Is medication-free really possible?

[WW]

[quote="egriff Excellent points and they all apply to me too. Don't know where I would be without CBT and the TEA forms which enabled me to fix the way I process everything in my head. I hate to sound overly dramatic but the book by Sam Obitz probably saved my life.

I can't go as far as saying that book saved my life, but it certainly made my life 100 times better than it was before I dedicated myself to using the TEA forms and the Counter exercise in it. For anyone who is willing to put some time and a little effort into getting themselves better I would second this recommendtaion.http://www.tao3.com

I didn't mean to come off overly dramatic but in my case I really believe it did save my life... Know that won't be the case for everyone but hope a few people I turn onto the TEA forms will have similar results

PB2704- I've said it before and I'll say it again... If I can get off meds anyone can
It takes some effort learning to counter your thoughts in the TEA forms and staying with them after you start feeling better but it really can happen for you [/quote]

Great advice as usual Egriff Sorry I have been away for so long... But I'm back now

[Paisleegreen]

I've been off of my anti-depressants for 9 months...I've been surviving, but some days if not almost everyday, I wake up feeling sad and down. I'm doing better today and have my ups and downs. I do see my Psychiatrist tomorrow for a med check, I do take Temazepam at night to help me sleep.

I'm also working on my "thoughts" and soul searching...changing attitudes about things and my expectations. So I don't know whether to go back on antidepressants or not. There are the side effects that I really don't care for...but I'm tired of waking up sad. Anyway, I hope I haven't posted about this already, that's part of my problem is that I feel that my memory isn't as good as it use to be, but then I did turn 57 and Menopausal. I am much better than I was a year ago when I had my first Panic Attack, so I guess it just means I just keep plugging along. Paislee

[WW]

I hope you are doing better now. As I have said umpteen times learning to counter my thoughts in the TEA forms was a godsend for me. I hope working on your thoughts and all else you are doing have helped you

[MMH]

I think there is a pharmaceutical company that advertises that if you need help getting medication that they can help you but I cant remember which one it is

[Kgirl]

I have GAD. In 1997 I woke up out of a sound sleep scared. I wasn't having a panic attack w/ racing heart and all, I just felt scared. I couldn't figure out why I woke up like that. I have always had a lot on my plate and have never really known anyway else. Maybe the "volcano" finally erupted. I was put on a low dosage of Effexor (75mg) and it was like the anxiety went 100% away. I was on it for 8 years and decided to go off of it. I had 3 anxiety free years and then WHAM, I woke up in the middle of the night with anxiety. I went back on the Effexor 75 mg and absolutely no anxiety.
I hear so many views on anxiety and that some feel it is a chemical imbalance and can only be relieved by medication. I would like to go off of it again because I do not want to be on any pharmacuetical drug for an extended time becuase of the side effects. Liver, kidneys etc...
Has anyone ever stayed off their medication and been fine?
God Bless,
Kate

[egriff]

I have GAD. In 1997 I woke up out of a sound sleep scared. I wasn't having a panic attack w/ racing heart and all, I just felt scared. I couldn't figure out why I woke up like that. I have always had a lot on my plate and have never really known anyway else. Maybe the "volcano" finally erupted. I was put on a low dosage of Effexor (75mg) and it was like the anxiety went 100% away. I was on it for 8 years and decided to go off of it. I had 3 anxiety free years and then WHAM, I woke up in the middle of the night with anxiety. I went back on the Effexor 75 mg and absolutely no anxiety.
I hear so many views on anxiety and that some feel it is a chemical imbalance and can only be relieved by medication. I would like to go off of it again because I do not want to be on any pharmacuetical drug for an extended time becuase of the side effects. Liver, kidneys etc...
Has anyone ever stayed off their medication and been fine?
God Bless,
Kate

I'm living proof that it can be done and so are a lot of other members on here. CBT and the TEA form turned my thinking around and eliminated my anxiety. Now many experts think the chemical imbalance is caused by our thinking errors and once you learn to think more objectively the chemical imbalance goes away. The old chicken and the egg syndrome. Check out the CBT book by Sam Obitz http://www.tao3.comand give the TEA forms a try or join a CBT group!

[egriff]

Happy New Year everyone. I hope it is filled with more fun and less anxiety than 2011

[LyndaLu]

egriff:

I just read your November 2011 post and it has given me hope for the New Year.

I have been on several medications for the past 4 1/2 years now
and I am hoping that this is the year that I can slowly eliminate them
from my life. I am going off of my medications slowly and restarting myself on
doing the program for the second time. I am hoping that everything works out
well and that sometime this year I will be drug free.

Wishing you and everyone out there a happy 2012. Lynda.

[bakerwoman25]

How did you deal with panic attacks when you went off your meds. I went off my meds last summer and was doing pretty good until this last month. I feel like I have hit rock bottom again with panic attacks and all that goes with them. How do you bring yourself back from the brink without meds???

[LyndaLu]

I am still working on lowering my doses of my medications, slowly, so that I can
eliminate them completely sometime this year. I think I have enough meds "in stock" to last
me at lease three months right now. I see my psychiatrist in April to talk to him about my progress.
So far I have not suffered any side affects from lowering my doses, but as I said I am lowering
the doses very gradually so I do not "crash". I do believe that drug free IS possible and that is
why I am more commited to successfully completing the program this second time around.
I am not just taking one medication, I am taking several and I feel that taking medications
without changing my behavior just does not work. I am just "existing" while taking the meds and
I am not really living or "feeling" life like I want to.

"THE ANXIETY OF STAYING STAGNANT AND FEELING OUT OF CONTROL IS MUCH
WORSE THAN THE ANXIETY OF CHANGING AND CHALLENGING YOURSELF."

Lynda