Do you treat your anxiety with medication?

[summerreading]

I posted before asking if anyone treated they anxiety naturally. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/544761-do-you-treat-your-anxiety-condition-naturally/

 

I'm curious to hear from others who have decided to treat anxiety with Rx medication. I'm considering taking zoloft again after being off it for a few months. I find it really hard not to obsess about minute details to the point of it making me anxious. Right now it's all about homeschooling, waking up in the middle of the night and fretting if my kids will turn out ok.

 

So if you feel like sharing: Do you see yourself taking your Rx long term? and if so, does that bother you? Are you much happier on a medication?

[Pawz4me]

I've taken Lexapro twice and wouldn't hesitate to use it again if necessary.  For me it was wonderful.  I had no bad side effects, and the sense of calmness it gave me was so nice.  I could easily function, do what I needed to do and feel what I needed to feel.  But it quieted the monkey brain.  My anxiety tends to be triggered by big, stressful events. It's not that much of a problem when life is going smoothly. So I've never had a need to stay on something long term.  I did try natural things both times before going on Lexapro, and all were worthless.

[VANURSEPRAC]

I have such anxiety and problems sleeping. I just can't shut my brain down, I constantly feel I am failing my daughter. I feel like often work is  tight rope that I can fall off at anytime. Often the anxiety just keeps me in my home as soon as I get home from work and no desire to go to any social occasions of any type. I am a health care provider and prescribe meds to patients. I know I am scared to death of anything addicting. I keep saying I am gonna try Lexipro or Celexa  but have not talk to my dr yet. I think I am afraid they won't work on me.

[kwg]

I take effexor.

 

There are times I want to go off and my husband is very against it. Which I find hilarious bc he was extremely against me starting meds in the first place; until he saw the difference :lol:

 

 

[Mergath]

I take lexapro daily, and Ativan as needed to treat my OCD and anxiety. Having to take an ativan is rare, because the lexapro works so well. The difference is like night and day. For the most part, I can't function without the meds. (And I can also use the ativan for my epilepsy, so double win!)

[summerreading]

I have such anxiety and problems sleeping. I just can't shut my brain down, I constantly feel I am failing my daughter. I feel like often work is tight rope that I can fall off at anytime. Often the anxiety just keeps me in my home as soon as I get home from work and no desire to go to any social occasions of any type. I am a health care provider and prescribe meds to patients. I know I am scared to death of anything addicting. I keep saying I am gonna try Lexipro or Celexa but have not talk to my dr yet. I think I am afraid they won't work on me.

You sound just like me, except I don't have a job outside the home. But I'm anxious going places, taking to people sometimes. Maybe it would help to make an appointment with a therapist. This is what I did and she eased my worries a little. I still frantically googled the medicine the entire time it took to start working, then felt better. I hope you get the help you need.

[SeaConquest]

I take Effexor daily and Ativan as needed. Naturally, I also treat MTHFR with methylated folate and B12, SAM-e, and fish oil. They also seem to help my anxiety.

[summerreading]

Thank you all for the replies, making me feel more normal-ish. I'm calling my Dr to let her know I'm going back on the medicine. I'm still my quirky self but the anxiety breakthroughs are way less intense, so I think it's better for me and my family.

 

Looked into CBT, wow it's expensive without insurance, if they take it.

[Amy in NH]

I did for two years when I was going through a crisis situation and my anxiety was debilitating.  I was prescribed Celexa, and I believe it saved my life.

 

After the crisis passed I made it a point to learn and develop better coping techniques, and now I have been off the meds for four or five years.  Occasionally I still wake up in the morning with an adrenaline rush, or wake in the night with racing thoughts, but now I can use meditation with good success to overcome those symptoms in very short time (~15 minutes).

[Hwin]

I take meds for anxiety & depression. I could probably use a higher dose but I hate the idea of being on something long term. I started taking it after a dark postpartum experience. Now I'm realizing I don't know what it's like to live without anxiety, but when I'm on my meds I almost feel the way I imagine normal people feel.

[MomtoCandJ]

My dh takes Celexa and Zyprexa for his anxiety and depression

[Ravin]

My understanding is that your anxiety is not situational or seasonal, it is probably a long-term imbalance in your brain chemistry, which is likely to require a long-term solution.

 

Behavioral modification therapies can help, but are most effective when you also have meds helping.

 

There's nothing wrong with taking a medication to balance your brain chemistry long-term, any more than there is something wrong with taking medication to correct a hormone imbalance long term. If you need it, you need it. The important thing is to maintain your optimal state of wellness, so that it doesn't impair your quality of life.