[Broken65]

I have been recently diagnosed with anxiety, depression and insomnia. My psychiatrist has me on 300 mg Zoloft and Xanax 1 mg 4 times a day and Ambien CR at night as needed. Now my question is how do I know I really need this medication? Maybe the fact I’m asking this is how I know I’m not sure. I posted a thread for the first time last week under depression. I understand I have had some issues but does it really require that I take this medication I feel so unsure. Does anyone else feel this way or is this silly of me to be asking?

[Perna]

Hi, Broken, welcome to PsychCentral (PC). I don't think there are any silly questions, yours certainly don't strike me that way!

Medication has helped a lot of people who have been diagnosed as you have been. However, because we're individuals, we can't know if medication will help us unless we try it. If you are unsure, I would talk further with your psychiatrist about that. Do you have a therapist? How have you been working on your issues in the past and has whatever you've been trying helped?

If you don't like the medication idea, I'd see what else is out there to try for issues like yours and try some of them, see if they work! I would maybe keep a journal, make sure I don't feel I'm getting any "worse" and try a few other things and save the medication idea for later. Medication can help as a "booster" to other means as it adjusts physical, neurochemical aspects of our body so there isn't as much "difference" to work with at once if your issues aren't obvious lifestyle or situational/life experience ones. But I don't know your situation so don't know if you've tried therapy, lifestyle changes (eating better, exercise), or other things.

[lifelesstraveled]

Originally Posted by Broken65

I have been recently diagnosed with anxiety, depression and insomnia. My psychiatrist has me on 300 mg Zoloft and Xanax 1 mg 4 times a day and Ambien CR at night as needed. Now my question is how do I know I really need this medication? Maybe the fact I’m asking this is how I know I’m not sure. I posted a thread for the first time last week under depression. I understand I have had some issues but does it really require that I take this medication I feel so unsure. Does anyone else feel this way or is this silly of me to be asking?

I just started T and asked if it was necessary that I take meds. She said you won't know if they work or not unless you try them. I asked if i could just work out, which is my normal yet unhealthy way of coping with things and she told me no because clearly working out isn't helping ( I am not sleeping better, I still have the thoughts that come with depression and anxiety). So she wants to see if meds help, though, like you, I am still hesitant to try them. What are your reasons for not wanting to try them? For me its a huge fear of gaining weight (i have body image issues). But if you just think they won't work, well you won't know unless you try it right? Or you can ask for alternative treatments. I know some people talk about the benefits of st. johns wort.

[gimmeice]

(((((((((((((( broken65 ))))))))))))))))
How long have you been on your meds? Most meds take over a month to show full effect. Also is this your first round of taking an antidepressant? I have heard that most people don't respond to the first one they try, which makes sense to me since it has taken me the better part of two years to become even a little happy with my med combo, I have lost count on how many different meds I have had to try.
I really think it's an individual thing, me personally for now I feel like I need the meds and my T says there is a good chance that I probably always will but that is not the same for everyone.

[Broken65]

Thank you so much for the support and understanding and the caring response.
Perna: I don’t have a therapist my Psychiatrist is aware of my many issues and his take is fix the engine before waxing the car what good is it to wax the car if it is not running right.
As far as my life style I live a vegan diet not much exercise other in the walking my dogs. I’m married to a wonderful man who truly does understand me and my issues he is my best friend. I don’t want to ramble and bore you but to give you some insight to better understand me I copied my first post from last week under depression;

Hi to all,
I’m to this board I’m not even sure where to post as I seem to fit in several areas.
I will give a brief history I was sexually abused as child by my stepfather from age 8-10 this is a person who I knew to be one of the many fathers and strangers in my life. My memories of my mom are very painful I will try to get this out without tears it is hard to admit. When I told my mom she blamed me and he fled to another state long story short I have lived with this feeling of guilt my mom and I had never discussed this it is if it never happened I felt as though she was not strong enough to handle it so I kept it to myself through the past couple of years I have found myself feeling guilty for having a great husband and a great life something I feel I took from my mom. She would always talk about how much she loved this person and he was the only one I would listen in silence. One day my mom made the mistake of telling my husband about how much she loved this guy and he had told her how I felt that she would not be able to handle me talking to her and to never bring his name up again to him or me. Torn between thinking wow my husband is protecting me to wow what must she be feeling. Well I chose not to not talk with her about this issue I would rather keep the pain then pass it. I’m very sad to say that my mom passed away 1 year ago I was once again torn with guilt of relief and the true sadness of loosing my mom I then became angry that she has still won I still carry the pain of her loss and my abuse.

My husband is convinced this has affected my life I don’t see it. When I fall I pick myself up I have always thought of myself as a strong person I needed nobody when really I did. My grandfather bless his loving giving heart passed away in the same month as my mom wow. My mom became very ill and I took her into my home and nursed her while working full time and taking care of my husband in spite of what my husband thought of her as a person I still loved my mother. She chose to go home to my dismay I knew should would die because nobody would take care and watch her the way I did this was a very painful decision for me it was almost like letting go. 2 weeks after going home she passed again I’m torn with letting her go blaming myself dam her for winning again. So at this point I have pretty much gone through many life changes during the pass of my mom and grandfather I lost a job I had been at for ten years. I’m currently in treatment with a Psychiatrists every 2 weeks trying to figure out this mess I feel I have created. I started a new job 2 years ago that is very stressful I think this is what broke me. I thought I could handle the pain of the world I see I can’t but I’m still trying.
Due to this stress I have been recently diagnosed with psoriasis I’m not sure if anyone is familiar with this but it has taken a great toll on me emotionally and physically I finally admit I am broken I just don’t know why? Thank you for allowing me to share

I really want to thank you for caring enough to even ask. I hope I might be able to help you or someone else and please if anyone just needs to vent or talk please reach out to me I’m a very good listener I just want to let everyone know I care about them and their pain.
I’m here.

Lifelesstravled: Thank you for reaching out to me I truly appreciate all of you I was feeling pretty much alone. I started my meds about 5 weeks ago (I think) . My hesitation is I don’t wont to get addicted to anything and I feel tired all the time yuk. I have been recently diagninosed with Psoriasis I do belong to the Foundation and have joined the board to get help and support dealing with horrible illness my dermatologist wants to put me on Humira or Cyclosporine or Methotrexate big YUK. I’m horrified in taking these meds the have very nasty side affects and can cause very bad damage to the liver however, I do understand there is no cure it only helps the outside symptoms. I’m scared of all these medications I’m only 42 I feel like Psoriasis is going to be the one to take me out. I’m sorry to go on about this but this illness was caused by stress and anxiety caused from the above post. I’m angry and not sure where I belong where to post and what board to go to.

Gimme-Ice: I have been on my meds for about 5 weeks they do help I think and this is my first round with antidepressants and my first round being honest about my issues with everyone. I so glade to hear you have the right combo that is so important I truly understand that. Thank you for caring and sharing.