Stress Center Peer Support

Does anyone out there that used to take antidepressing medication and after finish the Stress program. Would she/he be able to stay off the medicine for a longtime or forever?

I went through this program years ago and took myself off Paxil. Recently, my Doctor tried to put me on Lexapro for depression. I had bad side effects because he started me on too high a dose. I took myself off after 3 weeks. My depression wasn't permanent, and had already gone away. I know how to handle panic and anxiety because of this program. You just have to learn what YOU want as far as medication. YOU are the one in control of that, not the doctors!

Hong, I don't think I will ever go back to meds and I was told I was doomed to a life of meds and really down about it five years ago. Then I bought Lucinda's program and joined a CBT group based on the TEA form exercise by Sam Obitz and got off all my meds and have been off them for over four years and doing better than ever. Don't let anyone tell you you HAVE to take meds to get better, because that's what the drug companies want you to believe but since that time I have met many people who have had success with CBT and never looked back! You can too!

Thank you Margie, it is so relief to hear you can stay off the med. My Psychiatric told me this is an illness and I am needing the med, not that I am depending on it. I hope he is wrong. The reason I need to retake the Zoloft because I can not sleep again for 2 months. I think my insomia re-occur because I was not aware of my stress level that reach its peak. Now that I know, I need to watch out. I am not sure if insomia problem can be cured with CBT. I hope the Stress program will work for me like a lot of us out there. I am on session 3 but I have very little negative thoughts that I can think off in the day. I think my main problem is if anything that occurs in my day and if it is not pleasant, somehow, when I sleep, I wake up in middle of the night and my mind kept thinking about it.

I went off any medication I was taking when I started the program in January. A psychiatrist I had seen told me I would most probably be on something for anxiety the rest of my life. He was wrong. I was glad for the medication when my insomnia was pure hell believe me, but I don't seem to need it anymore. The relaxation tape is working now for the sleeping.

Hong I am glad my note was helpful to you. I have never suffered from insomnia but in the cbt book I mentioned by Obitz he said the worst depths he reached were when he had insomnia and the cbt/tea forms got him better so I assume they will work for you too. Don't be in a rush and keep working and I think you will get better in time too Hong. Hugs!

I'm in the same situation as Hong; and have appreciated everyone's input. My concern after just starting the program is that my doc won't help or discourage me to ween of the meds.After 17 years on meds I can't imagine the great feeling of being off them!

I got off effexor about a month ago and I had zero change in anxiety depression symptoms. Very glad the side effects of the meds are gone though. As far as weening goes, usually the meds have standard doses like effexor has 37.5, 75, 150, 225, I only got to 75. just cut down one about every two weeks, then take it every other day, then every three days and so on. That worked for me.

Try substituting 2 hours a day of viggours exercise in place of the meds. It works better and is MUCH healthier for you.
Also, shut down your caffeine sugar intake.
Yes, the course will provide you the knowledge to handle life yourself without medication.

I have been on and off meds the past few years. Currently off and doing the TEA exercise from the Obitz book and they seem to be working. There are some encouraging posts in Triumphs about people successfully getting off their meds and staying off them and I am hoping to join them and that's why I am trying the TEA form exercise. So far so good.