[mental health] deal with anxiety disorder without meds?

[visvim]

Simply put in the topic - Normally I wouldn't feel comfortable getting mental health advice / general health advice on the internet, least of all a gaming forum. But after being here a while I feel a lot of you guys are good for discussion without prejudice.

I have seen so many horror stories of mental health medication and it's dependency that I want to keep that as a last resort. As I am about to officially enter 'middle age' I feel it's time to finally try and deal with this once and for all.

So then, lets keep it short and sweet and hopefuly get some good discussion going.

I imagine I am not alone with severe anxiety. Social, health and general in no particular order. They are all spikes in my soul, the bane of my sleeping pattern, the elephant in the room and cause of many a relationship problem. The crippling chains that hold us back in life. Have had it since as long as I can remember, and at all stages of my life it has been there. I wondered if any of you guys out there who deal with this beast or have in the past too have managed to get better without medication and / or a ton of money on healthcare?

And as a precursor, yes, I have been to the doctors at multiple times, sadly none of them have really helped for long. The option for medication has always been there, but as you guys who suffer know already, it can often come in waves. Also, if this violates any rules of the forum, if a mod would let me know so I can comply with an update.

And please, I encourage you to share your stories, in as much or as little detail as you like. It will likely help me and others here who sit in silence.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

I tried medication several times, but it didn't work for me. I didn't feel much different. Now I'm trying to deal it without, and feel pretty much the same as I did then. It's not fun, but the medication just wasn't helping.

Talking to someone is more effective, though it can be like a bandaid.

 

[Sadora]

I take meds for anxiety and panic attacks.
For me, it's pretty helpful. Sometimes, the feelings creep up, but I'm usually able to handle them.
The attacks are less frequent and less sever than what it was before.

 

[A Fish Aficionado]

CBT for anxiety
http://a.co/bLiRCBK
Meditation

I would totally go on medication because it seems that you have an extreme case. It's not all horror stories. I blame the internet because the loudest voices are the ones with the horror stories. Would you have the same reaction if you had diabetes or high blood pressure? The stigma of taking meds for psych problems is still stigmatized. It's not any different than a physical manifestation of illness.

 

[Zekes]

For me, I participated in a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy group that taught me some helpful skills that I use to this day to deal with anxiety (and depression). At the same time I was attending counselling which helped compound it.

Mindfulness is something that appears pretty trendy right now as well, but has some research that backs it up. I would look into both if you're interested in dealing with anxiety without meds. It's certainly possible.

 

[cheeseholidays]

I feel like it's just a matter of finding the right med, but when you do it's absolutely life changing. I would urge you not to get discouraged by what you've heard.

 

[Ryaaan14]

I took meds for a few years and they fixed me so I don't even have to take them anymore

I'm a firm believer in medication u just gotta be patient w your doctor and find the right meds through trial and error

 

[Deleted member 11413]

I would recommend therapy before you look into medication.

 

[EchoChamber]

I treated my anxiety with only therapy.

 

[Xiaomi]

Go to a doctor. CBT works for some people, too, but don't deliberately worsen your quality of life because you heard horror stories on the internet.

 

[Lys Skygge]

I had some crazy anxiety for a few years and it got really bad last year. I decided to cut caffeine out from my diet completely and that helped immensely. I've been drinking it again lately, but not nearly as much as I used to (several cups of coffee a day) but I feel great now.

 

[ryseing]

For me, I participated in a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy group that taught me some helpful skills that I use to this day to deal with anxiety (and depression). At the same time I was attending counselling which helped compound it.

Mindfulness is something that appears pretty trendy right now as well, but has some research that backs it up. I would look into both if you're interested in dealing with anxiety without meds. It's certainly possible.

Click to shrink...

I did both a CBT group and a mindfulness group. Both were great, and gave me some good tools. That being said, I'm still on meds for peace of mind. I've found a combination that works for me.

 

[Deleted member 18360]

Sebern Fisher works a lot with neurofeedback for developmental trauma and fear or anxiety. She claims that talk therapy is often less effective for these conditions, because they can be characterized as a problem with the nonverbal and emotional right hemisphere of the brain, so talk therapy is always exerts kind of an indirect effect. I know from experience that neurofeedback can exert a pretty powerful effect in bringing down emotional hyperarousal, but that was just me messing around with an EEG on my own. I think clinical neurofeedback can be pretty expensive, and I have no idea what the treatment timeline is supposed to look like.

 

[Indy in the Fridge]

Getting over anxiety is all about identifying triggers and creating and developing skills to tolerate the triggers to that anxiety. That typically requires assistance from a mental health professional.

But you have to dedicate yourself to that. To make it to appointments and to do the homework. Medication is simply a buffer, a means to dilute the pangs of severe anxiety in order to help you process. Doing it in combination with therapy is the most recommended practice.

 

[Fulminator]

Exercise and meditation can help a lot. Medical Marijuana could help. Therapy could help too. Probably a combination of these things, and consider medication as a last resort.

 

[wandering]

There are medications out there that are remarkably safe, like buspar.

 

[Zeroro]

I'm similar to you, OP, in that I am terrified of the prospect of becoming too dependent on anxiety meds, so I've never pursued it. I've become resigned to how I'm living life at the moment, which is without any social activity outside of whatever happens during my classes since I'm in college right now; I never hang out with people ever, nor have I ever gone to/been invited to social gatherings or parties in my life (again, outside of family events), but I'm cool with it since those kinds of environments unnerve me greatly.

I know I'll have to do something eventually, but I'm not sure how I'd even begin to approach mitigating my anxiety. I've never gotten any sort of official diagnosis, but I'm pretty sure I have Avoidant Personality Disorder based on the few times I've looked up symptoms.

I think having a close friend to force me out of my comfort zone and do more social activities would benefit me in the end, but I don't have any, at least offline, so that's a bit of a problem.

 

[Dr. Dre's Dr.]

I would avoid benzos at all costs.

 

[Deleted member 18360]

There are medications out there that are remarkably safe, like buspar.

Click to shrink...

I was going to mention buspirone. I haven't taken it, and I think its usefulness might be limited to only some anxiety disorders, but I wouldn't think twice about trying it if I thought it'd help.

 

[Zekes]

I did both a CBT group and a mindfulness group. Both were great, and gave me some good tools. That being said, I'm still on meds for peace of mind. I've found a combination that works for me.

Click to shrink...

That's cool to hear, I'm glad.

That's the important thing, finding the supports that work for you OP. I wouldn't rule out medication entirely, but know that there are other options and supports out there and it might end up being that you have to mix and match. Meds can often be useful in helping you to get your footing while you do other therapies to learn to manage your anxiety. It all comes down to what works for you

 

[Soul Skater]

A therapist should be able to assess you and tell you whether or not you'll be able to get better without any meds

My girlfriend was suffering for years because the "horror stories" she read online scared her away but finally getting with the program and taking them was the best thing she's done. She wishes she had just done it much sooner and listened to her therapist years ago

You might not need medication but if you should see a doctor. Or multiple ones for different opinions. If they tell you you're in a position where you need it listen to them. There are multiple different ways to tackle whatever issues you have and many solutions do not have the sort of dependency or long term addictive ness that leads to abuse that you are worried about. Sometimes you'll only need to be on them for a few months and won't need them anymore.

 

[Kieli]

I have anxiety and do not take medication for it. It manifests itself predictably when I talk to a person 1 on 1. In group and public settings, I do not experience anxiety. Essentially my brain enters a downward spiral of fight-or-flight; heart rate increases, I can't think coherently, pain in the back of the head, muscles weaken. I'm honestly surprised at how physiological the response is, even though one usually associates anxiety as a psychological state of cognitive disorder.

One method that works for me, on occasions when I remember, is to start internally narrating my surroundings in perfunctory language. For example, "The wall is beige, the red light blinks, person is wearing striped shirt."

I heard it described as forcing your brain to engage with the logical side and disengage with the emotional side, thereby disarming the feedback mechanisms that cause your body to start "panicking". I don't know how scientific basis there is behind that, but it certainly works for me.

 

[HardTimesFamilyPride]

My mother has PTSD. She was on one of those addictive meds making headlines back in the 90s/early 2000s (can't remember when exactly). Put her off of using medication entirely. A couple years ago she started again through a doctor she trusted and who made sure everything was being monitored properly. She's been better than I have seen her in about 20 years.

I personally tried the self-help route throughout my 20s and although it put me in a better position than some friends of mine who just accepted their stations in life, getting a therapist and going on meds gave me 1) valuable tools to handle my anxiety, and 2) a sudden glimpse into how well my brain can function when those anxiety chemicals/reactions aren't yelling over everything else. There is an organization where I live that uses a sliding scale payment system, so I actually get therapy and check-ins for my prescription free! I actually haven't taken meds in about a month and my ability to handle my moment-to-moment feelings and interactions are still better than they were a year ago.

I had some crazy anxiety for a few years and it got really bad last year. I decided to cut caffeine out from my diet completely and that helped immensely. I've been drinking it again lately, but not nearly as much as I used to (several cups of coffee a day) but I feel great now.

Click to shrink...

God this too. Caffeine does nothing for me except make my anxiety go haywire. Little lifestyle changes such as this can work wonders sometimes.

 

[Sawneeks]

Really it's finding what works for you. For some people CBT works, exercise works, medication works, talking to people works, changing your diet, or any combination of these can help. It's always recommended that you do all of them, but some work better for people than others.

And trust me, I 100% understand how scary medication can be. I've been dealing with anxiety since I was 6 ( just turned 23 ) and I've been on 3 different medications growing up. When I hit my senior year of High School I stopped, I was doing much better and with a combination of medication, meeting new friends, and techniques learned through therapy I had a good handle on anxiety. But one of the main pushes was I did not like how it made me feel towards the end of it. I was fine up until about 4 months before I stopped, I just couldn't concentrate or feel like myself. So, after talking with the Doctor, I was able to get off of it and I did fine. There were spikes here and there but nothing major until about 4 days ago. I tried to start a new job and my anxiety came back and just destroyed me, I couldn't function, eat, or sleep. I'd always put off medication for the occasional anxiety because hey, i beat it, and going back meant defeat and the potential for new side effects. But after seeing that and just how much I could not handle it on my own I was able to talk to my Doctor and get a prescription. I started them on Saturday, so today is day 4.

I understand the fear but trust me, the right medication combined with the other things I listed can do wonders. You don't have to be on it forever if you don't want to, just look at it as a boost to get you back up on your feet and out of this anxiety pit. Just always talk to the doctor that prescribed you the medication, anti-anxiety drugs are not supposed to be stopped cold turkey.

 

[Flabber]

Long term I believe CBT is maybe the most effective way to treat that kind of thing without meds.

Personally I took 30mg citalopram for 18 months and it made it easier to manage my life to a point where I could work on the changes necessary to cope without the meds. Unfortunately I moved abroad and the culture shock of that combined with coming off my meds when I ran out has meant I've dipped down again, but I plan to get back on them as soon as I'm home in a few months.

Honestly if I was in your position I'd go for the meds. Yes there are horror stories and unfortunately SSRIs are a bit of a crapshoot as to whether the particular one you try first will work. Some take it and find it instantly fixes their mood, others are on it for a month before they really notice any differences, and others still are made worse and then go through withdrawal. Try to view it as a process and think if the first one you try isn't right for you then that's one step closer to finding the one that is. My doctor was great at keeping me coming back to checkup and monitor potential side effects (I did have a few physical ones like *ahem* bowel troubles, but citalopram can cause ideations of suicide which didn't come up at all for me).

If you try a few and they don't do anything then at least you know you gave them a shot.

 

[Kirblar]

Try altering your diet, Dairy and Egg both mess w/ me a lot.

 

[Leonard Spiddles]

I would recommend DBT over typical CBT. The therapy I went through was very manageable and I felt like I either learned new skills or learned how to apply things in my life in a healthier way.

 

[SugarNoodles]

Long term I believe CBT is maybe the most effective way to treat that kind of thing without meds.

Personally I took 30mg citalopram for 18 months and it made it easier to manage my life to a point where I could work on the changes necessary to cope without the meds. Unfortunately I moved abroad and the culture shock of that combined with coming off my meds when I ran out has meant I've dipped down again, but I plan to get back on them as soon as I'm home in a few months.

Honestly if I was in your position I'd go for the meds. Yes there are horror stories and unfortunately SSRIs are a bit of a crapshoot as to whether the particular one you try first will work. Some take it and find it instantly fixes their mood, others are on it for a month before they really notice any differences, and others still are made worse and then go through withdrawal. Try to view it as a process and think if the first one you try isn't right for you then that's one step closer to finding the one that is. My doctor was great at keeping me coming back to checkup and monitor potential side effects (I did have a few physical ones like *ahem* bowel troubles, but citalopram can cause ideations of suicide which didn't come up at all for me).

If you try a few and they don't do anything then at least you know you gave them a shot.

Click to shrink...

Also taking Citalopram here. It changed my life in a very measurable, positive way.

I've also had great success with CBT, so I'd recommend looking into that/

 

[Draper]

Any over the counter stuff I could take for similar issues?

Also, I started taking zoloft about a month and a half ago- no major difference in my mood however

 

[Orio]

Most of the experiences I've seen with medication have been positive, but I understand how anxiety can blow the worry over it out of proportion.

Medication has helped me a lot. I mean, I still have a hell of a lot of anxiety because my anxiety was pretty bad to start with, but at least I'm not constantly curled up on the bed with panic attacks, so that's something. I need to start up therapy again, but sadly the anxiety still does make it difficult to get the ball rolling on that. Such is living that anxious life.

A lot of people have had good results with meditation. Not me personally, but what helps and what doesn't is so personal you might as well try everything.

 

[Linkura]

See a therapist that specializes in CBT. Helped me a ton.

 

[visvim]

God this too. Caffeine does nothing for me except make my anxiety go haywire. Little lifestyle changes such as this can work wonders sometimes.

Click to shrink...

I never thought about this. I drink 2-3 cans of cherry coke a day and a coffee in the morning. That should probably cut out, will try it.

 

[Facism]

lot's of good suggestions.

Cycling trails and off-road helped me quite a lot. Something to focus on and even better if you have some scenic routes to take.

 

[Flabber]

Any over the counter stuff I could take for similar issues?

Also, I started taking zoloft about a month and a half ago- no major difference in my mood however

Click to shrink...

Firtst up, if you're already on something I don't think you should combine it with anything else.

I think your options are pretty limited with over the counter stuff, the only thing I can think of is St John's Wort, which is more of a herbal remedy and may or may not have any pharmacological properties so I'd recommend some research before taking it seriously. I think you'd probably be better off doing mindfulness and/or CBT in addition to your medication.

Also if the zoloft isn't doing anything for you then just go back to your doctor and talk to them about it. SSRIs take a while before you start to legitimately feel any effects but I think a month and a half (so you started early December?) would be long enough to start feeling something.

 

[visvim]

Can someone nutshell how CBT process works and ... what exactly it is? The links provided are a bit dense for my tired eyes.

 

[Shirosaki]

I would avoid benzos at all costs.

Click to shrink...

Why do you say this? Some people are successful on Benzo's, and typically if you're someone with anxiety issues, you're too observant or reluctant to take more than needed negating that stigma for abuse.

Source - I've been on Xanax for 8 years.

 

[Deleted member 22649]

Meditation helps.

Introspective writing, that one also helps-- for me, anyway. Take thirty minutes every few days to sit and write about how you're feeling. Sometimes anxiety is caused by a lack of understanding, even of your own feelings.

 

[luca]

I was on pregabalin (also known as Lyrica) medication for some years, and it might have helped me here and there, but I stopped last year as I didn't feel a difference anymore, and I am now feeling much better off the medication and am happy I can manage on my own.

That said, if you do feel anxiety and is having a hard time, I would try out medication just to see how it affects you personally. But talk with a doctor first by all means.

 

[Draper]

Firtst up, if you're already on something I don't think you should combine it with anything else.

I think your options are pretty limited with over the counter stuff, the only thing I can think of is St John's Wort, which is more of a herbal remedy and may or may not have any pharmacological properties so I'd recommend some research before taking it seriously. I think you'd probably be better off doing mindfulness and/or CBT in addition to your medication.

Also if the zoloft isn't doing anything for you then just go back to your doctor and talk to them about it. SSRIs take a while before you start to legitimately feel any effects but I think a month and a half (so you started early December?) would be long enough to start feeling something.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, first dose was on 12/7. We've already bumped it to 75 mg. I don't know. I just feel pretty much the same. It's odd.

 

[The Teachinator]

Has anyone done transcendental meditation? It's pricey and I'm weary of paying for meditation that sounds rather...simple.

 

[Furyous]

I am not saying I deal with anxiety or dealt with anxiety but here's some advice:

Meditate as this will help you calm your mind.

Regulate your breathing for the sake of your nerves.

Find a way to get out and interact with people. Allow yourself to be vulnerable as this helps you realize very few things are serious as they may seem.

For fuck's sake stay away from caffeine. It makes you even more jittery, from what I've heard, when anxiety rears its ugly head.

Take some Melatonin gummies and sleep well.

Try yoga as that will help you tremendously.

Think of these things as part of your day. You can meditate while working in a busy environment.

 

[rucury]

There are medications out there that are remarkably safe, like buspar.

Click to shrink...

Please listen to this person. Look at studies. Taking medication is good.

 

[HardTimesFamilyPride]

Has anyone done transcendental meditation? It's pricey and I'm weary of paying for meditation that sounds rather...simple.

Click to shrink...

Don't spend money on transcendental shit. You can look up a lot of info on simple mindfulness meditation which will help immensely if you stick with it.

The main goal (put simply) is to separate your automatic brain responses/mental processes with your conscious actions/thoughts. Practicing that doesn't require spending money at all. Just patience and consistency.

 

[Orio]

There are medications out there that are remarkably safe, like buspar.

Click to shrink...

Buspar is what I take. I haven't experienced any side effects with it and it has taken some of the edge off the anxiety. Worth looking into.

 

[MultiJhonny]

Xanax fucked me up. I took it responsibly but I still became physically addicted. I have been off almost 2 years now and still don't sleep the same as I once did. Marked by that change.

I got through it with meditation and exercise and eating right. Now I still have anxiety but I don't have daily panic attacks anymore. Getting off was the best decision I ever had.

Xanax was a last ditch med effort since I was on a few different ones in high school too.

I wish you all the best OP.

 

[ned_ballad]

Not all anxiety medicine is habit forming like Xanax

I've had a good experience with Cilexa, although it takes awhile for your body to get used to it, and I still have bad days occasionally.

Nothing else I tried worked. Eating better didn't. Exercise didn't. Meditating didn't. No herbal substance worked. Xanax didn't even really work, due to my anxiety being triggered by a specific thing (being a passenger in a car), so by the time it kicked in, I was already home.

 

[Deleted member 18360]

Has anyone done transcendental meditation? It's pricey and I'm weary of paying for meditation that sounds rather...simple.

Click to shrink...

Just get a copy of Mindfulness in Plain English. I think there's even a free copy that will come up on google.

Even if you have no interest in Buddhism, the generally 'Buddhist' (especially Theravadin) framework for meditation will probably always be more sophisticated and explicit than anything else out there.

 

[Nowise10]

Does anyone else feel bad when talking to the your doctor when wanting medication for some reason. Always feel guilty. Have an appointment tomorrow to talk about what I think is anxiety related issues and really just want it to stop and will try any medication.

 

[Jeffolation]

Why do you say this? Some people are successful on Benzo's, and typically if you're someone with anxiety issues, you're too observant or reluctant to take more than needed negating that stigma for abuse.

Source - I've been on Xanax for 8 years.

Click to shrink...

I spent six years on xanax and ended up having to go to rehab to get clear of it (alcohol as well). It's a band aid solution (good for stuff like fear of flying) but for anxiety issues better to address it through stuff like cbt, dbt and mindfulness. I got farther in two months with that stuff than I did with 15 years of various medications.

 

[Shirosaki]

I spent six years on xanax and ended up having to go to rehab to get clear of it (alcohol as well). It's a band aid solution (good for stuff like fear of flying) but for anxiety issues better to address it through stuff like cbt, dbt and mindfulness. I got farther in two months with that stuff than I did with 15 years of various medications.

Click to shrink...

I agree completely with what you said, it's a bandaid fix but still helpful. I finally started CBT last year which was helpful.

As for Xanax itself though, when taking as prescribed I don't see the issue while you work to overcome from other ways, since like you said it is a bandaid, it can help for temporary relief while going through the process.

Also Xanax and alcohol is a horrible combination. I'm glad you were able to get off it! Hopefully the rehab helped with the alcohol also. I just got to my ten year mark on sobriety from alcohol actually a week ago!