Have you managed to come of and stay of AD for anxiety?

[Bingbi]

That really.looking for positive stories. My doctor says I should be off them in 6 months time and to use it as a chin up to getting better for anxiety. I just need to hear other people have managed to do this.

I went caffeine and alcohol free (makes me more likely to have palpitations that can trigger me to then get all the anxiety symptoms)
Had some counselling and also got a high strength CBD vape. After a while I needed the vape less and less too and now don't use anything.
Do you know what/when causes your anxiety or is it general?

It's just anxiety of the uncertainty of life. Health anxiety plays a large part. It's my first time on ADs and really want to make it my only time and use it a tool to sort myself out. But my health anxiety makes me feel like ill be on them forever now.

Are the ADs working? or are you just starting them?
If you're just starting you may find that if they work, you stop the habit of thinking the way you do..so when you do come off them you're not just going to go back to square one.
it would be worth having talking therepy though to understand why you're having the health anxiety and to overcome that.

And if they work and you turn out to be someone who is better on them permentantly then that's OK too. it's better to be taking them and be free of the anxiety and able to enjoy your life than to suffer without them!

What other support are you receiving to address the root cause?

Thank you for your reply. I've started councelling. Joined the gym and trying to be kind to myself. I'm 10 days in on ciltropram. I know the cause really as I lost twins late In Pregnacy 3 years ago and then my dad died not long after. Plus covid and another baby it's been a full in few years, plus I work remotely so have a lot of time on my own. Thought I was doing OK but hit a wall 3 months ago with my body in a constant state of flight or fright. and just need a physical break from the anxiety.

I'm determined to get well again and just need some hope that it is possible.

Yes I did, had sertraline for post-natal anxiety. Weaned myself down very gently over the course of about a year, taking slightly less and less each month.
At the same time I upped doing the things that I knew helped me (doing more art, spending time in nature etc, had some CBT counselling).
If i felt any month was too "bumpy" I'd stay on that dose for another month and then lower it again.
Its doable, I thought of them as a coping tool to help with the immediate problem and then once I'd got my head above water, replaced them with other coping strategies.
Also to say this was about 6 years ago, been off them totally for about 3 years.
Good luck x

@BosworthBosworth thank you. This is just what I needed to hear and hopefully the approach I want to take. How long were you on them? I'm so glad it worked out well for you.

I was on them all in all for about 2 years then weaning down a further year. They really helped me with the immediate "crisis" feeling but knowing I could come off them helped too.

Yes I have. Been off them since summer so hoping I'll be ok over winter. I had come off a very strong dose in 2019 but then Covid and lockdown. I went back on a small dose and that's what I've just come off.

It is possible.

What kind of therapy? Is it suitable for someone with trauma? Does your therapist have the right expertise, experience and qualifications for your history and difficulties?

You don't have to post those answers, but worth thinking about. The wrong type of therapy can make problems worse.

It's not surprising that health is a trigger for you given your experiences. Those are significant traumas.

Are you able to get out for social contact? Even if it's just coffee mornings or a knitting group or an adult leisure class at a local church / library / community hall.