I Want a New Drug, or at least a new strategy (Xanax)

Sebring747

I've tried tons of drugs but still feel so much social phobia and just can't leave home sometimes.

Xanax is my old standby I take 2mg. 2-3 times per day. Keep it at my bedside to use to try to get out of bed. Some have told me it does work but the sedative effect wears off over time and just helps the anxiety. But, I don't know if it's true. Anyone else hear this?

I also take Elavil and Prozac for depression.

There are other meds at my disposal for things like pain and sleep, but most can be oversedating, and I'm afraid to drive under the influence of too many.

Ideas?

Watermark · Newbie User Joined: Jan 09, 2008 Posts: 7

Sebring747

Watermark · Newbie User Joined: Jan 09, 2008 Posts: 7

Johno · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:34 pm Post subject:

From my experience finding the right medication is trial and error. Everyone is different. My doctor has been combining two different meds to see what works for me. I have read that Lexapro combined with klonopin is very effective for sp. So that will be my next step. Try some CBT and visualisation as well.

SilentType · Expert User Joined: Jul 04, 2007 Posts: 653

The phrase "everyone is different," in my opinion, is used way too much in medicine. Every time a doctor wants to try a new drug for this same social problem they just give us the good old "everyone is different, maybe this one will work speech." If you think about it, these people are doing nothing but using us as guinea pigs for the giant pharmaceutical companies who pay them to prescribe their medication to people. Who knows what all of these drugs our doing to our bodies and our minds? Nobody really. That's why they always give us the "maybe this one will work" treatment. Fuck psychiatrists, I've already gone through a few years of "trying to find the medication thats right for me," and nothing that's come from the pharmacy has gotten me out of this hell that my psychiatrist calls panic disorder w/ agoraphobia.

Fuck psychiatric labels and pharmaceutical companies. I'm just different, and I don't even want to be "normal". Hell, I don't even think we're the ones who need counseling. If everyone without anxiety problems just became informed on how debilitating the problems can be, then they'd all get the picture, and not treat us like garbage.

Therefore, the answer to this problem is educating the public. We need commercials, ads in magazines, billboards, etc, made creatively so that the public takes it to heart and doesn't just laugh like I hear people do at the SSRI commercials.

If medications get commercials, so should the illness they treat. Not just about the chemical actions in the brain that goes in most peoples' one ear and out the other, but about the daily lives of people like us, and the fact that its a physical problem, not a way of thinking.

Peace

Johno · Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject:

Interesting silent. I guess from experience we make up our own minds. Trial and error as you have experienced. You experienced it and obviously came to the conclusion that medication doesn't work. Yet many will strongly disagree with that stance. That’s all I am advocating is trial and error. Obviously (Iam assuming) you have found no benefit from modern psychiatry. It didn't work for you. Well join the rest of the minority in voicing your concerns. However medications work for many. Including me. I agree that we should be educating the public about this disorder. We are. Here in Australia local doctors are now treating depression and anxiety. Fifteen years ago they would have ignored us. Educating the public is an on going process. It takes time. E.G a person suffering from SP in Australia can now qualify for a full disability pension. We are educating the public.

SilentType · Expert User Joined: Jul 04, 2007 Posts: 653

Here in the States I was able to get on disability too. That doesn't mean the public is learning anything. It just means that doctors are becoming more educated about the problem that we have, and passing on their knowledge to the governments.

My problem is that nobody who hasn't experienced (first or second hand) this or isn't involved in psychiatry does not know how debilitating anxiety problems can be.

I never said drugs don't work, I only said that I've become tired of being part of a worldwide experiment where people are putting man-made substances into peoples brains. The best anxiolytic drug I've found so far just happens to be illegal in my country. There's one state, though, where I can go get compassion from doctors and be allowed to use marijuana, which, if legalized, would put big pharmaceutical companies out of business and the government is scared of that.

Peace

Johno · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject:

Well, (I can only speak definitely about what is happening here in Australia) I'll think you'll find that the general wider community (the public and health professionals) are becoming more aware of mental health issues. Frequently I see government sponsored TV ads about mental health issues advising where to get help and tolerance. I doubt it's much different over there.
You may not have said specifically that drugs don't work but I think any reasonable person would assume that you certainly implied it.
As for marijuana as an anxiolytic. I don't subscribe to that. I can't speak for everyone but it certainly exacerbates my anxiety to the point of panic attacks. The research also suggests links with schizophrenia etc..
Cheers
[/quote]

SilentType · Expert User Joined: Jul 04, 2007 Posts: 653