I don't think I'm addicted. I was going to use the diabetes metaphor, but it's already been used. You wouldn't call that person addicted.

I've talked to my p-doc about coming off all of my meds and she agreed, one at a time. The first one I picked was lamictal. Probably the last will be geodon. It was the one that finally lessened my depression to a manageable level. If I feel fine afterwards, I know my episode is over. If not, I go back to the lowest dose of the meds that helped me.

I do sometimes take temazepam for sleep, but as I don't take it every night and can sleep usually without it (perhaps not as many hours), I don't worry about the long term dependence or side effects. If you've been taking xanax for a long time without interruption, stopping it one night will cause rebound insomnia, but after a few days, I'm sure you'll get back into a rhythm, then you can take it as needed on nights when you especially need good sleep.

Of course, as others have said, talk to your doc first about tapering off various meds. The anti-seizure meds are especially dangerous unless you go off as slowly as you came on to them. It's taking me 12 weeks to come off of lamictal safely. I only go down 50 mg every 2 weeks and 25 mg on the last 2 weeks.

It might be good to give it a try with supervision.