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SSRI's As A Form Of Treatment?

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Posted 1/4/2014 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
Having just posted a thread with specific questions on Zoloft, I hate to start a new one already, but the question I have here is completely different and I'm having a hard time finding answers to it.


In what way's are SSRI's used as a treatment?

What I'm getting at is, is it reasonable to believe that in starting an SSRI I may be able to, in a set amount of time, say six months, work on my anxiety issues with therapy, mindfulness, increased workout regimen, and such, then slowly taper off of the meds and come out of the ordeal far more able to cope with my problems? In which case the meds would have been used for temporary relief needed to gain some serious coping skills, changing my thought process and leaving me better off in the long term.

Or is it, on the flip side of that, more of a mask for my problems, such as Lorazepam has been for me to this point? Whereas I may feel improvement in my anxiety and panic attacks while taking it, but when I cease taking it will be back to where I started. This being what I'd hope to avoid, as I'm not looking to be a lifer in terms of anxiety meds and wouldn't want to take something as extreme as zoloft if it offers no long term benefit, and maybe even some long term detriment.


Sorry to be a pest with all the questions, but I'm still teetering on the edge of to take or not to take and find all of your insights useful in my decision making.

Thank you!
Posted 1/4/2014 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
Hi CLFHM,

Don't apologize...this is a big decision, and these are really two seperate questions, so you are good.:)

From the concern that you have about this possible downsides of starting your medication...I can tell that you will have no problem in eventually getting off of it.

I believe that the only long term danger in taking the Rx that you have been prescribed is when an individual relies solely on the med...and makes no attempt at therapy and/or self-help. When this is the case, then the anxiety is simply masked as you mentioned.

However, it is fully your intent to gain the skills that you need to lessen and manage your anxiety...so you can reasonable expect that your experience with the Zoloft will be temporary.

Of course you have another option here...which is to simply try the therapy first. I did this myself. My doctor had written me a prescription, which I decided to hold on to, until after I had a few weeks of CBT.

It was a really rough go of it at first, but ultimatley I found that the therapy sufficed, and I never started my Rx.

Would it have been easier if I had? Probably...and my therapy may have been more effective/quicker in results if I had been more level, but that was my decision at the time.

I am not against medication in the least...this is just my experience. If I ever found myself in a situation where I needed more help than my current skills provide, I would be open to the idea of a med.

You ultimately just have to weigh the pros and cons, do what is in your comfort zone...and make your own choice.:)

I wish you the best in your decision!

S.C.
Posted 1/4/2014 3:52 AM (GMT 0)
SC thanks, I've been thinking about taking a similar route as it sounds you did. It's reassuring to see that, at least for somebody, going to therapy (med free) even when prescribed an SSRI worked out.

I just have this feeling that I haven't done enough to jump right into a med like this. And even though I've been miserable, my not having committed myself to making the necessary changes and simply relying on the Ativan to make me feel better could be one of the reasons I'm not making gains.

And the meds (SSRI's) take weeks to work, sometimes making a person feel far worse initially. I have to believe that in those weeks, if I really, really devoted myself to some mindfulness practices, intense workouts, continued once a week therapy, and doing whatever positive reading I can find that I could turn this around.

Anyway, I'm pretty much talking this through in my head right now and rambling, haha. So again, thanks. I guess the one good thing about this prescription is I've been thinking so much about what I'm going to do that It's taken some of my thoughts away from the symptoms I had been creating.
Posted 1/4/2014 4:25 AM (GMT 0)
Lol! Talk it out...

You will know what you ultimately want to do, and make the right decision for yourself.:)

S.C.
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