DrunkenDonuts

A wise man once imparted this knowledge

Now , the world don't move to the beat of just one drum,
What might be right for you, may not be right for some.
A man is born, he's a man of means.
Then along come two, they got nothing but their jeans.

But they got, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.

Everybody's got a special kind of story
Everybody finds a way to shine,
It don't matter that you got not alot
So what,
They'll have theirs, and you'll have yours, and I'll have mine.
And together we'll be fine....

Because it takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.
Yes it does.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world

Yazzylove

I'm on Wellbutrin to treat my depression for the past 30 days! It has been a miracle drug for my quitting both smoking and drinking at the same time 9 days ago! I definitely was ready to quit though so you definitely need to be willing to put the addictive substances down for good!

TiredOfWaiting0

Wow, I'm so amazed at how helpful everyone is on here. Your advice is incredibly accurate and validating; coming from people speaking from experience. I will take all of it into account.

Feeling so much better today. Mostly due to your comments. Thank you. Actually laughing at how mental I went. The important thing is I never gave into alcohol or chemicals.

I will pick up that book and research the types of AD's for which type i think would be less scary for me to try. You all list different types with different reactions. But I too think some day I will be free of all my burdens and this is just a supervised, legal, crutch to help me get there. I will write down what i want to say and have a serious appointment, too (when i can actually admit i need help, lol). No harm in trying. I don't have to take them. At least one of you said it makes you feel emotionless - that's exactly what i need right now. I'm freaking out at every little thing. Its not like me at all! Some temporary help through the first few months could be exactly what i need. Withdrawal is pyschological too, right?!

Still curious to hear more about your experiences on AD's. Were they helpful or harmful? Side effects? Temptation to abuse? Do you always look spaced out under fluorescent light? Different types (MAOIs SSRIs SNRIs) with different results? links to helpful websites that are factual and scientifically based?

strangeangel

Hi Tired,

I am currently taking Wellbutrin and Lexapro. It really is about finding the right one for you. I had terrible side effects with venaflexine (horrific night mares, night sweats), but it might work for some people. My GP prescribed that to me and I don't think she really knew what she was doing. Pay the extra money for a well respected psychiatrist. You will save lots of time and $$ if you see a specialist. And hopefully will limit too many side effects due to trying different meds. Some can make you feel dopey or flat emotionally but again, all about finding the right one for you. Hope this helps!

Anna

This is a great book. I've read it and recommended it here numerous times. I take antidepressants which level the playing field for me, but I still have to deal with the anxiety so I have depended on this book, and 'From Panic to Power' by Lucinda Bassett.

I take a tricyclic antidepressant after trying two ssri's. I had nasty side-effects with the ssri's. The tricyclic causes me no side effects, absolute no temptation to abuse. The only thing I have found is that when I had to go off it for a few weeks because of dental surgery, I slowly started slipping into the dark hole again.

ArtFriend

Tiredofwaiting0 - I would caution you against spending too much time researching medication because you can't really discern what is going to be right for you buy reading the literature. Psychiatrists don't even know what meds work with what people! They make "educated estimations" based on their clinical background. I was on MAOIs way back in the 80s and I did not like their side effects (dry mouth and spacy). Then Prozac came out in 1987 and that was a new class of AD called SSRI. I loved it! But then that wore off over time so they added Wellbrutrin to the Prozac and that worked for awhile and then wore off. My latest AD cocktail is Effexor which is an even newer class called SNRI (Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor) and it has worked OK but I think I need another adjustment in the dosage. I don't have any side effects with SSRIs or SNRIs.

TiredOfWaiting0

ArtFriend... that's my fear. i fear i might already know what works for me... and that is stimulants. i don't want to depend on stimulants because i'm afraid of abusing them. that's why i want to try AD's.

Yacine... Congrats on 9 days!!!!!!! I'm just having trouble in deciding whether AD's would become an addictive substance! LOL.

StrangeAngel... what were your side effects if you don't mind me asking?

I've been on Wellbutrin to quit smoking (and secretly because i was depressed but i didn't want that to go on my medical file... at the time). I've researched that anxiety is a side effect of stimulants, but i don't feel it when taking legal ones at the legal dose. If i take the right dose, it actually makes me confident and productive and less overwhelmed. it lets me sort out thoughts objectively instead of subjectively (aka, being more rational and less emotional when decision making). Perhaps thats the addict in me talking. I'm afraid it might be. That's why i want to try AD's. But, I have great fear instilled by the media.

Anna... thank you so much. i am honestly going to read that book. i hope it helps me with my CBT. i know i can conquer my "inner being" without dependance on anything. my goal is to live straight edge and develop wicked coping strategies.



So much easier said than done.

For those of you who have taken MAOI's, SSRI's SNRI's, and bupriorin... what were the differences and side effects for you?

DrakeCKC

"Treated" depression for years by drinking... a lot of good that did (intense sarcasm here).

Once I got sober, I decided to let the pros treat it and I have done well on Wellbutrin for about 9 months now. Made a world of difference. I also take an anti-anxiety med as well. Had few side effects and the ones I had faded after time.

alphaomega

I vehemently opposed anti depressants for decades. I have been diagnosed on the fetal alcohol spectrum, general anxiety disorder, Agorophobic and major dexpressive disorder. I used to think of those as negative labels and drank my way around them.

I would not, under any circumstances take medication. All I needed was my wine. And meditation, excercise, extreme healthy eating, spirituality, prayer, therapy and more therapy. flower essences. Yoga. I tried it all. Every natural method. For years and years and years.

When the alcohol started to outwardly kill me, and I had to stop or die, I realized there was something underlying that was always there, just masked.

6 weeks ago, I began a Ssri (Lexapro) and by golly, is it ever working. The first few weeks were challenging, but I can't honestly say, I'm finally feeling it working. And working well.

I hope you will be open to the help that is available to all of us.

TiredOfWaiting0

your story rings true, alphaomega. i've also tried meditation, yoga, working out, positive thinking, healthy eating. but there's still something that makes me go back to self medicating!

alphaomega

It's a quick fix. Until it's not. I would practice such healthy habits all day, then when I'd get home from work, drink a bottle of wine while cooking, and another one throughout the night. Year. After year. After year.

I can't imagine the meds would have worked on me though had I not gotten sober. I might as well have flushed them down the toilet with the morning vomit.

Such a sick sick cycle. I'm so grateful to have woken up to the truth.

You deserve a better life. It's waiting.

Yazzylove

I can soo relate Alpha! I drank 2 bottles of wine a night most nights while also taking my Wellbutrin then would complain that I wasn't feeling better and I was still depressed!! Sooo stupid! Once I decided to stop drinking for good, my medication felt like a godsend! No cravings for booze or nicotine! So now I know what it is supposed to be like on AD!!

CharlesG

I wish you the best in whatever happens.