The sad truth about anxiety medication

[joe_c]

Hello everybody,

I have had some vary bad experiences with anti-anxiety medication and am urging you all to not use them.

Talking to several therapist, I learned that some get paid to prescribe medication. All it does is give the therapist money and only covers up your anxiety and does not stop it.

I was sick to my stomach when I heard this.

My advice would be to not use medication. There are other cures out there. If you feel you need it, talk to your actual doctor (not a therapist) about anti-depressants.
These are much safer for anxiety sufferers and work better. They kill off negative thoughts and stop you from obsessing over worry.

P.S. This does not apply to everyone. If you have tried anti depressants or your actual doctor prescribed your anti anxiety medicine, you should listen to them.

[darkavenger]

Greetings joe_c,

I strongly agree with Your sentences about chem-meds, but there's the other side of the coin. For the past decade, I tried so many alternative methods I can barely count them, and I did try them for a longer period of time, like 2-6 months/each. Problem is as follows.

Some people do react well only with chem-based meds, eventhough they are synthesized from the "original" product.

Preyesterday I tried pure extract of Valeriana Officinalis in drops. First night it was a bliss, I felt like after strong dose of Xanxa [0,5 mg is strong for me :) 0,125 mg is "normal"]. Second night though, after 4 doses of Valeriana Officinalis alltogether [as prescribed, 3x a day, 6 drops] I've had one hell of a night. I felt like my head will explode, I've had a few "onsets" of panic attacks, and this totally weird pressure above eyes, then at the back of the head, and right after in cheeks. I thought I'm running sick, or crazy.

After five hours the effect subsided.

Tried many of the alternatives out there, so many that I really and honestly can't remember them. The only thing that somewhat really helped are Chinese wans, and experience, self-awareness of the situation, and selfcritics.

So much from my empiric experience,

regards

Bryan

[Single_Dad]

I was on Xanax about six years ago and my new doc says its not being used as often since it is addictive. I dont know about all that unless substance abuse is an issue. I was also on a variety of antidepressants growing up; like a lot of parents my mom threw meds at my problems instead of talking to me about it. I was hesitant to get on meds again and if you read my post called Severe Side Effects you will understand why I regret doing so. I really like what darkavenger said about the Chinese wan. I dig aroma therapy too. Best wishes to you both.

[darkavenger]

Single_Dad - aromatherapy is a strong one :) indeed. Though You need high quality essence in order to achieve some good results.

[Anne1221]

Many, many, many people have been helped by antidepressant medications. There is no "one size fits all". To each is own. My medication has been life-saving for me.

[darkavenger]

Anne1221 - this is a fact indeed. These agents were genuinely developed to help people, later they made the "tool of doom" out of them. Therefore they do help, eventhough they have a lot of unwanted and painful sideeffects. And huge words of wisdom You wrote there, each person may need a different medication, to be helped. Eventhough many people are "alike", we are all unique in the biological way.

[Dahila]

Hello guys I am trained herbalist and I am still on medication
Herbals can help and will help when combined with the few others methods. Valerian is good but you can not go over the dose. Even with camomile you need to keep two or three teas a day no more. Minth should not be used more often than ones a week due the increase of bile in digestive system. Aromatherapy is good for the nose nothing else. No good for me due the allergies. Dr. Bach remedies ; pure BS.
Lemon balm works when you drink three cups a day, but alone would not make a difference. In my 40 years of managing anxiety I find only one thing that works all the time and this is Meditation.

BTW therapist, psychologists are not doctors and they can not write the script for medication so Joe, you are wrong:)
Therapists or psychologists are not trained to deal with physical side of depression or anxiety. Doctors just psychiatrists are good to start with:)

Anne is so right, without medication I would be dead already, and I know herbs for decades and I am not first generation either. I make a lot of medication of herbal medication right in my home. I pick and harvest my own herbs for that:)

[darkavenger]

Dahila - hey there! :) I also tried Dr. Bachs essnetial drops. Total bs. I tried like 20 types of these drops, none helped really. Went through Goji juice treatment, flavonides treatment [Matuzalem, thingie that cost 70 eur/week, "good investment"], and many more. Many people told me that Bachs essential drops do help them in very bad situations, it never helped me though :/. I also don't get much help [like none at all] from homeopathics. They're just diluted effective substance sugar balls for me, nothing else. They taste good though, sometimes [like really sweet industrialized sugar :D].

Tbh. besides wans from chinese medicine, I've never literally never had any "benefactory" effect from any alternative thingies, well, besides normal herbal remedies, like pau'd arco/vilcacora/cat's claw/devil's claw/echinacea and many more [If I reckon right, vilcacora and pau'd arco are one and the same :)]. Those helped, like really really helped me detoxicating my organism. But also damanged me a bit.

[Dahila]

daravenger finally the one who knows;)) yOu just made me happy. For years i am trying to tell people that some of that bs is just giving them two days of relieve due faith, nothing else. How can be Bach helpful it is water
I am very interested in alternative methods of healing but for anxiety herbs do not help.
When something is caused by chemical imbalance in brain , herbs can be only addition to regular medication. I like you tried everything , I am having actually friends who are certified Chinese herbalist and acupuncturists, the last one helped me quit smoking for 7 weeks, and helped me with some of my headaches.

To detoxify your body you just need to drink water; boil water actually simmer 10 minutes, the best would be filtered, put it in Thermos and drink sipping it slowly whole day every two or three hous. It takes 6 weeks and your body gets rid of chemicals, in condition you do not put them back. It is from ayurveda I am fun of that. There is so many helpful things and diets which help to detoxify. Lets see Boswellia which is tumeric extract costs 42 dollars a month supply and really does not help at all. I wonder how much boswellia is there? It is not regulated and in black cohosh pills there is not black cohosh. At the same time is easy to buy frankincense aka boswellia essential oil and dilute in oil and use for arthritis. Some of herbs are excellent but I do not believe they can cure anxiety, nothing can, Meds give some release but do not cure. Anxiety will stay with us to the end of life and not amount of money will help for it.
As I said before; Meditation is very helpful tool for me. :)
I hope you do not mind my mistakes, some people here do, and underestimate me due English being my second language:)) I hope you are above it:)

[darkavenger]

Dahila - I already stopped explaining it to people. I found out it's not in their power to understand some things, so I'd rather favour them this energy in some other way, than trying to explain something, they do not even start to possibly understand in shimmers of "true" reality [for me though, each's reality is different]. Basic principles of life, for You, me, maybe some more. It's "our" alternate reality, where people can't fu*k with us that easily.

Just one thing Dahila, remember that things made out of chemicals that actually do help are merely "synthesized" things from nature, always were, and always will be. In different amounts and quantities, this is what matters the most.

I'm drinking boiled water for 10 years in a row. I don't know why I started, but it tastes better, and does good to my body. I think it was coz of "energy" that stays from fire in it, or something, I honestly don't remember. So it's good to let it boil for 10 minutes? Didn't know that, will try it! :)

I also tried "microwater", it's a device that blasts h2o molecules from "groups", into single h2o molecules or smaller groups, known to heal stuff like gray cataract, and stuff around. Simple physics.

How do You meditate Dahila? I cannot stop the flow, the stream of thoughts, and I cannot focus. Please advise if You can. I tried it for so many times...

[Dahila]

For the last year I use guided meditation , it is difficult to stop the thoughts. I use Jon Kabat Zinn oh just check my thread for it "guided meditation" is the title. For years I meditated without any audio and I was very successful.
it took at least two hours a day but I was off any meds. My insomnia disappeared for maybe 4 years. Then something happened, bad and I stopped. I tried to pick it up again and ended with guided meditation which I practise every day. Sometimes I do it without the audio. It is easy after one year:)) try it, you will be surprised , how easy it comes...
clicky (http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?27912-Guided-Meditation&highlight=guided+meditation) :)

[darkavenger]

Dahila - I never believed much in this stuff, but since You do possess common sense, I will try it some more. Though, I never did believe in massages either, and they started to help me greatly. Also laserotherapy [acupuncture with laser]. Thank You very much!

[Dahila]

No problem and dark avenger read his books and You will understand a lot. Most people who had read his books change their approach to anxiety :)I am curious, just give me your opinion when you check him up:)

[darkavenger]

Dahila - will do captain commander :)

[JustaGal]

Many, many, many people have been helped by antidepressant medications. There is no "one size fits all". To each is own. My medication has been life-saving for me.

Me too. I tried to taper off, back on

[Dahila]

Then I can not be on AD and have to use something else :(