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This article is from the Depression FAQ, by Cynthia Frazier with numerous contributions by others.

43 Is it safe for a person recovering from substance abuse to take drugs?

People recovering from substance abuse can safely take many kinds of psychiatric drugs. Most psychiatric drugs are unable to be abused. The best evidence for this is that there are not street markets for such drugs. On the other hand, The benzodiazepines (diazepam [Valium], lorazepam [Ativan], alprazolam [Xanax], etc.) and the psycho-stimulants (dextroamphetamine [Dexedrine], methamphetamine [Desoxyn], and Ritalin [methylphenidate]) are quite abusable.

For people active in AA please read the pamphlet "The AA Member--Medications & Other Drugs." This outlines AA's official attitude toward medication--that it is necessary for certain illnesses including depression. Too many depressed people who have been talked out of taking antidepressants by members of their AA groups have killed themselves as a result.

 

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depression, health, bipolar, manic depression, sad, seasonal affective disorder psychotherapy