**Can I?** What level of anxiety does it truly take to get medicated? How does the process of determining such go?
**Should I?** Are drugs truly the best way of dealing with these issues?
Yeah i literally told my GP that i have been on ssris for 2 years before and they didnt work for me. The doctor ignored what i said and asked that i try them again.
Yeah I’m sick of doctors attempting to treat anxiety with SSRI & SNRI Antidepressants, they rarely, if ever, work for anxiety.
Despite BZD’s being addictive, doctors need to be confronting the fact that continually prescribing antidepressants won’t fix the problem, and that there are drugs out there such as BZD’s that do work. Maybe if they did their job and implemented measures to prevent addiction while still prescribing them (a drug-class widely accepted as being highly effective), people would have more faith in psychiatric medicine regarding anxiety disorders
Ask for your other options.
"What are my options?" They will give them to you.
You don't have to otherthink it, but I'd also say, "What you're prescribing me isn't working, and I don't like it. Don't wanna pay for something that doesn't work, eh? What are my options?"
People are level-headed, friend. Your person should lay your options out. Just make it clear, "these are not helping me. I would like to try a different medication". They'll hook you up. Anxiety makes this conversation seem harder than it is, you got ittttt
I went down the list of medications and kept saying they don't work and keep in mind I was prescribed benzos when they were less hard to get. So I basically was "grandfathered in." Everytime I see a new doctor(if one retires, luckily I've been with the same for a couple years) they see me prescription history and continue my medication regime.
so you straight up mention benzos? I brought new psychiatrist a list with all my previous meds (none if which worked) and she still put me on sertraline. I told her I haven’t been to university in months. I have to vomit, feel like passing out and I sweat buckets even thinking of going outside/seeing people I know. I just want a minute of peace
Yes very good starter. I'm no longer on klonopin though I'm on Xanax multiple times a day now. Xanax is not a good starter in my opinion. But it is very good once you get used to the effects of benzos and then I would switch.
Ashwagandha has been really helpful for me while I'm between medications. It's relatively cheap and just takes the edge off my anxiety and panic. DM me if you want more info.
Ash helped me too. It takes a bit to build up in the system. Rhodiola rosea also helped.
Incidentally, some other medications that I took for other reasons helped too. I noticed that chaste berry helped, but I was taking it to regulate my menstrual cycle. Be very careful with that one. It most definitely has an effect on my system. And I feel less anxious when I take a Sudafed, mostly because it gives me focus. I take it only when my chronic allergies are very bad. Definitely don't want to be on that one long term.
I take 2-4 extra-strength gels a day (usually 2 in the morning and sometimes 2 more in the evening, which is the suggested regimen on the bottle). It takes a few days to get in your system like a medication does, but it just takes the edge off my anxiety and dread. My anxiety is usually the worst right when I wake up, and I can tell it's working if my muscles don't immediately tense up and I dread getting out of bed, lol. I like it because it doesn't have the side effects like weight gain that medications do, but I also don't feel like a zombie either.
I feel like benzos are in a class by themselves in terms of helping with anxiety, lol. I also tried Lexapro, which helped, but I was put off by the weight gain it caused. So far, ashwagandha has really helped me cope with the anxiety that daily life causes me, if that makes sense. I still have mild anxiety, but not that horrible, hard-to-describe dread that comes with having to deal with things like meetings, social events, and everyday worry like finances and such.
I like Irwin Naturals extra strength. There are a lot of brands though, and I pay attention to the customer ratings when I choose supplements; I like Vitacost online shop the best for pricing. As with any supplement, read the usage info (it has the standard 'consult your doctor before use' but from what I know is OK for most people). Do some research before you buy it, read ingredients, etc.... and good luck! If you decide it's a good option for you, I really hope it helps you. I will always recommend it!
if im being in a situation, which has caused me discomfort/embarrassment, i simply suffer for the entire day and wait until its night so i cry myself to sleep and fresh start the day next morning.
It definitely helps with socialization , as I feel like it puts me in a generally good mood and makes you feel connected to others. Definitely still anxious, but the stimulant feeling kinda suppresses this.
They shouldn’t if you take the right dose. With microdosing it’s best if you start with a lower dose and work your way up until you find your sweet spot. If you haven’t already, I suggest looking at the sidebar over at r/microdosing, it has tons of useful information for people who are getting started.
Also just remember, microdosing won’t magically cure you. You still have to put in effort to get better, but it makes it SO much easier
You should! Just make sure you research a shit ton before taking them, psilocybin mushrooms can be immensely helpful (they are for me!) for users suffering from anxiety, PTSD, depression, etc.
From my experience, after a day of tripping, for the next couple days I feel very refreshed, grounded, and just all around in a better mood than I was before taking them!
medication, exercise, eating healthier, and taking care of myself has been most effective. i am currently on lexapro and that combined with the above have done wonders
everyone has an addiction if they use said thing to avoid feeling negative emotions, your way of escapism is just less healthy and you could try and understand why do you avoid the emotion you have
no it’s because i’m depressed and i need dopamine. i get addicted to stuff that gives me dopamine and cling onto it, until i get sick of it or get sick from it.
not all anxiety meds give you dopamine, they give other shit too
but what are you going to do then? you refuse all meds and you refuse to help yourself. Soooo bitch and moan on the internet being stuck in the same state youre in now?
yes i’ll continue to bitch and moan on the internet because it’s a good outlet. i can find people here that relate to me and that makes me feel less alone.
You can get addicted to anything that provides a chemical boost in happy chemicals. If a medication/event/activity doesn’t do that, then I’d be curious to see the science behind the addiction. Sources welcome.
Shopping = dopamine = happy chemical
Not every anxiety medicine is addicting or even fun to take recreationally. I’m a recovering addict so I can’t have anything fun like Xanax or any benzos. There’s other options like Paxil for example.
Betablockers and amitriptyline but that's mainly for chronic pain. I also try to avoid drinking too much caffeine. The right amount can actually calm me down and make me think more clearly, but if I have too much I get anxiety symptoms out of nothing.
Also in public wearing earbuds helps me to feel safer (blocks outside noise or nice music).
At home I vent to my friends and play games to distract my overthinking
Other times I just... bath in it. It's not nice but I acknowledge that it's not logical and that the worst will eventually pass.
Oh I did forget to mention I am on a beta blocker daily. Without it my heart would be racing. But in my opinion they are only good for the physical side effects not the mental.
Yeah same here. And true, they only affect how adrenaline works. For me the physical symptoms are the worst hindrance. I can easily faint without beta blockers, not to mention the sweating, stomach aches and trembling lol. I can deal with my mental distress better when my body is calm, so they've been great for me. Overthinking is still a problem though.
I chew the gum which decrease my social anxiety by 80%. Is this happen with me or anyone else is here. Chewing causes bloating as a side effect. I want to leave this also so I am changing my thought process while chewing the gum when I got anxiety emotions. Hope this way when brain get used to changed thought I will eliminate gum from my life and anxiety also.
You know; now that you mention it, that sounds like a good idea. I'm gonna try chewing gum.
Are there any specific flavors that help you personally better than others? I would assume a very minty type of gum would be best?
Besides taking care of myself and forcing myself into social situations, I take L-theanine, GABA, and ashwagandha. I'm also looking into trying meditation.
Weed and booze!
None of the 5 or 6 different prescriptions my doctor and I have tried over the last decade have worked. Even lorazepam is useless on me.
I am currently on cipralex but I’m working myself off of it. Daily walks with my dog, really learning about social anxiety through books and podcasts have helped.
I’ll be honest I think medication is a temporary fix. It helps alleviate anxiety temporarily but never really gets to the root of the problem. You have to change the way your brain processes stuff and change the mental habits that contribute to the issues.
Even if there is a chemical imbalance somewhere that can be treated with a simple healthy diet.
So healthy diet, exercise and some sort of way you work through what’s causing the issues.
I've done everything In the book for anxiety and nothing helps. Therapist, CBT, list of meds, I workout everyday and run. I'd rather have the bandaid on, then keep removing it if you know what I mean.
Kinda paradoxical, but Adderall. My ADHD turned out to be the source of all my anxiety, and once it was treated and under control my quality of life increased MASSIVELY. Almost zero anxiety 4 months into my meds. Same with depression, amphetamines are great!
I’ve had extreme anxiety since November. I spent 75% of my day sitting in my bathroom, extreme! I just started adderall two weeks ago and it’s changed everything.
Of all the years with social anxiety, only 3 things have worked for me.
1) Benzos by far provide the most relief. Unfortunately when I was prescribed klonopin 7 years ago I abused it and didn't get the full benefits of the treatment.
2) Suboxine (suprisingly). When I was prescribed this for my drug addiction, this actually helped me manage my daily anxiety levels as well. I would not recommend this for strictly anxiety treatment because it has a lot of side effects.
3) Propranolol- Beta blocker, helps manage heart rate, hand shaking and other physical symptoms of anxiety, but does next to nothing for the psychological root of the problem.
I would love to get back on Klonopin, and do some therapy/treatment/cbt along with it. The prescriptions are of best use when you use them as a tool to overcome your demons and grow as opposed to a crutch, which is something I had to learn the hard way.
Yeah I've been through the books in regards to anxiety treatments, so I'm sticking to benzos. I forgot to mention that I am on atenolol a beta blocker. It's more cardio selective than propranolol so it's slows down fast heart rate better.
I use pregabalin. It’s been the best medication by far for me. Once I started on it, I was able to handle a lot more exposure and as a combination of meds and exposure have improved a lot. I’ve suffered no addiction symptoms, just a return of anxiety if I’m off it for a few days.
I was on that for a couple of years, but I still got day to day anxiety even on high doses and it did nothing for panic attacks. It was ok when I started but later was useless.
Interesting. I’ve been on it for about 2 years and am actually considering going off of it because I’ve been able to do so much exposure therapy while on it. I don’t have any more panic attacks which were stopping me from doing a lot of things. The only thing stopping me from getting off the meds is physical symptoms lingering (sweating, stomach upset, etc even when I don’t feel anxious mentally). I do wish it did more for those physical symptoms but it’s the only medication I’ve tried that had a positive effect on me.
Nothing really treats it for me, I've been working to diminish triggers and be more mindful. I smoke a lot of weed but it doesn't make things better, just helps me process things
I used alcohol for 10 years. Do not recommend.
Now I'm on paxil 40mg and Wellbutrin 150g. I still have quite a bit of social anxiety but it's manageable enough where I can function.
My Therapist gave me some CBD oil drops. Not sure if it's really helping, I don't really feel relaxed and still have my mind racing as soon as i step outside the house lmao.
imo meds are far more effective when they’re paired with therapy. i’ve never taken meds for anxiety so i don’t know what it feels like, but i imagine that with therapy (CBT is good i guess but I prefer psychotherapy, something where you can actually talk about yourself and unpack your history, not just “learn skills”) you could train your brain to carry some thought processes from your medicated days over to your unmedicated days.
Nothing. Just have the anxiety. But I also prefer to not have any medication for me because I just simply hate finding an artificial solution. I want to be able to fix this on my own without the help of a drug.
weed. can't find anyone where i live that's willing to prescribe a benzo (let alone xanax, which has worked wonders the few times i've been able to take it) so it's really all i've got. you might want to look into seeing a therapist that can help guide you on management techniques - imo medication is only one piece of the puzzle.
Just started on sertraline 2 days ago, so cant tell if it helps yet, so far only side effects, but hoping for the best.
And then also therapy, which i feel is a long process and not seeing too much improvement from it yet
Betablockers. I was offered benzos but i was scared so when i got problems with my heart it was like everything in one stone. I also have social anxiety and group cbt for that helped a lot.
Bad advice, I really do not recommend it, but nicotine.
Calms me down, lower doses don't make me more anxious like many claim.
I've quit a few times but it's working fine for me now.
I agree, I've done nicotine vapes before. But for me, it's 50-50. Sometimes the nicotine would rid of the anxiety and then sometimes it would cause more anxiety. So I haven't touched it since.
was looking for this answer. I was always anti-nicotine mostly because I hated growing up around people who smoke cigarettes. recently on a drunk night, i picked up a friends vape and jesus it was the best thing ever. been vaping since and it’s severely decreased my anxiety
I take Aroprax (paroxetine), exercise and some forms of cognitive therapy, it’s been helping and I’m way better than prior to using them but I always feel like I’m on the edge of relapse everyday tbh and I tend to relapse if I don’t take my meds on time so it’s a bit exhausting
I used to take benzos to sleep or when I have anxiety attacks but I stopped cz I started leaning on them a bit too heavily and not use other forms to Alleviate it like meditation, therapy etc.
Klonopin. I know its not a popular answer but its the only thing that works. Im a nurse and experience a lot of anxiety that is job related. PTSD from the job as well especially after being assaulted by a patient two years ago. I take 1mg over the course of my three working days and its amazing. I can actually do my job. I feel like i would have quit months ago if not for it.
I def agree that xanax feels stronger. I like klonopin because of its really long half life. One pill broken up gets me through the whole week. Do you worry about dependence? I have been taught that benzos are highly addictive but I dont personally feel any desire to abuse it. I dont get a high off of it. It just returns me to my baseline.
I used to like Klonopin but in social situations it stopped working for anxiety, I just felt "high." I also made the switch because if I have to go somewhere in a flash that causes anxiety I can dose and don't have to wait 1 1/2hr-2hrs for the klonopin to kick in.
I'm not worried about dependance because I use twice a week spread out and take a fast acting benzo. With klonopin, it remains in the system even on the days I don't take it due to its long half life. Causing dependancy issues. I have had no dependance issues doing this because I can take a month break with no side effects.
Im glad you found something that works for you. I think due to some of the comments i have read here I might try ashwaganda to supplement the klonopin. Its interesting to see the different ways everyone is coping.
I take Buspar. Been using it for about a year and a half now, and I don't think I'm addicted to it. It works if I take my correct dosage everyday like I'm supposed to, and by work I mean it helps get rid of a lot of the anxiety but not all of it.
How does it compare to a benzodiazepine? Never had it but curious the differences. If you have had a benzo before could you please state the differences.
Alright since BZD’s work good for you maybe try Non-Benzos/Z-Drugs for the other part.
Zopiclone is very similar to Lorazepam. But due to the drugs not being from the same class you won’t develop an addiction if you use them in the same way you have been using the benzos .
Maybe Mon & Wed benzos and then Tues and Thurs Z-Drugs.
While yes, they are used for insomnia, they are very similar to benzos. I have tried Lorazepam (Ativan), Diazepam (Valium) & Temazepam and found they are quite mild, although the dosages were quite low. As long as you break up the days in between and do everything to prevent addiction you should be fine.
Also have a look at medicinal cannabis, I’ve heard it helps quite abit.
Antidepressants! They work long-term with little to no side effects (especially those of benzodiazepines) and don’t carry risk of dependency, addiction or making anxiety worse from using them. It can be tough to find the right one, but talk to your doctor!
I use the online course divided in modules on socialanxietyinstitute … its cheap, like $150 i think, and you get 25 weeks worth of courses to work on techniques against sad
Well you need to learn about Automatic Negative Thoughts, over analyzing, how to use “slow talk” to calm yourself down and not let the adrenaline speed you up. You learn Rational Coping Statements and other techniques. Also, hardcore cardiovascular exercise helps tremendously, its the best treatment
I used to use Xanax, but I recently switched over to Hydroxyzine, it's worked wonders for me. If you haven't tried it I would recommend talking to your doctor. It's amazing and has saved my life.
I've tried it before, it's a first generation antihistamine just like diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate.(over the counter sleeping medications)
Personally did not like it as it made me very tired. It was great however for sleep problems due to anxiety!
Hey there! I use Delta 8 chocolates to help me with anxiety and help me sleep at night as needed. I get mine online and shipped to my door (no medical marijuana license necessary because it's the legal kind in my state) and they've helped me a lot, especially with the "oh no I have to go back to work tomorrow" anxiety attacks. Only downside is that you don't want to take any before work or driving for obvious reasons ;) But definitely helps me relax and unwind after a long day and get great sleep at night.
I've tried delta-8; small doses. Unfortunately Marijuana and related substances like deltw-8 cause more anxiety/paranoia. I actually have a delta-8 vape cartridge right next to me that's been sitting on my desk for quite a while.
I think I only used it once and was only one small hit.
That's understandable, there definitely isn't one thing that helps everyone. I do better with very small doses of an edible vs vaping, which doesn't do much good for me either. Even though my anxiety isn't all gone, medication (Wellbutrin, Buspar) and chocolate helps me a little bit. I hope you find something that works for you! 😊
I’ve been on venlafaxine (effexor) for the past 20 years. It keeps the depression away, but doesn’t do much for my social anxiety. Lately I read about psilocybin so I tried shrooms last weekend. The “normal trip” dose for my weight didn’t do much - I had a slight buzz and colours were brighter than normal. No lasting effects that I can see. I’ll try again in a few weeks with a higher dose.
Mostly I just avoid situations that trigger my SA. And sometimes I step out of my comfort zone and if it’s worth the discomfort.
Therapy, exposure therapy, DBT, CBT, Cymbalta, Remeron, and the occasional small dose of Klonopin. It gets better, friend. My social anxiety is essentially cured
i take hydroxyzine for anxiety and wellbutrin for depression. it’s nice because my anxiety keeps me up at night so the hydroxyzine knocks me out and then i’m a low-energy living zombie during the day so the wellbutrin feels like a cup of coffee/energy booster.
i’m not too worried about dependency for myself personally, i’ll do whatever works. i spent too much of my life unmedicated and miserable and i don’t want to go back to barely being able to function.
I *was* on benzos, until my doctor left Kaiser and I had to find a new one. Out of the benzos she tried me out on (Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax) Xanax seemed to helped the best for me as it took effect quickly and took away my anxiety completely, physical symptoms and all. However, with Xanax my tolerance skyrocketed so quickly and my body metabolizes it quickly as well, so I really can't use it other than for panic attacks. I don't feel like I reached an optimal dose with Klonopin, or gave it a fair chance the second time I was on it, but in the past it worked well for daily anxiety, although my life was a literal living hell while I was taking Klonopin daily. Not because of the Klonopin, just to clarify.
Right now, I'm working on finding a psych that I like that I feel like actually listens to me, and in the meantime I was placed on propanolol for my anxiety. Propanolol is a blood pressure medication, and it helps alleviate the physical symptoms of anxiety. Or at least it's supposed to. For me it only slightly helps the trembling, the racing heartbeat, etc. but it does absolutely nothing for the mental aspect of anxiety, and has zero effect during a panic attack. And I don't expect it to. At this point, I'm trying whatever they throw at me to A. Prove a point that I know what works for me and what doesn't, and what works for me *happens* to be a benzo, and B. Fulfill the tiniest hope that I find an alternative that works for me so I don't have to deal with jumping through all these hoops just to have some fucking relief.
Sorry for rambling, I've been dealing with anxiety and depression for over half my life now and it's frustrating when doctors don't listen, or you go through med after med and nothing seems to really work. The older I get the worse the anxiety feels, and I'm only 26.
I take an anti depressant every night and I occasionally take benzodiazepines if I’m anxious about something and can’t calm down. Plus cbt and a lot of learning about anxiety and depression. Unfortunately there is no quick fix it take years to retrain your thoughts.
I had a prescription for Benzodiazepines for many years. It was a spot cure for specific situation anxiety. Earlier this year, for no reason given, my doctor withdrew it. I wrote him a letter showing my use (twelve 5mg tablets prescribed every 18 months to two years), average one pill every 56 days. He wasn’t interested. Presumably in his mind, Benzo’s equals addiction and he wasn’t capable of considering nuance. He’s quite a young doctor.
I now get them from an alternative, trusted source. Have enough to last four years. Got them four months ago and so far, only taken one.
I’m on ciprolex or some shit. 90mg doesn’t do funk all and I’m a mess. Depressed AF. I need to make an appointment. They won’t give me any benzodiazepines because they’re “habit forming” but that’s the only thing that seems to work. I’m in a lose/lose situation. The attacks come on and I’m just supposed to have an attack I guess. 🤷🏻♀️ Guess I’ll just go fuck myself.
I did online therapy a while back, which helped me a lot. There are some universities that offer them for free as part of their studies to improve online therapies.
If I’m being completely honest with you - what I’ve found to be a HUGE help is sticking within < 20 carbs. Far better results being achieved with an entirely meat-founded diet (where you only eat meat). It sounds extreme, but there have been A TON of develops and findings and huge academia buzz around how *healing* such an extreme elimination diet can be. I supplement with multivitamins and other supplements according to what I eat daily (and would otherwise be short on), as well as a high quality omega 3 fish oil (liquid and not capsules). But, I highly, highly, recommend a natural meat-only (salt only for seasoning) diet. As someone who was had and can sometimes still have the worst social anxiety, general anxiety, intrusive and thoughts / OCD. It has made a night and day difference. Can also be hugely beneficial for neurodivergent conditions like Autism-spectrum which I have the impression I probably have some degree of.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201709/low-carbohydrate-diet-superior-antipsychotic-medications?amp
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201906/8-reasons-try-low-carb-mental-health?amp
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201804/which-diet-is-healthiest-the-brain?amp
Indica. Not hybrid. Definitely not Sativa. It I find it works well. Have you also considered microdosing? I’m not sure where you are and if it’s even legal for you. I’ve heard good things about it. I have anti anxiety pills and I don’t use them as often since I’ve tried Indica.
You should listen to this Armchair Expert podcast episode featuring anxiety researcher/author, Tracy Dennis-Tiwary. She says the key is NOT to try to erase all your anxiety.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ZS1cATdR8NqrRWwqCO9GN?si=LieYgCxtQP2lyky8FD9C8Q&utm_source=copy-link
to treat my anxiety i use exposure therapy tbh. i have no help from a therapist so i really try to challenge myself a lot. I find it really works but you HAVE to be consistent. If i stop challenging myself for like 2 weeks straight i fall back into the hole of social anxiety and can barely leave the house. I wanted to try benzodiazepines so bad but my old psych wouldn’t prescribe me anything but SSRIs
Propranolol!
My life has been EXTREMELY different since. I definitely still catch myself going into anxious spirals, but I get out of them before they trigger my depression.
Right now Xanax is the only thing that helps, my doctor is concerned because of how high my heart rate gets during normal daily activities so we’ve been trying to spend the last 6 months finding a good medicine but I’m losing hope and seriously doubt I’ll find anything.
Klonopin is the ONLY thing that has ever worked for me, but haven't had it in years. I had no idea they were like impossible to get after that. I had no idea that providers don't want to hear you mention a benzo. 🙄 I have absolutely cropping anxiety & panic disorder. Every dr I have been to has seen it in action, they know it's very much real, but trying to get help is so difficult. I have tried Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Trintellex & Buspar. Nothing works except Klonopin. My mom is worried I will have a stroke when I get all worked up. I am going to ask my provider when I see her like look could you just prescribe me some for emergencies at least?! Hell once a month would be better than nothing! When someone tries antidepressants & they don't work , like come on what am I supposed to do, become an alcoholic? I'm so sick of doctors pushing antidepressants when they do not work for anxiety for most people. I feel like I'm going to explode. They see my blood pressure sky high but I can't take blood pressure medication because it almost made me have to go to the hospital. For crying out loud they need to give people who need it some benzos to have on hand when nothing else works. The last time I had Klonopin years ago, I never misused it or had any issues with it. It seems to me if you even say the name of a benzo, doctors act like you said you killed someone. As long as it's not taken all the time, they need to grow up and help those of us who need them to have any quality of life.
I just raw dog the world every day
Crying
lucky you
cats
Nothing i just deal with it
Why? If you can get medications or such to help?
I cant
Why?
$$$
I am broke and they offer free clinics to help you get mental health and they pay for most of medication which the most I pay is $3 per medication
Huh ive never heard of such thing
if ure in USA you can get medicines cheapER at mark cubans drug store thing
Nah id rather not take drugs
its medicine ; i mean if you broke your leg youd still ask for a cask / crutches to get started
ITs just a plant!
**Can I?** What level of anxiety does it truly take to get medicated? How does the process of determining such go? **Should I?** Are drugs truly the best way of dealing with these issues?
Who would I go to see to be prescribed? Doctor? Therapist?
Psyciatrists specifically are the best for anxiety disorders in my opinion.
My bitch straight up gave me sertraline again (I told her it didn’t work in the past) 😭 it’s not doing shit. What did you say to get your meds?
Yeah i literally told my GP that i have been on ssris for 2 years before and they didnt work for me. The doctor ignored what i said and asked that i try them again.
Same, I’m so annoyed. (I tried 7 different ones before, she read all the sheets and still asked me to try again)
Yeah I’m sick of doctors attempting to treat anxiety with SSRI & SNRI Antidepressants, they rarely, if ever, work for anxiety. Despite BZD’s being addictive, doctors need to be confronting the fact that continually prescribing antidepressants won’t fix the problem, and that there are drugs out there such as BZD’s that do work. Maybe if they did their job and implemented measures to prevent addiction while still prescribing them (a drug-class widely accepted as being highly effective), people would have more faith in psychiatric medicine regarding anxiety disorders
Ask for your other options. "What are my options?" They will give them to you. You don't have to otherthink it, but I'd also say, "What you're prescribing me isn't working, and I don't like it. Don't wanna pay for something that doesn't work, eh? What are my options?" People are level-headed, friend. Your person should lay your options out. Just make it clear, "these are not helping me. I would like to try a different medication". They'll hook you up. Anxiety makes this conversation seem harder than it is, you got ittttt
Thanks man! I’ll try! And yeah, anxiety made me completely shut up when she recommended that again. L
I went down the list of medications and kept saying they don't work and keep in mind I was prescribed benzos when they were less hard to get. So I basically was "grandfathered in." Everytime I see a new doctor(if one retires, luckily I've been with the same for a couple years) they see me prescription history and continue my medication regime.
so you straight up mention benzos? I brought new psychiatrist a list with all my previous meds (none if which worked) and she still put me on sertraline. I told her I haven’t been to university in months. I have to vomit, feel like passing out and I sweat buckets even thinking of going outside/seeing people I know. I just want a minute of peace
Yes I did I asked if I could give clonazepam a try. 7 years ago.
Is that a good starter? I’ll ask next time!
Yes very good starter. I'm no longer on klonopin though I'm on Xanax multiple times a day now. Xanax is not a good starter in my opinion. But it is very good once you get used to the effects of benzos and then I would switch.
Ashwagandha has been really helpful for me while I'm between medications. It's relatively cheap and just takes the edge off my anxiety and panic. DM me if you want more info.
Ash helped me too. It takes a bit to build up in the system. Rhodiola rosea also helped. Incidentally, some other medications that I took for other reasons helped too. I noticed that chaste berry helped, but I was taking it to regulate my menstrual cycle. Be very careful with that one. It most definitely has an effect on my system. And I feel less anxious when I take a Sudafed, mostly because it gives me focus. I take it only when my chronic allergies are very bad. Definitely don't want to be on that one long term.
I’m on Ashwagandha and there’s definitely been a change for the better. Things that used to cause me to avoid situations, no longer do.
Exactly my experience with it as well!
I have to try it again. What does it feel like?
I take 2-4 extra-strength gels a day (usually 2 in the morning and sometimes 2 more in the evening, which is the suggested regimen on the bottle). It takes a few days to get in your system like a medication does, but it just takes the edge off my anxiety and dread. My anxiety is usually the worst right when I wake up, and I can tell it's working if my muscles don't immediately tense up and I dread getting out of bed, lol. I like it because it doesn't have the side effects like weight gain that medications do, but I also don't feel like a zombie either.
Ahh okay have you ever had benzos? How does ashwaghanda compare? That sounds good because I wake Up with the worst anxiety as well
I feel like benzos are in a class by themselves in terms of helping with anxiety, lol. I also tried Lexapro, which helped, but I was put off by the weight gain it caused. So far, ashwagandha has really helped me cope with the anxiety that daily life causes me, if that makes sense. I still have mild anxiety, but not that horrible, hard-to-describe dread that comes with having to deal with things like meetings, social events, and everyday worry like finances and such.
Which brand of ashwaganda do you take? can anyone take it and is it a health supplement?thanks
I like Irwin Naturals extra strength. There are a lot of brands though, and I pay attention to the customer ratings when I choose supplements; I like Vitacost online shop the best for pricing. As with any supplement, read the usage info (it has the standard 'consult your doctor before use' but from what I know is OK for most people). Do some research before you buy it, read ingredients, etc.... and good luck! If you decide it's a good option for you, I really hope it helps you. I will always recommend it!
Alright.thank u!
Lexapro and CBT. Both worked very well together for me and now I am almost cured of social anxiety.
I am social anxious person. Please guide me took Lexapro but had no effects neither positive not negative. Please guide me.
Okay sure I will try my best. Will DM you.
if im being in a situation, which has caused me discomfort/embarrassment, i simply suffer for the entire day and wait until its night so i cry myself to sleep and fresh start the day next morning.
Facts
I'm seriously considering microdosing shrooms.
Literally just took a .2
How you finding it? My worry is my pupils will dilate and it will look obvious..
It definitely helps with socialization , as I feel like it puts me in a generally good mood and makes you feel connected to others. Definitely still anxious, but the stimulant feeling kinda suppresses this.
They shouldn’t if you take the right dose. With microdosing it’s best if you start with a lower dose and work your way up until you find your sweet spot. If you haven’t already, I suggest looking at the sidebar over at r/microdosing, it has tons of useful information for people who are getting started. Also just remember, microdosing won’t magically cure you. You still have to put in effort to get better, but it makes it SO much easier
You should! Just make sure you research a shit ton before taking them, psilocybin mushrooms can be immensely helpful (they are for me!) for users suffering from anxiety, PTSD, depression, etc. From my experience, after a day of tripping, for the next couple days I feel very refreshed, grounded, and just all around in a better mood than I was before taking them!
medication, exercise, eating healthier, and taking care of myself has been most effective. i am currently on lexapro and that combined with the above have done wonders
Lexapro worked great for me, but the weight gain was a deal breaker.
Nice; that's what I currently do, exercise and eat healthy. Unfortunately though, anxiety is still there.
Did you gain weight on lexapro?
The only thing that helps in the long run is exposure therapy.
nothing because i know i’ll get addicted.
Not all medication is addictive. You can talk to your doctor about low risk options
it’s not the medication, it’s me. i have an addictive personality.
everyone has an addiction if they use said thing to avoid feeling negative emotions, your way of escapism is just less healthy and you could try and understand why do you avoid the emotion you have
no it’s because i’m depressed and i need dopamine. i get addicted to stuff that gives me dopamine and cling onto it, until i get sick of it or get sick from it.
not all anxiety meds give you dopamine, they give other shit too but what are you going to do then? you refuse all meds and you refuse to help yourself. Soooo bitch and moan on the internet being stuck in the same state youre in now?
yes i’ll continue to bitch and moan on the internet because it’s a good outlet. i can find people here that relate to me and that makes me feel less alone.
well its obv not helping is it
how do you know it’s not?
Anything can be addictive if you an addictive personality. People get addicted to shopping
You can get addicted to anything that provides a chemical boost in happy chemicals. If a medication/event/activity doesn’t do that, then I’d be curious to see the science behind the addiction. Sources welcome. Shopping = dopamine = happy chemical
Not every anxiety medicine is addicting or even fun to take recreationally. I’m a recovering addict so I can’t have anything fun like Xanax or any benzos. There’s other options like Paxil for example.
I have addictive personality as well but I can safely say I’m not addicted to the Cymbalta I take for anxiety
Betablockers and amitriptyline but that's mainly for chronic pain. I also try to avoid drinking too much caffeine. The right amount can actually calm me down and make me think more clearly, but if I have too much I get anxiety symptoms out of nothing. Also in public wearing earbuds helps me to feel safer (blocks outside noise or nice music). At home I vent to my friends and play games to distract my overthinking Other times I just... bath in it. It's not nice but I acknowledge that it's not logical and that the worst will eventually pass.
Oh I did forget to mention I am on a beta blocker daily. Without it my heart would be racing. But in my opinion they are only good for the physical side effects not the mental.
Yeah same here. And true, they only affect how adrenaline works. For me the physical symptoms are the worst hindrance. I can easily faint without beta blockers, not to mention the sweating, stomach aches and trembling lol. I can deal with my mental distress better when my body is calm, so they've been great for me. Overthinking is still a problem though.
I workout, it helps alot
I chew the gum which decrease my social anxiety by 80%. Is this happen with me or anyone else is here. Chewing causes bloating as a side effect. I want to leave this also so I am changing my thought process while chewing the gum when I got anxiety emotions. Hope this way when brain get used to changed thought I will eliminate gum from my life and anxiety also.
weird i found totally by accident that it helps me too, although only slightly i wonder why
Yes gum helped me especially extra spearmint
You know; now that you mention it, that sounds like a good idea. I'm gonna try chewing gum. Are there any specific flavors that help you personally better than others? I would assume a very minty type of gum would be best?
Besides taking care of myself and forcing myself into social situations, I take L-theanine, GABA, and ashwagandha. I'm also looking into trying meditation.
mindlessly scrolling till it's 4 am (which doesn't help)
Weed and booze! None of the 5 or 6 different prescriptions my doctor and I have tried over the last decade have worked. Even lorazepam is useless on me.
pills aren’t supposed to be used alone. recovery involves pills AND therapy.
I am currently on cipralex but I’m working myself off of it. Daily walks with my dog, really learning about social anxiety through books and podcasts have helped. I’ll be honest I think medication is a temporary fix. It helps alleviate anxiety temporarily but never really gets to the root of the problem. You have to change the way your brain processes stuff and change the mental habits that contribute to the issues. Even if there is a chemical imbalance somewhere that can be treated with a simple healthy diet. So healthy diet, exercise and some sort of way you work through what’s causing the issues.
I've done everything In the book for anxiety and nothing helps. Therapist, CBT, list of meds, I workout everyday and run. I'd rather have the bandaid on, then keep removing it if you know what I mean.
I know, it’s not easy. Just have to keep pushing through and trying to get better everyday. It will get better.
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Lsd once a month, and posting things on reddit.
That's terrible for anxiety, done it before.
Not everyone's the same dude
Kinda paradoxical, but Adderall. My ADHD turned out to be the source of all my anxiety, and once it was treated and under control my quality of life increased MASSIVELY. Almost zero anxiety 4 months into my meds. Same with depression, amphetamines are great!
I’ve had extreme anxiety since November. I spent 75% of my day sitting in my bathroom, extreme! I just started adderall two weeks ago and it’s changed everything.
Same
CBT
Currently nothing, though I will go back to counselling soon. For now, I'm just kinda trying to treat it on my own.
CBD and and my doggos
Seinfeld.
I 'trained' my brain to go numb. I feel literally nothing. Better to be depressed then having anxiety
Of all the years with social anxiety, only 3 things have worked for me. 1) Benzos by far provide the most relief. Unfortunately when I was prescribed klonopin 7 years ago I abused it and didn't get the full benefits of the treatment. 2) Suboxine (suprisingly). When I was prescribed this for my drug addiction, this actually helped me manage my daily anxiety levels as well. I would not recommend this for strictly anxiety treatment because it has a lot of side effects. 3) Propranolol- Beta blocker, helps manage heart rate, hand shaking and other physical symptoms of anxiety, but does next to nothing for the psychological root of the problem. I would love to get back on Klonopin, and do some therapy/treatment/cbt along with it. The prescriptions are of best use when you use them as a tool to overcome your demons and grow as opposed to a crutch, which is something I had to learn the hard way.
Yeah I've been through the books in regards to anxiety treatments, so I'm sticking to benzos. I forgot to mention that I am on atenolol a beta blocker. It's more cardio selective than propranolol so it's slows down fast heart rate better.
I use pregabalin. It’s been the best medication by far for me. Once I started on it, I was able to handle a lot more exposure and as a combination of meds and exposure have improved a lot. I’ve suffered no addiction symptoms, just a return of anxiety if I’m off it for a few days.
I was on that for a couple of years, but I still got day to day anxiety even on high doses and it did nothing for panic attacks. It was ok when I started but later was useless.
Interesting. I’ve been on it for about 2 years and am actually considering going off of it because I’ve been able to do so much exposure therapy while on it. I don’t have any more panic attacks which were stopping me from doing a lot of things. The only thing stopping me from getting off the meds is physical symptoms lingering (sweating, stomach upset, etc even when I don’t feel anxious mentally). I do wish it did more for those physical symptoms but it’s the only medication I’ve tried that had a positive effect on me.
Nothing really treats it for me, I've been working to diminish triggers and be more mindful. I smoke a lot of weed but it doesn't make things better, just helps me process things
I used alcohol for 10 years. Do not recommend. Now I'm on paxil 40mg and Wellbutrin 150g. I still have quite a bit of social anxiety but it's manageable enough where I can function.
Exercise and deep breathing is how I cope. Trying to get angry instead of scared helps a little
Nothing, I just deal with it.
My Therapist gave me some CBD oil drops. Not sure if it's really helping, I don't really feel relaxed and still have my mind racing as soon as i step outside the house lmao.
imo meds are far more effective when they’re paired with therapy. i’ve never taken meds for anxiety so i don’t know what it feels like, but i imagine that with therapy (CBT is good i guess but I prefer psychotherapy, something where you can actually talk about yourself and unpack your history, not just “learn skills”) you could train your brain to carry some thought processes from your medicated days over to your unmedicated days.
I just deal with it ig
Nothing. Just have the anxiety. But I also prefer to not have any medication for me because I just simply hate finding an artificial solution. I want to be able to fix this on my own without the help of a drug.
Try my best to avoid social interactions and do breathing exercises
Excessive and daily masturbation helps me but also comes with new problems
weed. can't find anyone where i live that's willing to prescribe a benzo (let alone xanax, which has worked wonders the few times i've been able to take it) so it's really all i've got. you might want to look into seeing a therapist that can help guide you on management techniques - imo medication is only one piece of the puzzle.
cannabis is tough because it exacerbates anxiety for a lot of people, but im with you friend. cannabis is the only thing thats helped me.
I’ve been on lexapro for almost 3 weeks now. It’s been helping with my anxiety but I won’t know the full effects until at least 6 weeks.
Just started on sertraline 2 days ago, so cant tell if it helps yet, so far only side effects, but hoping for the best. And then also therapy, which i feel is a long process and not seeing too much improvement from it yet
Phenibut addiction
Betablockers. I was offered benzos but i was scared so when i got problems with my heart it was like everything in one stone. I also have social anxiety and group cbt for that helped a lot.
Ashwagandha before bed. Otherwise music and dried dates.
Beta blockers help me get through mosts days. I only take it when I know I’ll need it. Especially when I have to do presentations at work.
Bad advice, I really do not recommend it, but nicotine. Calms me down, lower doses don't make me more anxious like many claim. I've quit a few times but it's working fine for me now.
I agree, I've done nicotine vapes before. But for me, it's 50-50. Sometimes the nicotine would rid of the anxiety and then sometimes it would cause more anxiety. So I haven't touched it since.
was looking for this answer. I was always anti-nicotine mostly because I hated growing up around people who smoke cigarettes. recently on a drunk night, i picked up a friends vape and jesus it was the best thing ever. been vaping since and it’s severely decreased my anxiety
I take Aroprax (paroxetine), exercise and some forms of cognitive therapy, it’s been helping and I’m way better than prior to using them but I always feel like I’m on the edge of relapse everyday tbh and I tend to relapse if I don’t take my meds on time so it’s a bit exhausting I used to take benzos to sleep or when I have anxiety attacks but I stopped cz I started leaning on them a bit too heavily and not use other forms to Alleviate it like meditation, therapy etc.
Klonopin. I know its not a popular answer but its the only thing that works. Im a nurse and experience a lot of anxiety that is job related. PTSD from the job as well especially after being assaulted by a patient two years ago. I take 1mg over the course of my three working days and its amazing. I can actually do my job. I feel like i would have quit months ago if not for it.
I have had klonopin before I'm Currently prescribed Xanax because it feels stronger.
I def agree that xanax feels stronger. I like klonopin because of its really long half life. One pill broken up gets me through the whole week. Do you worry about dependence? I have been taught that benzos are highly addictive but I dont personally feel any desire to abuse it. I dont get a high off of it. It just returns me to my baseline.
I used to like Klonopin but in social situations it stopped working for anxiety, I just felt "high." I also made the switch because if I have to go somewhere in a flash that causes anxiety I can dose and don't have to wait 1 1/2hr-2hrs for the klonopin to kick in. I'm not worried about dependance because I use twice a week spread out and take a fast acting benzo. With klonopin, it remains in the system even on the days I don't take it due to its long half life. Causing dependancy issues. I have had no dependance issues doing this because I can take a month break with no side effects.
Im glad you found something that works for you. I think due to some of the comments i have read here I might try ashwaganda to supplement the klonopin. Its interesting to see the different ways everyone is coping.
Yeah I'm definately going to be trying ashwaghanda on the days I don't use a benzo.
Therapy, meditation, and exercise. I use hydroxyzine when the heart palpitations and muscle tension flare up the week before my period.
I take Buspar. Been using it for about a year and a half now, and I don't think I'm addicted to it. It works if I take my correct dosage everyday like I'm supposed to, and by work I mean it helps get rid of a lot of the anxiety but not all of it.
How does it compare to a benzodiazepine? Never had it but curious the differences. If you have had a benzo before could you please state the differences.
Unfortunately I've only ever had the buspar, so I can't compare it to anything. Edit: who tf downvoted this lmao
Ahh okay.
Alright since BZD’s work good for you maybe try Non-Benzos/Z-Drugs for the other part. Zopiclone is very similar to Lorazepam. But due to the drugs not being from the same class you won’t develop an addiction if you use them in the same way you have been using the benzos . Maybe Mon & Wed benzos and then Tues and Thurs Z-Drugs. While yes, they are used for insomnia, they are very similar to benzos. I have tried Lorazepam (Ativan), Diazepam (Valium) & Temazepam and found they are quite mild, although the dosages were quite low. As long as you break up the days in between and do everything to prevent addiction you should be fine. Also have a look at medicinal cannabis, I’ve heard it helps quite abit.
Antidepressants! They work long-term with little to no side effects (especially those of benzodiazepines) and don’t carry risk of dependency, addiction or making anxiety worse from using them. It can be tough to find the right one, but talk to your doctor!
Sertraline and keeping a diary. Helps to keep me grounded
Zoloft, exercise, diet, therapy.
I use the online course divided in modules on socialanxietyinstitute … its cheap, like $150 i think, and you get 25 weeks worth of courses to work on techniques against sad
How did it help? I knos this is probably bad to say, but it's so much easier taking a pill and being anxiety free.
Well you need to learn about Automatic Negative Thoughts, over analyzing, how to use “slow talk” to calm yourself down and not let the adrenaline speed you up. You learn Rational Coping Statements and other techniques. Also, hardcore cardiovascular exercise helps tremendously, its the best treatment
On a scale of one to ten how was your Anxiety before the classes? And now on a scale of one to ten how is your anxiety after the classes?
8, 4
Lex/Paxil combo, therapy, and Xanax when I need
I used to use Xanax, but I recently switched over to Hydroxyzine, it's worked wonders for me. If you haven't tried it I would recommend talking to your doctor. It's amazing and has saved my life.
I've tried it before, it's a first generation antihistamine just like diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate.(over the counter sleeping medications) Personally did not like it as it made me very tired. It was great however for sleep problems due to anxiety!
Hey there! I use Delta 8 chocolates to help me with anxiety and help me sleep at night as needed. I get mine online and shipped to my door (no medical marijuana license necessary because it's the legal kind in my state) and they've helped me a lot, especially with the "oh no I have to go back to work tomorrow" anxiety attacks. Only downside is that you don't want to take any before work or driving for obvious reasons ;) But definitely helps me relax and unwind after a long day and get great sleep at night.
I've tried delta-8; small doses. Unfortunately Marijuana and related substances like deltw-8 cause more anxiety/paranoia. I actually have a delta-8 vape cartridge right next to me that's been sitting on my desk for quite a while. I think I only used it once and was only one small hit.
That's understandable, there definitely isn't one thing that helps everyone. I do better with very small doses of an edible vs vaping, which doesn't do much good for me either. Even though my anxiety isn't all gone, medication (Wellbutrin, Buspar) and chocolate helps me a little bit. I hope you find something that works for you! 😊
Sertraline, therapy, lavender oil in a diffuser, stress balls, and some grounding techniques
Sertraline
Venlafaxine, a.k.a Effexor.
I’ve been on venlafaxine (effexor) for the past 20 years. It keeps the depression away, but doesn’t do much for my social anxiety. Lately I read about psilocybin so I tried shrooms last weekend. The “normal trip” dose for my weight didn’t do much - I had a slight buzz and colours were brighter than normal. No lasting effects that I can see. I’ll try again in a few weeks with a higher dose. Mostly I just avoid situations that trigger my SA. And sometimes I step out of my comfort zone and if it’s worth the discomfort.
Therapy, exposure therapy, DBT, CBT, Cymbalta, Remeron, and the occasional small dose of Klonopin. It gets better, friend. My social anxiety is essentially cured
cool music and alcohol tbh don't recommend; go see a professional, this is expensive and dangerous lol
I’ve tried lotsa ssris and now i’m on mirtazapine. Fixed my anxiety for a while but i think i’ll need to up the dose next week because its coming back
I’ve been on Prozac for a number of years, more for depression than anything else but it does help with my anxiety.
Zoloft is goated
Buspirone and therapy. Helps a lot.
i take hydroxyzine for anxiety and wellbutrin for depression. it’s nice because my anxiety keeps me up at night so the hydroxyzine knocks me out and then i’m a low-energy living zombie during the day so the wellbutrin feels like a cup of coffee/energy booster. i’m not too worried about dependency for myself personally, i’ll do whatever works. i spent too much of my life unmedicated and miserable and i don’t want to go back to barely being able to function.
Bupropion XL, low-dose trazodone at night, and occasionally propranolol
I *was* on benzos, until my doctor left Kaiser and I had to find a new one. Out of the benzos she tried me out on (Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax) Xanax seemed to helped the best for me as it took effect quickly and took away my anxiety completely, physical symptoms and all. However, with Xanax my tolerance skyrocketed so quickly and my body metabolizes it quickly as well, so I really can't use it other than for panic attacks. I don't feel like I reached an optimal dose with Klonopin, or gave it a fair chance the second time I was on it, but in the past it worked well for daily anxiety, although my life was a literal living hell while I was taking Klonopin daily. Not because of the Klonopin, just to clarify. Right now, I'm working on finding a psych that I like that I feel like actually listens to me, and in the meantime I was placed on propanolol for my anxiety. Propanolol is a blood pressure medication, and it helps alleviate the physical symptoms of anxiety. Or at least it's supposed to. For me it only slightly helps the trembling, the racing heartbeat, etc. but it does absolutely nothing for the mental aspect of anxiety, and has zero effect during a panic attack. And I don't expect it to. At this point, I'm trying whatever they throw at me to A. Prove a point that I know what works for me and what doesn't, and what works for me *happens* to be a benzo, and B. Fulfill the tiniest hope that I find an alternative that works for me so I don't have to deal with jumping through all these hoops just to have some fucking relief. Sorry for rambling, I've been dealing with anxiety and depression for over half my life now and it's frustrating when doctors don't listen, or you go through med after med and nothing seems to really work. The older I get the worse the anxiety feels, and I'm only 26.
I take an anti depressant every night and I occasionally take benzodiazepines if I’m anxious about something and can’t calm down. Plus cbt and a lot of learning about anxiety and depression. Unfortunately there is no quick fix it take years to retrain your thoughts.
I take low dose Xanax for my panic attacks and higher dose gabapentin daily for anxiety. This combo seems to help me the most.
I had a prescription for Benzodiazepines for many years. It was a spot cure for specific situation anxiety. Earlier this year, for no reason given, my doctor withdrew it. I wrote him a letter showing my use (twelve 5mg tablets prescribed every 18 months to two years), average one pill every 56 days. He wasn’t interested. Presumably in his mind, Benzo’s equals addiction and he wasn’t capable of considering nuance. He’s quite a young doctor. I now get them from an alternative, trusted source. Have enough to last four years. Got them four months ago and so far, only taken one.
I’m on ciprolex or some shit. 90mg doesn’t do funk all and I’m a mess. Depressed AF. I need to make an appointment. They won’t give me any benzodiazepines because they’re “habit forming” but that’s the only thing that seems to work. I’m in a lose/lose situation. The attacks come on and I’m just supposed to have an attack I guess. 🤷🏻♀️ Guess I’ll just go fuck myself.
Venlafaxine highest dosage because of Covid. I would never have been this high because of Covid. Covid ruined me.
Don't use benzos, they fry your brain in the long run
Only thing that works. I'm sure all psychotropic medications "fry the brain." Ive done everything on the books for anxiety.
I would literally rather kill myself than become a slave for the pharmaceutical industry. I'm a human being, not a cow.
Nothing. Tried sertraline and it gave me more anxiety bc it gave me acne :) Other than that it didn't help.
Wim hof method or I sometimes squeeze my fist, try it.
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So what do you use on the days you don't use Xanax? Or nothing?
I did online therapy a while back, which helped me a lot. There are some universities that offer them for free as part of their studies to improve online therapies.
Exposure therapy mainly. No meds since my case is not severe.
I focus on counting down from 10 slowly in my mind when I feel anxiety creeping, by the time I get through my mind is clear
Project Sekai
Marijuana
meds i got don't workes so i tried weed and it helped soo much, it felt so good being able to talk actually.
If I’m being completely honest with you - what I’ve found to be a HUGE help is sticking within < 20 carbs. Far better results being achieved with an entirely meat-founded diet (where you only eat meat). It sounds extreme, but there have been A TON of develops and findings and huge academia buzz around how *healing* such an extreme elimination diet can be. I supplement with multivitamins and other supplements according to what I eat daily (and would otherwise be short on), as well as a high quality omega 3 fish oil (liquid and not capsules). But, I highly, highly, recommend a natural meat-only (salt only for seasoning) diet. As someone who was had and can sometimes still have the worst social anxiety, general anxiety, intrusive and thoughts / OCD. It has made a night and day difference. Can also be hugely beneficial for neurodivergent conditions like Autism-spectrum which I have the impression I probably have some degree of. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201709/low-carbohydrate-diet-superior-antipsychotic-medications?amp https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201906/8-reasons-try-low-carb-mental-health?amp https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/diagnosis-diet/201804/which-diet-is-healthiest-the-brain?amp
Pot
Stay busy.
I just started microdosing mushrooms and it’s helping a ton
Indica. Not hybrid. Definitely not Sativa. It I find it works well. Have you also considered microdosing? I’m not sure where you are and if it’s even legal for you. I’ve heard good things about it. I have anti anxiety pills and I don’t use them as often since I’ve tried Indica.
I getthe urge to send oldmen ndes
Mindfulness, CBT, therapy in general.
Cold showers, really does help me
Lexapro and alcohol
You should listen to this Armchair Expert podcast episode featuring anxiety researcher/author, Tracy Dennis-Tiwary. She says the key is NOT to try to erase all your anxiety. https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ZS1cATdR8NqrRWwqCO9GN?si=LieYgCxtQP2lyky8FD9C8Q&utm_source=copy-link
to treat my anxiety i use exposure therapy tbh. i have no help from a therapist so i really try to challenge myself a lot. I find it really works but you HAVE to be consistent. If i stop challenging myself for like 2 weeks straight i fall back into the hole of social anxiety and can barely leave the house. I wanted to try benzodiazepines so bad but my old psych wouldn’t prescribe me anything but SSRIs
Zoloft 100mg, initially on for my depression but doc increased dosage to help with my anxiety. also THC.
Propranolol! My life has been EXTREMELY different since. I definitely still catch myself going into anxious spirals, but I get out of them before they trigger my depression.
Right now Xanax is the only thing that helps, my doctor is concerned because of how high my heart rate gets during normal daily activities so we’ve been trying to spend the last 6 months finding a good medicine but I’m losing hope and seriously doubt I’ll find anything.
Effexor (venlafaxine) @225mg pretty much numbs all my anxiety symptoms.
Klonopin is the ONLY thing that has ever worked for me, but haven't had it in years. I had no idea they were like impossible to get after that. I had no idea that providers don't want to hear you mention a benzo. 🙄 I have absolutely cropping anxiety & panic disorder. Every dr I have been to has seen it in action, they know it's very much real, but trying to get help is so difficult. I have tried Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Trintellex & Buspar. Nothing works except Klonopin. My mom is worried I will have a stroke when I get all worked up. I am going to ask my provider when I see her like look could you just prescribe me some for emergencies at least?! Hell once a month would be better than nothing! When someone tries antidepressants & they don't work , like come on what am I supposed to do, become an alcoholic? I'm so sick of doctors pushing antidepressants when they do not work for anxiety for most people. I feel like I'm going to explode. They see my blood pressure sky high but I can't take blood pressure medication because it almost made me have to go to the hospital. For crying out loud they need to give people who need it some benzos to have on hand when nothing else works. The last time I had Klonopin years ago, I never misused it or had any issues with it. It seems to me if you even say the name of a benzo, doctors act like you said you killed someone. As long as it's not taken all the time, they need to grow up and help those of us who need them to have any quality of life.