Hello, I have a question about Benzodiazepines like Xanax/Alprazolam. I have social anxiety especially when it comes to making speeches and getting into romantic relationships. I have looked a lot into SSRI's but they seem to have so many side effects especially during the first few weeks. I have read from many members that benzos work well for them. However, are they generally used for short term anxiety? Also, what side effects are generally experienced while taking these and are these medications addicting? Please help me if you can! Thank you!
Some people will say that benzos were only designed for short term use, that may or may not be the case.
All I know is that nothing and I mean nothing else worked for me...the benzo I took was the one and only thing that did help me...so I stayed on it for 7 years.
I did however take a very low dose...I took 1/4 MG in the morning and another 1/4 MG in the late afternoon or early evening.
They make some people tired until they get used to them...but they really never did that to me...that's why when you first start taking them you shouldn't drive or anything like that until you know how you're going to react to them.
Some people do become dependent on or tolorant to benzos very quickly, for some it takes years and for others like me it never happens at all.
Some people have a hard time weaning off of them, but I didn't have that problem.
Like I said I took a low dose of a benzo everyday for 7 years, I never took more and never felt the need to, I never felt shakey between doses and when I didn't need them anymore I weaned off of them with no trouble at all.
No two people are the same and what works for one person isn't always the right thing for someone else.
I am currently taking Klonopin for panic attacks. I also have "social anxiety disorder," and my doc wants me to start Zoloft for both. While the benzo class of meds are effective for both panic and anxiety, he told me that "they are not the preferred course for long-term therapy." From what I have read, benzos (xanax, Klonopin, etc.) can become addictive if abused and a person can become dependant on them from long-term use. People can also become tolerant to their initial dosage, and thus have to start taking more and more to get the same theraputic effect. But that doesn't apply to everyone as Graciecat has pointed out.
I've haven't had any side effects from taking the Klonopin. At the onset it made me tired and I had some negative cognitive effects. But I was told to take 2.0 mgs/day. I have since gone down to 1.25mg/day and plan on reducing that to 1.0mg/day if I can get away with it (ie. without the panic attacks coming back).
Like yourself, I have a lot of reservations about starting an SSRI due to the many side effects. I have another month before I go back to my doc and am going to continue to research it.....ask people here who have been on them...and try to make an informed decision. The side effects from Zoloft, Paxil, Prosac, etc. don't sound like much fun but I've been suffering with this social anxiety crap for a very long time. I can't get up in front of people and make a speech either, and I'd like to get over that someday.
to dragonfly any benzo will help a lot by relaxing you it can be taken as needed, about 1 hour before needed, carry a few more tablets with you to take later if needed
sometimes just having some tablets with you gives enough confidence and more arent needed
IMO most anxiety sufferers dont become addicted to them, addiction claims are made by those trying to sell antidepressants as the only meds for anxiety
well, i was prescribed benzos for my social anxiety and GAD...they made me feel high..giddy...and like a zombie. they were addicting, and withdrawl was so horrible. I think they were called Rivotril...
my advice is to be careful if you decide to proceed with them
feeling giddy and like a zombie means the dose was too high
everyone needs to experiment to find the dose that suits them
the tablets cab be split into halves or quarters
most of us are not the type who become addicted to anything
feeling giddy and like a zombie means the dose was too high
everyone needs to experiment to find the dose that suits them
the tablets cab be split into halves or quarters
most of us are not the type who become addicted to anything
i was only taking half a pill . once a day...even if i had quarter of the pill Id feel the same..
oh sorry, i must be weird for having withdrawl symptoms..?? I wasn't addicted to them by any means, i took them as prescribed..and wheni felt i didnt need them anymore, i went through withdrawl. whether you have an "addictive personailty" or not, has nothing to do with your body withdrawing from medication..
I'm taking xanax right now for my mild anxiety. It works quite well. If you take it when you're not anxious at all (which is pointless, anyway), you'll probobly get very tired and 'zombie-like'. If you take them when you're highly anxious, they'll bring you down quite a bit but you might still have some anxiety. I was originally prescribed it twice daily but felt it was too much and there was no reason I should be taking it when I wasn't anxious to begin with. The reason my doctor prescribed them daily is because antidepressants didn't work for me. I would be careful about daily dosages though, you can build tolerance and be on a high dosage before you know it. Of course, doctors don't tell you this...they only tell you want you want to hear.
As someone mentioned, simply carrying the benzo's on you and knowing you can take them whenever you start to get anxious, helped me enough to the point where I didn't even need to take them. These seem to be much more effective than those worthless ssri's.
Benzos for Anxiety... 
