Amazing

[Lsavadge]

It amazes me how much people without anxiety just don't understand. Even if they have had some panic attacks, they still just don't get what it is like to battle it everyday. I tapered down on my klonopin and finished my taper almost 30 days ago. Through withdrawal and everything I had hoped my mother, who has had anxiety attacks before, would be able to understand me and kind of relate to what I am going through. My sister, who successfully withdrew from heroine, is the one who understands me most. She can give me advice on withdrawal but the anxiety is different. When people tell u that u just need to ride it out and wait for your body to adjust it makes me want to slap them. I would love to see them go through this everyday for a week and see what they have to say then. It is not that I don't appreciate their support, it is just hard to relate. I can't lay down and relax during the day because sitting is hard for me when I am anxious. Working with 3 year olds is not any easier. Has anyone come off of medicine and had anxiety breakthroughs or new anger issues?

[Hidden]

I have slowly tapered off of my anti-anxiety agent (a benzodiazepine) & off of my antidepressant (so that I was not taking any meds) a few times over the past 20 years. Each time, I did okay for about 2 months, then some stressor would occur, and the anxiety would come back so hard that I would have to go back on them again. Bravo to you for being able to stay off of them. I think if I had enough money to occasionally check myself into a clinic once a year for "tune-ups," I might try to go off of my medications again. But I just cannot risk it; I function at a much lesser level without them. And I agree about people just not getting it, regarding anxiety and depression. I hope eventually people start to get it more, or respect it more, that it is more than just being depressed over the loss of a pet, or more than just anxious about taking an exam. These are medical conditions that, for many of us, are usually chronic and everyday and moderate to serious. I find it frustrating, but then again, I hide it from those I don't know very well, because of the stigma attached to mental health. It doesn't help that the media portrays criminal suspects as having mental health disorders, making people scared of those who have mental illness. I hope to be able to talk about it soon (when I care less about what people think!) and be more of an advocate for mental illness. I hope you can find alternative methods to help treat your anxiety so that you don't have to go back on the meds. I've heard that sometimes people taking both antidepressant with anti-anxiety qualities and an anti-anxiety agent (benzodiazepine) can sometimes taper off the antianxiety agent and just stay on the antidepressant and the antidepressant will act on the anxiety as well as the depression (don't quote me on this, can't remember where I heard it). Cheers.

[Lsavadge in reply to Hidden]

I don't function as well without my meds, but I am trying to get a hold on the new feelings. I to wish I could check myself into a facility for some extra help every few months. The stigma that comes with being sick is a tough one. Luckily, my close coworkers and my family are supporting me. I even went so far as to let people know what I am going through. The people that have contacted me have been supportive as well. I hope I can stay off of my meds since I am 38 and want to have kids. I can't talk benzos and be pregnant at the same time. I tried that already and it was not successful. If I can make it through this moment with my grandmother dying then I will be ok. At least I hope.