can you do it on your own?

[tricia56]

hi has anyone overcome thier anxiety on thier own without meds and cbt. as i have had 2 lots of cbt over the last 2yrs and i cant have anymore it did help a little but istill have the anxiety all the time i havent took medsas im too scared even tho my gp has said they will help mebut im scared of the side effects specialy the suicidal thoughts they say you might get as that frieghtens the life out of me. so just wondering if you can get better on your own and if anyone one on here has done it and how thk you

[Rennie1989]

I can't say I'm fully cured but I am almost there.

I came off meds on my own because I couldn't get an appointment at the doctors to get a new prescription, so instead of that headache every month I decided to come off them myself (I don't recommend anyone doing that). I am also on a ridiculously long waiting list for CBT. Shortly afterwards I went into a depressive phase where I would hide under the duvet before going to work, wouldn't eat or drink well and just generally feeling like crap. I was about to call in sick for work when something clicked in my head, I just thought "No, I'm not going to feel like this anymore!" and since then my mood has gone up and up.

Since then I am eating a lot better, I go for a walk on my day off work, my creative writing (which is my life) has improved massively and I have more self worth. I have also developed a 'no-nonsense' attitude, I don't hide behind my diagnoses' anymore, I don't limit myself because 'I have anxiety'. I also talk to myself in my head, if I get a paranoid thought I shout in my head "NO! YOU WILL NOT STOP ME!" over and over again. I've also stopped the negative thoughts of 'I'm stupid, I can't do this.' with 'This is normal, everyone feels like this, I CAN do this.'.

It's still in working process but hopefully, in time, I will get there!

[flori]

It depends on how much the anxiety is affecting your way of life. If you are struggling to do normal day to day activities or cannot, then maybe meds will help you.
I never liked the side effects of anti-depressants but lots of people have taken them and they have helped them. I get prescribed diazepam, but not very many as they are addictive. So I really have to force myself to do things as I cannot always take the meds.