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I didn't react well to cipramil, but they sure helped me get some sleep and helped me not respond 'fight or flight' to everything.

I cold turkeyed off them after 3 months or so and used exeercise as a mood leveller instead.

Well worth seeing your doc - modern A-Ds can be wonderful.

It's been my experience that being on the right AD for YOU can help establish mental clarity, improved mood and more accurate perceptions. Not all ADs work the same for each individual. That's why it's so important to work with your doctor on finding what's best for you. Medication benefits vs. side effects should be discussed.

When you first start taking an AD you may notice some sedation....maybe a bit of fog in your thinking. This, however, often wears off after a couple of weeks. Not everyone has this happen. When on the right AD, your capacity to manage stress can be improved. Some kinds of ADs may work great for others, but do little or nothing for you. There are many ADs you can try with the guidance of your doctor.

ADs aren't meant to stop you from feeling. They're meant to bring your thoughts and mood up to a balanced, more normalized state. Much like insulin for a diabetic. When we're under alot of stress, it can alter our body/brain chemistry. ADs can help stabilize that chemistry. They have little risk for addiction. (Xanax, mentioned previously, is NOT an AD. It's a tranquilizer...an anti-anxiety medication that does have a high potential for addiction.)

One side effect of some ADs, that some people have, is that they may affect one's sexual performance. They inhibit the ability to climax. This seems to be particularly true for males. There are other ADs that don't seem to have this effect, so talk with your doctor about it if it's a problem. (FYI: Wellbutrin seems to have minimal to no impact on sexual functioning. In fact, for some women it's been known to increase libido!)

Most of have experienced what you are going through. There are many ways of handling it. Many use a combination of the following: conventional medication, alternative health aides/treatments, read the Bible, use of counselors, posting here @ MB, keeping a journal, creating a personal support group, reading related books,etc.

Please read the link on my sig thread about the 5 stages of grieving. It will help you understand what you are going through and what maybe ahead. This will help you prepare and both you and your W can help your recovery.

Read His Needs/Her Needs together. Take the emotional questionnaire. It will help. Call either Steve or Jennifer @ MB for some phone counseling. It is best to recover with a plan. Find an acceptable and symbolic closure method for both of you. Apply what you learn.

take care,
L.

The Xanax is just as Heart mentioned, an anti-anxiety drug. If you've never experienced or witnessed an anxiety attack I can say this... the individual is not his/herself. Paranoia, panic, and obsession take over and you cannot think rationally. You are out of control with your emotions and almost have the ability to become dangerous if someone isn’t there to help you.

When I had mine for a period of 5 days straight there were some moments that are more of a blur then others. They do help to calm you down so that you can have the chance to think with clarity and process rationally. I guess, in a way, it's similar to rebooting your computer when things are just acting funny.

Since I started taking the AD and Xanax it has given my FWW and I the chance to make progress. I've only taken the Xanax a few times (it's taken as needed, not on a schedule) and that's only when a strong trigger occurs that I feel I cannot get over without causing damage to our progress.

The AD (Wellbutrin) is a daily pill and once it kicks in the Xanax, hopefully, shouldn't be required as often or at all. Plus, the initial "shock" of D-day will slowly subside which will also give me that chance to better think rationally.

At the same time I have found this site to be very therapeutic. For me it’s similar to a group session and it’s nice to get other peoples input of experiences. Simply put, depression can create a very lonely feeling and to reach out to this group helps me by seeing that I’m not alone.

I agree with what Orchid said, that there are many different ways to handle trauma. ADs were absolutely dreadful in my case [memory loss, loss of all feeling] so I do not touch them. On the other hand, I know many who do benefit frm them.

I had phenomenal results from praying to God, cleaning up my diet, and exercising. Those changes did for me what Paxil could not even come close to doing. I do not remember the period of time when I was on ADs because it is blacked out.

reading this helps me to realize that this was what must have happened to me just two weeks ago. in the same week-i got divorce papers from my husband-then he withdrew them, he threatened suicide more than once, i also foudn out that he had been seeing the other woman since before he left.

when i look back at my reactions during that week-i was in such a state of panic-no sleep-not eating-i was obsessed with getting my husband back and ending his affair IMMEDIATELY. he actually said that my actions were scaring him and that i was doing more harm than good. of course i couldn't hear his words. each day i had a new plan-a new way to get him back. i'm lucky that i got through it at all.

I'm all for any help to think more clearly and make rational choices as we deal with this trauma in our lives.

That's scary eav, you pretty much said exactly what I have been doing.

I'm going on 28 pounds in 6 weeks now. Sleep??????? Yea ok, what's that? injuries? Holy [censored], two in two weeks, I haven't ever been injured this easy, my stomach and head hurt all the time. On top of that I have my wife always threatening to take my children away from me and out of my house. That just makes things 10 times worse.