Do you self-medicate?

I'm not talking about positive things that you can do on your own to help deal with the symptoms of mental illness like meditation, yoga, acupuncture, exercise, diet, vitamins and herbs. I'm talking about alcohol and recreational drugs.

I have a history of self-medicating with alcohol. When I was dealing with the full force of my symptoms it wasn't nothing for me to drink a 12 pack of beer after work. And I'm talking on a regular basis. It would make me feel worse the next day, but it was the only way I knew how to deal with the pain. I didn't know I was mentally ill until about three years ago. I had what mental health professionals like to call a total lack of insight. Until I got the right diagnosis and the right meds I'd been sick for 11 years. I'd spent all that time rationalizing and drinking. Rationalizing and drinking. I'd like to think that somehow I'm a better, stronger person for going through what I've been through and coming out alive, but I don't think so. The first thing I did after I found out I had schizoaffective disorder was break down and cry. Not because I had a severe mental illness, but because it hit me that I'd lost so much of my life to it before I finally sought treatment.

I know that alcoholism is considered a disease, but IMHO it's usually a symptom of a larger mental illness of some sort.

I myself have been guilty of self-medicating on numerous occassions-- particularly when I was in college, and I was not under proper treatment. This was right before Prozac appeared on the market, however, and my depression at the time was not deemed "serious" enough for treatment by the older non-SSRI drugs.

But yeah, I'm guilty. I still drink, on occassion, even though I'm on meds, but not nearly as much as a did when I was self-medicating.

When my psychiatrist asked if I was drinking when I told him I was depressed (the depression being separate from the illness I described above and it post dates my drinking binges when I was experiencing symptoms of the other illness) I told him that I have a few here and there and he was ok with that as long as I didn't overdo it. I'll still have a few drinks on occasion, but I've cut back even more since I started taking an anti-depressant. It's been a month now and I think I've had a total of six drinks in that time. I like to have a beer when I'm eating spicy food or pizza, that kind of thing.

and some alcohol

but no more.

Now I sometimes use the comfort of food to medicate myself, but not in any extreme way like I did in my 20s when I would binge.

DemEx

and cigarette free for the same amount of time. Now I occasionally use caffiene, sleep, food, sugar. But now I am working on learning how to cope w/ my emotions without immediately heading for my usual crutches and, while it's not easy, I feel that I have grown tremendously.

Alcohol is a major depressant. I drank like you did, but I found that I couldn't stop doing it. I have really turned my life around w/ being sober and going to AA for support and working a program. It was important to put the drink down so that I could address the underlying issues and complications.

If you want to ask me anything about my recovery, feel free to PM me! :hi:

but my drug o choice, herb, is a no-no due to a failed drug test. Now I need to pass a drug test and cannot smoke.
I never realized how much mental pain I suffer from until I got off the leaf.

Anxiety is a big one for me.

Both of my jobs do random drug testing and I can't risk losing either one of them over pot (which is the only recreational drug I'd do). Getting arrested isn't such an appealing idea either.

As to drinking I only do it occasionally. If I have the slightest hint of a migraine it can make things far worse, so I'm careful to only drink when I'm feeling quite well.

self medicate, especially us older types who were looking for anything to help the pain trauma of depression/anxiety disorders before many antidepressants were around and before depression was even talked about(it was almost taboo to speak of such things!)............mostly alcohol and pot have been helpful, but when I grew up in the 60's and 70's many drugs were available..............is'nt self medication common with depressives though? :hippie:

in the evenings.

the Cymbalta and most of the other SSRI/SSRNIs make me fuzzy-brained in the morning, so I have several cups of coffee.

I was depressed enough to be suicidal several times, but something always stopped me from using alcohol, etc. to self-medicate. Perhaps seeing several relatives pickle themselves to death had some influence.

Personal observation leads me to think that depressives and bipolar folks tend to self-medicate, especially those in denial/unaware of their actual diagnosis.

Treated as if it's all due to anxiety.

There's nothing else I can do... except hope.

One day, they're going to wish they'd listened. :cry:

I'm hoping, as I'm sure many other DUers are, that your last sentence is not an "ultimatim" of any kind. We'd hate to lose you. :hug: