Let's talk about anxiety, and the related meds. Shall we?

a reply to: tetra50

Thank you so much for the kind words Tetra! Always makes me feel good to encounter compassion here on ATS.

As for my current attacks, if you haven't read yet. I had a very minor reemergence of physical anxiety, which led to a huge mistake in taking Xanax again, which opened the gates to hell, where I nearly descended once again.

Fortunately, I'm busting out all the old tools I've built and dragging myself back to a positive lifestyle once again.

a reply to: GoShredAK

My mother seems to be on every pill available , she has 2 big drawers full of pills and at least 2 bags as well , i dread to think what it costs the health service for all those pills , she will not listen and shrugs her shoulders saying the doctors know best

dp sorry

a reply to: GoShredAK
Hey GoShredAK:

You are certainly welcome. You deserve as much compassion as you can get, for as I said, I am quite familiar with what gates those meds can open. I am sorry to hear you recently needed that help again. The best advice I can give you, (which you likely already know) is exercise, exercise, exercise. If that's not part of your daily routine, I would make it so. And I mean the kind of exercise (as your eventual goal, it may take some time to get there) that pushes your body and your heart past its normal functioning). During exercise, you will feel yourself reach peak heart rate. It is important to push yourself past that for at least a few minutes, if you have a healthy heart. If you reach that goal, the benefits will amaze you, believe me. If you can manage to do that three times a week, those benefits increase. And I'm talking about your body, how you feel. It will change your outlook on everything, and you will no longer be attached to craving anything unhealthy……
It really is that remarkable. And many of your "ills" will likely float away, and you won't even remember having had them.

Even if you can't get that strenuous, and it doesn't happen overnight when you make exercise a part of your daily living, there are other things you can do, even just cognitively.

If you need a friend, feel free to message me. Be well.
tetra

a reply to: GoShredAK

Great OP. A very interesting subject for those observing but a living hell for those who have fallen into that hole. Ive been in both situations as a sufferer and then watching and nursing my partner through it (still coming through it).

I am still on meds but totally understand feeling trapped by them, im on both anti depressant, anti psychotics and tramadol for pain. My head is in the clouds most of the time but have almost become used to it. I tried to get off my duloxetine and was dreadful to the point I felt like my whole body was shutting down. So I went back on them .
I am planning to do it again but better prepared and at a time when my partner and child aren't as dependent on me. My anxiety depression as stemmed from a chronic pain in my leg so could have been worse.

My partner got ill 2 years back. It was like the switch of a button where she woke up one day and could not separate reality from her delusions. Very frightening. From the short spell of psychosis she has severe depression and anxiety, and got diagnosed recently with bi-polar. To see someone go through that is heart breaking, and the only way I can describe it when at her lowest was like she was on the edge and I was trying to calm her to pull her back from falling into oblivion and I feel she would not have come back from that. Her mind would of snapped, and with the anxiety you can latterly see the pressure building so much that it hits a point where no matter how hard she tries to hold it in all the pain and fear explodes and it doesn't matter if its in bed or in the middle of the street, because for her shes in hell.

With the diagnosis of bi-polar the docs have finally gotten the right levels of meds and im seeing a big improvement. And for the foreseeable future theres no way she could live without meds.

I thought id share two scenarios one about myself where I can and will get off the meds because I know I can survive and manage without them, but it will take some hard work to shake the shackles off. Then theres my partner who needs the meds to literally live, because without them I dnt think she will be here that long and that's even with my 24hr care.
So its up to you but also get advice from someone who knows you well because they can give you a perspective of yourself you cant get and will let you know if you are ready to get off them. And if you can do it the right way and plan ahead.
Whereas if you are in the 2nd category where you need them then realise that you can have a normal full life with them. It will take a while to adjust to the numbness but im guessing after what you have been through anything is better than that. And when YOU are ready to come off them, don't fear not having that crutch because to get to that you have demonstrated strength most people could not even imagine.

s&f

originally posted by: douglas5
a reply to: GoShredAK

My mother seems to be on every pill available , she has 2 big drawers full of pills and at least 2 bags as well , i dread to think what it costs the health service for all those pills , she will not listen and shrugs her shoulders saying the doctors know best

Man, I'm sorry to hear that, and my prayers go out to her.

I am familiar with a similar scenario. My step father is hooked on so many medications that are simply replacing lifestyle/diet changes. As well as one of my bosses, and at least one of my neighbors.

They are hopelessly, deeply enveloped within the big pharma system to the point of no return. It makes me feel like a wuss and a fool because my issues are minor in comparison.

originally posted by: tetra50
a reply to: GoShredAK
Hey GoShredAK:

You are certainly welcome. You deserve as much compassion as you can get, for as I said, I am quite familiar with what gates those meds can open. I am sorry to hear you recently needed that help again. The best advice I can give you, (which you likely already know) is exercise, exercise, exercise. If that's not part of your daily routine, I would make it so. And I mean the kind of exercise (as your eventual goal, it may take some time to get there) that pushes your body and your heart past its normal functioning). During exercise, you will feel yourself reach peak heart rate. It is important to push yourself past that for at least a few minutes, if you have a healthy heart. If you reach that goal, the benefits will amaze you, believe me. If you can manage to do that three times a week, those benefits increase. And I'm talking about your body, how you feel. It will change your outlook on everything, and you will no longer be attached to craving anything unhealthy……
It really is that remarkable. And many of your "ills" will likely float away, and you won't even remember having had them.

Even if you can't get that strenuous, and it doesn't happen overnight when you make exercise a part of your daily living, there are other things you can do, even just cognitively.

If you need a friend, feel free to message me. Be well.
tetra

Very sound advice Tetra thanks again.

Exercise is certainly one of my biggest tools for staying positive and feeling good. You just inspired me to work even harder though.

All my anxiety really took off as I became hyper aware of my heart. It got so bad I would manifest multiple palpitations which would scare the heck out of me and the snowball effect would continue. I became afraid to exert myself, I was afraid to surf because I thought I might have a heart attack out in the lineup....I knew I had to face my fear and slowly started making exercise (and healthy diet!)part of the foundation of my very being.

Very recently I amped up my morning workout routine which I label "the bare minimum"' quite a bit. This helped me vanquish the anxiety trying to take over as well as get through Xanax withdrawal. I'm coming up on 96 hours of no pills, it seems all symptoms have subsided, and I am thrilled, thank Jesus.

Now I plan on taking my fitness to the next level, and never touching any drug ever again.

a reply to: GoShredAK

Excellent news! I couldn't have hoped for better. Go GoShredAK! Keep going just as you are. This will definitely get you through the worst of the withdrawals, and give you the incentive to keep this up. Exercise is the best thing you can do for both brain, mind and body. You are boosting endorphin production and doing all you can to make your body heal and feel a natural state of "good."

I wish you the best, and am so happy to hear. Xaanax withdrawal is one of the worst. I have been through it myself.
Take the very best care,
tetra