Ssri for health anxiety?

[trevor99]

I am trying to decided weather i want to fight this with no medication or go on paxil 10 mg a day like my doctor has prescribed me. I just don't know if medication works for health anxiety, i have no issue in social settings! This is all about symptoms! Please someone help me with there information:hugs:

[herbie73]

Hi Trevor, I find that in the past ssri's have defiantly helped, I am on prozac 40 MG's at the moment, been on 40mg for 2 weeks 20 for 1 week, the first two weeks are hard, but it will be worth it once they work, but its up to you what you decide, good luck, keep postedxx

[anthrokid]

I have seen SSRI's make big differences to people suffering from health anxiety. Even better when SSRI use is combined with therapy such as CBT. Many people find that an SSRI medication can help reduce the anxiety enough so that you can engage in effective therapy and learn how to manage the anxiety and cope with stress. Then, when you are stable and feel confident to manage any problems that arise (usually recommend about a year on any SSRI medication) you have the option to stop the medication and use what you have learned in therapy :) There are also people who chose to avoid any medication and focus solely on therapy as a means of management and recovery. The decision comes entirely down to you and what you are comfortable with.

[MyNameIsTerry]

The same can be said of other anxiety disorders, its not because its HA Trevor.

The idea is to reduce the severity of symptoms to give you breathing space because there is no medication that cures anxiety, it comes from changing various factors that are causing them.

The question to ask yourself is whether you can control it enough to do that work.