Scared of meds for anxiety

That’s great. What medication?

When I had an anxiety attack that stopped my breathing before dawn making me jump out of bed...and threw up some stuff seconds later but seemed like eternity getting my breathing back, I ASKED the doctor how to make sure that I won't it again at night, I was offered to sleep overnight under watch in hospital. Of course I slept well.

Later as I was offered CBT, and I said, I know it , and can do it myself, I did find out that it was my fretting about my five full-time years of my devoted research, writing, editing that no one seemed even interested in looking at it much less publishing, that caused my deep anguish into physical signs.

I Grew Up (I guess it was ten years ago, I am 80 now) that in life, our hopes are Shattered, trusts destroyed and accidents can change our lives for ever. But We Forget. Once I realized that (call it self-CBT) I think I'm maturer. To take care where I can as in food, activity/play, and using time that makes me feel good about myself (purposeful living) seems to help me sleep well and have a body that gets me an independent living without meds or health experts which still leaves me Looking for a few Friends everyday...without one yet,

I hope we all find our few friends who can make our lives wonderful when it feels hopeless.

Please be very careful with Klonipam(sp) - several years ago I was hospitalized for depression and had to go through withdrawal from anxiety medication because I had been addicted after taking it for years- under the supervision of my psychiatrist. I visited this doctor after my 3 day hospital stay and he simply said “oh well you weren’t even on the maximum dose!” It was a terrible withdrawal that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I am on a cocktail of other medications (from a different doctor) that are non addictive and manage my depression and anxiety. I’ve gained some non-medicinal tools to control my anxiety such as yoga and meditation.

@pattisnag
What cocktail are you presently on? My daughter has anxiety disorder and psych just throws her pills and don’t help. Curious-

I’m on buspar, Wellbutrin, amitryptaline and abilify. Adding the abilify seemed to be the thing that made everything else work better. I know everyone is different and this combination might not be right for others. But I went through a couple of years when they were just throwing stuff at me to see what would work. Be patient and make sure she’s following up with talk therapy too.

Thank you Patti. I see my psych this week and going to see who he recommends in his group for her. It’s an insurance thing also. I just know she needs a face to face visit with someone right now who can hopefully help her.

There are so many possible interactions between these medications that it is virtually impossible to determine what might work ahead of time, setting aside the issue of efficacy.

Consider the following math:

Drug one: 25 possible side effects, total side effects possibilities 25
Drug two: 25 possible side effects, total side effects possibilities 625
Drug three:25 possible side effects, total side effects possibilities 15, 625
Drug four: 25 possible side effects, total side effects possibilities 390,625.00
Drug five: 25 possible side effects, total side effects possibilities 9,765,625.00

Statistical chance your biology is two standard deviations from the mean; 40%
The statistical chance of correct dosing is incalculable based on current data.

Medicine is trying to treat something that doesn't exist: mental. What is “mental” but a derogatory term for suffering souls, when the suffering is in the organ called the brain? Psychiatric medications, at best, treat the symptoms of the underlying trauma, much of which the brain can heal itself given the correct environmental inputs and human connections.

I doubt we’ll ever see an ad for that kind of treatment.

When we see the system for what it is, it can no longer hide.

May everyone live in the good health they deserve.

Pick your poison