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Ronni

Ronni

Well-known Member
Location
Nashville TN
The many impacts on my life due to Covid have had a pretty debilitating effect. As a high risk senior of course I worry. I worry about Ron too who is even higher risk than I. And I am frantic about my firstborn who is a first responder and on the front lines.

As a self employed person I have barely worked since March. I am worried about all my kids, my grandkids, finances, what this new normal will ultimately look like. I miss my family, dancing, my social life, and a stable income. I miss kinfolk get togethers. And hugs. I miss hugs A LOT.

I am always somewhat anxious and my anxiety spiked during this last several months. Badly. So I went and saw my doc and she prescribed some anti anxiety meds that have helped. There’s no shame in getting help of whatever kind from whatever source and I am feeling better about life today than I’ve felt since March. Covid still sucks, but I’m able to deal with it a little better now. I sought help. And guess what? It helped!! 💕👍
 

Ronni said:
The many impacts on my life due to Covid have had a pretty debilitating effect. As a high risk senior of course I worry. I worry about Ron too who is even higher risk than I. And I am frantic about my firstborn who is a first responder and on the front lines.

As a self employed person I have barely worked since March. I am worried about all my kids, my grandkids, finances, what this new normal will ultimately look like. I miss my family, dancing, my social life, and a stable income. I miss kinfolk get togethers. And hugs. I miss hugs A LOT.

I am always somewhat anxious and my anxiety spiked during this last several months. Badly. So I went and saw my doc and she prescribed some anti anxiety meds that have helped. There’s no shame in getting help of whatever kind from whatever source and I am feeling better about life today than I’ve felt since March. Covid still sucks, but I’m able to deal with it little better now. I sought help. And guess what? It helped!! 💕👍
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So proud of you Ronni....you did exactly what needed to be done for yourself.
Hope others make this step, if they're in need.
Dealing with depression, not a lot of anxiety, i do seek help, work on getting grounded again.
 

@Ronni, I'm so glad you sought help and found something that worked for you. I've been also experiencing periods of anxiety, but it's been manageable. Hubby & I have become quite good at telling each other when we're having a particularly stressful day. The other either gives more space - or less, depending. We don't take the irritability personally, but try to help by offering to go for a walk together, turn on music, find something amusing and upbeat on TV, and so forth.

So far that's been sufficient for us.

I would like to offer a warning to anyone who hasn't used antidepressants in the past and is considering taking the plunge.

They worked wonderfully for me during horrific menopause-induced panic attacks, but it literally took a couple of years to wean myself off because my body had become so addicted. I'm not the only person I know who battled nausea, vomiting, headaches, and generally feeling rotten even while slowly, slowly reducing the dosage. Most don't suffer withdrawals as extreme as mine, but plenty do.

A friend who had panic attacks has been on antidepressants for at least 7 years. She told me that each time she's attempted to gradually reduce the dosage, the withdrawal symptoms were so unpleasant that she abandoned the attempt. She expects to be on this medication for the rest of her life. She's also put on 40 pounds. (I put on 20, which I eventually took back off.)

On balance, for both my friend and me, these drugs were a miraculous godsend that combatted our debilitating symptoms. If anything, I would have started them sooner. But like any strong pharmaceuticals, they come with serious side effects. Guess what I'm saying is, go in with eyes wide open, my friends.
 
@Ronni I'm glad you got the help you needed and are feeling some better. This pandemic has caused me lots of anxiety, too, but I have had anxiety medicine already that has helped me, too. I don't know what I'd do without it. I have a stress disorder and so it hasn't been easy for me either as this pandemic causes so much stress. My moods change like crazy from it all and I never know from day to do how I'm going to feel or deal with it all. Medicines do help though and thank God for them and also for those who understand. I know we are all going through this pandemic and it's hard on everyone but those who suffer with anxiety suffer more IMO.
 
@Ronni, and others, I want to clarify that I'm a believer in ADs and I'm delighted that they're bringing you relief from your anxiety.

They brought me through a period when I was having 8-10 massive panic attacks per day. I'd never experienced them before menopause and I'm here to tell you, they were debilitating. They'd come at all times, day or night, totally out of the blue. I was afraid I was losing my mind, maybe early dementia, bi-polar, schizophrenia, or something similarly horrific. Having never heard the term "panic attack," I didn't even know how to classify what was happening to me. It was humiliating and terrifying.

Eventually I started to notice that the panic attacks often foreshadowed big hot flashes, which told me this was hormonal. I immediately went to my doctor. When she said there were meds that could help, I wanted to kiss her. She started me on ADs that very day and we experimented with dosages and medications. Eventually I wound up on a fairly strong dosage, which finally stopped the panic attacks. The weight gain and unexpected challenge of going back off the meds didn't nullify what a godsend they'd been. I needed them for panic attack control for at least five years, and then it took another two years to get off them.

My point in my previous post is to remind people that psychotropics are powerful medications that can carry serious side effects, including physical dependence. Like pain meds, they are an absolute blessing to those who need them, but they come with baggage of their own.
 
Take it from someone who has dealt with people selling these pills on the streets. Many antidepressants are benzodiazepines, which are highly addictive. These pills bring big money on the streets and in the prisons. You could never begin to imagine how addicts use these pills.

One thing that is most important and that I have learned through my drug education is that anyone on these antidepressants that are in the benzodiazepines family should not just quit taking these pills. If you are on a prescribed, regimentation of these drugs, please follow your doctor’s orders precisely and only take them for as long as you really need them. Coming off these drugs may include withdrawal and here again, you may feel terrible until they pass. The longer you are on any benzodiazepine, the harder it will be for you to come off of them.

If I’m sounding a bit over-dramatic, I apologize, but I have seen and know people who had issues coming off of these pills. If your antidepressants are not connected to the Benzodiazepines family, then you can ignore my suggestions. Rehabs are full of people who became addicted to some of these pills like, Xanax and Zoloft.
 
911 said:
Take it from someone who has dealt with people selling these pills on the streets. Many antidepressants are benzodiazepines, which are highly addictive. These pills bring big money on the streets and in the prisons. You could never begin to imagine how addicts use these pills.

One thing that is most important and that I have learned through my drug education is that anyone on these antidepressants that are in the benzodiazepines family should not just quit taking these pills. If you are on a prescribed, regimentation of these drugs, please follow your doctor’s orders precisely and only take them for as long as you really need them. Coming off these drugs may include withdrawal and here again, you may feel terrible until they pass. The longer you are on any benzodiazepine, the harder it will be for you to come off of them.

If I’m sounding a bit over-dramatic, I apologize, but I have seen and know people who had issues coming off of these pills. If your antidepressants are not connected to the Benzodiazepines family, then you can ignore my suggestions. Rehabs are full of people who became addicted to some of these pills like, Xanax and Zoloft.
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I don't take a benzo but another pill that is not addicting.
 
StarSong said:
Mine didn't have benzodiazepine and were supposedly not addicting (Lexapro XR). But it was. The internet is loaded with stories like mine.
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Not familiar with this one, but the 'XR' probably stands for "Extended Release." (Just a guess.)
 
911 said:
Take it from someone who has dealt with people selling these pills on the streets. Many antidepressants are benzodiazepines, which are highly addictive. These pills bring big money on the streets and in the prisons. You could never begin to imagine how addicts use these pills.

One thing that is most important and that I have learned through my drug education is that anyone on these antidepressants that are in the benzodiazepines family should not just quit taking these pills. If you are on a prescribed, regimentation of these drugs, please follow your doctor’s orders precisely and only take them for as long as you really need them. Coming off these drugs may include withdrawal and here again, you may feel terrible until they pass. The longer you are on any benzodiazepine, the harder it will be for you to come off of them.

If I’m sounding a bit over-dramatic, I apologize, but I have seen and know people who had issues coming off of these pills. If your antidepressants are not connected to the Benzodiazepines family, then you can ignore my suggestions. Rehabs are full of people who became addicted to some of these pills like, Xanax and Zoloft.
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Just want to say that no one should be afraid to seek help. Getting stuff on the streets and getting prescriptions from your doctor are two different things. I try to talk myself out of my anxieties, doesn't always work, but I keep working at it. But, because there are addictive drugs out there, is no reason not to seek help.
 
Ruthanne said:
Antidepressants are non addictive--I took them for years and had no problem getting off of them.
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You are the exception.

Xanax belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines, and it is a Schedule IV controlled substance, meaning it is considered to have a low potential for abuse. That being said, the evidence speaks for itself, as thousands seek treatment every year for dependencies on this drug. In 2012, 17,019 people were admitted to treatment facilities across the nation citing benzodiazepines like Xanax as their primary or sole drug of abuse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration states.
 
911 said:
You are the exception.

Xanax belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines, and it is a Schedule IV controlled substance, meaning it is considered to have a low potential for abuse. That being said, the evidence speaks for itself, as thousands seek treatment every year for dependencies on this drug. In 2012, 17,019 people were admitted to treatment facilities across the nation citing benzodiazepines like Xanax as their primary or sole drug of abuse, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration states.
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Xanax is not an antidepressant. Antidepressants and benzodiazepines are two different things.
 
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Xanax is in a different class of drug and is used for treating panic attacks and other similar issues. Although it is a benzodiazepine, it still acts and is used as an antidepressant is ‘some’ cases. Zoloft is used more, but in any case, I can tell you that many Zoloft and Xanax users are in rehabs.

I had a neighbor that drank a fifth of Crown Royal and took Xanax with it. He ended up in rehab not once, not twice, but 3 times. We could be talking like normal people do and all of a sudden, he would complain of being cold and start shaking. He would then take some Xanax and within a sort time, he would be fine again.
 
911 said:
Xanax is in a different class of drug and is used for treating panic attacks and other similar issues. Although it is a benzodiazepine, it still acts and is used as an antidepressant is ‘some’ cases. Zoloft is used more, but in any case, I can tell you that many Zoloft and Xanax users are in rehabs.

I had a neighbor that drank a fifth of Crown Royal and took Xanax with it. He ended up in rehab not once, not twice, but 3 times. We could be talking like normal people do and all of a sudden, he would complain of being cold and start shaking. He would then take some Xanax and within a sort time, he would be fine again.
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I was going to say that taking anything a long with other drugs or alcohol is dangerous. Many times trouble comes not from a prescribed drug, but what the individual is adding to it.
 
pip48 said:
I was going to say that taking anything a long with other drugs or alcohol is dangerous. Many times trouble comes not from a prescribed drug, but what the individual is adding to it.
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I never understood why people do that. All the warnings are there stating not to mix alcohol and opiates or benzodiazepines. Yet, so many people still do. What’s to be gained? Is the addiction really worth losing one’s life?
 
911 said:
I never understood why people do that. All the warnings are there stating not to mix alcohol and opiates or benzodiazepines. Yet, so many people still do. What’s to be gained? Is the addiction really worth losing one’s life?
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really, so true
 
Ruthanne said:
Antidepressants are non addictive--I took them for years and had no problem getting off of them.
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I'm so happy that you were able to get off them easily. It was a bear for me and is proving very difficult for my friend (who I described in post #2). Most people probably fall somewhere in between your experience and ours.
 
911 said:
Xanax is in a different class of drug and is used for treating panic attacks and other similar issues. Although it is a benzodiazepine, it still acts and is used as an antidepressant is ‘some’ cases. Zoloft is used more, but in any case, I can tell you that many Zoloft and Xanax users are in rehabs.

I had a neighbor that drank a fifth of Crown Royal and took Xanax with it. He ended up in rehab not once, not twice, but 3 times. We could be talking like normal people do and all of a sudden, he would complain of being cold and start shaking. He would then take some Xanax and within a sort time, he would be fine again.
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I've never heard of Xanax being used as an antidepressant but I have heard it used for anxiety specifically and know very well it is very addicting as well as all the benzodiazepines. I've never heard of Zoloft being addicting nor have I heard of any of the antidepressants as being a addicting and I have been talking to people who have taken antidepressants for 20 years or so. Antidepressants are not controlled substances but benzodiazepines are controlled substances and very addicting.
 
I am very thankful for my cannabis and I am not worried about anything (well, not much anyways). I am a believer of "change what you can and accept what you can't and the rest will take care of itself".
 

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