From Effexor to Prozac
Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:33 am
I began my treatment for social phobia with Effexor. I worked my way up to 75 mg daily and took the drug for at least five years. I felt that I would be on the drug for the rest of my life because I was afraid to come off it. While on the drug, I was more sociable but I was only more tolerant of social settings, not completely comfortable. During the last two years of taking Effexor, I was experiencing manic episodes and having trouble sleeping. In all, the experience was an emotional roller coaster.
Just before beginning this Program, I saw a psychiatrist who prescribed Prozac. I was afraid to take it. I filled the prescription but flushed the pills down the toilet. I have anxiety over this because I feel like I failed myself in some way. I am glad though that I gave this program a shot without being on meds because it's shown me what I'm truly thinking, not oppressed by a drug. I'm also now more comfortable with going to my GP and talking to him about maybe beginning a Prozac regiment if I can't subdue my obsessive thinking through the Program. It's nice to have options.
Through all of this has been the alcohol. I feared I was an alcoholic because I drank to medicate myself. And I realize this is truly alcohol abuse. I drank when the Effexor didn't feel like it was doing its job. I had episodes where I lost control and yelled at friends or cried uncontrollably through the night. In retrospect, although I feel immense guilt for these moments in my past, I thought it was just my anxiety. I was in denial about the alcohol. I've cut back on my alcohol consumption since starting the Program. It's holding me back from recovery. It's hard and I've had some mishaps, but I also know this is a tough habit to break.
Just before beginning this Program, I saw a psychiatrist who prescribed Prozac. I was afraid to take it. I filled the prescription but flushed the pills down the toilet. I have anxiety over this because I feel like I failed myself in some way. I am glad though that I gave this program a shot without being on meds because it's shown me what I'm truly thinking, not oppressed by a drug. I'm also now more comfortable with going to my GP and talking to him about maybe beginning a Prozac regiment if I can't subdue my obsessive thinking through the Program. It's nice to have options.
Through all of this has been the alcohol. I feared I was an alcoholic because I drank to medicate myself. And I realize this is truly alcohol abuse. I drank when the Effexor didn't feel like it was doing its job. I had episodes where I lost control and yelled at friends or cried uncontrollably through the night. In retrospect, although I feel immense guilt for these moments in my past, I thought it was just my anxiety. I was in denial about the alcohol. I've cut back on my alcohol consumption since starting the Program. It's holding me back from recovery. It's hard and I've had some mishaps, but I also know this is a tough habit to break.