i think a mild benzo would be best for me....if anything at all.
i dont believe an SSRI would benefit me in anyway...I mean I am not depressed and the side effects from the SSRI variety are definately something I dont want. But..i am not a doctor.
I have been on meds 1989, 2002, 2005, each time for 3-6 months only. There are side affects going on and off the medications but I find the ones going on worse (nausea peaking after about a week). Going off was fine apart from worrying about relapsing. Some vision issues and bad dreams but nothing I couldn't cope with.
If your doctor has recommended medications then consider it carefully. They can be lifesavers but you have to give them a good trial ie 3 months minimum.
Have been anxiety and med-free for periods of upto 5 years. When the anxiety attacks re-occur they only stay for a few months each time. 1997, 200, 2003 and now 2008.
In hindsight, I'd say a pretty good track records.
In the times in between, I highly recommend the 12 step program Emotions Anonymous which takes the 12 step approach to dealing with emotions and teaches a new way of thinking and a new way of living. This is not religious.
Also have found that behavior therapy has helped me lots to learn how to deal with the physical symptoms that come with anxiety.
Also, not sure if we can recommend books here, let me know of send me an email if you want some good congitive behour therapy books. They deal with learning to recognize the thoughts that cuase the anxiety and then learning to identify and respond to those thoughts.
hahaha about the cabage...very true.
good points, Geare.
I think people who have "situational" anxiety which arises from a particular external stressor (going through a divorce, for example) may use the meds to relieve their "nerves," get a better nioght's sleep, etc. until the crisis has passed.
But those of us who have the anxiety that is "generalized" and chronic with no particular attachment to some situation are another story. If we could get at the cause or causes, then maybe the panic/anxiety would be reduced at the source -and the meds would no longer be necessary. That's the job of therapy -to dig out the prime-movers. And that was my experience; after 40 some years of anxiety and intermittent panic, the therapy finally "brought me around." No more meds, no more therapy -I just live my life, and pretty happily at that.
And all of this runs to what people hope for or expect from psycho-active medications and indeed, from medication in general: we want a "cure." To my knowledge, no medication for panic or anxiety "cures" it. Rather, they deal with symptoms. Likewise, other drugs address pain, inflammation, infection -etc.- but none cure those things. The "cure" is done by our own bodies and minds. Pain goes away because a wound heals; muscles feel better because they get rebuilt, sores clear up because we fight off an infection. The drugs support this process -but we DO the process.
It stands to reason, I think, that is anxiety provoked by a situation will go away when the situation changes, then anxiety which results from adaptations over years of time will likewise be reduced when we use other adaptations. And all that said, there is the genetic component which may make us more or less susceptible to going on "alert" status. It certainly seems reasonable to me that for some, that genetic aspect, if strong enough, may require medication throughout our lives. For her entire adult life, my mother was taking medication for "nerves," (as we called it then) but she was by all accounts a very normal, well-adjusted individual. No doubt, some of my own predisposition came from her.
Finally, there is probably a pretty vast population of people for whom meds have had the desired effect -and who are fully recovered by whatever means- but whom we don't hear from. But like satisfied customers everywhere -you don't hear from them. I can't recall ever having called my supermarket to tell them their cabbage made some really great cole-slaw. But if their cabbage had worms in it -you can bet they'd be hearing from me.
Make sense?
I have been on medication for anxiety for many years. I got off of them once a few years ago only to be put back on them when my anxiety got really bad again. I am again currenly drug free. It really isn't that hard to get off of them I was taking up to 4 mg klonipin for years. Just tapered down slowly and then quit. It took about 2 months to taper I wasn't in any hurry just didn't want to be on them any more. I still have about 20 I keep for just in case. Been off them for a few months now. staying Anxiety free well that is another story. That is something that I will need to work on for the rest of my life. It helps to know your triggers or have someone that you love and trust around you that can see when you start heading down that road. Sometimes, I would say most times you, can catch ahold of it before it get out of control. I exercise alot meditate and have a higher power that I stay in daily contact with. I was seeing a theripiest but she moved so I looking for a new one. Hope this helps