Should I go back on meds? I'm so fed up with this

[Goldfinch]

Hi all, I stopped taking Cipralex (5 mg) about six months ago after talking to my GP, who thought it was time to try as I'd been doing well for over a year. As I recall, last time I stopped I was fine for about six months and then the anxiety began to creep back. After a few financial stresses (as a single mum paying a mortgage on an irregular freelance income, it's a constant worry in the back of my mind) I now feel that I'm back to square one; waking at 4 am, endlessly ruminating about things that could go wrong, and having crying spells. I'm wondering whether I should go back to my GP and ask for another prescription. I've read a lot about managing anxiety without drugs, and some of the ideas are really helpful, but it's hard to find the time to put in all the effort needed (sounds lazy I know) and I feel my energy, optimism and enjoyment of life being sucked away by anxiety on a daily basis. I'm keeping up with work, exercise and a reasonable diet, so I think I'm doing as much as I can to help myself. I've just never wanted to be dependent on meds to function normally, and feel a bit depressed about it. Is anxiety for life?

[worriedsoul]

Was you coping with the same stresses when you were on the medication?

[Goldfinch]

Hi worriedsoul, yes I did find it a lot easier to deal with these things.

[Mindprison]

Hi Goldfinch

I can relate with not wanting to be on medication forever, feeling like you don't want to have to take pills to be happy or anxiety free.

But I will definitely say I would rather be on the pills and coping than be off them and miserable. If the right medication gives me a life and makes me feel like normal then i've got no problem staying on them for the rest of my life if I have to.

We all need a bit of help sometimes, there's no shame in using medication to live life how you want it.

Sleep on it and see how you feel, but if you think that being on medication made you feel better, then I don't see why you can't ask to go back on it.

I'll say it again, there is absolutely NO shame at all in taking medication to help you keep it under control! Do what you think is right for you and don't think less of yourself because of it!

Wishing you all the best!

[Bill]

"After a few financial stresses (as a single mum paying a mortgage on an irregular freelance income, it's a constant worry in the back of my mind) I now feel that I'm back to square one; waking at 4 am, endlessly ruminating about things that could go wrong, and having crying spells.

I feel my energy, optimism and enjoyment of life being sucked away by anxiety on a daily basis. I'm keeping up with work, exercise and a reasonable diet, so I think I'm doing as much as I can to help myself."


From what you've written it looks like the financial stresses were the trigger for your anxiety to return.

When we're constantly living under stress it makes us fearful so there is always that constant worry of "what if" things go wrong, I don't have any money etc. so it doesn't take much extra stress to tip the balance which in your case were your financial stresses.

Once anxiety is triggered by too much stress the symptoms surface. The doubts start causing you to think about all the things that could go wrong and then the worry then causes your mood to drop so you end up having crying spells. Anxiety takes control and saps all your energy which combined with the stress takes all your enjoyment in life away from you and you lose hope of ever being free of these feelings.

There is one thing you didn't include when you said about exercise and diet and that's Relaxation. Are you giving yourself any time outs to recharge your battery to help relieve your stress and worries? It could be something like a day or evening out with friends or family. You need a break from the stress and you'll come home feeling happier and more able to cope because at the moment anxiety has control over you and your thought patterns.

As for meds, they can help lift your mood and you could take them for a short period while your financial situation and stresses settle but you need not take them forever unless you choose to.

Also though, if you are able to take a break or find enjoyable things to do away from home to give you a break from anxiety and all the worries it's creating, you may find it'll help you to feel more confident in yourself.

Either way, remember that additional stress is always likely to tip someone over the edge but once the stress eases back to a manageable level, you will start to feel better in yourself with or without meds. Meds can just help us get through the difficult period or if we choose, we can stay on them. Every individual is different so we all find what suits us best and what makes us feel happiest.

Things Will get better so never think it'll last forever.

[poppadr3w]

I've been on medication for around 3-4 years now. In between now and when I had initially started there was a point after starting Testosterone Replacement Therapy that I felt like I could stop being on the medication. I felt confident and that if I were to endure anxiety, I would be able to manage it. Sadly, I was wrong.

After having stopped the medication for a few months, the anxiety got horrendous once again. It became intolerable and I suffered greatly. As much as I didn't want to lean on medications, I came to terms with it and decided that people like myself need medication to combat this treacherous, heinous mental ailment. I mean, if someone is a diabetic they take insulin, right? If someone has a heart problem they take a beta blocker or other medication, right? If someone has acid reflux they take something, right? So why is mental health ailments like anxiety and/or depression chastised into oblivion to the point that people like you and I are ashamed of taking the necessary medication? It shouldn't be this way. We shouldn't have to try and pretend to be strong while we internally suffer an unbelievable amount because people may judge us. People don't judge other ailments, and anxiety/depression is felt as physically as much as the other ones - trust me!

So now I am on both Testosterone Replacement Therapy and the antidepressant (Trintellix). Overall I feel OK. I have good days and bad days, today sadly being a bad day riddled with dizziness. I've been having a tough time lately, but it's nothing compared to the days where I tried to do it on my own without any medication. I haven't had a true panic attack in a long time, although I may have come close a handful of times over the YEARS.

Best of luck. And do what's right for you.