Can we battle with anxiety depression without medicines

[Eli1985]

I am takeing 15 mg seroxat and 9 mg bromazepam..I hate my medicines and I am asking myself how it is possible to can not survive without med...I suffer from anxiety depression 2 years...and I hate it

[casual_nihilist]

If you need those to function appropriately, than keep taking them. It is not weakness to try to balance the chemicals in your brain.

[Husky3]

Think it is possible and like someone else said if you need them to support you or function that is okay as well.

[Rafiki11]

I am currently on Lexapro and Wellbutrin. I do not like being on medication either. However, for the past three years I have not been able to function as a mom, wife, and teacher without them. Bouts of excessive crying, etc.

BUT for me, medications are short term while I work on long term solutions to help heal my brain from childhood trauma. Yoga, meditation, massage, breathing exercises....

I am confident I will get to a place where I can THRIVE without medications. In the meantime I will care for my brain...which includes taking medications.

Disclaimer: don’t discontinue medications without consulting your doctor. I’ve made that mistake myself. 😉

[Eli1985 in reply to Rafiki11]

Thank you so much <3

[Hidden]

I have enxiety and and depression but my depression is triggered by bad staff happening. I am not on meds. I simply become delusional, pretend as if things are fine when I see they are not fine. I know it sounds bad but it the only way I could survive this nonsensical life. I am also trying breathing exercises and listen to music a lot and surround myself wit people who joke a lot bcz laughter does heal and believe me it would heal u if u were in my shoes 😁. These help me. What would ur doctor say if u get off meds?

[Eli1985 in reply to Hidden]

I was already off medicines for 3 mounts .and when i went to my doc for control to see me and I told him that I am ok now...he said..its not possible if you leave med you ll have return of your depression...than I was afraid and i took my med again....i really don't know what to do

[Hidden in reply to Eli1985]

I really do feel for you but I think you should listen to the doc. They know. I am afraid as well if u get out and it becomes too much to bear u know. I think u should stick. It is very hard to force the mind to think positive when there is nothing positive. Atleast the meds are doing that for you

[5AJ5 in reply to Eli1985]

I too was taking both Lexipro and Welburtrin for over 10 years at least. I recently moved to a new state that has mandatory rules regarding taking more than one and last June was weaned off of Lexipro. I got through but not smoothly...but sometimes wonder if it was the right thing to do as all of those feelings I learned to cover with meds have surfaced over the past 9 months and cry ALOT! Like I can be making a cup of coffee and have a thought that puts me into an anxiety spiral and then my eyes just leak like crazy. 😐 Like U.G.L.Y. cry. I do still take the Welburtrin at it's max MG's so cannot do anything but lesson those or add another. The struggles are real and feel your pain. I am not being that helpful am I lol.

[Eli1985 in reply to 5AJ5]

Afcourse that you were helpful <3 I also tried to wean myself and I was out for 3 mounths..and after that I noticed how my anxiety about my health is going back...I started again to check my blood pressure.. oxygen in my blood..and that awful agoraphobia...again I was thinking that I will pass out..the anxiety is a monster...i went back on my meds..two weeks now..but now I need to wait 2 mounths almost for my anxiety to fade away...I made soo stupid move than...Now I am planning to take my meds every day and I hope that one day I will live without them if not..who cares..the people are takeing different medicines every day..and I will be the same...I think that I must except myself and to understand the fact that I really have hormonal imbalance in my brain... that's it...

[5AJ5 in reply to Eli1985]

Depression and anxiety have so many different faces and it can be so exhausting. The beginning of the week I was a basket case, wasn't able to really hold a thought that was positive AT ALL and the what if''s and OMG's were insane. Yesterday I went online looking for something, anything to get me through the day and found this website. I wrote on here and read some posts and my anxiety lessoned, I woke up this morning in a great mind set and ready to take on the world. By this evening I am slowing declining lol. I have my 3 month appointment on April 1st and might have to just bite the bullet and get back on something. The alternate med he mentioned had awful side affects and am wondering why he didn't want me back on Lexipro. * shoulder shrug*

You are absolutely right, we must accept ourselves for whom we are and thats that. I am also thinking I'm hitting a hormonal state in my years...I do not look forward to menopause and my husband should take cover. 😜

[Eli1985 in reply to 5AJ5]

I stopped to speak to my husb about how I feel...I am from Greece...here still exists the big stigma about that kind of medicines...he doesn't even know that I am taking them...he thinks that I ve stopped them...but I need this to get up in the morning..to don't be afraid from panic attacks or from that feeling that I ll go crazy...no one cannot understand you...but we must except ourselves the way we are

[jessicjames]

All I know is that anxiety and depression are life-threatening. It eats up your mental health slowly. There are a few things to be treated by medicines only, luckily anxiety and depression can be managed on your own or by seeking someone's help without using medicines all the time. Anxiety and depression are because of a chemical imbalance in the brain which is to be controlled using medicines. So initially a person opts for medicines but there are several other ways to control and manage your mental health issues. I've been a regular member and all I want is to spread awareness and help others, I found it worth sharing. mangoclinic.com/anxiety-man... Everything is mentioned in this article with detail and also ways to beat anxiety and depression. You must give it a read. All the best and try to skip these meds.

[Eli1985]

Thank you so much <3

[jessicjames]

I have been struggling with depression and anxiety for so long and I have switched my medications on and off. I was taking these medicines first. But later I switched to Lexapro, it was working well but I literally got addict to those but I realized keeping a balance in life is so important. I tried alternate ways to cope up with my depression. Started off with research about depression and then I worked on myself. Here is what you should be knowing about combatting depression, mangoclinic.com/strategies-... , Hope it is helpful.

[Eli1985 in reply to jessicjames]

Thanks...I also understood that this is really not my joice...i was struggling with anxiety and panic attacks almost 2 years before to take medication..all that I have to say is that lots of hormones playing role...so untill i get this balance i ll need this..it was and it is painful for me to accept this problem.. because of the stigma..but my doc told me..better take now low dose 15 mg seroxat..cause year after year your condition will be worse...and after that you ll need something much stronger...I work now on myself to accept my condition..and to make the best decision for me,like a mother,wife, business women..cause I need them all...and I need to be myself again <3

[jessicjames in reply to Eli1985]

I really appreciate all your efforts!

My therapist once told me Self Acceptance is the key to recovery! I am so proud of you. <3

[Eli1985 in reply to jessicjames]

Thank you so much-God bless you ❤️💙💜

[AdamFCastillo31 in reply to jessicjames]

Loving this!

Thank you for this!

[Hidden]

I think it depends on how severe it is and what is causing it. Diet can play a major role. Nutrional deficiencies can cause it. Certain diseases like celiac disease can prevent you from getting enough nutrients. You will slowly start to deteriorate mentally and physically. We get tryptophan from foods and celiac can greatly diminish your uptake. The body converts tryptophan into seretonin in the body and seretonin can have a major affect on your mental state.

The more severe it is the harder it will be to come out of it without drug intervention. Meditation can feel impossible because theres too much chaos. I think it may be possible to come out of a severe depression without drugs but you need a great team around you to help you through it.

[Eli1985 in reply to Hidden]

You have right on this...i was on diet but diet by myself...i didn't eat almost nothing...just coffee and energy drinks..and little fruits...i ve lost 12 kg in 3 mounths...after that...i felt nervous but i didn't know why...also i had family problems..and I don't know from where this come from...but i ve checked my blood it was ok...also vitamines they were ok...i made and CT scan on my brain it was ok..i make thiroid tests they were ok,i ve checked my heart,my lungs,my stomach... everything is perfectly fine.. with my 36 ..doc said my organizam is like 25...but from where this come don't know...maybe life stressors... don't know...

[Blueruth]

It is individual. To answer yes you can or not has to be you and your doctor and your family. That said. I have problems with the pharmaceutical industry being a for profit business. I have been on 3 meds and than 1 and now two. The one is impossible to come off or it would be gone. I chose to take an antidepressant this year but don’t anticipate it is a lifelong thing. However...a big however... I am also seeking non chemical therapies and I strongly believe in them. You need to change your thinking strategies.

[Eli1985]

Yes the medicines are strongly addictive-I ve tried to go of them soo many times-but how-the bromazepam helps me to feel less anxious and paroxetine helps me to be more dinamic to be more creative,and when I think I am ok without them...the war starts-I can't explain that feeling-and the worse is...if you stop this ad..after you need almost 3 weeks to be in some good level...untill your med starts to work..and until then...God help you to go throw that-so definitely-this time I'll stick to my treatment like my doc said..and after we'll see...

[Daesin]

Okay, not a doctor here! Not a pharmacist! Not a nurse! But I do have a cute chiropractor. 😁

On the surface the title of your post is a basic question. Can something happen. Yes, of course it could happen. However it obviously wasn't happening for you which is why the doctors ended up putting you on medicine.

Taking pills everyday really sucks. I'm not even going to try to argue that one. But you have got to think,

pharmacology has been introduced into our lives because we were struggling. We were not successful at handling things. I mean happy people don't go to the doctor and get put on any of the antidepressants I've tried.

The docs worry because with depression, the struggle can get way too hard and become fatal. That's why they put us on meds. Because we were not chemically stable and were struggling too hard without.

Does that mean you will always need medication? I don't know, ask your doctor. I can tell you that I know some people who only take antianxiety or antidepressant meds for a short time. I know others that have taken them considerably longer.

Your uniqueness will be a big factor. Chat with your prescriber about expectations. Is this a forever med or can we start tapering off when my symptoms improve?

I wish, I hope you are able to find peace.