Thank you!

[Marylou123]

Moss...Just catching up on this thread and I am so glad you stayed. Our journeys, like so many others, have many similarities. I've kept up with most of your posts and I alwys value what you write. I still have days where it seems everything is going wrong, but, like Byrdie says, I don't drink AT anything or anyone anymore. And you've helped me reach this point. Thank you MR! I love you.

[j-vo]

Moss, I can relate to the anxiety. I've had severe anxiety attacks and just general anxiety for 20 years. It's painful, humiliating, and a big reason why I drank to oblivion. What I do know is that CBT and other programs like that work to help control and decrease the anxiety. I bought a program and worked through it. I didn't get all the way through it, but it helped. It's the Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTS) that create our anxiety (or mine did). Changing our way of thinking is huge tool. So many others, like deep breathing when you're feeling anxious. I've started seeing a therapist, so I can learn more tools to get through my first year. I don't want the triggers to put me back to day one, so I need to learn how to deal with the triggers and the feelings that I have. Have you thought about talking with someone? :hug:

[Lavande]

Moss,
Glad you decided to stick around

I agree with J-vo, many things can help with anxiety.
I've had anxiety issues all of my life too. Wine helped forr a while then eventually made it worse as it always does.
I worked thru some online CBT programs, some hypnosis & recorded meditations - all helped a lot! I did not do well on Rx antianxiety medications, didn't like the numb feeling. I eventually found a good herbal product called Amoryn & have been taking it with excellent results for more than 6 years. Getting my anxiety under control hugely helped me to quit drnking & smoking. Just some thoughts for you :hug:

Lav

[MossRose]

MaryLou - you just made my day. I haven't felt very good about myself lately, so your kindness is truly appreciated.

Lav - thanks for the suggestions. There is only one Rx med that works for my anxiety, Xanax, and it scares me to even think about taking it again. I tried it once years ago, and it worked like a charm...no anxiety...but as you said, no passion either. Anyway, I am well aware of my propensity to abuse it, so I need to find another way. I'll give Amoryn a try.

J-vo, I was in weekly therapy for three years, and it did help. But my counselor and I agreed that we had gone as far as we could together, so I left a few months back. She got me to this point, and I will be forever grateful to her. She is the one who demanded that I move on to someone else, so that I could keep moving forward. Our relationship had gotten very friendly and familiar, and she didn't think that was doing me any good. I do miss her. So, I'm looking for a new therapist that is familiar with anxiety and addiction. Someone who doesn't know me, and can call me on my BS. She recommended some good addiction counselors, so now I just need to make that call.

Oh my, I think I'm starting to use this thread as a personal journal. Hope that's okay. It helps to write it down. Well, better run. I have a pot pie in the oven and it smells done.

[j-vo]

That's great Moss. I can understand how that friendship would build with your therapist. And finding a new one to continue to discuss the things that are going on is, IMHO, the right direction to go in. For us, we can never be too cautious. I've taken Seredyn, it's a natural supplement for anxiety. There are others out there that work well, too. So glad you're feeling better.