Best DRUG use for ANXIETY!

[kratom luver]

Alcohol can be used for anxiety but the long term costs are generally too high and its much more socially acceptable to take a pill a couple times a day than carry around a paper bag concealing a wine bottle.

Forgive me for sounding stupid, but why would you need to carry wine around in a paper bag?

 

[Mr Blonde]

^ Yeah I've always wondered that as well... every time I see someone staggering around the street taking hits from a brown paper bag it's quite obvious what's in it.

 

[e4rolls]

SSRI's are increasingly being prescribed for anxiety but they are largely useless. Just about any depressants will have have SOME impact on anxiety and of course benzodiazepines are the current cornerstone of pharmacological anxiety management. Alcohol can be used for anxiety but the long term costs are generally too high and its much more socially acceptable to take a pill a couple times a day than carry around a paper bag concealing a wine bottle.

There are various herbal and over the counter ways to combat anxiety from the VERY mild chamomile, passion flower, valerian to the more potent kava kava and the stronger sedating antihistamines like diphenhydramine and doxylamine.

Anxiety can be managed pharmacologically however it is less than ideal beyond acute periods. The best way to manage anxiety would be finding a good psychologist and working on overcoming the causes of your anxiety and learning ways to mentally combat it... I know that isn't the preferred method by BLers but I just wanted to point out that taking a drug will briefly alleviate the symptoms but for true relief, you have to attack the cause and really do some work. I have found a lot of ways to personally combat anxiety by examining my thought patterns and developing strategies and breathing techniques to handle it when it arises.

I agree, the pharmaceuticals available to combat anxiety mask symptoms but do nothing to change the "stinkin' thinkin'" that is usually the root cause.
I'm sure that some people have chemical imbalances as well as poor copeing skills and will always need the medications but IME having a good therapist/ psychologist to work on issues is always helpful. It's too bad that most people can't afford to pay $100-$200 per hour to talk to a professional.

As far as what I use for anxiety, Effexor XR (venlafaxine) is the only anti-depressant that I seem to be benefiting from. I've tried citalopram (Celexa), Zoloft (sertraline) and Wellbutrin (bupropion) with little success.

Benzodiazapines are very effective for acute anxiety and panic disorders but doctors are reluctant to prescribe them for obvious reasons and if prescribed they tend to under-medicate which leads to abuse of the medicine.

 

[WARDMAN3]

For me in a panic attack situation? Klonopin.

 

[e4rolls]

I've been on 300mg Effexor XR daily for the past three years. Others on BL may disagree but Effexor has helped quite a bit for my anxiety.

I'm also prescribed 1mg Xanax for when I'm in situations where I experience overwhelming anxiety. A benzo like xanax could help if you are prone to panic attacks like I am.

As for pot -
In my experience (I think most BLers would agree) pot will make your anxiety worse.

My pdoc recently increased my Effexor XR to 300mg and my general anxiety level seems to be getting lower but I still get the acute anxiety/paranoia in public. How often do you have to use Xanax for anxiety attacks? I'm hoping that my social phobia will lessen at this high dose of Effexor. If not, I might have to push for an anxiolytic like klonopin/xanax.

 

[e4rolls]

It's different for everyone. Valium doesn't do SHIT for me. Xanax helps the best. I take 1mg and I feel fine. I've tried 10mg of Valium and .5mg Klonopin and like 4mg Ativan. Ativan helps the second most. Klonopin doesn't do shit either. Benzo's are the only thing that help with my anxiety though. Opiates help with it a little bit, but when you come down it's like 10x worse. I can't feel a high from benzos even if I try, so it's strictly no anxiety pills.

It's up to you to decide in the end. Alot of people are astonished that I don't feel ANYTHING from Valium, not even the slightest anxiety help.

Oh and also, my psychiatrist REFUSES to give me benzos. How do I tell her that the SSRI's don't fucking help and that the only thing that works are benzos without coming off as a drug seeker? Again, I CAN'T GET HIGH OFF OF BENZOS.

I don't think anyone really gets "high" off benzos. I just get relaxed, depressed, hungry and then sleepy.
IDK if your doctor will respond to you saying "I need benzos because SSRI's don't work and it's ok because I don't get high off of benzos."
I would think most doctors only prescribe benzos if the patient complains of having panic attacks every day for the past 2 weeks or more.:D

 

[delphinen]

Best drug for ANXIETY is Clonazepam without any doubt.

 

[sonic]

Clonazepam is great for anxiety. Valium is too, they just don't prescribe valium as much anymore and you need a fair amount to get relief sometimes IME. During an anxiety attack, I'd opt to take a quicker acting benzo such as xanax or ativan. Xanax is good for acute anxiety attacks, but not as good for daily use because it's shorter acting and one of the most impairing benzos I've ever done. You can ward off anxiety with a small dose of clonazepam taken daily. I don't recommend benzo addiction, but if you have constant anxiety you have to weigh out the pros and cons of benzo usage.
In a pinch anti-histamines can help with anxiety and help you sleep. Especially an anti-histamine like hydroxyzine. They won't alleviate benzo withdrawal very well though. For daytime use, you pretty much have to go with a small/moderate dose of a non impairing benzo if you want to be able to continue to function if you have a lot of responsibilities.

 

[kratom luver]

Benzodiazepines are the gold standard for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety, and often are the most appropriate option for severely disabling anxiety. It is worth bearing in mind that benzo addiction is only really a problem when you can't obtain benzos (if you're getting it off the internet or from a dealer then you can't guarantee you will always be able to get the drug and the WDs are no joke, but if you're getting it from a doctor then getting a regular supply is not so much of a problem). If it's prescribed, you can always get the doctor to taper you off the drug so that the WDs aren't much of an issue. When you're taking therapeutic doses daily, coming off with a well planned taper is relatively easy and painless (compared to trying to come off large doses taken for recreation).

If having a medical dependency is not your cup of tea, then there are alternatives. Antidepressants work for a lot of people, but it is worth bearing in mind that they take some time to start working. SSRIs and ADs from other classes, such as mirtazapine and trazodone also work. These ADs from other classes might be slightly more efficacious as they are inherently sedating, due to their antihistaminergic properties. Less effective options are sedating antihistamines, such as promethazine and hydroxyzine; they work through the sedation they induce and there is nothing specifically anxiolytic about their intrinsic mode of action.

Alternatives to drug treatment are supplements. One that is particularly effective is Kava Kava, but only certain forms are effective (try and get the fresh root). For some people Kava Kava may be superior to benzos as this herb is less imparing and will not affect your memory as much. Valerian root also works for some, but I have not had much success with this.

Although not condoned by the medical community, a low sub-recrational dose of opiates or opioids can be effective anxiolytics, although the risk of addiction is far higher than with other drugs. The risk of addiction probably outweighs the beneficial effect they have on an anxious mind, although if you have the sort of personality that can avoid addiction (rare), then they seem like the perfect option. If you make the decision to use low doses that do not cause a profound euphoria for occasional anxiety then perhaps these drugs are less likely to cause addiction or dependency. They are certainly not suitable for constant, low level anxiety such as in persons with generalized anxiety disorder. I have a friend who uses Temgesic (sublingual buprenorphine) at a dose of 0.4-0.8mg for this purpose no more than one to two times per week, with success. He has been doing this for about two years with few side effects and no problems with addiction.

 

[Newmoonrecord]

i'd recommend lexapro or talking to a psychologist. im not on any of that though.. just good old pot.

try exercise, really.

anxiety is both nowhere near as bad as you think it is, and it is also as bad as you think it is. it's one of those things where when you have it, you feel like you cant escape it, but when it's gone, you wonder how the hell you could have been so anxious in the first place.

try reading some calming techniques, or meditation or whatnot.. talking to a professional counselor really helped me though. also, getting off the stimulants also helped me.

 

[colors]

i tried clonazepam (3mg/day) and venlafaxine (200?mg/day) for 1 year each. they worked alright but they were hard to taper from.

codeine (100mg/day) and tramadol (100mg/day) worked a lot better, taken when needed. if used daily they become useless.

i think the best thing is to rotate so you don't develop tolerance/addiction, and just take what suits the situation best.

 

[ofukibenhearB4]

MDMA-kills anxiety better than any other chemical ive tried
Mushrooms-DESTROY anxiety and I mean really destroy it help you see yourself more clearly and in that state of mind you KNOW exactly what you need to be doing to keep your life on track. and once the shrooms peak, I can not imagine anxiety its just a non existent your just basking in rays of eternal beauty also these experiences are SO extrmely life changing for MANY that it does cure their anxiety/addictions/depression etc.
for most though it gives a glimps of how you should feel WITHOUT any substance and if you face your issues and work through them you can always feel like that.
Cannabis-Has actualy been the VERY most helpful thing in ACTUALY getting over my anxiety. Even though cannabis has triggered some of the worst anxiety attacks Ive ever had (it wasnt the cannabis' fault it was my own) it is for THAT VERY reason that it has been the most helpful it ACTUALY basicaly Forces me to see my life clearly, it makes directly face my challenges rather than hide behind them (klonopin) and with it I have succesfuly concquered most of my anxiety
on the other hand alcohol or benzodiazepines are often nessesary for individuals that really do "freak" the Fuck out but in no way will they cure your anxiety and likely upon discontinuation the anxiety will still be there or be worse. though for some, their anxiety disapears and they are able to ditch the benzos. ymmv go figure eh?

 

[ofukibenhearB4]

kratom luver-Im sorry but apperently you have never been dependent on benzodiazepines so in that case you really shouldnt be talking. Maybe you have used them, but obviously not long enough to gain a dependence. You say it is painless and easy to properly taper down from therapeautic doses medicaly.
hate to burst your bubble but Ive taken benzos every single day almost for the past ten years.
Ive succesfully tapered off of them twice and stayed off for several months. However it was NOT easy infact it was the hardest thing Ive EVER done benzo wd makes opie wd look like candy it makes ssri wd look like candy NOTHING compares to the 24/7 panic attack that is benzo wd, and yes even with a proper Long drawn out taper.......benzodiazepine wd can STILL lasts several months up to a year or more (its called protracted wd) and this can happen to be who only take a couple mg a day. Ive just been taking one klonopin (2mg pill) 3 times a day for YEARS i mean YEARS this is considered a completely safe medical dose infact quite small considering they prescribe up to 20 or more mg for epilepsy and considering some people take the shit in grams of pure powder.
upon cessation even a dose decreas, after 2-3 days YOU FEEL IT HARDCORE. it takes a couple days....but then it hits you and it LASTS much like suboxone or methadone wd (I consider it the Bupe or Mdone of benzos as it lasts so long and the wd lasts so much longer jsut like those 2 opies compared to other agonists)
I jsut wanted to point that out because even if your doctor is monitoring your use.......if youve been using this shit daily for years like I have been,................there is NO "easy" or "painless" way out. bottom line

however Id also have to agree with something sonic said. and tahts that SOMETIMES it IS WORTH it to take benzodiazepines, even daily, if that is what is called for to have a better quality of life. I feel the same way about opiates. Whatever you have to do to get though the day.......and as long as you arent harming yourself then it MAY be the best choice. (you have to way the pros and cons. for ME, opies and benzos have been nessesary. I would love to think that someday I wouldnt need them. That would be ideal. for now it is not....though I have tapered down Massivly on both my benzo and opie use......so im getting there it just takes like 2 yars to get off benzos. one yaer to taper another year to Start feeling normal. same with opies or any other psych drugs youve been taking daily (AD's) it takes your brain a Minimum of one year to recover. you may get over wd sooner than that sure.....but your still depressed or all fucked up in the head for a LONG time

 

[ziggo]

Phenibut

 

[adder]

In my personal experience the best drugs from anxiety are benzodiazepines. Certainly, their biggest and probably only disadvantage is a risk of addiction. Concerning SSRIs, it's quite hard to find the one that really helps certain person. Then there was also the time of mianserin and mirtazapine later. Both are two big disappointments. They do nothing for me. Drugs combining action on serotonin and noradrenaline like SNRIs disappointed me too, both venlafaxine and milnacipran, and each blocks the reuptake of one neurotransmitter stronger than the other.

Also, there is that buspirone. I don't know what this shit is for but it surely is of no use for anxiety. It was also useless for me as an augmentation of paroxetine.

Finally, we come to such terrible drugs like hydroxyzine or difenhydramine. Hydroxyzine probably relies on a similar action as difenhydramine. All I got from it was no action at prescribed doses and extreme sleepiness with nightmares at doses which worked.

I forgot about neuroleptics. Here is the winner, actually. They just unplug you from the world at best, and at worst they just put you to 20-30-hour sleep.

Now, let's be honest. We are at the beginning of a new century but we still don't have a better anxiety aid than addictive benzodiazepines derivatives.

 

[v4lium]

Alcohol is still the greatest SAD combatant around, hundreds of years after its invention. You can't beat a pint or two of good ole' rum or whiskey to cure shyness or the blues.

 

[rolls]

Opiates worked incredibly for me, but then I got hooked and had to quit, so it made it worse in the long run. Benzos are the same.

 

[toomuchpain]

i dont get it when ppl say klonopin is one of the better choices for anxiety, i
dont know maybe when i took it the prozac was too dominant because i was too irritated when i was on it, xanax is by far the best drug for me when it comes to anxiety, weed def makes my anxiety worse

 

[Ds]

I take a 37.5mg effexor for the day and it helps greatly with my anxiety, I also have 1mg xanax I take to when I'm in the fight or flight move of my fucking panic attacks. been on em for a year now. seem to help.

 

[zombiesarepeaceful]

xanax is the only thing i've tried (not prescribed, yet haha) that even touches my anxiety. i'm rx'ed ativan but can still have an anxiety attack on it.