SSRI stopped working after 15 years

[Fitmom]

Hey all. New here....thought I had gad, pa,ocd beat...but here I am 15 years later terrified again. Lexapro was my miracle drug! At 42 now it is all creeping back and I feel so scared all over again. Obsessing, anxious, dizzy, what if thinking. I am scared to try a new med. What if it doesn't work? Anyone else have meds "poop out?"

This roller coaster is no fun 😣

[Nowuccas]

Hey Fitmom,

A doctor or psychiatrist may well prescribe a SNRI, or you could wean off the Lexapro 10% weekly, then try herbal and / or non herbal anxiolytics.

Relevant previous posts are:

GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER: http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?33964-New-to-the-site-and-looking-for-help&p=223989#post223989

HERBAL ANXIOLYTICS: http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?34269-5-Powerful-Tools-You-Probably-Haven-t-Tried-Yet&p=225415#post225415

NON HERBAL ANXIOLTYICS: (5-htp, etc.) http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?34355-Help-Please!!!/page2

Some people find it easier to change over to the SSRI, Prozac; stabilise for a while, then wean off it at 50% for 2 weeks, then discontinue.

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A previous post on OCD follows:

OCD is an anxiety spectrum disorder, and the obsessions and compulsions are a way of avoiding, or coping with it, so; treat the underlying anxiety effectively, replacing your habit with the EFT, below.

It's important to regularly monitor, and deal with a negative internal monologue (self talk), or mental process, such as disturbing thoughts, images, impulses, or emotions, by the process of (a): recognising it, and (b): challenging it immediately. Technique For Re-Programming Negative Thoughts: When you notice something negative, such as: "I can't do this/ am never going to get over this!" or: "Why am I always so pathetic/useless/such a loser?" or even an image, emotion, or a memory; recognise that it is being generated from the negative part of your mind. Having identified and labelled it, visualise a large, red, flashing, "STOP!" sign, and/or possibly a stern faced person wagging an index finger at you in a negative manner, then say to yourself as forcefully as you can, even aloud in a big voice, if alone: "I know this tactic: GO AWAY FOR A WHILE !!!" You may want to use either: "ruse", "ploy", "game", or "trick". In the case of an image, visualise a large "STOP" sign, or your preferred version. Some people go so far as to keep a wide rubber band in their pocket, then put it around their wrist, when they catch themselves backsliding, stretch and release it, as a method of reprogramming their mind sooner, but I don't regard it as being strictly necessary.

Remember to remove it, afterwards, if you use this method. Practice a relaxation method, daily, and when needed, such as: (free) http://www.drcoxconsulting.com/managing-stress.html or http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/mindbody/a/Meditation.htm or http://www.wikihow.com/Meditate or Yoga Nidra Tai Chi, yoga, or Qi Gong suits others better. Give the EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. * http://eft.mercola.com Use the searchbar at http://www.mercola.com "EFT therapists" and/or see the 13 free videos at http://www.tapping.com - There is a version for use in public places*, (if anyone asks, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind: "Even though I sometimes suffer from obsessions/compulsions, I deeply and completely accept myself." Herbal remedies, such as St. John's wort, are often effective, but the idea is (as with anxiolytic medication) to use them like water wings, or training wheels on a bicycle, providing initial support, and giving time for other treatments, such as therapy, and relaxation techniques, to take effect.

A free E course in CBT for anxiety is at: http://ecouch.anu.edu.au/welcome Books: Coping With OCD: Practical Strategies for Living Well With Obsessive-compulsive Disorder by Bruce M., Ph.D. Hyman and Troy Dufrene, & Overcoming Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Client Manual: A Behavioral and Cognitive Protocol for the Treatment of OCD (Best Practices Series) by Gail Steketee, & Confronting the Bully of OCD: Winning Back Our Freedom One Day at a Time by Linda Maran, from your bookstore, or amazon.com. Hypnosis is merely a heightened state of suggestibility, in which you are better able to communicate with your subconscious mind; view http://myfavoriteinterests.com/hypnosis/ about what it is, and isn't. 85% of people are suggestible to some degree; 15% - 20% highly so, and 15% - 20% aren't much at all, so you could either preferably seek professional hypnotherapy, or, if not an option, more along such lines is at: http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/1.html and read page F, where this came from.