Has anyone been able to shake anxiety without meds?

mamalu13: There is an herbal product called Calms Forte. Walmart has it and so do most drug stores. It was very helpful to me for awhile. Herbals are still drugs but I've not read anything bad about this product and myself and a couple of my friends have used it with no bad side effects and no withdrawals.

Have you thought about meditation or maybe some modified yoga? I know the latter may be tough depending on what's going on for you right now physically.

Anxiety it hard to deal with. I hope you find somthing that helps.

Exercise is a wonderful way to reduce stress.  For me, I had to get rid of the tamoxifen since that was the source of my anxiety.  Once I did, I was able to go off the Lexapro, Xanax and Ativan.  I still take ativan once in a while - if I'm really scared about a doctor's visit or mammo, etc.  For me also, anxiety is always worse in the winter.  I know I have seasonal depressive disorder but I think it's more like seasonal anxiety.  Sun always helps me.

 My holistic doctor has used many things for me - one is called "Zen" and it is an amino acid that some people are missing that helps with anxiety.  It helps me HUGELY - but it's too expensive for me to buy all the time.    Also, he uses essential oils - Present Moment by Ver Vita is WONDERFUL for anxiety!  He has me use it across my forehead or to bathe in it.  It is very VERY expensive but you only need a few drops and it lasts for a long time. There are also homeopathic things like "rescue remedy".  

 I think my husband has been on and off Celexa and every time he goes off it (he seems to take it for a while during times we've had a lot of stress and then just stops once he feels better...) he's never had any withdrawl symptoms.  .  

I see a therapist and she has helped a lot in giving me an outlet to talk about my thoughts and feelings and teaching me strategies to deal with unhelpful ones.  These more relate to anxiety issues though, not depression.  I do have days when I feel depressed also.

By the way, the psychological diagnosis I was given was 'adjustment disorder' which I imagine is how to come to terms with a life altering event and find the 'new normal'.

I do take medication but the psych strategies really helped me too.

Good luck with your therapist. 

Celexa did not work for me, ativan does. It stops my crying spells. It is something that you can take when you need it and not as likely to be addicting as some meds. You don't have to ween down off it. It can make you sleepy, so I take it at night. I took it every night for 3 months, then decided I wasn't going to take it for a while and had no withdrawal symptoms at all, just a little more crying.

Racy, your post makes perfect sense.  I like the term "adjustment disorder".  I know that the changes both physical and mental that have taken place definitely requirement an adjustment to figure out just what is the new normal.

Peggy, I think the stressing over diet, exercise and taking the right supplements and and and, has caused undue stress on me also.

I think doing the best you can with those things, cutting ourselves some slack when we don't and trying to enjoy each day as a gift.  This thread has been helpful to me just being able to put my feelings down and hear that others are going through the same thing.

Mamalu, thanks for starting this.  I hope you are feeling better today. 

I have been on anti-depressants for many, many years for panic attacks....I finally found that Zoloft worked the best for me...I am scheduled for a BMX on Weds....scared to death but the meds have helped...also for a short term I use xanax....that can be taken when needed only and it is out of your system quickly....I have been taking it twice a day because of my scheduled surgery this week...I wish I could take it the day of the surgery but I can't....just looking forward to coming home to take it again...I will wean myself off of the xanax as I become accustomed to the fact that I have breast cancer...but knowing that it is treatable will help me come to terms with whatever I need to do post-surgery....Xanax has been a god sent for me...it is an anti-anxiety med that does not cause depression.  Hope this helps...it is sometimes very hard to just wish anxiety away as you said, it is very physical.  Don't be afraid of an anti-anxiety medication, it is only temporary.  Of course if you have any issues with dependency, that is another story.  Good Luck!!!!!

lulubee, I don't know a lot.  They're in the same family.  Valium is a little milder and longer acting than Xanax, I think.

I wonder how much valium it would take to cause depression?  I only take at most one pill per week.

The one time I took Xanax for scanxiety it made me shop.  I promise you it did.  I have a bracelet to prove it.