anti-anxiety medication?

I'm on 150mg of Sertraline, after Prozac didn't do anything. It's for depression and anxiety and it's helped me quite a bit. I'm definitely not as low as I was, though I'm not super and my anxiety is still quite bad, but I think that's due to being triggered by things like arguments, exams etc. I have ASD and large groups of people make me very very nervous, so I still get anxious in those circumstances, but overall I'm not having random panic attacks and stuff, so I'd say it's helped C:

 

I'm taking 10mg of Lexapro, since 20mg of Celexa made me really tired. Other than the tiredness with Celexa I haven't had any side effect from anti-anxieites. Both of them really helped my depression, I'm not that happiest person, but I'm so much better than I used to be, I don't think about suicide anymore and my anxiety is much much better. It also helped my social anxiety a lot. I'm really glad I started taking them, my life had gotten better.

 

Im on Effexor. Helps anxiety a ton as well as depression. A few side effects, but manageable

 

Okay...it depends. Anti-anxiety meds can help...as long as you get the right one. Talk to your doctor/psychiatrist about which one is best for you. I have bipolar disorder and I had to find medicine for my disorder first, before I could look into anti-anxiety meds. Once I started taking medicine (I'm on Trileptal) for my disorder, I didn't even need anything else. It's just a matter of talking to someone and figuring out what is really best for you!

 

I take Celexa for anxiety and depression. I've been on it for a few years and it seems to be helping. I also see a therapist and honestly I think that helps me more than the medication.

 

How are you with these?, i was on Duloxetine (Effexor) for a around 4/5 months and it was just awful. I couldn't sleep, lost sex drive, jaw felt strange as if it was falling off and dry mouth. It all depends on each person doesn't it.

Now I've been put on Venlafaxine which are working wonders.

 

Actually Venlafaxine is Effexor, not Duoexetine.

My only side effect is partial erection difficulties (partial, not all the time) When weighed altogether it's not such a heavy price to pay.

 

Ahh sorry i got confused with Xeristar they are duloxetine, no idea how i got them two messed up haha.

Im sure in time the side effects will ease off, how long have you been on them?

 

Before I tell you my personal experience...
(1) do take proper advice from your doctor
(2) different people will get different results
(3) you may need to try more than one till you get the right one for you

Effexor (Venlafaxine) for depression and anxiety was best for me personally (no big side effects)
Then Citalopram (Celexa in USA)

Prozac was a disaster for me (horrid side effects)

Sertraline (Zoloft) .. unimpressed

For short term use.. Valium (also called diazepam etc) was good for anxiety alone - I say short term because you will not get this for long term as doctors say it is addictive

[ooh .. that seems rather a lot I have tried doesn't it ??]

sigh

 

My best advice would be to stay away from Xanex (or however you spell it). That stuff is highly addictive and just no good. And it takes some time to find the right stuff and doses and such and those meds effect everyone differently. I spent about 5 years trying out different combinations of meds and none of them seemed to help so (with doctor permission) I was weened off them and just found other ways to deal with stress and anxiety along with therapy and that seemed to work best for me. However everyone is different so I would suggest talking to a doctor.

 

Almost a month and a half.

 

Oh also I forgot to add, Sertraline had some side effects when starting.. Nausea, anxiety, mood swings, sleeplessness and sleep problems, night sweats, sweating. It can also give you suicidal thoughts and ideations and a whole lot of other stuff..

I'd definitely talk to your doctor first and get them to prescribe something for you. I got mine prescribed by a professional psychiatrist.

 

Anti-anxieties should only be a short-term solution, then when your brain is under control and you are more stable, they should be only as occasional help, and eventually you should not need them.

A lot of the drugs mentioned are not specifically anti-anxieties, they are used for other purposes like mood control. You can use anti-anxieties-only like Klonopin or Ativan that can be taken as needed, but while they may have fewer side effects, they tend to be addictive, and tolerance builds up in only a few days - meaning you have to plan ahead to alternate a whole and a half a pill, or take days off, under the guidance of your doctor. I had a few uncomfortable side effects with Klonopin, but Ativan was great - no side effects at all other than tolerance every 3 days, and since I built in days to take less and none, I did not develop an addiction or have to worry about overdose. It was very helpful for cooling down my PTSD.

But that is not a lifestyle. You need to work with a doctor who will help you develop better stress management and diet, so you can learn to control your anxiety on your own. These drugs are powerful, and aside from medical problems they can cause, it is horrific to be dependent on something and then run out or not be able to fill the Rx or forget them overnight somewhere or when you travel - many are also controlled substances and it is hard to take them anywhere on a trip.

Some things that can help are cutting caffeine out of your diet, lowering sodium intake, not eating MSG or preservatives/processed food, getting regular sleep, getting some exercise every day, yoga, deep breathing at least 3 minutes every day (there are some great phone apps to help you with that, or other relaxation methods), meditation, going for walks, taking a bath or shower, playing with a pet, drawing, singing or humming - the vibration soothes your body, dancing, listening to favorite music, watching the ocean (you can even do this on youtube, there are tons of great videos to relax to!), writing out your feelings regularly, seeing a therapist to talk about your problems, getting out with friends, laughing (again the internet, or tv shows, can help you here if you're having trouble), gardening, not holding in feelings anymore, retraining your thoughts - so noting when you think something negative and finding a positive way to reframe it instead, crying when you need to, doing your work and not putting it off if procrastinating is what's causing you stress, eating more antioxidants to help your body deal with stress, finding a routine daily that keeps balance between fun and work, letting yourself think to the worst case real scenario that is worrying you and then honestly answering how you will deal with it - there's nothing better for anxiety than facing it and realizing you are actually more capable than you thought in dealing with disasters that are actually realistic, etc. etc.

There is a reason you have an anxiety disorder, and that reason is treatable. If you face it and get help, you can be over it in a matter of months or a year. If you keep taking anxiety meds, you will be covering it up perhaps your entire life and never really feel better or learn how to deal with the important things in life. It's ok to need help for a while, but sooner or later you want to actually solve the problem, and any doctor who doesn't help you do that eventually is not a good doctor, because doctors are supposed to make you feel better, not string you along on medication for decades just so they get a paycheck. I had doctors like that, and I stayed on medication for about 8 years with no progress at all. That actually made it worse. I finally left and got real help, and it got so much better. I haven't taken medications in about 5 years now, and although staying committed to practicing good stress management daily is still a struggle, I have good tools to handle it on my own, and am much happier than when I just popped pills and hoped for it all to go away for a few hours.

 

I hate taking meds. I've taken Zoloft and Prozac. Prozac works better with my body....idk yours...

 

I hate taking meds. I've taken Zoloft and Prozac. Prozac works better with my body....idk yours...

 

I agree wholeheartedly with RainbowBright. My counselor wanted me to start taken medication for depression and anxiety, they were practically shoving the prescription notes into my bag. Some people truly need this medication, but I feel that it is strongly overused by the masses. Medicating is easier than facing the root of your problems and making the necessary changes in your life.

I apologize if that comes off as judgmental, but it's just my opinion. I'm no angel, I actually struggle with addiction, but I would rather genuinely be happy than take pills that makes me happy for no reason.

 

I have very high anxiety. I worry about not worrying. I worry about worrying about worrying about worrying.

Here's my advice - try your best to find a fantastic therapist. Psychiatrists can be great - but a lot of them push meds.
I see a FABULOUS psychologist. She has helped me a ton. Since she can't write prescriptions, she has a "let us work on this" approach. Now, this method can get costly and is much more difficult because results take time.

But I'm not a fan of the idea of anti anxiety meds. I think a lot of anxiety can be helped with lifestyle changes and working on it yourself.
Now trust me, please. I am not some yuppie who thinks we can just wish our anxiety away. There are times when I feel like I just can't do it.
BUT.... IT IS POSSIBLE! Just look at your life. If you need meds, you need meds. Consider something mild. Get a good diagnosis. If you have OCD, you will need meds.

Feel free to talk or whatever. I'm always here to listen. I think the mental health field is fascinating, because it's all different for us.

 

I am currently take xanax, which helps short-term. It works within about 15-20 minutes of taking it and helps in times of anxiety or panic attacks. I usually take it when I anticipate being in a situation that will provoke my anxiety and sometimes if I get into a situation and feel my anxiety and panic coming on, I will take it to lessen the effect. In the past, i have also taken several SSRI class meds. Keep in mind all meds have side effects and there is no miracle medication. If you can, like the person above said, try to also work on your issues with a psychologist as it is much more freeing to truly unravel all those knots in the mind and experience that type of freedom.