hello everyone...i'm currently working on lesson 3 and i'm having a hard time finding a positive thought that helps put me at ease. Here's the negative thought:
"I want to get off of my effexor. But I'm afraid that the same thing will happen as last time: i begin to taper off, the anxiety gets really bad, and i'm forced to get on it again. what if this happens again? what if my anxiety gets so bad that i feel unreal all day and i won't be able to handle it?"

I know that's one hell of a thought---but I really want to go the natural route--i'm just petrified because i'm so damn dependent on the meds (which, by the way do NOT even work anymore). But for some reason, even though I know they do not work anymore I say to myself, "but think of how much worse it will be if you're completely off of them"! i'm afraid that the effexor is helping me not go nuts. i've been on meds for about 10 years and i'm afraid to be without them. i don't know what i would be like without them and the thought scares me.

any thoughts here?

Soleil89

I really wish I had a positive thought for you, unfortunately I am struggling with this myself! I went back on Paxil in Jan of this year and even though it took the "edge off" a bit, I really don't want to be on it anymore, at all. I guess we could tell ourselves that we will be off these medications and that when we do go off them we will be fine. You know, when I first went on Paxil when my second child was turning 1, I swear I thought, like you, that the medication was keeping me from going crazy, making me "happy", what would I do without it....etc.etc.. But while doing this program, we have to really understand that these are only bandaids and you know, if you feel that it actually is not "working", then be glad and tell yourself over and over that YOU are making yourself feel good and YOU are keeping yourself sane...which is sooooo true. Don't know if any of this helps, but know that you are not the only one feeling like you want to be free of these meds, but feeling that way. Good Luck to us both!!!

karmerri

I have struggles mightily with this same thought.

Medication has been one of the biggest reasons I feel anxious, but I think our "need" for it underlies the truth. We fear it because we want to feel normal without it. But, being on it makes us feel inadequate, broken, or messed up. We look for many ways to taper off, get off or just not take it at all. All of these reasons might or might not be realistic.

Medication is not made for us to make us weak. It is not there to make us feel we will need it forever, but if we obsess about the "bad things" that medication brings (dependency, etc.), we can not fully understand that it is a Godsend to aid us for the time being until we can deal with our new thoughts and coping skills.

What I am trying to say is advice for myself also...Try not to focus on "getting off" the medication too soon. We wouldn't want to tear a cast off our broken arm just because it makes us feel inadequate. We need to see that these things are here to help and we can eventually ween ourselves off (under our doctors supervision).

We can do it, but it takes time and patience. In the mean time, try and see the good that the medication brings.

Good luck,
Eric

I have been off of meds for about 1.5 years. I did great off the meds until Jan. of this year. That's when the NBD happened for me.

Maybe some affirmations could help you get off the meds when you are ready. Like a positive thought could be that you are strong and healthy even without the medication.
Also, read up on possible withdrawal symptoms, but never come off without your DR approval.

I do think that they (meds) certainly take the edge off. Problem is, no one ever warns us about coming off the meds, i.e. withdrawals, atleast I wasn't even told. Hell, I wasn't told about rebound anxiety and that I had to change in order to make a lasting difference.

There are lots of places to get affirmations, even on this forum. I took some from advice of others and plan to use them.

Good luck!

I have been med free for over a year now and it was a rough road. When the doctors put you on that stuff they don't tell you what happens when you try to stop. The symptoms are much worse then they were to begin with and your coping skills are lessened because the medicine took over for you for so many years. It was a bad ordeal and I feel your pain. My only advice is to use this program to learn some skills to get you thru the rough times and not to let the fact that you take meds give you anxiety. Learn the skills you need first and then slowly go off the meds. And go off very slowly so your mind can adjust as well as your body.