Do you think medication helps or hinders therapy?

[cattia]

As you'll know if you read my posts, my anxiety has been horrible for around 18 months now. This is a lifelong problem for me but I get less remission than I have done in the past, the intensity has increased for me. I'm now in counselling and committed to working on my anxiety in this way. The trouble is that I feel like this is slow work. I'm happy enough to be in it for the long haul because I don't expect a quick fix for a problem that I've had since childhood.

However I feel that my life is passing me by and I'm wasting so much time every day over thinking things and constantly obsessing about what could be wrong with me. This means that I miss out on enjoying things that won't be around forever, for example spending time with my children while they are small. For this reason I have decided to go back on a low dose of medication, but I worry that this will detract from the work that I am doing in therapy and if I make improvements how will I know what is due to the therapy and what is down to taking medication? I appreciate that nobody can make this decision for me but I would be interested to know others' thoughts on it. In an ideal world I would not rely on medication and I would prefer not to take it long term.

[ocdbaking]

I've been told by various doctors and counsellors that for many people, the combination of medication and therapy is ideal, as the medication calms the system (as it were), and allows you to work on your mind etc. I've been on medication for years, and am unlikely to ever come off (yay for OCD) so all therapy I've ever had has been on medication.

[Fishmanpa]

I was on Zoloft for 6 months to help treatment for depression after my 1st heart attack. It definitely helped me along with therapy.

Positive thoughts

[cattia]

Thank you both, I hope I can reach a therapeutic dose on these meds without the side effects crippling me. I quit Sertraline because I couldn't handle it but I've been on fluoxetine before so I know the side effects will pass and I'm starting super low.I wish I could make quicker progress with therapy alone but it isn't happening for me yet.

[Emc]

I think it often takes a combination of the two to make a difference. I know when my anxiety is really bad counselling is pointless because I’m too worked up to be able to focus on it. I need meds to take the edge off to allow talking therapy to work. I’ve reached the stage now that SSRIs are likely to be needed forever & that’s ok - I need medication for my thyroid so needing medication for my anxiety is no different.