K'dOUTinAZ
Bluelighter
I never really stuck with an SSRI, only tried the "trial pack" of PaxilCR once and didn't notice much.
The trial packs only contain enough tablets for 14 days. Generally it takes 6-8 weeks before you achieve the optimal effects from SSRI antidepressants, such as Paxil, so you really weren't taking the Paxil long enough to notice the benefits. Lexapro also belongs to the SSRI antidepressant family so you may need to take it for at least 6 weeks before you notice any benefits.
Anyway, lately I have been avoiding things I need to be doing because I'll get all paranoid for stupid reasons. Even family memebers I haven't seen in awhile...I get anxious before I see them or avoid it all together. Certain phone calls I avoid because I'll get all caught up in the throat and my heart starts racing...thoughts flying through my mind about how I apprear to other people and don't want to act nervous...I sometimes feel really anti-social...even though I love going out and having crazy nights with friends/meeting girls. It's been alot harder when I avoid doing these things because of the anxiety...and that leads me to feeling some depression as well.
My symptoms of anxiety were very similar to what you just described. I have never taken Lexapro but have tried many others, including Paxil, which helped to a certain degree with the depression but not really the symptoms of my anxiety, which was also situational. When I became aware that a major event or something new was coming ahead I would immediately build up really bad anxiety that got worse the closer it came to the event. When the event came up I would also either avoid it or face it with horrible anxiety and nearly panic. But usually after the event I realize that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought that it would be but I would never recognize this and continue to feel the same way when new events or situations would occur. Having to be the center of attention was especially bad, I would get really paranoid that people were always judging me. I am currently on Remeron with Xanax and no longer suffer anxiety or depression. Not everybody reacts the same to particular antidepressants, you need to find one that woks best for you.
My psychiatrist is currently prescribing me .25mg Xanax pills to take for especially bad situations...but he said Lexapro was a really awesome drug for anxiety and that I wouldn't get anticipatory anxiety anymore and is much better than the outdated "paxil, zoloft, prozac" and such...with less withdrawl if you stop taking it too.
Lexapro will produce just as bad withdrawal symptoms as any other of the SSRI antidepressants. No SSRI is 'better' than other SSRI antidepressants. People don't all react the same to a particular antidepressant. Paxil may show no improvements for one person but be a life saver for somebody else. If everybody reacted the same, only one antidepressant would be on the market.
I don't want to get bad side-effects or become dependent on any medication though.
I would be more worried about becoming dependent upon the Xanax than the Lexapro. Try to take it only as needed. If you get into the habit of taking it on a daily basis for every new situation that you encounter you risk becoming physically dependent upon the Xanax and benzodiazepine addiction is nothing less than horrible, especially Xanax. The withdrawals can be much worse than Heroin and other opioids. Some of the withdrawal symptoms include muscle spasms, convulsions, sweating, night sweats, severe depression and increased anxiety, tremor, shocks, muscle weakness, "jelly legs", agitation, panic attacks and even life threatening seizures (from prolonged use) just to name a few.
The trial packs only contain enough tablets for 14 days. Generally it takes 6-8 weeks before you achieve the optimal effects from SSRI antidepressants, such as Paxil, so you really weren't taking the Paxil long enough to notice the benefits. Lexapro also belongs to the SSRI antidepressant family so you may need to take it for at least 6 weeks before you notice any benefits.
Anyway, lately I have been avoiding things I need to be doing because I'll get all paranoid for stupid reasons. Even family memebers I haven't seen in awhile...I get anxious before I see them or avoid it all together. Certain phone calls I avoid because I'll get all caught up in the throat and my heart starts racing...thoughts flying through my mind about how I apprear to other people and don't want to act nervous...I sometimes feel really anti-social...even though I love going out and having crazy nights with friends/meeting girls. It's been alot harder when I avoid doing these things because of the anxiety...and that leads me to feeling some depression as well.
My symptoms of anxiety were very similar to what you just described. I have never taken Lexapro but have tried many others, including Paxil, which helped to a certain degree with the depression but not really the symptoms of my anxiety, which was also situational. When I became aware that a major event or something new was coming ahead I would immediately build up really bad anxiety that got worse the closer it came to the event. When the event came up I would also either avoid it or face it with horrible anxiety and nearly panic. But usually after the event I realize that it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought that it would be but I would never recognize this and continue to feel the same way when new events or situations would occur. Having to be the center of attention was especially bad, I would get really paranoid that people were always judging me. I am currently on Remeron with Xanax and no longer suffer anxiety or depression. Not everybody reacts the same to particular antidepressants, you need to find one that woks best for you.
My psychiatrist is currently prescribing me .25mg Xanax pills to take for especially bad situations...but he said Lexapro was a really awesome drug for anxiety and that I wouldn't get anticipatory anxiety anymore and is much better than the outdated "paxil, zoloft, prozac" and such...with less withdrawl if you stop taking it too.
Lexapro will produce just as bad withdrawal symptoms as any other of the SSRI antidepressants. No SSRI is 'better' than other SSRI antidepressants. People don't all react the same to a particular antidepressant. Paxil may show no improvements for one person but be a life saver for somebody else. If everybody reacted the same, only one antidepressant would be on the market.
I don't want to get bad side-effects or become dependent on any medication though.
I would be more worried about becoming dependent upon the Xanax than the Lexapro. Try to take it only as needed. If you get into the habit of taking it on a daily basis for every new situation that you encounter you risk becoming physically dependent upon the Xanax and benzodiazepine addiction is nothing less than horrible, especially Xanax. The withdrawals can be much worse than Heroin and other opioids. Some of the withdrawal symptoms include muscle spasms, convulsions, sweating, night sweats, severe depression and increased anxiety, tremor, shocks, muscle weakness, "jelly legs", agitation, panic attacks and even life threatening seizures (from prolonged use) just to name a few.
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