I don’t have any additional advice to offer. There are lots of good comments already for that. But I did want to share that I also was afraid of taking meds for a long time because I’d heard horror stories (mostly on TV/in movies) of the meds making you almost catatonic, and that wasn’t how I wanted to live my life. However, I’ve been taking anti-anxiety meds for over 10 years now, and I can confidently say that they are a huge help. I’ve changed doses several times, including recently adding an “as needed” med for times I know my stress/anxiety levels will rise. I recommend working with your doctor to figure out the best med/med combo for you, but for me personally, I’ve found a lot of success with Sertraline (generic Zoloft), although it does take about a month for dose changes to take effect, and Buspirone (generic Buspar) for my “as needed” extra.

Also, know that you are not alone, from one internet stranger to another.

I’m a big fan of Captain Hook as the human scale for the crocodile one. 😂