To be considering stopping my ADs

[TheoriginalLEM]

I have chronic anxiety. Really its been like it for at least 10 years and ive been on medication for most of that time.

I'm not better, my anxiety is still there and i have a level of anxiety all of the time, but i think it might actually be my medication that causes this.

I forget to take them a fair bit and on those days, i feel better.

I have also started to manage exercise and that really does help.

The thing is, i don't ever expect to be free from anxiety, but i am managing a much more positive outlook and have managed to work, albeit part-time and i am enjoying it and thinking of looking for something more permanent, more hours etc this year.

I have a feeling its time to try life drug free - am i mad to even consider this?

I crashed in a big way the last time anxiety got hold of me and i was suicidal and i don't want to go back there, but i also don't want to be dependent on pills forever.

embuggarance - now thats a good word! !

I believe it was what Terry Pratchett said about his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, OP. It is a good word.

Actually now that you say that , i do remember that yes. He was a great man and to read his disc world books is on my to do list.

It's a great word.
I'm now trying to think if I was on 40mg!?! I know I reduced by tiny amounts and then took the new very slightly lower dose until I had felt ok for 3 months before reducing. It wasn't quick.
TBF I think I will always have some anxiety and depression but I know what it is and how to deal with it.

Op a pointer Mort or Weird Sisters are two of the easier to get into disc worlds great fun!

I came off medication and honestly feel 100% better, however this won't be the case for everyone. I was only on them a year to doctor weaned me off by gradually reducing my dose. I have beta blockers now which i use if I feel very anxious.

I've used exercise too and came off seroxate for 5 months but then crashed as the Autumn came in. Dr thinks I should always have a serotonin boost as my mum suffered severe anxiety too. He thinks some people genetically have less serotonin. He says money can't buy you happiness but serotonin can!

I've just finished with ADs, OP. I talked it over with my GP first, and gradually tapered down the dose. It's been a few months now and I'm still OK.
But, I wouldn't hesitate to go back on them if I needed to. Being free of meds is a good goal but only if you can cope. It's not a stain on your character if you need meds to function, it's just the way life is sometimes.

If you do decide to cut down and eventually stop, could you enlist a friend or two, and ask them to tell you straight if they think you are spiralling downwards again? Sometimes it's hard to spot the signs from inside your head but others can see it plainly.

I'm on Cymbalta and whilst it takes the edge off, it doesn't really address the causes of my anxiety which are long-running too (17+ years - fear of the 'full spectrum dominance' type crowd).

I don't want to minimise anyone's anxiety or the associated symptoms which I know are both emotional and physical and extremely debilitating. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, have a look at Dr Claire Weekes 'teachings'. She encourages and supports people to tackle their symptoms regardless of the cause of them which very often cannot be changed as the cause is often in the past. You may find her books in your local library but I'm not sure if a library will have her CDs or DVD. They are often on Amazon or eBay too. Dr Weekes has a website with information about her materials.