Benzos Would benzos help me? (therapeutically)

[Doldrugs]

ChipTrippyFox, no drug is ever going to help you with your depression and/or anxiety if you don't find the reason why you feel this way and fix it. I assure you that once you find the reason behind it all (unless you have already found it) and manage to win it over, things will start becoming clearer and clearer.

Sometimes the reason is simply genetic. The only way to figure that out is to find an effective treatment, which is not necessarily a drug.

 

[WinrWinrChiknDinnr]

If you're not akin to being a huge drug abuser like myself Benzos can be an absolute godsend, BUT they must be used only as needed, not every single day. Developing dependence to these sorts of drugs is one of the most horrible things anyone can go through & the WD's can kill you. I'm the type of person who gets a script & takes them all in a very short time because I love the way they make me feel. They can work though if you can keep from doing that, and during very anxious persona/social situations they are one of the best things to relieve tension & anxiety.

 

[velmwend]

how often do you think using phenibut be ok? i like 1 or maybe 2gs for sleep. i don't use it much but want to use it some more. works better than any benzo i'vee had. just makes me super stoned with weed too lol

1 or 2g a week. I started on 500mg once a week. I've increased to 1g per week after 2 years. Sounds very little but it's what you've got to do if you don't want to become dependent and build high tolerance.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Only a doctor can ascertain whether a benzodiazepine is right or not. It is prudent to try an SSRI or hydroxizine first. Benzodiazepines are very hard to get off of and cause a real drug withdrawal. They are also scheduled substances. Don't abuse them if you're wanting to get any therapeutic value from them.

For my part, and I've tried several SSRIs, they work well for a couple months, then make me feel lifeless and only work for anxiety. I found a study that states similar efficacy and fewer overall side effects from clonazepam than from paroxetine. That doesn't mean you should "hop on the benzo train". They can ruin your life, whereas SSRIs are very safe. It's only if you have the discipline to understand if they work (when taken therapeutically and without increasing the dose by too much) that they are good agents to use (after trying, I'd recommend, as many other agents for this indication as your doctor suggests before opting for the benzodiazepine).

 

[tricomb]

I only read the thread title, and I still believe that my post will hold merit.

In the short term? Maybe. It is a very slippery slope.
In the long term? Absolutely not. They will become your biggest enemy, regret, and shame.

Speaking as someone who's been on benzodiazepines for more than half my life. Fucking hate them and discontinuing them is HORRIBLE, with post acute withdrawal syndrome lasting YEARS.

 

[ticking]

Incredible pill in the beginning!
But like this song says
Withdrawals are not nice at all

 

[adder]

Sometimes the reason is simply genetic. The only way to figure that out is to find an effective treatment, which is not necessarily a drug.

I'm sorry, I guess I should have elaborated on that. I've been different than most of people are since I can remember. Medically speaking I've got a pathological personality, that's what one psychiatrist put into my papers without even letting me know, most probably it could be classified as BPD. I've always had a tendency to get depressed and dissociated even if everything is seemingly all right. However, I doubt that being on a mood stabiliser and perhaps an antidepressant would help me at all, actually I'm sure it would make things worse just as various antidepressants throughout my teenage life did. Of course the situation is more complex, there were many drugs involved as well. Anyway, the greatest peace I've found in my life was through getting to know myself and realising the reasons for my problems. I've definitely changed but I haven't become a different person, I still have mood swings and I sometimes act weirdly, but I can also control it easier. Honestly, I don't consider myself insane in any way. I wish everyone noticed stuff I can't help to notice, the world could be a better place.

What I want to say is that no matter what your problems are, I doubt that you can be at peace if you don't find a way to live with what bothers you. Different problems can be fixed to a different extent, some problems you can eliminate, some problems you have to live with. And if you don't accept that, you'll suffer your whole life. No matter whether you believe in some form of after-life or not, life may be a great journey. Some people can't realise that until they find out that their death is imminent. That's wrong! Death is imminent in a way for everyone.

 

[phatass]

Firstly your doctor sounds like a dickhead, can you change docs? if you can't see another GP go see a psychiatrist, thing you should probably do anyway reading your second post, a GP doesn't have the skills to deal with that type of thing (anxiety, depression and recreational drugs thrown in the mix)....

Abilify (aripiprazole) is an "anti-psychotic" trechnically, but acts more like a mood stabiliser, my gf was on it, it allieviated her depression, came off it, depression came back, now she's back on it and doing well... I take it for paranoia/shcizo and it works wonders, it' ridiculously expensive, so depends on your countries health system and or your insurance, but it's a multi faceted med, with many uses....

But for crippling anxiety, benzo's are the only thinbg that worked for me, it's best if you can be on them temporarilly whilst following therapy to address youyr anxiety issues, then do a slow taper off them as fast as possible, and use the skills you learn in therapy, such as forms of CBT (Cognitive behavioral therapy for example) to deal with your anxiety...

Not really meant to ask how to get meds from your doc, but if you explain to him/her what your going through, give precise info, like describe what it's like when you have a panic attack, what's the most difricult for you, transports, public places etc. and with a nudge in the right dirrection you'll probably get a benzo, i recommend something like oxazepam, prazepam or clorazepate since they are the least recreational and abusable IMO/IME so there isn't that element of temptation to take loads at once, like i had/have with valium or xanax, which i rarelly take now, the former benzos i worked therapeutically work justr as well for GAD and are less "risky" if you have trouble controlling your consumption of anxiolytics, coz if you finish your scripts early and go for the rec. benzos you'll quickly be flagged.

SSRI wise, Sertraline (Zoloft), works for me for anxiety issues, combined with benzos.... it's enabled me to lower my benzo dosage, being a benzo addict has lots of down sides, but is better than being handicaped by anxiety.

ALSO IMPORTANT, sport, hobbies and a healthy diet helps loads for anxiety AND depression IMO/IME, but you may need a short term stint on anti-anxiety meds to be able to do those things...


OP, do you take any drugs, or drink regularly? Is your anxiety more like GAD or panic attacks triggered by specific things, or social phobia? How would you describe it? How long has it been present/at what age did the anxiety start? did it escelate when you continued smoking weed?, Also you can post in TDS about your anxiety and depression, lot's of TDS posters suffer from anxiety and or depression, i'm sure you'll get usefull info, and info that will help you start working on your anxiety without meds maybe... nothing to lose no?

good luck

P-A

edit:WOW this thread really got derailled "Trippyfox" OP" are you still following this?

 

[phatass]

Firstly your doctor sounds like a dickhead, can you change docs? if you can't see another GP go see a psychiatrist, thing you should probably do anyway reading your second post, a GP doesn't have the skills to deal with that type of thing (anxiety, depression and recreational drugs thrown in the mix)....

Abilify (aripiprazole) is an "anti-psychotic" trechnically, but acts more like a mood stabiliser, my gf was on it, it allieviated her depression, came off it, depression came back, now she's back on it and doing well... I take it for paranoia/shcizo and it works wonders, it' ridiculously expensive, so depends on your countries health system and or your insurance, but it's a multi faceted med, with many uses....

But for crippling anxiety, benzo's are the only thinbg that worked for me, it's best if you can be on them temporarilly whilst following therapy to address youyr anxiety issues, then do a slow taper off them as fast as possible, and use the skills you learn in therapy, such as forms of CBT (Cognitive behavioral therapy for example) to deal with your anxiety...

Not really meant to ask how to get meds from your doc, but if you explain to him/her what your going through, give precise info, like describe what it's like when you have a panic attack, what's the most difricult for you, transports, public places etc. and with a nudge in the right dirrection you'll probably get a benzo, i recommend something like oxazepam, prazepam or clorazepate since they are the least recreational and abusable IMO/IME so there isn't that element of temptation to take loads at once, like i had/have with valium or xanax, which i rarelly take now, the former benzos i worked therapeutically work justr as well for GAD and are less "risky" if you have trouble controlling your consumption of anxiolytics, coz if you finish your scripts early and go for the rec. benzos you'll quickly be flagged.

SSRI wise, Sertraline (Zoloft), works for me for anxiety issues, combined with benzos.... it's enabled me to lower my benzo dosage, being a benzo addict has lots of down sides, but is better than being handicaped by anxiety.

ALSO IMPORTANT, sport, hobbies and a healthy diet helps loads for anxiety AND depression IMO/IME, but you may need a short term stint on anti-anxiety meds to be able to do those things...


OP, do you take any drugs, or drink regularly? Is your anxiety more like GAD or panic attacks triggered by specific things, or social phobia? How would you describe it? How long has it been present/at what age did the anxiety start? did it escelate when you continued smoking weed?, Also you can post in TDS about your anxiety and depression, lot's of TDS posters suffer from anxiety and or depression, i'm sure you'll get usefull info, and info that will help you start working on your anxiety without meds maybe... nothing to lose no?

good luck

P-A

 

[Kilfer]

Their [benzos] efficacy as hypnotics is rather limited though.

You are right but I thought I'd mention that this statement applies to all true hypnotics. By "true" I mean sleeping meds that were designed as such, not off-label antipsychotics and such that happen to cause some kind of sluggishness deemed "sleep" by certain broad-minded physicians. The treatment of intractable insomnia if combined with Bipolar Disorder (especially Type II) will almost inevitably yield the patient a lifelong prescription for a potent true hypnotic but as tolerance builds he will lose all benefits from it... unless he puts to alternate use as comedown cushion. Still works for me after years on temazepam although I don't get much sleep from it anymore. I slept about 2 hours a night until a few months ago when I discovered that Celexa was keeping me in a near-constant state of hypomania. The first time hypomania hits you it's way cool, like month-long stim binge with no comedown, but then you start experiencing sleep deprivation psychosis which is miserable to put it mildly. Shrink told me Celexa's brand of hypomania would allow plenty of sleep... bullshit hypomania comes in only one flavor: the 2-Hour-Night-For-The-Lucky. Temazepam boost it to 4 hours which about the average sleep I get ever since I was in my early 20's so almost 30 years and there absolutely anything that can be done about it except taking stims to fight off daytime drowsiness induced by lack of REM sleep. If I don't take them I literally walk while dreaming.

So that's an example of both semi-useful antidepressant combined with semi-useful benzo. No free lunch with either

 

[JackiePeyton]

The research I've read on benzodiazepines actually points to them having pretty robust long-term efficacy as far as anxiolysis is concerned. (Their efficacy as hypnotics is rather limited though.)

I agree with this. Keeping them at a low dose is helpful, and taking drug holidays.

I cannot tell if OP is male of female.
Either way, have you had your Vitamin D checked? Even a sub normal level can cause horrible anxiety and depression-it is common, under diagnosed and under treated. I am on Topomax for migraines and it depleted my Vitamin D. My psychiatrist kept suggesting I take Vitamin D, just because he had good experience with it. Well I ignored him, thought he was nuts. I then had routine blood work and mine was low and at the time I was suicidal. Started taking 2,000mg of D3 a day and it was like a miracle.
Also if female need to look at PMDD and if anxiety is cyclical.

 

[ChipTrippyFox]

I agree with this. Keeping them at a low dose is helpful, and taking drug holidays.

I cannot tell if OP is male of female.
Either way, have you had your Vitamin D checked? Even a sub normal level can cause horrible anxiety and depression-it is common, under diagnosed and under treated. I am on Topomax for migraines and it depleted my Vitamin D. My psychiatrist kept suggesting I take Vitamin D, just because he had good experience with it. Well I ignored him, thought he was nuts. I then had routine blood work and mine was low and at the time I was suicidal. Started taking 2,000mg of D3 a day and it was like a miracle.
Also if female need to look at PMDD and if anxiety is cyclical.

I am biological male but I consider myself gender fluid (However that had little to no medical relevance)

It's been a long time since I've had anything checked..
Last blood work was 3 or 4 years ago I think

 

[Drumminstoned20]

I liked klonopin 3 or 4 mg cause It was a nice dopey high and Xanax 2 mg for the careless buzz . Doubt any doc would do both but 1 mg klonopin never did shit. 3 maybe 4 completly murdered me . Xanax I just black out . Ide go higher dose klonopin .