More therapy, less medications.

[tomkoop]

Have a pill to cure your ill is the way of mental health today. Less meds and more skills to chase away your addiction related ills.

If meds is the only way, I recommend them. Otherwise>get to group!!

[Vanje]

1. Glad you brought this up : Depression

Depression. I know I'm not the only one.
I'm reluctant to share my personal experience here, because not all who read here mean well.

I would really like to see a discussion on depression, meds, and alcohol abuse.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. We've discussed this a lot in meetings

That a lot of alcoholics suffer from depression, so we're self medicating. I'm all for anti depressants if it helps, and I've seen cases where it has, though many are also cross addicted, so you have to be careful. I've tried three different kinds, through my doctor, but I didn't stick with them because they didn't help. For now, I'm just staying sober "One Day at a Time," and that's what's worked for me for over three years. And I also go to meetings. So far nothing's worked for me besides AA...

[JayhawkSD]

4. Of course alcohol is a depressant...

...so we're treating our depression by taking a depressant.

That's why alcololism is a downward spiral into death.

[tavalon]

5. This is a huge meeting discussion that comes up a lot

And BTW, Vanje, I cannot speak for anyone else here, but if I'm in GD, I can scramble into the mud with the best of them. But here, on this forum, even though anyone can actually look in, I use the same kind caring and assumption of anonymity that I practice in the rooms. And I'm trying to move that to all areas of my life, even GD, though right now, I just stay away. In other words, I would never say anything bad about anyone here. Not to their face, nor behind their back. And since so few actually post here, I see people's names elsewhere and I find myself being much more caring and willing to listen to those whom I "know" from here.

I don't snark here, any more than I would in any of the rooms. It just isn't okay. People bare their souls and that is sacred.

Now, about your subject. I have little to contribute because I'm a co-addict (friends and family of addicts also post here) but I can't help but believe that for many, alcohol serves as self medication. Though as a depressant, I think alcohol would be a sucky way to get out of depression. But then, I think we may have a chicken/egg question here. I suspect most alcoholics are depressed but did the alcohol bring them to the depression or vice versa?

[NMDemDist2]

3. i heard early in the rooms, if you're new and not depressed it's called denial

when you first get to the rooms, your life's a mess. of course you're depressed.

most alkies these days come in already taking meds from well meaning GPs. until you have physical sobriety for a while and start making some strides in recovery to help deal with the shame and embarrassment of our actions as drunks you're gonna feel like chit.

BUT today's meds can't just be dropped, folks need to stop anti-depression meds under the care of a knowledgeable medical practitioner who is trained in alcohol dependency. studies are showing only 5% of folks truly need the serotonin uptake drugs once their brains are cleared out and they start eating well, exercising and meditating.

yeah, newbies are depressed....duh! but taking a pill isn't the answer except to a VERY small percentage of people.

but most Docs don't know, it's just easier to whip out the RX pad and get the drunk out of their office so they can get the $$$ and get on to the next person...