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← Return to long term xanax use
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hi, I started taking xanax 1994 due to severe anxiety, hyperhidrosis.. etc. even after grad school i remained on high doses of 2mg bars up to 5x/day. I thought safe i was in my twenties and the "doctor" prescribed them and even told be to chew them i'd having severe panic attack. Flash forward to now and i am down to 1mg 3x/day. if i run low and do t have for a day or two it's extreme misery. at one time i was out for a week and couldn't sleep, sit still, and felt like this must be like for a heroin abuser to go through then i read benzo withdrawals can be worse and last from months to years. Now i'm 57 and my brain is so dependent on them. Very scary, with one of my biggest fears is running out of xanax. Have a psychiatrist who doesn't offer alternatives other than stopping. I've been through TMS, spravato, and numerous antidepressants and the only thing i can't live with is xanax. With what i have researched i don't believe my brain could ever heal . Also believe the constant depression and suicidal ideation has been a direct link to the use of xanax. Feel hopeless.
Replies to "hi, I started taking xanax 1994 due to severe anxiety, hyperhidrosis.. etc. even after grad school..."
@orthopt I learned of a British psychiatrist who had great success removing Xanax from clients who were on very high amounts of it. Her method was slowly replacing Xanax with Valium. I told my doctor and she agreed to do so. Valium has a longer effect and weaning of the Valium was not difficult, but then I was on 150 mg of Effexor, which prevented any serious mental pain. I am today off of all medications for anxiety, after 35 yrs. I credit daily meditations to start my day and learning to live in the present, which involves ignoring thoughts about yesterday or the future. I am more than my thoughts. I continue to live in the present moment, which involves being fully conscious or aware of the present moment. Attitude is important and listening to various YouTube spiritual teachers always helps. It also helps that I am retired and experience little stress. I can't imagine being a H.S. teacher while dealing with severe anxiety. I honor you and hope I can help somehow. Hang in there.
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@orthopt
Although I was on a much smaller dosage than you and only used Xanax for about 2 years for anxiety and insomnia, I started noticing the next day I would have depression and worse anxiety and finally realized it was rebound from the Xanax. Luckily, because I was on such a low dosage, I was able to stop cold turkey and felt so much better. It has taken me another 2 years and starting on Buspirone to be able to sleep well again and feel like my old self. I would not recommend going off cold turkey after so many years and you definitely need the support of your physician but I believe there are alternative medications that can help the transition. The body has an amazing capacity to heal and there is hope! My daughter in law was dependent on Xanax and had to go to a 30 day inpatient treatment facility and now takes Trazadone and Buspirone and it is working well for her. Let us know how we can help you and please know that you are not alone and that you need to keep advocating for your mental health even if that means finding another psychiatrist. My prayers are with you.