Hello! Yes, after my attempt I refused mood stabilizers of any kind, including benzos. I told my therapist and psychiatrist that I wanted to focus on treating my anxiety first and that's been the main focus for me throughout my recovery. I tried a lot of things to treat my depression for years and ended up trying to ctb when I switched meds.
Outside of talk therapy and cbt, I do have a prescription for propranolol which is meant for blood pressure, I think, to help relieve the physical symptoms of anxiety attacks (racing heart etc)
I Can't say for sure right now but I'm of the belief my anxiety causes my depression and focusing on my anxiety instead has significantly helped me .. much more than any antidepressant ever has. I also have PTSD! If focusing on the depression is not working, I think it's worth a try.
While I agree that people are over medicated, I think anxiety caused by PTSD can benefit from medication at times. In my experience, anxiety attacks can come on so quickly that all the "techniques" for stopping them are pretty much useless. Switching from benzos to propanolol has been very useful for me, as it helps control the physical symptoms of my anxiety so I can focus on the mental/emotional symptoms. Without that, I'm not sure I always have the capability to manage the emotional side when I'm focusing on trying not to pass out while I hyperventilate which does not help me in the long run. I need to touch base with myself, identify my triggers and work through the core issue that caused the anxiety