If you have anxiety disorder and panic attacks wouldnt you need to be placed on a benzo…?
Daredevil: People ask quest. on here to get advice or an opinion on similar situations that other people have already been through – Simple as that.
Edit: And yes with a SSRI…
Note: Daredevil has edited his answer – tnx =)
Not necessarily! See a psychiatrist and find a therapist you are comfortable with. And have a thorough medical exam and basic blood work done by your family doctor. And take the results of the test with you to the appointment with the psych!
Why? Some medical conditions have anxiety or panic attacks as a symptom. Some conditions increase anxiety to where you can’t handle it with out help. Or have you started on any new medications lately? Some have anxiety as a side effect!
But see a psych and if you’re not totally comfortable with how you’re treated, find another! After 7 years, 4 psychs we finally found one that is a good fit with my husband who has an anxiety and panic disorder. Most of them just want to write scripts and not tell you anything. This doctor looks at the entire person. He checks all my husbands lab tests and medications. Husband has been thru all kinds of therapy, classes, etc. They have helped him understand his condition better and he is learning to deal. But on the other hand, he has numerous medical conditions and takes a lot of medicines and that all adds to the issue.
Good Luck and don’t be afraid to ask for help and to push for your rights as a human being!
Comments
Comment from ssssssssssssss
Time September 2, 2009 at 2:33 pm
That is up to you. That is like saying "I have a headache, do I need to take an aspirin"? I m not trying to be a smart A**. That is something for you and your doctor to discuss. He/she will choose the right path for you to take.
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Comment from luckylindywho
Time September 2, 2009 at 2:38 pm
You can… but its not going to help cure your anxiety issues. It will only treat the current onset. You need to be in therapy preferably counseling and exposure therapy works wonders. You need to learn to control your anxiety and not succomb to it by taking medications. It is ok to have on hand but don’t become dependant on them. They can make you worse then you think you already are.
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Diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder when I was 4 yrs old. Suffered many panic attacks, been placed on many drugs that didn’t work after awhile and have succesfully gone through exposure therapy and is now drug free… for the most part. take xanax only if severe and cannot control on my own.
Comment from bella-d46
Time September 2, 2009 at 2:56 pm
when you have panic or anxiety see a doctor and they could help. they will put you on a anti-depressant of course and maybe something else just to take the edge off, like a low miligram of xanax. i had panic attacks myself and i’m on cmybalta.but the number one pills are paxil and zoloft.
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Comment from M M T
Time September 2, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Not necessarily! See a psychiatrist and find a therapist you are comfortable with. And have a thorough medical exam and basic blood work done by your family doctor. And take the results of the test with you to the appointment with the psych!
Why? Some medical conditions have anxiety or panic attacks as a symptom. Some conditions increase anxiety to where you can’t handle it with out help. Or have you started on any new medications lately? Some have anxiety as a side effect!
But see a psych and if you’re not totally comfortable with how you’re treated, find another! After 7 years, 4 psychs we finally found one that is a good fit with my husband who has an anxiety and panic disorder. Most of them just want to write scripts and not tell you anything. This doctor looks at the entire person. He checks all my husbands lab tests and medications. Husband has been thru all kinds of therapy, classes, etc. They have helped him understand his condition better and he is learning to deal. But on the other hand, he has numerous medical conditions and takes a lot of medicines and that all adds to the issue.
Good Luck and don’t be afraid to ask for help and to push for your rights as a human being!
References :
Comment from Daredevil
Time September 2, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Any of the diazepams are very addictive. To be used only on as needed basis. SSRI are better, such as zoloft, paxil, welbutrin for long term, along with a drug in the family with the diazapam — alprozoam (xanax).
Xanax is the best and fastest acting for anxiety. To be used as needed, and no more than 5 consecutive days in a row.
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Comment from And your point would be…..?
Time September 2, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Not necessarily. Really benzos should be for emergencies only or if for maintenance therapy used in conjunction with another med and therapy. All of the benzos have a high potential for addiction (some more than others) and can actually cause rebound anxiety, making you more dependent on them. There are lots of antidepressants (SSRIs), mood stabilizers, antipsychotics (don’t freak out, they’re used for lots of things) such as Seroquel or Risperdal that can help with anxiety without as much risk of addiction. Buspar, which gets mixed reviews, is also used for anxiety, but is not habit forming. You have a lot of options before turning to benzos. Plus, you’re fairly young–if you start taking benzos now, what’s the next step? I just don’t think it’s a good idea. Get a good therapist–you may have to shop around, and that’s okay. If you meet with one and don’t like him/her, there’s nothing wrong with saying, "Okay, I don’t think this is a good fit, let’s try someone else." But dealing with the underlying cause of your anxiety and doing some thought/behavior modification will go a long way to easing some of your symptoms. That way you’re treating the cause instead of just masking it with meds. Talk to your doctor and he should be able to come up with a good combination of medication and refer you to a good therapist. Good luck!!!
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Too much personal experience.
Comment from Question Queen Mentally Special!
Time September 2, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I suffer them, & I don’t take any. I took Klonipin last yr for a short time. Besides, those things are dangerous & very addictive. The meds make you want to believe that they’re not helping, & then you crave for more & more doses, which is an overdose, & then you might die. I mean, you in general, not specifically. This happened to me, & they put me in a mental hospital for 3 weeks.
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Comment from hip lady
Time September 2, 2009 at 5:28 pm
i am on them. i don’t take them until i have to. i had a meeting with these people that ran this apartment complex to be able to stay. i was so nervous i was in a jurk. 10 minutes before i ad to go see them i took one. it calmed me down enough to where i could speak without being in a jerk. after the meeting was over i layed down because they make me sleepy. i won by the way
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Comment from Scarf & Barf Splurge & Purge
Time September 2, 2009 at 5:47 pm
vaughn is right…meds arent necessary..but sure make dealing with it a lot easier
at the same time..keep in mind…when it comes to meds…they arent solutions to the prob…they just tame the symptoms.
sometimes, thats all one can do. It’d probably find other ways of dealing with anxieties too…they can actually be taken care of in other ways.
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Comment from Sabine É
Time September 2, 2009 at 6:29 pm
I used to have anxiety and panic attacks and took Paxil for years. I was finally able to get off that horrible drug and heal my anxiety naturally. It took a lot of work and a total change in diet and stuff but I’m 99% anxiety-free.
I still get nervous like normal- going in for dental surgery made me nervous, but I think that’s ok– but I haven’t had any real anxiety or panic since. I get mildly nervous at times is all, but I think that’s normal.
I don’t think drugs are the answer
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Comment from anothernick80922
Time September 2, 2009 at 6:53 pm
ABSOLUTELY NOT! I was placed on Buspar for my panic attacks and its not in the same family as Benzos. It took a little longer for it to start working but I had no side effects and no chance of addiction. It worked great, I got off of em 3 months later cuz I stopped having attacks. If you need someone to talk to Im here.
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former sufferer
Comment from vaughn favrua
Time September 2, 2009 at 2:09 pm
notat all just meds and copinsg skills. if you need ahelp with the copings kills let me know i can help you
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