Objective of Anxiety Meds?

[JD23]

Hi,

I have been on citalopram for a few years and it hasnt done much for my anxiety at all. I am going to ask to be put on Pregabalin as i have heard good things. My question is are anxiety meds just to stop you feeling the anxiety when you are on them or will you eventually be able to come off them and be anxiety free because your body and mind has broken that anxiety pattern?
Hope that makes sense!

Thanks

[Edie]

Anxiety meds are meant to lift your anxiety to manageable levels, but they rarely clear it altogether. They help when you are taking them, but don't offer any long-term benefits once you stop taking them.

However, they can lift the worst of your symptoms and enable you to do the things you are anxious about. For example, if your anxiety was about leaving the house, anxiety meds could lift your anxiety to a level you are able to leave the house - but you would probably still find it provokes some anxiety. But while you are leaving the house, you would hopefully have some good experiences, and eventually be able to train yourself to realise that nothing bad happens when you leave the house.

Sometimes though, it can go wrong. If your anxiety was still bad and you still felt extremely anxious whenever you left the house, your mind will still associate it as a scary thing, because of they way you feel every time you do it.

Most people do need a bit more help than just reducing the anxiety with meds. Therapy and counselling can teach you skills you need to cope in the anxiety-making situation. Once you master these skills, you may be able to start coming off the meds, as you now have the skills to deal with the situation.

It's a really good idea to try and find the best medication for your anxiety, but there will still be work to be done. Once the medication starts to lift your anxiety, therapy can be really beneficial in helping you break the anxiety pattern. (But with waiting lists, it's normally best to get on the waiting list ASAP.)

Good luck with your doctor. I hope you can try the pregabalin and get the help you need.

[nomorepanic]

My thoughts are here:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/medication/

[Dazza123]

I stopped eating mid December due to an anxiety about choking (choked twice last year) didn't eat for 5 days, or drink, I'm diabetic so ketones went thru the roof, very dangerous and should have been hospitalised but refused. Anyway my doctor only prescribed diazepam when it first happened and because of this 10 months later I'm in the same position. Referred urgently to psychiatrist and seen within a week. Referred for CBT and given meds, told I will be waiting 9 months for cbt, however it's starting next week so not bad at all. Meds are good, but long term you need to change your mind patterns which is what I will hopefully be taught. The right meds are essential though so do sort that out.

Apparently MIND do cbt but there is a waiting list for that, but worth contacting them if you can get onto their list.

I know I have mentioned this on other threads, but as a reminder, due to not being helped at the very beginning I am currently seeing my doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, speech therapist, physiotherapist and ENT at my local hospital, and so far I'm still struggling to eat, I may manage 500 calories on a good day.

Moral of the story is don't plod along and just cope like I did, get yourself sorted as soon as you can, it isn't easy, but long term it will be better for you.

[BobbyDog]

Medication is a personal thing and what suits one person will not necessarily help another.
I take Pregabalin and am in the process of withdrawing from this medication at the moment, it has helped with my insomnia, but done little for my anxiety.
As others have stated, AD's will only help ease your anxiety, the rest is up to you.

[Dazza123]

Same thing here BobbyDog, I know someone that takes cipralex/citalopram, and they swear by it, whereas I took it once and felt like I was on a constant panic attack for 4 days, If I had a hammer I would have used it to knock myself unconcious until it passed out of my system. Now back onto my trusty old dosulepin. I have tried all AD's and thats the only one which eases my agitation and anxiety, not a lot, but enough for me to take further steps to help myself.

[han76]

just my opinions I may be shouted down I am a newbie to this forum. I take progabalin. I think it's brilliant but it is not a simple fix. Have tried numerous meds excluding ssri since childhood. in trying to understand my meds I have discovered. its guess work trial and error no one med suits all. there's a few different kinds progabalin benzos all work on gaba. ssri work on serotonin. no one can see which brain chemistry is out of wack. some need serotonin sorting some gaba. some both needing two meds. when you suffer Aniexty you worry about everything. meds take the edge off bringing you in line with "normal humans" worry levels. so your going to sweat the big things not the little ones. e.g. your not going to hyperventilating over daily life but will still freak over a tidal wave. That's how I see it in layman's terms. cbt works for some meds others. Hope that helps. ps only specialists can prescribe progabalin it's regulated and mega expensive ssri are cheap and always the first route Hannah x

[Dazza123]

Hannah, they tried me with the cheap stuff, and now look how bad its become, that'll teach em, all of my different therapies must cost a fortune :roflmao: