Quit Drinking, Should I Use Anti-Depressants Or Not?

13 Responses to Quit Drinking, Should I Use Anti-Depressants Or Not?

1. 

   SheilaJoyce on August 13, 2009 at 7:14 pm

   Greetings Sister…
   Ah yes, the days of alcohol & the penalty’s I’ve paid because of it…

   I quit the 2nd day after losing my dear hubby, 27 months+ ago & I had prescription med’s increased because of my own poor health…our Physicians expected me not to last 6 months. Well, I did & finally nagged them to let me get off them completely, because the side effects were horrific. I’ve not had any med’s since July 15th, so not even a month, but feeling somewhat better already, but it may take longer to get the tripe out of my system.
   Just be really careful with any drugs, as they hit different people different ways.

   God Bless…
   luv sjg
2. 

   Patrick on August 14, 2009 at 1:07 pm

   Ultimately, no one can judge you and this is between the individual, your HP, and your doctor.

   However, I will go back on my word and attempt to pass judgment anyway! Here is my 2 cents: talk with your doctor, let them know you are an alcoholic and would like to find alternatives to addictive medications. There is a clear line between addictive medications and non addictive medications. I think alcoholics and addicts should make the effort to avoid addictive medicines when they can find alternatives.

   There are a lot of doctors out there who will prescribe addictive medications for anxiety. But there are a lot of alternatives now too. So I think it is important to be clear with your doctor and work with them to find those alternatives.

   That is my judgment and perhaps I should not make it on people, but this is based on watching a number of people go through this in recovery. They went to a doc, got put on dangerous meds, and it led them into trouble.

   But like I said, I probably should not pass that judgment. I can’t help it though. I have seen it happen too much. Ultimately it should be up to the individual + their doctor. But it is a slippery slope for sure.
3. 

   Madison on August 14, 2009 at 1:23 pm

   I appreciate your advice Patrick. This is not something that I take lightly either. I am planning on giving myself 3-6 months to see if I feel an improvement and then I will make a decision going forward. I have also been researching alternatives too and will continue to take action and work on my sobriety.
4. 

   aileen on August 15, 2009 at 9:24 am

   hey it was good to read your mail,i also grew up with little or no self esteem, i was badly bullied wen i was younger, and turned to drugs first and then drink to numb the pain, i was always shy and quiet around others, i wished a was someone else,i tried to stop drinkin on my own,but couldnt, my doctor then gave me librium , which i drank with,i had terrible blackouts, and i couldnt function. it was when i came home one night with my face all cut and bruised, not knowing what happined, i relised i had hit rock bottom. i knew i had to do sometin or i was goin to die. i went into residential treatment for 8 months.. we were given the option of anti-depressents, which i took for awhile, however i relised i was also using these as another crutch,i wasnt myself , i wanted to be the real me for once, without anything. i have an addictive personality so i would be wary of taken anyting on a daily basis.. im still quiet around others i dont no, but at least its the real me, not depending on help from drink or drugs… best of luck xxx
5. 

   Debbie on August 15, 2009 at 8:51 pm

   Hi Madison,

   I did exactly the same thing: asked for anti-depressants and then drank heavily. They worked at first but then I couldn’t feel any effect towards the end of my drinking career.

   Many of the medications now for depression are non addictive and if you can I would recommend getting a referral to a psychiatrist who is better versed in these things rather than just seeing a family doctor.
   Also search the internet for side effects of the medication that you are given and request a medicine that DOESN’T MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT!!!. A lot of them do. There are a lot of funky side effects of the medications that the doctors don’t know about or won’t think to mention.

   Churning / repetitive (negative) thoughts are typical of addicts so be sure to talk to your therapist about this you may be able to get help with thought stopping techniques to provide some relief.

   Please don’t feel bad about needing a/d’s. Narcotics and addictive substances increase dopamine levels in the brain(dopamine is the chemical that is secreted in your brain that allows you to feel happy / pleasure). Your brain responds by producing less dopamine to restore the dopamine levels to normal and over time apparently your dopamine receptors die. So when you stop using, there’s no artificial production of dopamine but your brain has lost the ability to produce the normal levels of dopamine so you feel kind of depressed.

   It takes 6 to 24 months to recover from the damage done by active addiction and get through the post acute withdrawal. You are only a year in and you have to give your brain and body time to heal.

   There are many studies that show significant co-morbidity between addiction and pre-existing mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Because of the stigma of getting help and lack of awareness that they are dealing with a genuine medical issue a lot of people self medicate with addictive substances to cope.

   I know I did. Before I had a drink I was the shy quiet person in the corner of the room. If I was at a party with lots of people I’d make frequent trips to the bathroom to calm down. After a drink, I’d feel like I could make witty conversation with even the most recalcitrant people. I do have to force myself to go out now. I have a good time when I go but leaving the house is scary.
6. 

   Brett on August 16, 2009 at 2:20 pm

   Hi Madison.

   I feel your pain.

   Whatever your decision and it is a big decision only you can make that judgment. Personally I suffered from acute depression from quite an early age. My experience with AD’s has been mixed. The first time I was prescribed them they did the job perfectly. To be honest, probably too well. My future reactions to AD’s unfortunately was not to be as good. I had tried most of the major brands and some little known ones with less than average outcomes. One of the newer ones even gave me thoughts of wanting to harm my wife. This came on within 2 days of taking them and disappeared within a day of stopping them. As you can see, my success rate was less than average.

   Whatever your decision, I respect it. I urge you to keep watch out for any side effects and report them to your doctor immediately.

   I too wonder some days if I should try them again. I then reflect on some of the side effects and it confirms my decision not to.

   It sounds as though you have made your decision though Madison. It’s hard when you make a decision and no one else seems to support it. It’s is only because we care. You never know, you may actually start taking an AD and it may work wonderfully for you first time. I truly hope for your sake it does. Don’t forget, these drugs work differently for different people.

   Please feel free to contact me at anytime. You have my email.

   Good luck with your decision.

   Brett.

   P.S. I urge you to also consider l Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, which is the precursor to Serotonin. Many people disregard natural alternatives but some are more effective than their synthetic counterparts. I have used it with quite good results.
   Brett.
7. 

   Madison on August 16, 2009 at 7:26 pm

   Thanks Debbie. Good to hear from you.
   You can probably tell that I have decided to try anti-depressants. I am keeping a daily log of how I feel and I have weighed myself. Thanks for the tip!
   The good thing about where I am at right now is I can easily recognize any changes in my mood, emotions, thoughts and feelings. Throughout the years of drinking it was impossible for me to tell whether or not anti-depressants worked, I simply drank too much to tell. You know, you have been there yourself.
   It sounds like most people have a negative view but I have read some success stories so I am keeping an open mind.
   Thanks for sharing and come back soon!
8. 

   Madison on August 16, 2009 at 7:29 pm

   Hi Aileen,
   It sounds like you have had a rough time of it but I respect the fact that you have decided to accept yourself as you are without using alcohol or drugs. That is the way it should be. Thanks for your support.
9. 

   Madison on August 16, 2009 at 7:45 pm

   Hi Brett,
   Thanks for sharing your own experience with anti-depressants, I know what you mean. I too have tried all sorts of them over the years. I can’t say that I ever found them working for me though. In a way I find it ridiculous that all the while I was drinking, I shoved different kinds of anti-depressants down my throat with barely a second thought. All I wanted was to feel better. Little did I know at the time what kind of a chance I had at that whilst I was drinking so heavily, but now that I have quit drinking alcohol I have spent so much time contemplating whether or not this is the right thing to do. It just shows how different life becomes once you get sober.
   I have started to take a very low dose of anti-depressant and I am monitoring myself closely for any weird thoughts or feelings. I have heard of the L Tryptophan when I read the book “Seven Weeks To Sobriety” but back then I didn’t find out enough about it. Now that I have made this decision I really am going to do some research into natural alternatives. I have probably done this all backwards but hey, I am doing it all sober and that is what counts.
   Thanks again for your support.
10. 

    Brett on August 16, 2009 at 11:27 pm

    Hi Madison.

    I hope they work a treat for you. You deserve to feel as good as humanly possible.

    Good Luck.

    Brett.
11. 

    Madison on August 21, 2009 at 9:19 pm

    Thank you Brett. Good luck is always needed!
12. 

    martin on September 1, 2009 at 5:36 pm

    hello,
    first up, congratulations on over a year of sobrieity. my experience on anti depressants was a numbing of the world. I was lifted out of the deep depression but I wasn’t really alive or in control of my own life either. not so dissimilar to the reason to take any other drug to change your reality.
    It obviously decision but for me would be a step backwards.
    best of luck in whatever you do.
13. 

    Madison on September 1, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    Hi Martin,

    Thanks for your comment. I understand what you are saying. Using something to escape from what you feeling. I kind of had the same thoughts myself that is why I am giving myself a timeframe and I am monitoring how I feel. At the end of the timeframe I aim to weigh up the pros and cons of using antidepressants and then make my choice going forward.
    I appreciate you words. Come back soon!