do i turn to BENZOS ?

[YehMan]

hello fellow bluelight been a long time reader and decided to make an account to get your opinions so first things first I am in my mid 20's very shy quite person don't tend to talk much to other people which really pisses me of cause I would love to be outgoing and make friends but I find it hard.I feel like I need that pill to take away the nerves and give me that bit of confidence to go out there and be the man I know I can be. i am well aware of the dangers of benzo use long term but feel like I have no other option my quality of life is 0 atm. Seeing the Doctor and asking for a benzo is a waste of time and propanol has no affect. What would your next step be? What's the best benzos to start on and what dosage?

 

[4meSM]

That's a difficult question to answer because we don't know the full extent of your situation, you have to balance the pros and cons. I'm sure more experienced users will be able to give you better advice. Though you should probably talk to a doctor or psych because we aren't here to recommend you drugs.

It's natural to want to take a pill and think it'll solve all your current problems but sadly it's not that simple. Benzos can be very habit forming if you have anxiety, then you'll get physically addicted and I'm sure you know how dangerous the withdrawals are (extremelly neurotoxic if you're taking high doses and even deadly). This is more of a concern if you don't have a prescription. What if you run out before you're able to buy more?
Also benzos don't really solve the issue long-term, they just mask it and sometimes they just stop working and can actually make your anxiety worse.

That being said, they can also be a life saver for some people who can't find relief elsewhere.

Have you considered therapy, physical excercice or perhaps joining a social club/hobby where you'll find people with similar interests?

 

[elvis_wears_nikes]

To be honest I think you should try to deal with the underlying issues of your social anxiety before resorting to medication particularly benzos. Psychology and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be really helpful. Benzo's may help to mask your symptoms initially but should only really be used occasionally rather than long-term as they can be very addictive and end up making your anxiety worse. This is especially true if your self-medicating for anxiety and depression as you are more likely to become addicted to them. Plus the rebound anxiety of benzos can be more severe than your initial anxiety and if you are unfortunate to become dependent on them the withdrawals will make severe anxiety seem like a walk in the park. That is my honest advice and that is coming from someone who was self-medicating with benzos and my mental health was far worse post benzos.

 

[YehMan]

Thanks for the reply's guys the last time I seen a psych I got pushed to the side and forgot about funnily enough I am going to see a new one tomorrow and am afraid the same will happen again iv got so many things to say to them but afraid I will freeze up in the moment and forget everything I am contently putting on a brave face but inside its unbearable any advise would be great?

ps I should add I was prescribed diazepam for 2months 15mg a day it worked great but then one day wouldn't prescribe it again if my psych or doctor wont prescribe it again I would be self medicating just making sure I don't become dependant .

 

[elvis_wears_nikes]

Make a list of the main things you want to discuss or the main issues if you are worried you might forget? That might be helpful. That's the thing about benzos you quickly build a tolerance to the effects and you usually experience more negative effects than positive ones the longer duration they are used. That's why they are most effective if they are used occasionally for example if your terrified of flying or going to the dentist. There are other medications that can help such as SSRIs for long-term anxiety and that are also less habit-forming. Sometimes a combination or therapy and medication can be more helpful.

What you definitely don't want is to be on benzos long-term as you will become tolerant to the effects i.e they will stop working, and you will become physically and psychologically dependent on them. But definitely speak to a professional about your options but therapy is more effective if you go for regular sessions so you talk through your problems rather than going every now and again - if that is possible for you. I know the restraints in healthcare can be particularly severe especially in mental health. That is if you are fortunate enough to be able to fund therapy if your only option is to go privately!

 

[nancy145]

In my opinion, Benzos taken as needed with a strict limit on how often would be worth the risk here. However, Benzos should be used as a last resort. You should try several other drugs for this before considering benzos. I reccomend seeing a doc and telling him your issue, don't ask for Benzos (or any other specific drug or class) though. He'll probably put you on something else. If you see a doctor, prioritize what he tells you to take over what I suggest here, but I'll list a couple options in case you don't see one or if what he scripts doesn't work. First thing that came to mind here was Seroquel. Its an antipsychotic, usually prescribed for insomnia, anxiety, schizophrenia, and (i think) bipolar. Pretty good for anxiety, although it is really sedating and will make you drowsy (but so will 99% of other anxiety meds). It isn't physically addictive, but you can become dependent on it making it harder to socialize when not taking it. There's a bunch of side effects, you should look them up, but honestly it's not as dangerous as it sounds because it's not like you'll get every side effect possible. There's busparione too, it's basically harmless. It only works on about 50% of people though, and isn't all that effective for about 75% of people. Its not really sedating though, and there isn't any significant short or long term side effects, nor is it addictive. You have to take it daily, and let it build up in your system over a few weeks before it's fully effective (Simalar to an SSRI), so if you try it don't give up and think it doesn't work until like 2 and a half weeks in. Zyprexa is another option, it's an atypical antipsychotic that's Moderately effective. It's very sedating however, and has some significant short term side effects, but not too much long term. Significant weight gain is common. Rarely it can cause breast development in males, but usually takes years to be noticeable, but also years to go away after stopping. There's cannabis too, indica is better for anxiety, but you can't really go to a lot of social events high. Cannabis can also cause anxiety, but usually fear and paranoia related, not social. Since you already have anxiety though, it's a greater risk for you. Another option is kava root. Its an OTC plant, legal for all forms of use, and arguably safer than caffeine. Kicks in very quick, but doesn't last too long, so you'll have to redose. Not too effective, but its worth adding on to another drug. Taking it, however much or often, is almost harmless, but after 3 months of daily use you need to take break or it can damage your liver. That's all I could think of off the top of my head, but if I think of another I'll edit it in.

 

[elvis_wears_nikes]

In relation to benzodiazepines, the risks do need to be weighed up against the impact your anxiety is having on your life but I can't stress enough that they should be not be used more than infrequently. I think you should avoid going down the toxic psychotropic drugs that psychiatrists are too happy to hand out because it is easier and cheaper than therapy unless you will actually benefit from them. If you are not experiencing psychotic symptoms then you don't need to be on the anti-psychotics Seroquel and Zyprexa as you are more likely to become even more withdrawn and experience more problems and potentially even acquire more diagnoses that were not there to begin with.

I'm definitely not saying to refuse medication, and you should take professional advice, but I think this video really stresses the problem that psychiatric medication can have and you should be able to make an informed decision about your treatment:

Please have a look at this informative video, it is by TedMed titled: On a Scale of One to Ten, How Crazy are You?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRIv1Vlc3Wk

I really wish you all the best.

 

[Mmp85]

Keep in mind that drugs are prescribed off label, just because it's an anti-psychotic doesn't mean it's only for psychosis. I've taken anti-seizure meds for anxiety.
I think you need a combo of meds and therapy. A lot of antidepressants have anti-anxiety properties.
If you're having sudden anxiety attacks a benzo would be helpful "as needed". But not as your only solution.

 

[keeping]

i know you've already mentioned it OP but i feel the need to reiterate that benzodiazepines are ridiculously addictive, and the withdrawal from them can result in fatal grand-mal seizures. they should only be used as a last resort and never used daily, maximum weekly when your anxiety really flares up.

Diazepam aka Valium is your best bet for all round anxiety. its kind of the basic bitch benzo - the porridge that was just right: medium strength, medium duration, medium sedation. if its panic attacks that are the issue a faster-acting benzo like alprazolam (xanax) might be more appropriate as it kicks in real fast but its quite strong and people tend to blackout on it. clonazepam is the other end of the spectrum, comes on slow and last for a very long time, its still super strong tho. for sleep theres ones like nitrazepam (mogadon) and the list just goes on and on.


have you tried SSRIs? you should really consider them before going down the benzo road, its hard to come back fronm

 

[YehMan]

yess I am currently takeing 45mg of mirtazapine every night which is the max doseage for that drug which is for the depression side of things and also it helps me sleep I have been diagnosed with GAD (general anxiety disorder) and panic disorder today and I am due to see a psychosis specialist in the next few weeks I know Benzos work really well for me but I carnt see my doctor prescribing it
Thank for your reply's and any advise is greatly appreciated

ps I feel it went really well today seeing the psych he promised to get the best of help

 

[keeping]

i find the lower the dose of mirtazipine the less the SSRI effects are prevalent and the sedative effects comes through stronger, but that might just be me.
doctors are sensibly hesitant to start going down the benzo road - its a real bitch to make a u-turn on.

 

[carkatz]

To be honest I think you should try to deal with the underlying issues of your social anxiety before resorting to medication particularly benzos. Psychology and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be really helpful. Benzo's may help to mask your symptoms initially but should only really be used occasionally rather than long-term as they can be very addictive and end up making your anxiety worse. This is especially true if your self-medicating for anxiety and depression as you are more likely to become addicted to them. Plus the rebound anxiety of benzos can be more severe than your initial anxiety and if you are unfortunate to become dependent on them the withdrawals will make severe anxiety seem like a walk in the park. That is my honest advice and that is coming from someone who was self-medicating with benzos and my mental health was far worse post benzos.

perfectly said..yeah benzos don't do anything for your anxiety in the sense that it just numbs and masks it therefore you're never able to really deal with the actual anxiety. As elviswearsnikes also posted, cbt can be a lifesaver as well. I used to take benzos everyday and it did nothing but make me crazy with no inhibitions and just numbed me out.