Gonna ask my psychiatrist for meds for my anxiety and panic attacks (general anxiety, NOT social anxiety). I'm terrified of getting addicted to shit and I wanna know what how risky it is to take these things. Is anyone here on anti-anxiety meds? What's it like? I've heard coming off a Benzo addiction is hellish, and that's probably what they're gonna wanna put me on.
I've been meditating, lifting weights, eating healthier, getting 8 hours of sleep, going to school, going to work, building up for my dream career etc. All this HAS been helping but it's not enough, I'm still panicing over stupid shit and I'm done with it.
i've used and abused benzos a lot in the past. Yeah, withdrawal is hell and it can kill you, literally.
I've had a friend that had to deal with PTSD and they put him on Xannies and Speed. He has stopped to pop them pills and instead smokes weed. Maybe you can try that. I'm sorry, that's all I can help you with
Mason Rivera
They will likely put you on an SSRI or similar drug, not a Benzo. I straight up asked my doctor for Benzos and he would only give me an SSRI.
I was put on 40mg Paxil which is a moderate/high dose. It helped a lot, to the point where I'm weaning off of it because I no longer feel I need such a high dose.
Paxil is pretty damn hard to come off of. Doctors say it isn't addictive but it is. The good part however, is the side effects aren't that serious and it isn't the worst thing to be addicted to.
Matthew Morris
>SSRI I'm currently on Prozac which does nothing.
Colton Wilson
Oh, forgot to mention, last time I talked to my Psyc she immediately asked if I wanted Valium.
It's not a significant risk if you don't have an addictive personality. If you can drink alchol without becoming an alcoholic and eat cake without becoming a whale, you're not likely to get addicted to benzos. I took them on a daily basis for little over a year and had zero issues with psychological addiction. I gradually reduced the dose and that was it, I never felt like I had to keep taking them. Regarding "physiological addiction" or withdrawal, it's uncomfortable, but not unbearable, definitely not as bad as having panic attacks.
I also took SSRIs for a year alongside them. My panic attacks and constant anxiety, that I've had for some 8 years, are gone for good now. Just make sure to talk to your MD about the dosage and how you're feeling, if you're too sleepy because the dose is too high or whatever.
They generally do give benzos for situational social anxiety (exams, presentation, sometimes for a party even) and definitely for managing panic attacks.
Aiden Lee
I would encourage you to try more/ different coping mechanisms. Anti-anxiety medications won't make your symptoms go away entirely. They're more of a bandaid... you can choose to take these for the rest of your life but they won't get rid of the anxiety like therapy and life changes do.
Sebastian Clark
Did you read my OP? I can't think of any more tactics or life changes. Unless you can suggest some?
Austin Lewis
Try cardio instead/in addition to lifting. An hour of cardio will leave you feeling high for the rest of the day. Improve diet if possible.
Benzos are great but you should really only take them in high stakes situations. SSRIs will just fuck you up.
Basically we are here to suffer.
Brayden Wright
>SSRIs will just fuck you up. Been on Prozac for years. Fuck.
Eli Garcia
What about Hydroxyzine or Buspirone instead of the SSRI (prozac) I'm on now?
Alexander Hernandez
Bump
Sebastian Roberts
Bump
Alexander White
As long as you're conscious of how addictive Benzos can be, you should be fine. I take it when I absolutely need it and haven't had problems. If you're autistic and need actual dates when you should and shouldn't take them, I'd say don't take more than 2 a day and give it AT LEAST a 1-2 day break in between doses.
Eli Carter
How long can you just take one every few days?
Colton Hill
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, just a guy who has experience with benzos If you want to err on the side of caution, avoid getting into any routine. Like I said in my previous post, you need AT LEAST a 1-2 day break every time you take one. The longer you can go without it, the better. Xanax and benzos aren't meant to be taken like regular medication, they're taken in emergencies when your heart's beating fast and you're having a panic attack. I've gone entire months without taking it and then sometimes you just run into some heavy shit and need it. If you're experiencing anxiety all the time, you need something different. That, or you're in an environment that's making you anxious 24/7 and you need to GTFO as soon as you can, because it's just making you miserable.
Noah Morgan
anxiety is due to glutamate/gaba imbalance
Evan Thompson
It's constant but only REALLY set off by change. Moving out of my parents house had me in daily panic attacks for almost a year. It's stopping me from doing things I want to do. So I don't think benzos would be good for me. What else could I take or do?
Interesting. What's a good way to treat that?
Brayden Young
Side effects make them not worth it IMO
Weight gain, impotence, brain fog... all sounds like it would make your life worse than it was to begin with.
Bentley Watson
bump
Carter Bennett
I got put on ssri’s for a few months. Fucking garbage. Made me a fat lazy ass. Threw them away, back to being alpha as fuck.
Joshua Nelson
I will admit though, those ssri’s made me cold as ice. Nothing bothered me. Too bad the side effects sucked.
Evan Morris
>It's constant but only REALLY set off by change. Moving out of my parents house had me in daily panic attacks for almost a year. Any radical change to your lifestyle like that is definitely going to bring some anxiety with it, so that doesn't surprise me. Has it mellowed out at all since then or is it still the same? Perhaps a better question to ask here is: what in particular are you anxious about? Assuming you're OP, even if you say it's "general anxiety", there's typically a trend or specific things that will set it off.
