I was definitely self medicating for years to some extent but in a big way after my divorce i did it in a big way after a while i didn't even lie to myself i knew it was making me worse but at the time i thought being drunk was better than giving up my crutch. Judging solely by the number of depressives and bipolars I've met in AA i'd say its rather common.
Tell us your story we're here to help
Bryan
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Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Romans 8:6 , The Message
Sober AND clean is my motto. Other than extreme well diagnosed cases of course, I think medications are given too freely to those of us in & outside of AA. To me, just my opinion, if you want to be sober then you need to be completely clean too (again with the exception of real illness). Probably more than 1/2 the women in my HG are on some sort of anti-depressant (Prozac, Xanix, Klonapin, etc) and I notice when they share, they're still living in the problem, not the solution. I fully believe when I first got sober I was definately depressed & probably still am to a degree. Under my conditions of real physical disease I could have gotten (and still could get) probably any drug I wanted from my doctors, I opted not to, I want the fog to lift completely.
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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
I was definatly self medicating. I am trying so hard to not stay in the visious cycle I have created for my self It all started with a brain tumor, non cancerous Thank God. Then the pills for pain then the horible guilt for what I put my family thru and then the flashbacks (nightmares of the surgery.) That is when I started drinkinh the most. I just wanted to be knumb I didn't want to remember leaving my kids to get better I didn't want to feel the fear of the brain tumor returning. I feel like I have been on a 3 year binge, and I need to stop for ME, my family and the people who love me. And I am ready to take the steps that I need to. I just want to be me again. I had a horriblr car accident DUI I am the only one who was hurt. I was told it is amazing I am alive. (hit head on into a tree) I am running out of chances and I need to do right by myself god and my loved ones. Any thoughts are appriciated. I have looked for group meetings to go to and bought some books to read as a start. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them. I have such a great life and I just can't figure out why I have cursed myself with drinking. Thank you for listening.
Anti-depressants are different from tranquilizers such as Zanax and Klonopin. One should never just stop taking meds such as those mentioned without talking with your doctor.
There are many people in AA, who find as they become sober that they have other underlying issues as well, depression, bi polar, etc. Taking anti depressants seems to be taboo and many people have strong opinions on this. There are people who seem to need to take medication and hopefully they are being closely monitored and under doctor's care. I was in pretty rough shape when I came into AA over 12 years ago and without going into a lot of detail, I was on antidepressants for a couple of years. Today, I don't even like to take a tylenol or anything unless I really have to. I have mixed emotions about taking any type of medication.
Welcome to MIP Txsus, Sweetpea & Rachelle. Thanks for your post & question, Story. There is some controversy in meetings as to whether taking medication is acceptable. As I gather, AA does not opine either way whether someone ought to take medication or not. I have read though can't find it now that AA recommends that any medication be taken in accordance to your own Doctor's advice. It is up to the individual to decide for themselves what is right for them as is the decision to recognise oneself even as an alcoholic. It's not our position to judge for anyone else. We speak for ourselves & share our Experience, Strength & Hope. Personally, I don't take any medication. I thought I was depressed & going insane but lucky for me I simply had a severe case of untreated alcoholism. This program has helped me to deal with all of these issues but so far, I haven't had any other enduring mental or physical condition to deal with & I can only be grateful for that. I hope you reach a level in your treatment that is good for you. Goodluck! Danielle x
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Progress not perfection.. & Practice makes Progress!
I have come to believe I self treated depression with booze. it lifted me and excited me. When I quit drinking the depresion returned. When I completed my fifth step depression lifted almost immediatly and only makes infrequent visits. The fifth step is not the cure for depression in itself. Any one of the steps can be our answer.
For instance we might be depressed over being an alcoholic. Step one can work on this.
We might be depressed because we don't have hope tha God can restore us to sanity. Step two might be the answer her.
Retiring our self centerdness and living life as God would have us can depress some. Step three hits that right in the kisser.
The secrets we hold inside ourselves might depress us. Our answer might be step 4 if we are hiding something from ourselves. Step five if we are hiding things from other people.
I could go on thru all 12 steps but the point is that depression can be caused by many things and the steps can handle what is most common in alcoholics.
Another thing I might add is that when depresion returns, it is often another step that needs more work rather than the same one that granted us the original release so I keep all the steps handy and not just a few.
honestly in the past i would use or drink to self medicate but i do not recomend that.talk to your doctor about meds or if not just try laughing.surround yourself with happy people.
