Comments on: What medication do I take for anxiety?

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:25:33 +0000

Sandie has he read Pauls book “at last a life”?

By: Sandie

Sandie — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:51:53 +0000

My 17 year old son was diagnosed at 12 yeard old with Generalised Anxiety Disorder – although mild Aspergers and Pervasive Developement Disorder were also mentioned during his treatment. He had approximately a years worth of cognitive behaviour therapy which he found hard to cope with and in fact developed OCD during his treatment. He was discharged and we were told he had been given the tools to help him cope and the rest was up to him. He hasn’t improved – he finds normal everyday life stressful and lives in a permanent negative, anxious haze.
Medications was offered during treatment but we were all reluctant to medicate him at such a young age. He says he justs wants to be “normal”
His education suffered, he left school with few qualifications, he has had 2 short term jobs since leaving school – both raised his anxiety levels to the roof. I try to be positive and calm but feel he needs more help if he is to live a relatively “normal” life. Can anyone help?

By: lynn

lynn — Sat, 09 May 2009 12:07:06 +0000

My son has been on fluoxetine (prozep) for nearly six months, his phsycologist believes he has GAD (general anxiety disorder). He is 17, and I was wary for him to have medication anyway, as fluoxetine is not usually given to under 18’s. They also wanted to increase the dose but we decided against it for now. He has been having counselling sessions weekly for nearly a year and is having a final assessment at the end of this month for an asperger’s syndrome diagnosis which I have thought he has had since he was around 4yrs old, the phsycologist thinks its GAD. Its been a long battle and hopefully we will know one way or the other what the problem is.

By: Ceb

Ceb — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:39:47 +0000

Hi, just a note on beta blockers; I suffered from bouts of depression and melancholy as a student, was given seroxat and had awful side effects and then took a long time to come off it. I had little ‘electric’ shocks etc. Beta blockers helped hugely. I was later diagnosed with an underactive thyroid which, along side a type of contraceptive pill, was most likely the main problem. However in the ten or twelve years since I have suffered from anxiety to different degrees, more recently work linked (I am a special needs teacher, often working with very difficult children and have a management role in the school) and my saviour has been the beta blockers, and a doc who basically listened to me when I said they were good. Cbt has hugely helped me and did most of the ground work for me, but needs time, and the b b’s work right away. I am very happy now but have ‘melt downs’ due to stress and pressure and intense fear of being afraid or stressed.I am also obsessed with what people thing about me and getting it right! Which makes me worse! Bb’s definately avert this especially if I know I have a tough day ahead. I have no side effects but try not to take them unless necessary. They just make me feel tougher and avert the thoughts that could lead me to depression. Interesting what they said about bb’s and traumatic stress recently too. Hope this helps someone . X

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:07:52 +0000

I’ve been taking anxiety meds (Xanax) and also an anti-depressant (Cymbalta) for my anxiety and I STILL get anxiety attacks. I’ve been to therapy which did nothing for me. She told me to sing, that it regulates breathing. This is fine, but, I am concerned about how much Xanax I have been taking. I am afraid of NOT having them, and, wish to God I could be without them. I am plagued by anxiety and don’t know what to do.

By: Amy

Amy — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:03:05 +0000

Hi Paul,

I came across your website when searching for information on Anxiety without meds. I have been on Lexapro for approx. 3 years now. I want to get off of it. I have heard that with diet, exercise and the proper mind tools it’s actually a possibility. Do you have any insight for me on getting off the medication? Obviously you have a wealth of information available for living pill free after the fact. Just trying to do a little research before stopping the pills.

Thanks for your time,
Amy

By: Yurtdisi Egitim

Yurtdisi Egitim — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:23:50 +0000

it seems like e very good web site but my English is not good. It would be great if it might be availible in other languages too. Thanks.

By: No More Anxiety

No More Anxiety — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:32:39 +0000

Hi Shirley, I am glad you found beta blockers a help, as I say if something helps then fine and I would rather they be beta blockers as the side effects are far less than some other medications handed out there. I was also given beta blockers and they did nothing for me, I never had or mentioned a racing heart, but again they just throw them at you as it say so it the manual..Anxiety-Beta blockers. This is what annoys me more than anythiny, people given the wrong medication for their condition, chopping and changing until they try and find something to make it all go away. I decided to do it without medication, the side effects really bothered me and I never felt I was getting anywhere, but if anyone finds a little relief then great, as long as people address other issues and not believe a tablet will solve everything.

By: Shirley Dalley

Shirley Dalley — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:42:31 +0000

I fought and fought not to have anti – depressants and the Doctor finally prescribed Beta Blockers – I did have a racing heart and felt instant relief. I have always been lucky enough not to have an addictive personality and know (from my first experience) of Beta Blockers that once returned to normal I needed them no more for 12 years. Yes, Beta blockers have helped me. As for the Doctor – are they trained to open their mouths as little as possible? It’s like everything else in life – you are, in the end the only one who can deal with your situation – but I was so grateful for those words of Beta blockers I could have kissed him. My worst problem is lack of sleep. the counsellor says that lack of sleep didn’t kill anybody but my argument is that sleep is the best healer and if you get in a car and have to drive miles after your miserable nights sleep the fact that you might fall asleep at the wheel is the killer.
Does anyone know if it is safe to mix Beta blockers with Herbal medication/sleeping tablets? I’d rather not ask the Doctor, he can’t seem to cope with more than two questions at a time.
I found that the facilities for mental health issues in my former home town were brilliant – they were so geared up – everything on hand – as many times as you needed to see a counsellor, in fact there was a headquarters to deal specifically with it all. Moving Counties has been a real eye opener.
But as I have said before, this website is brilliant for healing the troubled mind, so keep up the good work Paul.
Shirley D

By: No More Anxiety

No More Anxiety — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 12:42:43 +0000

Hi Mark, Posts like mine are very radical, people think we must not speak out against the medical world! Why not, it failed me terribely. Also this is why so many people end up on medication, they believe the doctor, they put their trust in them. Anxiety is really a subject in itself and too many doctors are ill equipped to help.

I rarely leave links in as I have to fully believe in what they say. After a brief look he seems to have similar ideas, with one or two good posts in there. I don’t know much about A.C.T but the belief again is not to fight the way you feel on a daily basis, which is always good advice.

Really glad you enjoyed the post and the book, good luck in the future.

Paul