New Medication Is So Good I Feel Like I Don't Need Therapy Anymore...but I Know I Do!

[fly away home]

Medication is a short-term relief, as your body will soon become used to it and produce further symptoms, thus resulting in you having to increase the dose, increase, increase, until you reach maximum... then you're screwed. Therapy is the longevity solution so you either don't need medication, which comes with many health effects, OR, you only need very low doses to counter minimal residual symptoms after therapy, whilst awaiting time to assist in symptom reduction or to purely help with daily stressors encountered.

So just to clarify, taking low dose anti anxiety meds after I've done all the therapy I need (wondering how one judges this but I guess time will tell) may be necessary if there is still some anxiety persisting?
It sounds like I really should not be on this as a daily med if I'm still seeing the psychologist. Which I know I need to keep doing as we have only just scratched the surface.

 

[arfie]

I don't think it has to be either/or, all or nothing. Addictive potentials do not diminish short term benefits. Letting addictive drugs stabilize my emotional state gave me a baseline from which to understand the goal of my therapy. Remembering their addictive nature gave me incentive to continue working toward sustainable solutions.

Balance is everything in my healing logics.

 

[Stanley Shi-Yume]

And a balanced approach is far easier on oneself than the violent interchange between pretending you're ok for too long, not taking care of yourself, and then blowing up in a fit of disillusionment and various harmful to self reactions.

 

[anthony]

@fly away home it is not all or nothing, and medication is often ideal when doing trauma therapy, as it helps mitigate some symptoms and with recovery when you're intentionally provoking trauma in order to heal it.

 

[dnp]

I'm taking two kinds of generic anxiety meds that cost me around $40 per month. Therapy was $800 per month and was barely helping. Yay meds!

 

[fly away home]

Letting addictive drugs stabilize my emotional state gave me a baseline from which to understand the goal of my therapy. Remembering their addictive nature gave me incentive to continue working toward sustainable solutions.

Ok this is what I am aiming for because in reality I am not only trying to rifle through the garbage of my trauma history but also raising a child, working two jobs and running a business. All this adds up to me needing to lessen the anxiety to function in everyday life.

medication is often ideal when doing trauma therapy, as it helps mitigate some symptoms and with recovery when you're intentionally provoking trauma in order to heal it.

I think having the xanax is helping me in therapy. I have found I can communicate better because I am no longer so scared to talk and express what Im thinking. It also means I don't sit there with my legs shaking so violently that the shelves on the opposite side of my psychologists office start to shudder, I find this very distracting!

I don't blame you a bit for liking the break from anxiety. And every once in a while is no big deal. I took a "break" every day for six years with painkillers (and previous to that tranquilizers for a much shorter period - the bottom was faster and meaner with benzos.).

You are not the least bit stupid! We have lived with so much pain for so long, it can be irresistible. It was for me. It is such a major drag though if taken regularly for more than two weeks.

I am so glad if you can side step this one. You sound great.

I have set limits on myself, as all good addicts do hehe! I have a set amount for each day. Home days mean no xanax. I wont take any at night unless there is a social event (which is pretty rare for me). I will never take more than prescribed. If I reach a point where its just not working I will stop all together.

THanks for your response everyone. It has helped to see things in perspective.

 

[Britt.f7]

I take meds. I believe I have to to function normally. They do not stop me from living. One thing, though, pointed out by my therapist when I gave the meds too much credit for saving me, she reminded me of all the hard work I put in to get to where I am. I still cry. I've never tried xanax, but I'm content on the one's I am taking.

I hope it does continue to help you in therapy. That is what is important.

 

[fly away home]

So I have now reached the point where the xanax isn't even touching the sides... I'm pretty sad about this as it was so good while it worked. Psychologist said tricyclics might be the next step, we shall see.

 

[arfie]

Good thing you didn't give up the therapy, huh?

Keep trying, fly. Balance happens, however fleeting the moment... And always, life goes on.

 

[anthony]

If you're stepping up therapy discussion that is intentionally creating heightened symptoms, then it has nothing to do with the medication. Medication doesn't stop working that fast... and you must factor any changes in therapy if you're now discussing things you wouldn't before. The medication can only do so much... and should only be considered a short-term solution whilst using therapy to hammer away at the tough stuff as quickly as possible.

 

[fly away home]

Good thing you didn't give up the therapy, huh?

Hahaha! So true.

If you're stepping up therapy discussion that is intentionally creating heightened symptoms, then it has nothing to do with the medication.

Had not considered this Anthony but I am now going weekly up until Christmas as I have sessions to use by the end of the year and we were fortnightly previous to this. Then to add to this we have been discussing some pretty huge stuff which even my therapist has said to hold off from until we sort out medication and mindfulness because I'm obviously not managing too well right now. And to top all that off there have been events outside of therapy which have kind of tipped me right over the edge like my child being allowed to play in asbestos without my knowledge (but her grandmother had full knowledge but still thinks she did nothing wrong = family rift), my partners job going down the sh*t hole and several other joys peppered in there. Its going to be an interesting Christmas this year!

 

[anthony]

To some degree, it pisses me off in regards to therapist liabilities in holding off things for safety sakes. It doesn't get any easier when dredging through the tough traumatic memories... it just doesn't. You're honestly better off to brace for impact, take a "toughen up" stance and go full-on forward to get through it as fast as possible. The safety rope of "holding off" and worrying about medication and mindfulness, is just a distraction from getting through it and limiting your overall impact of distress.

Honestly, the fastest method is the best method, in getting through trauma. Anyone who thinks they can control prolonged depression, suicidal thoughts and so forth, is kidding themselves. Me personally, I prefer the shortest heightened symptom period possible, getting through the worst and starting to take it easier as lesser events are then tackled.