Weaning Off Anti-depressants And Anti Anxiety Medications. How To Deal With Arising Feelings?

[Rainie]

I weaned myself off my anti anxiety meds last yr.

Sometimes it is still hard without the meds. But for me the losing the weight and not having the side effects are worth it. I do take an anti anxiety med if I feel or have a panic attach or mt PTSD is exacerbated. This is my experience.

I have a good general practitioner who I can see and let him know what's up and he helps me when I am on or choose to be off the meds. I commend you but also it's okay if you need to be on some medication, just my thoughts, I am not a dr.

I hope the best for you .
Rainie

 

[ms spock]

I didn't go off the meds unsupervised or just to go off meds. I went off to further my healing. I am getting insight into my dissociation, frozeness and paralysis. I am meditating three plus hours a day. I am exercising. I am working closely with my psychiatrist who is working with me on my complex trauma.

 

[mamachick]

My understanding is that sometimes meds prevent break throughs or the full experience of the emotions related to trauma-so I really applaud you, you must be working really hard and it is your time. That is wonderful. I feel happiness for you Ms Spock.

 

[ms spock]

Thanks brat17! To be honest I am struggling a lot with it all particularly seeing how the PTSD and complex trauma have effected my life so profoundly.

 

[LostinAustin]

I'm new to the forums, so I just want to give everyone a quick word of encouragement and a recommendation for those looking for something to help bridge the gap when coming off prescription meds. I've tried a lot of natural products, but the ones that work for me are herbal formulas, meaning they contain several herbs that seem to complement each other. First...are there rules about mentioning supplements by name in the forums? I looked, but didn't find anything. If so, forgive the newbie and delete this...they are Quiet Mind (for nerves) and Solid Eight (for sleep) by Herbalogic. My local Whole Foods carries them. They made me a believer. Hope this helps....Peace (and all that comes with it) to you all.

 

[ms spock]

I am doing a little better.

 

[ms spock]

This going off the meds is a rugged business. I am improving very slowly and ever so gradually. I am grateful that the suicidal ideation has tapered off. That was a tough 6-8 weeks. Now looking at the schemas gives me an idea on how to break things down and understand my patterns more.

 

[ms spock]

Becoming more aware of how much my dissociation and avoidance have shaped my life. I have to find the balance between acknowledging this and not swimming in self hatred and self pity. I feel like I am at the basics of life today.

 

[ms spock]

I got through wood working. I did stuff and I was with people. The anxiety was tough but I pushed through.

 

[ms spock]

I am feeling very stuck and frozen at the moment, I feel like since going off the medication that all this stuff has come up. I feel like everything is either a stressor, trigger or almost impossible to tackle. Eating is hard. Moving through the day is hard. Being around people is hard. I can almost not function in my house. It is hard. I am struggling on a basic functioning level.

I can see how the avoidance and dissociation have so shaped my life. It is sobering. I am concerned whether I have really processed the traumas or whether I have been lost in a fog of dissociation and avoidance. But better to work that out now and start to address it.

 

[ms spock]

I am struggling with the basics but just being more present last night, and making another list meant that I managed better today. I still felt like crap and the anxiety was unpleasant. I made my self go out twice today. As a result of this on the way home I did some food shopping which resulted in cooking a meal. I have been barely managing but I have moved up to low functioning and gosh I am grateful for that progression of small steady steps. I know it is not much to most people but it huge to me today.

I plan to do Tai Chi at home tonight.

I just have to keep making small steady steps. I was despairing but I made small and steady progress today.

 

[The Albatross]

I am feeling very stuck and frozen at the moment, I feel like since going off the medication that all this stuff has come up. I feel like everything is either a stressor, trigger or almost impossible to tackle.

The flip side of this observation is the realization of how much was "masked" by the medication that is yet to be dealt with. Daunting, um well... yeah... but worthwhile. Very worthwhile in the longer term. Keep defaulting to progress with small steady steps, pushing and challenging with goal setting as you normalize new tasks, endeavors, situations. Eventually... the landscape changes and things begin to calm and become more peaceful. Honest.