MAOIs vs SSRIs

[Johnny Boy]

When I got diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks and had my very first visit with a psychiatrist, I told her I really didn’t want to take pills and what I can do to treat it naturally. She said that exercise is the only thing to treat it naturally, but she really thought I should try medication until we can put our finger on what’s causing it. After talking to her for a while, I told her that I want to quit smoking because nicotine being a stimulant is probably making my anxiety worse. So I asked if she could prescribe me Zyban. She said that ironically Zyban is another name for Wellbutrin, which treats anxiety, but also helps people quit smoking. So that killed two birds with one stone. I then asked her what it was she was going to prescribe for me if I didn’t ask for Zyban to quit smoking. She said that she was going to prescribe Celexa.

I asked her in my second visit if there are things I can eat to reduce my anxiety. She said no, because she said that increased serotonin is what is responsible for getting rid of anxiety. After researching it on the internet, Celexa is an SSRI, which increases serotonin, but Wellbutrin isn’t an SSRI and doesn’t do anything to increase serotonin. If Wellbutrin doesn’t increase serotonin, then what exactly does it do to treat anxiety? And are these SSRIs better than the class of drugs that Wellbutrin is in, which is MAOIs?

[NixonRulz]

Someone knows their way around Google

First bit of advice would be to bag the quitting smoking thing until you get your symptoms under control

Nicotine is a stimulant as you say but quitting is really stressful whcih may bet you a bit more anxious

Awesome to quit though but that is just my opinion.

I do not know the differences between the two The SSRI helped me get on track. Some people take them forever.

I know people that have taken Welbutrin and it has helped. Not sure why or how but it did.

Don't be afraid to give the meds a go. They can really help until you get yourself stronger.

[acetone]

Wellbutrin isn't an MAOI, it is an atypical antidepressant. You are better off with SSRIs like prozac, celexa, zoloft rather than this medicine for anxiety. This medicine is better for treating depression rather than anxiety.

[raggamuffin]

You don't need drugs to deal with anxiety. There is a natural way to overcoming anxiety. Understanding it. The more you experience anxiety, the days you go through pains, the days you're overwhelmed with worries and pains and can't leave the house or just revert into safety behaviour. This all builds up a case file for anxiety. You begin to piece together what anxiety is, and how it's affected you day to day.

The more you understand anxiety the less it scares you. With the removal of fear and worry anxiety has less and elss power. It's the fuel for the fire of anxiety. When you understand and 100% the symptoms and pains are from anxiety you start to recover.

Drugs never treat root causes of problems. I don't agree with the use of drugs unless they're used to kill infections or are actually keeping someone alive.

In terms of depression or anxiety they simply mask symptoms and let people "cope". But that's no way to live in my opinion. Doctors are of the impression that with enough time spent on a drug and without symptoms you will start to regain a more logical way of thinking. Back to your old self and not responding emotionally or feeling hyper sensitive and paranoid about things in life. Problem is to fully blot out anxiety or depression entirely people wind up so dosed up and numbed from feelings and perceptions that they become dependent upon them and then you have to gradually come off them for your mind to cope.

The thing is, your body is kicking out symptoms to show you it's had enough stress and worry. it wants to recover. The body has amazing healing capabilities. Introducing foreign drugs isnt' required.

Read about anxiety, understand it and above all accept it. Let your psychiatrist train you to logically rationalize situations and feelings as opposed to blowing things out of proportions or panicking about things.

I recommend a book called A Life At Last by Paul Brian. It was a very easy read and helpful too. You might find it useful. Also these tapes for anxiety here:

http://www.junior-anxiety-depression-exchange.org.uk/Relax.html

Hope it's of some help. If you wish to talk about it further my skype and other IM info is on my profile.

Hope you feel better soon.

Ed

[mellymel]

You don't need drugs to deal with anxiety. There is a natural way to overcoming anxiety. Understanding it. The more you experience anxiety, the days you go through pains, the days you're overwhelmed with worries and pains and can't leave the house or just revert into safety behaviour. This all builds up a case file for anxiety. You begin to piece together what anxiety is, and how it's affected you day to day.

The more you understand anxiety the less it scares you. With the removal of fear and worry anxiety has less and elss power. It's the fuel for the fire of anxiety. When you understand and 100% the symptoms and pains are from anxiety you start to recover.

Drugs never treat root causes of problems. I don't agree with the use of drugs unless they're used to kill infections or are actually keeping someone alive.

In terms of depression or anxiety they simply mask symptoms and let people "cope". But that's no way to live in my opinion. Doctors are of the impression that with enough time spent on a drug and without symptoms you will start to regain a more logical way of thinking. Back to your old self and not responding emotionally or feeling hyper sensitive and paranoid about things in life. Problem is to fully blot out anxiety or depression entirely people wind up so dosed up and numbed from feelings and perceptions that they become dependent upon them and then you have to gradually come off them for your mind to cope.

The thing is, your body is kicking out symptoms to show you it's had enough stress and worry. it wants to recover. The body has amazing healing capabilities. Introducing foreign drugs isnt' required.

Read about anxiety, understand it and above all accept it. Let your psychiatrist train you to logically rationalize situations and feelings as opposed to blowing things out of proportions or panicking about things.

I recommend a book called A Life At Last by Paul Brian. It was a very easy read and helpful too. You might find it useful. Also these tapes for anxiety here:

http://www.junior-anxiety-depression-exchange.org.uk/Relax.html

Hope it's of some help. If you wish to talk about it further my skype and other IM info is on my profile.

Hope you feel better soon.

Ed

Agree completely, 100 %!