medication question...

So I'm thinking about another step toward self help...meds? I still really don't want anybody to know how I am feeling so I don't want to go to a doctor and I can't afford a therapist right now. I could get a lot of things through the black market but I'd much rather not...for moral reasons. Is it possible to get over the counter anti-anxiety/antidepressant medications? And, if so, do they work well or are they a hoax??

I don't know. That was simple wasn't it.

Actually you might try reading through I think is was the drug forum or self-help but not sure. I've seen a few threads dealing with your question.

There are alternatives.

Well, of course it's not really wise to self-medicate unless you consider it better than nothing. Talk to the pharmacist at your local drug store, he/she is a wealth of information, including herbal remedies. Yes, there are herbs that help with anxiety. (You can also check with someone at a health food store.) I wish you well!

I agree with Sky on this one. There are some OTC herbal/alternative products that may help. I advise talking with your pharmacist. Use caution if you are taking any other meds because herbal products can interact. Your pharmacist will be able tell you what is a safe or unsafe combination.

And yes, stay away from the black market! Dangerous territory there.

Eating well/better and exercising, getting enough sleep, and taking a Vitamin B complex has helped me often. Getting as much "right" in your life as you can can help with energy and aches and pains, the physical, and lift some of the weight of the mental.

Please don't experiment with meds. You can seriously mess up your brain.

I feel like I have to experiment. I need something. I'm in a dangerous place right now and I feel like I'm out of options. I need to straighten my mind out before I do something stupid. I got some of the herbal stuff, but I also managed to get my hands on some xanax. I've only taken one so far, it seemed to have a normal effect on me really. Just chilled me out and I was at work and everyone kept telling me I was staring off into space and stuff. It didn't do anything to help me deal with this pain inside though...that is growing larger and larger by the moment...ugh. I just want to sleep for days without ever moving or getting up. but my life is too demanding. life itself is too demanding. gahhhhhh.

thank you guys for your concern and for your input. I'm just at a desperate point right now. I'm reaching out for whatever I can get to ease the pain.

Why not just talk to a doctor? He/she won't judge you. If you're really that worried about it, see a doctor in a different town.

If you have health insurance, it could be very cheap. I pay a mere $20 per visit and $10 per month for medication.

If not, you can still get treated fairly cheap. A standard doctor visit runs less than $70. Medication can be expensive, but if you need it, you can apply for a need based prescription plan such as TogetherRX. (http://www.togetherrxaccess.com/) It's free if you qualify.

I was in your situation a few months ago. Trust me, just go see a general practitioner.

As for herbal treatments, you could always try St. John's wart or Sam-e. I've tried St. Johns. It alleviated many of my symptoms, but it also turned me into a zombie. I was already constantly fatigued anyway, and St. John's pretty much took any energy I had left away.

Psychiatric medications are incredibly complicated and I strongly advise against experimenting on your own. These are dangerous substances if not used properly. The chances of finding the right drug, at the right dose, on your own, is low but the chances of doing serious harm to yourself is very high.

I agree with those who recommended a family doctor. You have nothing to be ashamed of and every right to feel better.

Cyran0

lil bit, you're 18, or nearly so. Can't you talk to any of your work friends, anyone at school? I'd invest money in a therapist on my own? Don't mess with actual drugs and other substances with no clue how you/they will react. If you don't like anorexia, drug hell isn't a whole lot better? Experimenting at this time can't possibly make things better or make you feel more comfortable or secure that it will be okay. Ask someone for help?

I'm 18, yes. But my insurance goes through my mother. So any doctor I go to visit, and any prescription I obtain will be brought to her attention by way of paperwork at least at some point. She will NEVER let me forget that I needed help if she knew.

I'm trying St. John's wart. so far it's not having any negative effects...that I've noticed at least. I have 2 xanax...took one...calmed me down but only for maybe 4 hours if even that. A good friend of mine says she has lithium and that she will let me have some if and ONLY if I prove to her honestly that I won't abuse them and that I am not suicidal at the time. Right now...I can't guarantee that I will meet both criterion at all times. blahhhhhhhhhhhh I just want to feel better why is it so hard.

You do realize that most psychiatric medications (antidepressants and mood stabilizers anyway) take about a month to have an effect, right?

The first week is usually characterized by side effects only, while latter weeks show therapeutic effects and fewer side effects (if effective).

Hi lil bit, I hope you won't take any psychoactive meds such as xanax and anti-depressants unless you are under a doctor's supervision. They are serious stuff and some ADs that work well in older folks have even been shown to make teens suicidal. This is not an area for self treatment.

I have a teenage daughter and she can get prescriptions from our family doctor. It is confidential. She can go to the pharmacy and get them filled as long as she pays the co-pay on the insurance plan. As the mother and insurance policy holder, I am never notified that my daughter may have gotten prescriptions filled. As long as she pays for them (it is a $10 co-pay for prescription meds on my plan), I would never know.

You can verify confidentiality arrangements of your own insurance and prescription plans by phoning them up and asking their policy. If my daughter visited our doctor, I would be notified of this by receiving an insurance claim in the mail, but it would not say the reason why, just "office visit" or something like that. I would not be informed if she had sought treatment for depression and would not know if the doctor had prescribed medicine. I would think that you would have even more "rights" since you are an adult. Please do not self treat so you don't jeopardize your health!

If are unable to turn to a parent and can't think your way out of this and do what is best for your health, I urge you to contact a trusted adult friend or mentor for advice and guidance. Perhaps a minister/rabbi at your church, a teacher, a counselor, a sympathetic aunt, etc. Someone who will keep your confidence and help guide you to the right resources, such as finding a low cost counselor or therapist.

Good luck!