It sounds like you are doing a lot of thinking about what is best for your health. Lifestyle changes are really hard, having a diagnosis that affects your daily life is hard. I grew up in the type of family that did a lot of weekend drinking and drinks were always there for every celebration big or small. Taking a step away from that culture isn't easy. With my meds, I only imbibe occasionally and in much smaller amounts.

I am impressed that you were able to wean yourself from the meds that you did. I have anxiety as well, not helped at all by this crappy sensorimotor neuropathy thing I seem to have now. I was able to get my Clonazepam down to 0.5 mg at night from 2 mg. When I tried to go down from the 0.5, I just could not handle the extreme jerking at all hours. I felt defeated that I couldn't wait it out. I am on sertraline 50 mg. & amitriplyline 50 mg. also at night. I sleep like a baby (no wonder, right?) My anxiety has been cycling higher lately, and I don't think I would like to see myself without these meds to help.

So, yes, we all have our ways we handle stress.