I finally got something aside from an antidepressant for my anxiety last week. I've taken it 3 times since then, mainly for job stress that piles up from one day to the next during the week.

So I got to wondering... When do you guys know that it's time to take your as needed meds? Specific symptoms or severity? When you know you'll be in specific situations? Other ways?

My therapist says I don't need to be afraid of them, but I do need to respect them. I would like to avoid an addiction problem in the future, but I also don't want to suffer needlessly or jeopardize my job and health by acting irrationally due to anxiety. I am also actively pursuing alternate methods for treating anxiety such as CBT, sensory maintenance, and deep breathing/muscle relaxation.