feeling and dealing - without using chemicals to alter the natural balance of my mind-body-spirit.

I don't rule out seeing a doctor about meds - whether for sleep or anxiety or depression - I just haven't really felt like the time is right.

I used to feel a bit of a stigma associated with meds... but that really doesn't feel like an issue anymore. God knows I've put plenty of chemicals in my body in trying to deal with life's problems in the past, so what's the issue with using a legitimate chemical if it is needed to help in the process. If my emotions ever get to a point that they're truly interfering with my life or threatening my sobriety - I'll know it's something I need to try.

Confused106

I saw my dr once the anxiety turned into deep depression. I'm taking cipralex and it has saved my life.