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Is Anxiety An Everyday Thing?
I'm 18. I've been diagnosed with anxiety, i have panic attacks & i am perscribed Xanax for when i need them. Everyday for the past month I've been feeling down.. I can't seem to focus on anything, I find myself staring at everything, and worrying about nothing. I often get headaches, and feel sick. I recently had this thing happen, i woke up, tryed to walk & i was so weak i couldn't, i was shaking all over, and i was so light headed and dizzy. I've also been stressed out alot and i'm not sure why, could it be that i recently quit smoking? I worry everyday & don't really feel like myself anymore.... someone please help?!
Addiction is a term that is often misused when talking about dependency. Dependency is simply a physical need for a medication, where without it (after taking it regularly for long periods of time)...w/d symptoms will occur.
Addiction involves a more complex mental aspect, with cravings, impulses. Someone who is addicted to something will often do things out of character in order to get more, and will often abuse it, ingesting far more than prescribed, recommended, to the point where harm could occur.
Any benzo can cause dependency IF taken regularly. If it is onlt taken "as needed", meaning not every day, at a scheduled time, then dependency is not an issue. People also do abuse benzos when they are an addict, but that's not what I was referring to. That's a whole different subject.
Addiction involves a more complex mental aspect, with cravings, impulses. Someone who is addicted to something will often do things out of character in order to get more, and will often abuse it, ingesting far more than prescribed, recommended, to the point where harm could occur.
Any benzo can cause dependency IF taken regularly. If it is onlt taken "as needed", meaning not every day, at a scheduled time, then dependency is not an issue. People also do abuse benzos when they are an addict, but that's not what I was referring to. That's a whole different subject.
Hello there.
Yes, anxiety can occur every day, but it doesn't have to stay like that. You're right at the age when an anxiety disorder (like panic disorder, GAD, social anxiety disorder) presents itself for the majority of people who are diagnosed.
It sounds like you've already reached out for help from your doctor, that's a great start, but obviously, what you're doing presently isn't getting the anxiety to an acceptable, manageable level.
I would recommend asking for a referral to a psychiatrist who can discuss with you the options you have for treating the anxiety. Anxiety disorders are commonly treated with SSRI antidepressants, like Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, Celexa, with a good deal of success for a lot of people. Those meds help to manage the symptoms, while you would work on learning different coping mechanisms in therapy. Therapy is very important. CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is a great form of therapy for people with anxiety. If you can find a therapist who is well versed in CBT, that would be optimal.
As for the Xanax, it is prescribed "as needed" because it is a short acting benzodiazepine that isn't indicated for regular, long-term use. It's best taken either as a rescue med (like you're taking it), or if it is needed on a more regular basis at certain times, then courses of regular treatment should be limited to short amount of time. That's because, being that it is rapid acting, if you take xanax regularly for an extended period of time, you would experience both tolerance, where you would need a higher and higher dose to maintain the same level of effectiveness, and also dependency, where your body would become used to it to the point of having w/d symptoms if you stopped taking it.
There ARE longer acting benzos that would be more suitable for longer term use, due to the long half life, and the way it builds in the system. Klonopin would be an example. Xanax doesn't build in the system like Klonopin does, so when taken regularly, a lot of "ups and downs" will result, often making anxiety worse.
If a longer term med is needed, I personally would recommend trying an antidepressant first rather than regular use of a benzo, because they are habit-forming. To take it as needed though, when anxiety is high, or you're having a panic attack, is the right thing to do...it WILL help you in those moments. I've been on an as needed dose of Ativan (another short acting anxiolytic) since I was 18, and I've not had any issues. It works for me when I need it, but I don't need it more than here and there, so I'm not having to worry about tolerance and dependency.
Please keep us updated, okay? Hang in there!!
Yes, anxiety can occur every day, but it doesn't have to stay like that. You're right at the age when an anxiety disorder (like panic disorder, GAD, social anxiety disorder) presents itself for the majority of people who are diagnosed.
It sounds like you've already reached out for help from your doctor, that's a great start, but obviously, what you're doing presently isn't getting the anxiety to an acceptable, manageable level.
I would recommend asking for a referral to a psychiatrist who can discuss with you the options you have for treating the anxiety. Anxiety disorders are commonly treated with SSRI antidepressants, like Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, Celexa, with a good deal of success for a lot of people. Those meds help to manage the symptoms, while you would work on learning different coping mechanisms in therapy. Therapy is very important. CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is a great form of therapy for people with anxiety. If you can find a therapist who is well versed in CBT, that would be optimal.
As for the Xanax, it is prescribed "as needed" because it is a short acting benzodiazepine that isn't indicated for regular, long-term use. It's best taken either as a rescue med (like you're taking it), or if it is needed on a more regular basis at certain times, then courses of regular treatment should be limited to short amount of time. That's because, being that it is rapid acting, if you take xanax regularly for an extended period of time, you would experience both tolerance, where you would need a higher and higher dose to maintain the same level of effectiveness, and also dependency, where your body would become used to it to the point of having w/d symptoms if you stopped taking it.
There ARE longer acting benzos that would be more suitable for longer term use, due to the long half life, and the way it builds in the system. Klonopin would be an example. Xanax doesn't build in the system like Klonopin does, so when taken regularly, a lot of "ups and downs" will result, often making anxiety worse.
If a longer term med is needed, I personally would recommend trying an antidepressant first rather than regular use of a benzo, because they are habit-forming. To take it as needed though, when anxiety is high, or you're having a panic attack, is the right thing to do...it WILL help you in those moments. I've been on an as needed dose of Ativan (another short acting anxiolytic) since I was 18, and I've not had any issues. It works for me when I need it, but I don't need it more than here and there, so I'm not having to worry about tolerance and dependency.
Please keep us updated, okay? Hang in there!!
I had anxiety that lasted for days (not just GAD but panic attacks). My attacks didn't last a few minutes then go away. They kept going and going and going. It was horrible. And while Xanax helped (which that can make you dizzy as well) it wasn't until I started Zoloft that I started feeling back to normal. I still take both and have the xanax for emergency situations.
Your stress could be caused by any number of things, or a combo of them. The Xanax will help you more if you take it regularly ( if the bottle says once or twice a day, do that.) If it says 'as needed', then you should see your doctor and request a regular dosage. This is because anxiety meds work best when taken on a regular basis, and not just when you feel bad. Hope this helps! - Blu
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