xanax for anxiety and ocd?

[blah27e]

im 18, I have anxiety and ocd. I've been taking SSRI's for awhile and want to try a benzodiazepine since the SSRI's seem to not work. I would like to try xanax since thats what my dad takes so im less worried about side effects. How should I go about asking my doctor about trying a benzodiazepine?

Thanks in advance

[EricH]

In my experience, the benzos have been effective for dealing with my panic attacks or anxiety in general. After all, they are central nervous system(CNS) depressants.

Clinical anxiety is usually expressed through an over-excited CNS, so CNS depressants can be very helpful.

However, they can be addictive, abused and even lethal if one takes too much. As such, those factors are considered by a doctor.

In my case, I have a history of severe panic disorder and I refuse to abuse the drug for many reasons. So, I can get strong benzos.

A 1 mg. tab of Ativan will often silence my anxiety, and 2 of them will usually deal a bad panic attack. I tried taking 3 during a bad attack, but it supressed my respiratory system so much that I won't do that again.

So, during a really bad attack I just take 2 and "ride-it-out" either at home or at the Crisis Center. Thankfully that doesn't happen too often.

In any event, talk with your doctor. The stronger benzos are not healthy with long-term use and should only be used as prescribed and "as needed"

[Robbed]

im 18, I have anxiety and ocd. I've been taking SSRI's for awhile and want to try a benzodiazepine since the SSRI's seem to not work. I would like to try xanax since thats what my dad takes so im less worried about side effects. How should I go about asking my doctor about trying a benzodiazepine?

Thanks in advance

I should also add that you should consider CBT methods of dealing with your anxiety and obsessions. Of course, CBT is not known to be a very fast way of dealing with anxiety problems. But the results are long-lived, and can bring you out of anxiety disorder as a better, happier person than you were when you went into it.