Does anyone use an anxiety medicine only as needed?

[evelynjane384]

I don't get anxiety everyday, only when there is a health scare. When a health issue comes up, I expect and assume doom and the worse. Is there anyone out there who only takes anxiety medicine as needed, so not everyday? Is there a medicine that isn't habit forming and can be used only as needed?

[alankay]

I use valium once a month or so. It's common in fact for anxiety suffers to do this after they become well versed on on anxiety and how it works, how to calm them selves better, etc. Benzos can be habit forming as they are so fast and effective but they aren't always so. It depends on the patient to understand their proper use.
An RX antihistamine like atarax(Hydroxyzine) is the only drug I know of off hand that has no abuse potential, can be used "as needed" for anxiety but may have a few more side effects than a properly dosed benzo.
Although useful ssri's/buspar are no good "as needed"(take time to work).
Another option might be lyrica as it has little abuse potential but can start to work in a few days for some folks and can be dropped after the anxiety related health scare subsides enough.
By the way serax(oxazepam) is a slow acting benzo with lower abuse potential that you might ask your doc about(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxazepam). Can be used "as needed".
Just some thoughts and PM me any time. Alankay.

[Nekochan]

I take a medication called Sobril, But I'm not sure in what countries you can find it ( I live in Sweden and we have it here ) but I only take it when I'm in uncomfortable situations, I always have one or two pills with me in case I get anxious

[MainerMikeBrown]

I was on a benzodiazepine last year, and I only was supposed to take it as needed.

It didn't work out for me because for several reasons - one of them being that I couldn't always know when I'd need it. I was told to take it when I thought I was going to have a stressful day. But sometimes I'd have a stressful day in which I didn't expect it to be stressful.

[vladman]

i take paxetil every single day and a xanax in case of s.o.s.