I was prescribed gabapentin for my lifelong anxiety disorder, and it was a disaster. Whereas it resolved some anxiety, it also erased my personality and my normal sense of self. You could characterize that as depersonalization or "zombie effect." I felt that the "zombie effect" was much worse than the anxiety. And, then, because gabapentin is subject to discontinuation syndrome, it took one month to wean off, being very conservative on dose reduction.

When my neurologist prescribed it, I refused. It appears to work simultaneously on two pathways, neurological and anxiolytic. The pathways end up being conflated and there is no separation when you take this medication. I told my neurologist that my brain was more important than my leg and she understood. If, in fact, in the future, my pain becomes intolerable I will re-visit gabapentin, asking my neurologist if I can take a very small sub-therapeutic dose, to evaluate my mental status and see what I can do. But that's for the future and this is now. My Mom was also diagnosed with PN but I do not know the specific diagnosis. She too had problems with gabapentin making her feel "loopy" and finally declined it. For persons without psychiatric disorders gabapentin is probably a surer bet.