Is there medication to take the edge off?? Not ssri

[trevor99]

I have anxiety, but I don't want to take something as intense as anxiety pills. I also have severe ADHD and often wonder if a low dose of that would help or if it would make my anxiety worse? I guess my question is is there a drug out there that just takes the edge off slightly? That gives me a little relaxation without taking control of my brain? Any information or ideas would be appreciated

[Katki]

I'm not an expert on medication, it is also quite a contentious subject, so I can just give my opinion. My brother has really bad OCD and tourettes symdrome and before he was diagnosed with tourettes he was just given every medication under the sun. I've seen good and bad reactions, and actually some terrible ones to certain medications he has been trialled on. He has been on diazepam for 2 years now and it is highly addictive, I would say he is an addict to this drug, sadly.

In the UK, many doctors will not prescribe ''short term'' fixes like valium because they are highly addictive. I don't know how it is in Canada. I would try not to rely on these types of drug as a crutch anyway. They are a short term solution to a long term problem.

Because you have ADHD, it is difficult to say what would be best for you as I don't know anything about ADHD. I do know that with anxiety it is best to work on yourself and your problems through CBT, research (knowledge is power!) and just understanding your anxiety, where it comes from and repairing your body and mind through taking care of them equally.

The best thing to do is to see a Doctor you trust, will listen to you and is not just a pill pusher (like mine is). Anxiety can be cured without drugs, although they can help some people in some cases. It's your choice, along with your doctor, to make an informed decision whether you want to or not. Just be aware that a quick fix to ''take the edge off'' is not a solution to your problems that cause you anxiety.

Hope that helps.

[Fishmanpa]

There are several non benzo/non SSRI meds that may help. You just need to ask your doctor.

Positive thoughts