Would I go skydiving if I were on anxiety meds.

[frisby]

Would I go skydiving if I were on anxiety meds.

Just an example. I refused to go skydiving. I calculated the risk based on deaths reported and felt it was not for me. So my frineds went with out me. They told me I suffered from Anxiety.

No sick feeling just a feeling NO NO NO that is not safe.

Sure at some point in my life I felt anxiety, a sick feeling in my stomach like when I got pulled over by a cop. That's about the only time it ever happens. My doctor said worrying is anxiety. But what would happen to the world if no one ever worried about anything? Confused.

Anxiety drugs I would imagine it will make me less emotional. That would be a bummer since I like being emotional to express who I am. I would not be taking them for sky diving of course my doctor suggested I try them because he thought I was too emotional regarding concerns.

Specifically I wanted to know if I took anxiety drugs would it change my decisions that I make for example sky diving? Trying to understand what the meds do. Of course the doctor said that was anxiety too since most people would just try them not analize first. But this is what I do before I act. So is this anxiety? I really don't want to change I love my emotions. So for me it sounds like loosing a part of who I am.

I don't see the problem but everyone around me seems to think I have one. So just in case they are all right since I am one and they are many I am trying to learn about anxiety. Sometimes the many are wrong too.

Also is worrying = anxiety. Are they the same thing? By the way I am a very happy person sometimes annoying to others because I am often cheerful. It feels good to be able to express your self all the time. So I wonder if they mistake this for anxiety when I show strong concern. If you don't worry about something you are faced with how can you think about it to make a logical choice? Maybe I'm not sure of what worrying means. Worrying and Concern means the same to me if that helps. Worry = danger. It takes most of my attention away to deal with the situation that I am worrying about, it has to be serious and needs to be handled now because the situation is something that is unavoidable. Otherwise I'd probably put it out of my mind until I was forced to deal with it. That would be the time usually to worry. Do I understand this?

Any advice. Thank you.

[Robbed]

It is impossible for me (or anyone else) to say whether you would be more likely to go skydiving if you took anxiety meds. The BIGGEST problem with anxiety medications (ESPECIALLY SSRIs and SNRIs, less so with benzodiazepines) is the unpreictability of them when it comes to their effects and side effects. Yes, there are some people for whom they are quite effective in alleviating anxiety. And perhaps for such people, anxiety meds might make them less afraid of something like skydiving. For others, anxiety meds are, well, a living nightmare. And, if anything, you would probably be less likely to feel good about skydiving if you fall in this category. On the other hand, meds might be of SOME benefit, but won't squelch your fear of skydiving. SO into which category do YOU fall? There is no way of knowing unless/until you try them. And because of the fact that negative experiences with anxiety meds are not isolated events, but actually quite possible, I just don't think medication is the best first course of action. Yes, I know that doctors will tell you that everything would be peachy for you if you would just take your pills like a good little boy. But SO much of the time, this is just not the case. Refusing to take antidepressants is one case where defying doctor's orders can be one of the best moves you can ever take.

A couple more things. First of all, being afraid of skydiving is hardly a good measure of your anxiety levels. After all, skydiving is something that PLENTY of people with and without anxiety disorders are afraid to do. So unless you were an avid skydiver before your anxiety disorder struck and are now afraid of skydiving, I would notworry about being afraid of skydiving. Remember that overcoming anxiety does NOT mean you have to confront everything you ever feared in life. Secondly, when it comes to analyzing the effects of anxiety meds, this may or may not be anxiety related. Chances are you might know a person or two who has taken such drugs, and had bad experiences. Or maybe you have heard the myriad of SSRI horror stories out there. All of this has you worried that maybe you might have similar problems that you have seen or heard of. The thing is, contrary to what yor doctor might suggest, these ARE legitimate concerns. People sometimes DO have bad side effects and/or become addicted to drugs like Paxil and Lexapro. So it is only natural that you are apprehensive about them. After all, I have known people who have had problems with these drugs as well. And I know that the vast majority of people I have talked to without anxiety disorder have said that they would NEVER, EVER touch the stuff. This is why I won't take it. It's not that I don't believe in taking something that could make you feel better. I just think that SSRIs are bad drugs.

Speaking of side effects, emotional blunting is a VERY common side effect of antidepressants. If this poses a problem for you, then consider this to be just one more reason not to take them. Also, if your doctor/therapist/psychiatrist is twisting your arm to get on medication and is not willing to respect your decision NOT to use them, then stop seeing them. You just don't need these kinds of people in your life - especially at this time.

[frisby]

One thing that I learned was that people and espically myself can be wrong when ever a choice is based on opinion. So when faced with a situation I don't know about it's important for me to lean about it. I learn both Good and bad to make a decision based on correct information and not my personal feelings about something. People that look at me see an emotional person and just to the concludition that I have anxiety. What they don't know is I make an effort to express my feelings because I think it is important and what makes me more of who I want to be. I've had people say they want to slap me because I am too happy all the time. So personally I love being myself. What makes me unhappy is people telling me that I have anxiety because I worry about things that I conclude to be "dangerous". Danger is not alway related to life threatening but a relistic unpleasent result from an action would be a good way to describe it. Sometimes I feel where do you draw the line between worry and stupid. If worrying stops you from jumpping off a bridge than stupid would be to jump. This is how strong my feelings are about the things I worry about. I don't worry about random stuff like what if I get a flat tire, but if I were driving through a desert I'd think maybe we need to carry a spare tire... If that's called anxiety more people need it is my thinking.

Thank you for your post.

There is just so much pressure from family to fit in to what they want. I was going to try the meds just to get them off my back and to show them its not anxiety from what I believe and understand from education. But understanding the effects as you described them and as you said seeing others that are on anxiety meds I don't think trying them just to make someone else happy would be the best choice for me.

The doc (not a psy) made it sound like hey everyone takes them like candy, no big deal nothing can happen. This is not the case. My friend had problems controlling depression and the drugs changed his life for the better and he loves his meds. But while most of the neg depression is gone so is part of the good personality too. In my case I don't have "any" depression, rarely even sadness, sure I hate paying bills but I'd not call that sadness, so I can only see a drug dulling how I feel as a depresant not something good.

I was under the impression that there were no risks so what the heck if it makes them stop telling me I have anxiety I could try it just to be able to say see, I took the meds and no change. But na, doesn't seem worth it just to make someone else feel like they are doing good when it would actually make me feel bad.

Thank you.

[Robbed]

The doc (not a psy) made it sound like hey everyone takes them like candy, no big deal nothing can happen. This is not the case. My friend had problems controlling depression and the drugs changed his life for the better and he loves his meds. But while most of the neg depression is gone so is part of the good personality too. In my case I don't have "any" depression, rarely even sadness, sure I hate paying bills but I'd not call that sadness, so I can only see a drug dulling how I feel as a depresant not something good.

I was under the impression that there were no risks so what the heck if it makes them stop telling me I have anxiety I could try it just to be able to say see, I took the meds and no change. But na, doesn't seem worth it just to make someone else feel like they are doing good when it would actually make me feel bad.

Thank you.

I don't know why doctors try to make this stuff out to be safer than Bubble Yum. Although I really don't want to believe conspracy theories, maybe all those stories about the influence of Big Pharma on the medical professions are true. However, I DO know that doctors try to shove this stuff down your throat, and make it seem like all will be peachy if you will only take it. In fact, one of my friends was sent to a therapist by his employer after a robbery at his workplace. And the therapist tried to get him to go on SSRIs (therapists CAN'T prescribe here, but they sure push you to see an MD to get on the stuff ASAP). Keep in mind that my friend has neither depression nor anxiety. When he said he absolutely would NOT take them, the therapist basically tried to pitch them to him by saying that his sex would be better since ejactuation will be delayed. Of course, she never did mention to him that the stuff basically kills your desire to have sex in the first place. A couple of other people I know were put on them for OCD. Both experienced rather negative side effects. In BOTH cases, the doctors flatly denied that the side effects were caused by the drug. And in BOTH cases, the doctor proceeded to INCREASE their dosages, since complaints of side effects seemed to mean to them that they were not getting enough of the drug. Furthermore, one of these people was then 'diagnosed' with bipolar disorder, and put on even MORE meds. These meds made her SO miserable that she said she was going to stop taking them. And the doctor said that if she did, he would have her dropped due to 'noncompliance'. See why I hate medications and the health care system SO much (at least when it comes to emotional/mental health)? From what I have witnessed, this sort of thing is not even a rarity. I think we should all just listen to Nancy Reagan on this one: JUST SAY NO!

So don't take meds just for your family. It is just not worth it. Doing so is just as stupid and juvenile as taking up smoking just to appear 'cool' to the 'cool crowd' in junior high.