Hello @sears,

I noticed your post about being "scared to death as to what the future holds in terms of my horrible anxiety." I can understand that going off of helpful meds for anxiety is, in itself, a stressful thought to consider. With regards to tapering off of your current meds consult with your pharmacist of doctor for the correct way to do this. An alternative anti-depressant (that is known for its anti-anxiety properties) might be quite helpful to you.

We have had many members who have posted about this topic. One discussion is titled, Depression and alternative treatments. Here is the link. Just click on it and you will get some new ideas. While I realize you say that your main problem is anxiety and not depression some of these thoughts might be helpful.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/depression-and-alternative-treatments/?pg=3
Many Connect members have also been helped in finding just the right mental health med by doing some genetic testing to find out which med works best (and which will not work at all). Here is a link to that post.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/why-genetic-testing-for-mental-health-meds-is-important/
What other non-medicine treatments have you used to deal with anxiety? Do you use some form of exercise like walking, yoga, Tai Chi, etc? Many people find these quite helpful.

Also, CBT, cognitive behavior therapy, has been used by many people. Here is a link that discusses this method. It is an article from Psychology Today, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/cognitive-behavioral-therapy.

David Burns has written many very helpful books about using CBT. You might check them out on Amazon or in your local library or book store.

In general, most of us with anxiety/depression issues have to use a number of therapies such as medications, exercise, talk therapy, etc. You will need to find what combination will work best for you.

Will you post again and let me know how you are doing?