Medication is it the right thing to do

[tricia56]

Hi ive sufferd with anxiety for a few years now but it has got worse the last few mnths and ive always thought that i would over come it by therapy cbt etc as im petried of taliking any kind of pill because of the side effects ive had cbt which helped a little but because im not coping very well on my own with my anxiety im starting to think that meds is the only answer now but i keep questioning weather i should start taking pills as ive heard so many scary stories on here about side effects people get when taking them ,do they really help you do they stop all the symtoms you get with anxiety do they make you feel better can they harm you as because i read poeoples posts about thier anxiety on here about how they are feeling i think to myself that if the meds really work then why do people onhere still have bad anxiety so can any one give me there opions or advice on meds or what might be best for me as im so confussed about it all thks

[Tyke]

Hi Tricia

I was completely against the idea of taing meds originally, but I became so ill with anxiety and depression that in the end I didn't feel I had any other option than taking them. Sure, it was tough in the beginning with the side effects, but they do wear off usually and once I was through that period, I felt so much better. Personally, I am very pleased I took them now, I'm not sure what state I'd be in if I hadn't, but everyone is different and experiences on medication varies so much.

Yes, there are risks, but even taking aspirin or paracetamol has risks. I am on anti-depressants and beta-blockers (beta-blockers help control physical anxiety symptoms). I would have a chat with your GP and see what he/she thinks.

What you have to remember about posts is that generally people are more likely to post when they feel bad, so it can look like all the medications are truly horrendous. When people are feeling better, they don't feel the need to post! I read some real horror stories about my drugs via the internet and if I'd not felt so desperate, I really would have been totally put off by them. In the end though, I was absolutely fine once the side effects went and so much better mentally eventually.

Tyke