Anxiety and depression medications

So I have bad A.D.D. severe anxiety and depression and I take meds for these which is one of the reasons I had to quit drinking and also because of this I still drank while on these meds ! But now 4 days of being sober my depression and anxiety has gone up and i have been neasuea and unusually tired too.I just can’t get these feelings to go away ! I don’t know. Do yall have any advice or guidance ?

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Sorry to hear you are going through a rough patch. The drugs we do just tend to push the issues/pain/feelings/thoughts we have down the round until the next time we become sober enough our mind forces us to deal with our issues. With that, if you have been sober for a while, it isn’t surprising that you’re feeling worse because like a lot of us, you don’t have a substance to push those feelings away. It does get better and what you feel is not permanent. Build supports, talk to people who care, make a plan for when you want to pick up the bottle and most importantly, be proud of yourself that you took that first huge step towards sobriety.

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Definitely seek professional medical advice for this. Also, some changes in lifestyle, behaviour and thinking can really help to improve your wellbeing - mentally, physically, emotionally etc

#1 tho - don’t drink! It will make it worse. Remember why you stopped. That was a wonderful, GREAT decision to stop drinking. Take it one day at a time, things will get better :purple_heart:

Other things like daily exercise - going for a walk outside every day is a wonderful self-care act for your health and wellbeing.

Go to a recovery meeting with a support program like AA or Refuge Recovery or other. You’ll meet other ppl who understand and share the difficulties that you’re experiencing.

Eating & drinking less processed or sugary foods and beverages. Drinking LOTS of water every day. And even enjoying warm cups of herbal tea :blush:

Noting down a short list of things you’re feeling grateful for each day.

Putting on music and singing and dancing - I like to do this whilst I clean my house.

Listening to podcasts.

Finding activities or sports you enjoy and get involved.

Find other hobbies that bring you joy - could be cooking, crafts, learning a language, writing, gardening, puzzles, reading, games nights.

Go out and explore your local area.

Meditation is an extremely wonderful practice to help ease anxiety and depression. There is also ‘Tapping’ - I love this. And, something that helped me too was sleep hypnosis - I listen to Michael Sealy on YouTube :blush:

Treat yourself to some new clothes, a new haircut, a massage or a spa - something to bring you relaxation, confidence and/or joy.

Find a spiritual connection or presence in your life :purple_heart:

Watch lots of comedy. Movies, shows, stand-up comedy and have a good laugh. I love watching funny clips from the Graham Norton Show on YouTube :laughing:

Hopefully this helps. Medication can be helpful, but also has so many side-effects and often zaps the life and energy out of us.

Wish you well amigo.

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@emc2018 awesome suggestions

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Hi @StarSprinkle,

Yeah no worries at all. It’s funny actually. I first found sleep hypnosis when I was still drinking. It was actually one of my first steps to helping myself and what helped me to realise I had problems with alcohol. As I would drink and have a “fun” night (or not) and then, when the night would come to an end, if I hadn’t passed out or become blackout, I would immediately start to suffer full on anxiety and panic, and wouldn’t be able to sleep. Other times, I’d fall asleep then wake only an hour or two later with the dread, despair and intense anxiousness, and always I would continue to suffer this into the next day/s. So, in my sleepless state I would search the internet for ‘answers’ for 'what’s wrong with me - and that’s when I stumbled upon Michael Sealy and his sleep hypnosis meditations. They were a God send! Helped ease my anxiety and after a few months, when I started listening much more frequently and not just when I’d been drinking alcohol, I started to notice a difference in how I was feeling day to day. I did try others, but Michael Sealy was the best fit for me. See how you go, and let me know! Since being sober, I’ve used much less these days as I don’t suffer like I used to :pray: but still revisit every so often. Feel free to ask if you have other questions :blush:

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I can second sleep hypnosis and Michael Sealy and Lauren Ostrowski. I generally fall asleep to any of them. On Insight Timer, Kenneth Soares is my go to.

I have found all the things listed above so graciously by @emc2018 helpful for my anxiety as well. Especially guided sleep meditations and physical activity. Getting sober long term also helped my anxiety a lot. It was definitely rough in earlier sobriety. Some of us may need medical assistance, others not so much. A good discussion to have with your doctor or therapist as well.

Meditative coloring also helps my mind settle. And moving my body physically. Warm baths also help me.

For me in early sobriety, I felt agitated, anxious, sick for awhile and I had to be gentle with all the change in my body. Nurture my self with soup and water, comforting foods like ice cream and yes, more soup. Our nervous systems have been thru so much. It can take time for our bodies and minds to readjust to living without alcohol and substances.

Finding self soothing things helped me a lot. :heart:

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