By John Carcerano
Your new to recovery and after a proper assessment from your psychiatrist you are told you need medication. Don't rebel and refuse this evaluation but just make sure you can go see another doctor for another evaluation. If you are broke and cannot afford a psychiatrist do as I have always recommended before and contact your state department of human services and tell them your situation. Most, if not all states will be able to get you some state sponsored care for little or no money. But don't be ashamed to need medication for a psychological disorder. 1 in 5 need psychiatric medication for one condition or another. Just most don't recognize it or they are in denial about their condition or they just don't care and go without the medication they need. Your mind and your body is now free from the influences and mood swings that were associated with your past chemical use. It is only when you are free from those influences that you are able to be properly assessed by an experienced therapist/psychiatrist. The real you is now emerging and with that comes the understanding of why you were drawn to the relief drugs and alcohol had on your mind. Take the medication if you must. If you're afraid of the stigma associated with having to take psychiatric medicne then don't tell anyone that you are on medication. Don't concern yourself about what others think, concern yourself only with getting better and taking care of yourself. Just because you quit your vice does not mean that your problems are over. You need to address the "dry drunk/addict" in you. The person you were just before you began using is the one that for some reason was physically, psychologically and physiologically drawn to chemical addiction. Quitting your vice is the first major big step, that means you recognize that you want to change, now you have to get well, stay well and keep away from the influences that attracted you to addiction in the first place.