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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

College Student with Generalized Anxiety

I exercise 3 times a week, but still struggle with anxiety and social phobia....what's your solution now?

Exercise isn't the cure-all. Don't get me wrong, exercise helps A LOT, but so do meds. Use either or both at your own discretion.
 
I cycle between 50-100 miles per week and i still suffer with crippling anxiety and depression.

Drugs are not always the answer but neither is exercise.
 
My psych put me on benzos my first visit, along with an SSRI, but that wasn't taken. An SSRI, or perphaps another type of anti-depressant would likely help your "mild depression", and anxiety, but they do carry unwanted side-effects for some. If your anxiety is bad enough, and the insomnia is bad enough benzos might be prescribed, but daily benzo use is really questionable for anyone, but sometimes seems necessary. Benzos and "z-drugs" used PRN (as needed) could be good for you as you say you have spikes in anxiety and stress. Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin seem to be the most common benzos used for anxiety, and all are good for use as needed.
 
I take Paroxetine - 1 year now. I don't have any intentions of stopping; my depressive episodes are few and far between, now.
 
Exercise daily. Get out of your comfort zone as much as you can. That's how I got over mine. Look forward to things that scare you. Look forward to the feeling of pissing your pants in front of everyone during an oral. Treasure that feeling. It's exhilarating and fun. Your one measly little life out of 6 billion, so just enjoy your life cause you only live it once. One day you'll be looking back on all the things that made you anxious and just laugh. Who cares?

If its a "psychologist" you will get nothing, as psychologists can't prescribe medications. If its a psychiatrist you will more than likely be given an antidepressant like Celexa or Paxil. Don't go there expecting to be put on benzodiazepines because chances are you won't, especially if you are going to school.

You don't need drugs to get over anxiety problems. Psychologists can help a lot.

I cycle between 50-100 miles per week and i still suffer with crippling anxiety and depression.

Drugs are not always the answer but neither is exercise.

I'm too lazy to look up the study, but exercise is statistically more effective than some popular anti-depressant medications.
 
After reading around and talking to people it seems I will most likely get a basic antidepressant for a trial run for a month or two and if severe anxiety still occasionally occurs after that I will get a small amount of benzos per month, much like you. What is your thoughts on not doing the therapy?

deep down, i know i need therapy, it would probably help eliminate most of the root causes of my problems but my severe avoidance is stopping me from doing it. hopefully i will be able to go to some form of councelling soon.
i actually am signing up for an anxiety study tomorrow with one of the universities in my town, hopefully it not only benefits them but helps me out in some way too.
 
I'm a college student and I'm prescribed propanolol 3x20mg and lorazepam 2x1mg a day for generalized anxiety. The propanolol helps, and I usually binge on the ativan for a week after I get them to avoid dependence. Just my 0.02
 
I went to the psychiatrist today and I received 3 prescriptions. One for Paxil, Xanax, and Ambien. With the Paxil I take 20mg in the morning, the Xanax is 1mg to be used in panic attacks and I get 20 of those a month. I can use the Ambien as need too. I also have to meet him once every two weeks but I do not mind since it is free through the school.

Also, exercise isn't the cure to my problems. I am on the rugby team and we practice 4 days a week and have at least 1 game a week. I am not in the absolute best shape possible but I wouldn't consider myself unfit either. Thanks for all the help from everyone.
 
^damn, your starting dose is a mg? if you are new to benzos, you are really gonna feel that.



maybe it alone is not the cure to your problem, but exercise helps with anxiety so much it's absurd. people who do not exercise just don't know how good they could feel--obviously this is not addressed to you, op.

and i have a hard time believing that anyone recommending pot for GAD really knows much about the disorder.
 
I went to the psychiatrist today and I received 3 prescriptions. One for Paxil, Xanax, and Ambien. With the Paxil I take 20mg in the morning, the Xanax is 1mg to be used in panic attacks and I get 20 of those a month. I can use the Ambien as need too. I also have to meet him once every two weeks but I do not mind since it is free through the school.

Also, exercise isn't the cure to my problems. I am on the rugby team and we practice 4 days a week and have at least 1 game a week. I am not in the absolute best shape possible but I wouldn't consider myself unfit either. Thanks for all the help from everyone.

Well now, I must say that I'm surprised. He didn't just give you Ambien, but Xanax too! And he started you at 1mg? That will definitely put you out of a panic attack. Probably put you out. Usually 0.5mg is prescribed to start off to see how it works. So you came out with some nice goodies.
 
I'd split the Xanax in half for panic attacks, unless you have a benzo tolerance 0.5 mg should calm you down. 1 mg for a non-tolerant individual is a fairly large dose, but if the panic attacks are that bad, maybe you need the whole mg. I doubt it though, a whole mg could have you a little too sedated. I'd only use the Xanax as needed, one of the worst things you can develop benzo dependence, but Xanax is a great drug taken as needed. The Paxil should help with the anxiety, or not, it should take a few weeks for you to get used to it, and for it to start helping. The Ambien should help you sleep, but some don't get a lot of success out of them. Use them as needed, I wouldn't use them everynight unless you want to be dependent on a z-drug for sleep, which you definitely don't. Z-drugs are very benzo-like, but can't be technically called benzos. So, it sounds like you made out good, got what you needed. Don't get frustrated if the Paxil doesn't work, it may take time, and if it still doesn't there are other drugs.
 
Well now, I must say that I'm surprised. He didn't just give you Ambien, but Xanax too! And he started you at 1mg? That will definitely put you out of a panic attack. Probably put you out. Usually 0.5mg is prescribed to start off to see how it works. So you came out with some nice goodies.

He emphasized "sparingly" for both the xanax and ambien. For the Xanax he also said make sure I am having a panic attack I can't stop and that I don't need to be alert anytime after taking it. I googled some dosages and I was also surprised at how much he gave me.

I'd split the Xanax in half for panic attacks, unless you have a benzo tolerance 0.5 mg should calm you down. 1 mg for a non-tolerant individual is a fairly large dose, but if the panic attacks are that bad, maybe you need the whole mg. I doubt it though, a whole mg could have you a little too sedated. I'd only use the Xanax as needed, one of the worst things you can develop benzo dependence, but Xanax is a great drug taken as needed. The Paxil should help with the anxiety, or not, it should take a few weeks for you to get used to it, and for it to start helping. The Ambien should help you sleep, but some don't get a lot of success out of them. Use them as needed, I wouldn't use them everynight unless you want to be dependent on a z-drug for sleep, which you definitely don't. Z-drugs are very benzo-like, but can't be technically called benzos. So, it sounds like you made out good, got what you needed. Don't get frustrated if the Paxil doesn't work, it may take time, and if it still doesn't there are other drugs.

I definitely do not want to develop any sort of dependencies. I plan on using them responsibly and only when needed. Thanks for the suggestions.
 
Yeah, 1 mg could put someone with no tolerance out like a light. It did for me when I had no tolerance, and if I did stay awake, well I was nicely sedated.
 
psychologists don't prescribe drugs... psychiatrists do, and a psychiatrist is most likely to Rx you a low amount of an SSRI made to treat anxiety and depression, or maybe some atarax (hydroxyzine) for the anxiety if it persists.... don't expect to get benzos...
 
just do nothing about it, ignore it and pretend its not there. push all those anxious feelings into a little ball in your stomach that will eventually turn into a tumour.

works for me.
 
psychologists don't prescribe drugs... psychiatrists do, and a psychiatrist is most likely to Rx you a low amount of an SSRI made to treat anxiety and depression, or maybe some atarax (hydroxyzine) for the anxiety if it persists.... don't expect to get benzos...

He did get prescribed them, in fact he even got Xanax...and 1mg as needed!
 
sorry about my insensitivity a couple of post back but seriously, i think its a bad idea to go down the drugs route. the pharmaceutical industry is a corrupt monster dishing out rubish. they pick and choose the drug trials that give them the results they want for example. anyway, whats my point? man im becoming an arsehole.
 
The pharm industry is a monster, but that doesn't mean their products always are.
 
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