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Misc Anxiolytic meds

maxade

maxade

Ex-Bluelighter
Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Messages
1,025
Location
NY
Are there any medications besides benzos that have an anxiolytic effect?

Anti depressants or any other kind of medication.

No herbal stuff thanks. Need something steady.
 
Psychiatry loves chucking SSRI/SNRI's at people but I find them to be garbage. Parnate (and MAO Inhibitor) is also used for anxiety, but I'd stay away from that shit. You eat the wrong thing on that or the EmSam patch and you're stroking out or having a hypertensive crisis with a migraine only a Barbiturate would fix.

Neuroleptics have been used off-label as anxiolytics, but they can cause akathisia which just compounds the original problem. I think most of their efficacy comes from just zonking people out anyway. When you lack serotonin and dopamine, you don't give a shit about anything.

In some cases low dose amphetamine can help, but only in certain treatment-resistant cases, and those usually involve patients with ADHD.

Benzo's are king when it comes to anxiolytics. If you can find a doctor to Rx them, and you can keep yourself from dosing on a schedule, that's the way to go. Takes a lot of discipline to use them in this manner though.
 
I have been prescribed MAO inhibitors before for these types of issues, however, I also found that these type of medications change who I am. I really don't like that aspect of medications, which is why I stopped taking MOA inhibitors and my ADD medication. I have some experience with going to doctors about pain/anxiety, and many of these doctors are unwilling to prescribe me Benzos, because I am young. One medication that I was prescribed that worked pretty well is Gabapentin. This works well for nerve pain, and well as helps with anxiety. Two medications that are more directly like Benzos, in the way it affects you, are Cyclobenzaprine and Soma. I know it has benzo in the title, however I looked it up and it is not a benzo. This might sound odd because Cyclobenzaprine is used for pain but it seriously has similar effects to valium. Soma, I haven't used very often, however I have sold it to many people. And according to those people it is really relaxing and helps them with their anxiety. Soma and Cyclobenzaprine both have the potential for abuse but if that's not the problem you have with Benzos, then you should be fine. Do you care to expand what your issue is with Benzos? I hope you find something that helps.
 
Cyclobenzaprine is actually a TCA. A class I left out. Tricyclic Antidepressants can work well if you can tolerate the side effects from them. Migraine and somnolence being the main two.

Children, I'm very surprised you're able to get Carisoprodol easier than a Benzodiazepine, considering it metabolizes into a Barbiturate.

Generally Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid is the go to guy for anxiolysis, but agents that agonize these receptors carry horrible dependency issues, so serotonergics tend to be preferred when possible.
 
I can't get Benzos and too addictive for everyday.
Heard of Dothep? It is a TCA and is supposed to be anxiolytic.
 
Different things work for different people. SSRIs did nothing for me, but I find SNRIs effective. I know some people who get some relief from SSRIs, though.

Unfortunately, the only thing you can do is try different things until something sticks.
 
Hydroxyzine, a first generation antihistamine, has been shown to be as effective as benzodiazepines without excessive sedation or addiction or withdrawal. It is commonly used in detox facilities to help manage anxiety and I can tell you that personal experience shows that it actually is one of the few things that truly does more than placebo for me. It is also the only antihistamine that I can tolerate besides it's active metabolite, cetirizine (Zyrtec). Almost no side effects.

Gabapentin is commonly used in place of benzodiazepines. I didn't like the stuff and I've heard the addiction and withdrawal can be just as bad as benzodiazepines themselves but it is effective for a lot of people and doctors hand the crap out like candy unlike benzodiazepines.

Pregabalin is in the same class as Gabapentin. I found less side effects from it but it's expensive and I needed a really high dose, it also had a euphoria that I found myself chasing so if you have problems with addiction, I recommend avoiding it.

Phenelzine is worth looking into if you can stick to an MAOI diet. Out of all the MAOIs, phenelzine actually has a metabolite that actually significantly increases GABA levels in the brain. For some reason the metabolite itself was never marketed but phenelzine is said to be the most effective antidepressant for anxiety by far due to that metabolite. My psychiatrist was not comfortable giving it to me because of my sensitivity to medications and the reactions that I've had.

There are other meds out there that can be effective for anxiety but carry way too many side effects to take them just for anxiety. These include Depakote (divalproex sodium), Zyprexa (olanzapine), and Tegretol (carbamazepine) which all have been effective in anxiety reduction but have some pretty heavy side effects so I would stay away from them.

Something that is readily available that works for anxiety is phenibut. No prescription required, no sketchy gray area stuff. The problem is that it builds tolerance rapidly and it is an agonist at GABA-B which is known to have nasty withdrawals and can cause dependence very quickly. It works extremely well, however, you just shouldn't use it more than 3 days in a row followed by at least 2 days off to minimize the addiction risk.

There are a bunch of obscure Russian drugs like afobazole that are said to be good for anxiety. I have only messed with one, picamilon, and it threw me into a state of benzo withdrawal both times I tried it so I tossed it.

There are tons of these bandaids out there but you have to be careful. Things that are anxiolytic tend to have action directly or indirectly on GABAergic systems and can all end up in GABA down regulation which is what causes so much nastiness coming off of them. If you can avoid relying on a chemical to kill your anxiety and instead focus on cognitive behavioral therapy, physical fitness, diet, etc, you can fix the problem before it blows up in your face in the form of a serious addiction or nasty side effects that so many of us on this forum and elsewhere have experienced and live with. Trust me, you don't want my life or the life of anyone who got caught up in the cycle of misery that is medicating and medicating to try and stay ahead of the hell that inevitably awaits us.
 
Thanks MagickalKat777 I will give some of those you mentioned a go.
 
I take 75mg of Dothiepin/Dosulepin as a long-term practical alternative to Benzo's and it works pretty well for my generalised anxiety.

If you can't get Dothiepin/Dosulepin, there are plenty of other similar Tricyclics out there to consider, see list here ---> clicky.

As MagicalKat777 said, Gabapentin and Pregabalin are also well worthy of a mention. Pregabalin was easily the best, but it did make my brain a little too foggy. Could've perhaps just needed to cut back on my dose a little bit, but I was using it in a higher dose to help ease neuropathic pain.

In terms of effects, I don't think you can really beat a Benzo, but they're just not practical to use in chronic cases of anxiety. Fine for the odd week or two of use, but any more than that and you're just adding fuel to the fire with respect to dependence and tolerance.
 
I am glad I read this thread... just made a thread about the same exact thing..

I'm going to keep asking for pregabalin, perhaps I will try depakote but the side effects seem to be rough.

Gabapentin sucked for anxiety and the brain fog was shitty.. I only used it for 1/4 of a month, honestly.

--- amitriptyline seems like a good TCA, at least for anxiety.. and helluva lot better than mirtazapine.
 
Last edited:
MagickalKat777 said:
Hydroxyzine, a first generation antihistamine, has been shown to be as effective as benzodiazepines without excessive sedation or addiction or withdrawal. It is commonly used in detox facilities to help manage anxiety and I can tell you that personal experience shows that it actually is one of the few things that truly does more than placebo for me. It is also the only antihistamine that I can tolerate besides it's active metabolite, cetirizine (Zyrtec). Almost no side effects.

Gabapentin is commonly used in place of benzodiazepines. I didn't like the stuff and I've heard the addiction and withdrawal can be just as bad as benzodiazepines themselves but it is effective for a lot of people and doctors hand the crap out like candy unlike benzodiazepines.

Pregabalin is in the same class as Gabapentin. I found less side effects from it but it's expensive and I needed a really high dose, it also had a euphoria that I found myself chasing so if you have problems with addiction, I recommend avoiding it.

Phenelzine is worth looking into if you can stick to an MAOI diet. Out of all the MAOIs, phenelzine actually has a metabolite that actually significantly increases GABA levels in the brain. For some reason the metabolite itself was never marketed but phenelzine is said to be the most effective antidepressant for anxiety by far due to that metabolite. My psychiatrist was not comfortable giving it to me because of my sensitivity to medications and the reactions that I've had.

There are other meds out there that can be effective for anxiety but carry way too many side effects to take them just for anxiety. These include Depakote (divalproex sodium), Zyprexa (olanzapine), and Tegretol (carbamazepine) which all have been effective in anxiety reduction but have some pretty heavy side effects so I would stay away from them.

Something that is readily available that works for anxiety is phenibut. No prescription required, no sketchy gray area stuff. The problem is that it builds tolerance rapidly and it is an agonist at GABA-B which is known to have nasty withdrawals and can cause dependence very quickly. It works extremely well, however, you just shouldn't use it more than 3 days in a row followed by at least 2 days off to minimize the addiction risk.

There are a bunch of obscure Russian drugs like afobazole that are said to be good for anxiety. I have only messed with one, picamilon, and it threw me into a state of benzo withdrawal both times I tried it so I tossed it.

There are tons of these bandaids out there but you have to be careful. Things that are anxiolytic tend to have action directly or indirectly on GABAergic systems and can all end up in GABA down regulation which is what causes so much nastiness coming off of them. If you can avoid relying on a chemical to kill your anxiety and instead focus on cognitive behavioral therapy, physical fitness, diet, etc, you can fix the problem before it blows up in your face in the form of a serious addiction or nasty side effects that so many of us on this forum and elsewhere have experienced and live with. Trust me, you don't want my life or the life of anyone who got caught up in the cycle of misery that is medicating and medicating to try and stay ahead of the hell that inevitably awaits us.
Click to expand...

Everyone's different. I'm completely happy taking medication for [things including] anxiety. After some trial and error, I found a medication combination that keeps me stable and comfortable and has few side effects. Cognitive behavioural therapy and "diet" modification didn't help me when I couldn't leave my house for a year and the suggestion that they can help severe, crippling anxiety is a bit insulting. Most of us who live with it have tried thinking our way out of it, with or without help from professionals, and there is absolutely no shame in recognising that you may need to take medication for an illness.
 
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