I've been diagnosed with anxiety disorder & my Dr. wants me to see a psychiatrist & get on meds. I'm on heart meds already & don't really want to take any more pills, but there may be no way around it. I've tried so many other things already & nothing else had worked. I was wondering if any of you have taken meds for anxiety & then stopped after a certain amount of time & your symptoms were gone. Or is this a "too good to be true" question? Also can you drink wine while on anxiety meds, I do love my wine!

No, you don't have to stay on them for the rest of your life.
I took Xanax and when the panic was gone my Doctor helped me wean off of it.
I was panic free for 7 years, sadly they did come back.
I went back on the Xanax and now that panic is gone again, I'm weaning off the Xanax again.

I know with the Xanax there was a warning right on the bottle not to drink when taking it.
It was never a problem for me, as I don't drink.

If you take your normal dose of Xanax in the morning, then you have a glass or two of wine in the evening, 99% chance there won't be a problem. (Nothing is guaranteed 100%). I am a wine drinker myself, 2 or 3 glasses on a Saturday night here and there. I just make sure my second dose of daily Xanax is early in afternoon.

xanax and wine is a doubtful cure, any competent GP should be able to prescribe anxiety meds, usually a benzo and an antidepressant

the heart tablets should be a beta blocker if possible as these also reduce the physical side of anxiety

its doubtful if its worthwile in seeing a psych for anxiety, quite often theres a long wait and an expensive bill, with a prescription for the same meds a GP would prescribe
most eventually stop their meds although an antidepressant is best taken for about 12 months, if stopped too soon, the panic attacks often return

[This message has been edited by hry33 (edited 10-28-2003).]

Khorne,

Look into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It cures most people without the use of meds, but if you need meds in the short term there is no shame in that as I was on them for years before I found herlp in CBT.

I was actually on meds while on CBT, and as I learned more and more how to prevent anxiety and depression, I relied less and less on the drugs. I have tapered off completely, after 2 1/2 years of popping pills.

Janik,
I too was on meds when I started CBT and had a similar result, but I had been on meds for 14-years before I found CBT and got off of all meds.

Billy, how did you pay for your CBT? My insurance did not cover it. I did not mind paying out of pocket because it was a life saver for me, but I'm wondering if other health plans might cover it. What I found frustrating was that my insurance did cover other doctors who only wanted to do the drugs approach, and did not think that therapy was necessary at all because I supposedly had a chemical imbalance and was doomed for life to depend on big pharma. Luckily, I was able to keep seeing my other doctor, but I'm sure lots of people are led to believe that this disease is exclusively biochemical and that only drugs are helpful.

I don't know. I find I have to keep going on and off meds every few years. I justdon't want to take them at all either.

Billy, how did you pay for your CBT? My insurance did not cover it. I did not mind paying out of pocket because it was a life saver for me, but I'm wondering if other health plans might cover it. What I found frustrating was that my insurance did cover other doctors who only wanted to do the drugs approach, and did not think that therapy was necessary at all because I supposedly had a chemical imbalance and was doomed for life to depend on big pharma. Luckily, I was able to keep seeing my other doctor, but I'm sure lots of people are led to believe that this disease is exclusively biochemical and that only drugs are helpful.

Hi Janik,
I was lucky in that a friend of mine had gone through a research program on CBT and was cured and she recommended a support group that used the books I always recommend and was free of charge (other than the cost of the books). I began experiencing significant relief after about six or seven weeks and we only met once a week for about two hours.
The drug companies seem to not want people to know about CBT and most GP's are renumerated for writing prescriptions which puts them in bed together as far as I'm concerned. I have even met therapists who dismiss CBT as they rely on repeat customers to make a living and since CBT is so effective over such a short period of time it would put many therapists out of business. I was shocked when I learned how long CBT has been around before I found it and think it is sad that it is not more publicized.

Forrester,
Hang in there; as it can be done :)

I'm not sure if I would have been successful on CBT on my own, I was very skeptical. But it really works. I was lucky I got a good psychiatrist who is CBT trained. My other psychiatrist only prescribed meds. From what I've read in "Feeling Good", drugs alone seldom cure anyone. Sure, they help you feel better, but only while you are taking them. I am happy to be med free and feeling great.

I'm not sure if I would have been successful on CBT on my own, I was very skeptical. But it really works. I was lucky I got a good psychiatrist who is CBT trained. My other psychiatrist only prescribed meds. From what I've read in "Feeling Good", drugs alone seldom cure anyone. Sure, they help you feel better, but only while you are taking them. I am happy to be med free and feeling great.

Hi Janik,

Actually I was very skeptical about CBT myself and thought about giving up about one month in, I was struggling with it so badly, but as you can imagine (and tell by all my posts) I am thrilled that I gave it a chance and want to alert others to it. So often these days I have to pinch myself as stuff that used to ruin my day (or much longer) does not even register anymore.
The reason I love the book I always recommend is that he talks about how skeptical he was going into CBT -even more so than I was- and walks you through the process and shares what he was going through at the various stages and what he was going through was similar to what I was struggling with and that encouraged me and was a source of strength for me to not give up. I may have quit were it not for that book. Needlaess to say I'm thankful I stuck it out. Hell I was skeptical that the effects would not last once I was done but I keep feeling better and better. What about you?

Take care!

Billy

Oh, I love the results, but it was really hard work getting here from where I was. Once in a while I need to reinforce what I've learned because the creepy thoughts still haunt me. Fortunately I know how to handle them now. I believe that I should have started out with CBT only and avoided all chemicals.

Oh, I love the results, but it was really hard work getting here from where I was. Once in a while I need to reinforce what I've learned because the creepy thoughts still haunt me. Fortunately I know how to handle them now. I believe that I should have started out with CBT only and avoided all chemicals.

Janik,
I could not agree more. I still use the tools regularly for a prophylactic effect and of course whenever I am having a tough time but the tools seem to work faster and more fully over time; would you agree? I too believe I could have avoided all chemicals had I found CBT sooner.

Take care.

Billy

I have been using meds to treat my anxiety for the last two years. I should add that I have really major anxiety.

Will CBT work for me and if so, does anyone know where I can find a good therapist in the CA Bay Area? I mean is there a web site that lists them?

Thanks. :)

There are tons of therapists in the Bay Area. I've done cognitive behavioral therapy in therapy over the years. That's when you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts and substitute them with positive thoughts, right? I know, I know, I should research it myself.

I wonder, if a person's anxiety is so strong that it overpowers their attempts at cognitive behavioral therapy, then will they have to be on various meds, switching every 5 or so years, for the rest of their life?

I have been using meds to treat my anxiety for the last two years. I should add that I have really major anxiety.

Will CBT work for me and if so, does anyone know where I can find a good therapist in the CA Bay Area? I mean is there a web site that lists them?

Thanks. :)

Hi Cal Greg,
California is one of the best if not best states to be in for CBT. I believe UCLA has the best program in the country. My favorite starter book on CBT is "Been There, Done That? Do This!" by Sam Obitz and it lists UCLA as the top additional resource in the back. The address is Anxiety Disorders Research Program, Department of Psychology, 405 Hilgard Ave, LA, CA 90095-1563 I'm sure they could point you to someone in your area.
One of the nicest things about CBT is that the degree of your anxiety is of no consequence; Your desire to get well and apply the tools will determine how successful you are with it. I can't imagine anyone more messed up than I was when I discovered it as I was not only anxious but suicidal as well.
Let me know if I can be of any more help.

Billy

There are tons of therapists in the Bay Area. I've done cognitive behavioral therapy in therapy over the years. That's when you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts and substitute them with positive thoughts, right? I know, I know, I should research it myself.

I wonder, if a person's anxiety is so strong that it overpowers their attempts at cognitive behavioral therapy, then will they have to be on various meds, switching every 5 or so years, for the rest of their life?

Forrester,
Based on what I have seen with the people I know who used CBT the more dedicated you are to the tools the faster and deeper the recovery regardless of how bad their anxiety was when they got started. It was inspiring to see the people that dove in head first and how fast they started seeing results to those of us like me that were more skeptical and less dedicated to using the tools in the beginning. Like anything in life the more you put in the more you get out of CBT. That's why I think group settings can be especially effective with CBT because you can see the people that are working the hardest to get well making the most progress and it becomes infectious.

Take care!

Billy

It's true, it's faster and more effective now, after two years of practice. It wish insurance would cover CBT, it might prove to be cheaper, since it has long term effects, unlike meds.

It's true, it's faster and more effective now, after two years of practice. It wish insurance would cover CBT, it might prove to be cheaper, since it has long term effects, unlike meds.

I was told the only reason CBT is not covered by most insurance is that the drug companies lobby against it. It makes no logical sense that it is not covered as it would save people and insurance companies tons of money in the long run, but sadly we live in a selfish world full of short term solutions :(
Boy this one has become a long string of posts!