Xanax for treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder?
Saturday, December 5th, 2009 at
11:47 am
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i used to take xanax but had to stop because all i would do is sleep when i took it. and there is a risk of dependency with it so i didnt like it for that either.
xanax is pretty much THE BEST. I mean, i used to have the worst panic attacks, but then my boy started giving me xanax and now its so much better.
Just be careful- it is addicitng.
Try some other non-addicting anti-anxiety drugs first after your EXTREME depression subsides with the xanax.
In other words…start on the xanax, then move off of it onto something easier after awhile.
That would be in your best intrest.
and feel better
Good luck
*** also, you only sleep if you take TOO MUCH Xanax.
Don’t worry about being dependent….as long as you don’t take it ALL the time, and like, only when you feel an attack coming on, you’ll be fine
Xanax is different from most benzodiazepines; it has an incredibly short half-life, and that’s why it’s harder to discontinue than the others. Some anti-depressants (especially escitalopram, brand name Lexapro) are effective against Social Anxiety Disorder and are typically a good option. I’m sorry to hear that they didn’t work for you. Xanax is very effective too, but you might want to consider a benzodiazepine with a longer half-life first. If it doesn’t work well enough for your symptoms, Xanax is still on the table as the next option. Ultimately your doctor is the only one of us that has a prescription pad, so his/her opinions about these various medications will come into the equation as well. I really hope you have a good conversation with him/her and get some relief from your anxiety.
I use to suffer from panic attacks and now I just suffer from anxiety. I really understand how you feel, as I went through the same exact thing, such as not being able to leave my house, etc. I want to tell you that Xanax is one of the worse anti-anxiety drugs you could use, because they are very addictive and are the hardest ones to get off of. Most doctors don’t want to prescribe them because of this. Yes, some anti-depressants can be worse. I had problems with the new ones and too high of dosages can make it worse also. I noticed that the older anti-depressants worked great. I was on 10mg of Amitryptaline for a few years, with Ativan (Lorazepam) on the side for breakthrough anxiety. After awhile the Amitryptaline quit working so I was put on Doxapin (Sinequan) 10mg. I also have a prescription for Ativan (Lorazepam) which is also addictive, but not as hard to get off of as Xanax. I tried Xanax only once time but I liked the Ativan better. Give the older anti-depressants a try and only take the lowest dose. People with anxiety don’t need high doses of pills, because it can only make it worse, and try Ativan with it. I hope you will be feeling great in time.
Klonopin is less addictive, but I’ve been taking low dose of xanax for 10 years.
Social anxiety can cause these feelings, which can also lead to severe depression,
http://www.socialanxietyinstitute.org/ds...
There is hope; I’ve been there, and still am there, it is a long, hard struggle. I recommend
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cognitive_b... worked best for me, with mild anti-anxiety meds. I suffered from social anxiety for over 15 years. I’ve tried individual therapy, and group therapy and studied psychology for 10 years, as a profession, but also with the hope to cure myself.
Depending on your comfort level, you could go to a psychologist that practices CBT and specializes in anxiety disorders, seek a group therapy, or create one. Usually those that do attend the group therapy are a bit more high functioning because as you know, it can be difficult to speak in a group.
Another idea is to see if there are any local research studies being conducted that you could participate in.
The program that finally worked the best for me is this one: http://www.socialanxiety.us/findinghelp…. and I was lucky enough to have a structured behavioral group to go along with it. Sometimes the people that actually attend this program come back home and form groups.
I recommend a mild anti-anxiety med in addition to CBT therapy.
Any questions, let me know … I can’t tell you how much this has improved my life!
Another great website: http://www.markway.com/acceptance/menu.h...
I TAKE ZOLOFT AND IT IS NONADDICTIVE. MAYBE YOU COULD TRY IT FIRST