I was a pretty hard core alcoholic and drug addict from the age of 13 until 32. About six months before I went to a drug and alcohol treatment center i went to a psychiatrist and he put me on Effexor. He agreed to treat me with both meds and therapy on the agreement that I go to treatment. He said he could not help me unless I was clean and sober. I had already decided I was going to go so no problem. For a short period of time I was taking Effexor, drinking and doing meth. I do not recommend this. I am probably lucky I didn't have a stroke with the Effexor and the Meth. Genetically I think I have an addictive personality and depression/ bi polar II. To a large degree I was self medicating for my mental illness and to just cope with life in general. For a long time it worked until it didn't work and caused many more problems that it solved. I wish the AD's worked as good. My depression actually got worse for a long time after I got sober.

Anyway for me I think Effexor played a role in helping me get sober. I can't prove it but that is how I feel. Since going to treatment I have been clean a sober for 19 years with a few experimental slips on pot trying it for depression and anxiety. I have been on just about all the SSRI's and SSNRI's in the last 19 years. They have never been that effective for me until the last med change which is currently working quite well so far.....
Overall I think they have helped me or I would not have stayed at it.

The current set of psyche meds are far from miracle drugs. They do however help many people but are only seen as a part of the solution. For many of us it is meds, therapy, and other methods of self help and coping. A good support network is a big part of it.

I do not think of the SSRI's and SSNRI's as addictive at all even though they have bad withdrawals for some people. I have never gotten high off of and AD. I have never felt and urge to take more than prescribed. Withdrawal due to a rebalancing of receptors with SSRI's is different than addiction in my view. I could easily become addicted to pain killers or benzo's if not very careful because those I can get high off of. I have never felt that urge with AD's.

I totally understand that you don't want to take psyche meds. Many people don't. No one should have too. I would point out that alcohol is a psychoactive drug as well, a powerful one.

As far as SSRI withdrawal causing alcoholism I don't think I buy it. I can understand that if someone is having horrible withdrawal effects that they may turn to alcohol for relief but that would not be induced alcoholism.

I would suggest a slower taper if you are having trouble coming off the zoloft.

As far as drinking I think that only you can determine whether you are able to drink in moderation or if total abstinence is right for you. I can say that one of the scariest prospects I ever faced was thinking of a life without alcohol. I couldn't conceive of it for a long time.

I do agree with you that meds are handed out like candy and often as the first line of defense when a much more thorough evaluation is needed and other approaches should be explored. Alcohol and drug use should be one of the first questions asked along with many others. I guess I have been lucky because they have always made me go through a one to two hour evaluation before letting me see a pdoc. I have been through the evals probably six times in my life due to changing insurance or circumstances. I don't agree with someone with problems just going to a pdoc for a half hour and getting on meds. that does not seem responsible to me on the part of the mental health profession. Unfortunately there seems to be a big shortage of professionals.