There are definitely alternatives to medication. I am on a lot of meds right now and I found that they really took a lot of my enjoyment of things away. (everyone is different however so don't take my word for it) I do meditation every day and have a meditation coach who is trained to help with anxiety disorders--he is a godsend, I am getting better and better each week as I learn to control my thoughts (which is half the battle with anxiety yah?). It's made it easier to interact with people and to form friendships, and it makes me feel much more capable of controlling my anxiety waves. And yes, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how dark and deep it may seem!