Xanex for anxiety and Depression

GhastlyCC

Well-known member
Xanax for anxiety and Depression

Has anybody here ever tried Xanax for anxiety or depression?
For a long time I refused to use any type of medication.
But I'm feeling more and more backed against a wall...I have to do something.
From what I've read online,Xanax seems to be the best choice.
I'm going to make an appointment to see a doctor and I'd like some opinions on this stuff before I go.

I'd like to know how it's worked for those that have taken it.
For both Anxiety and depression(Severe)

"Benzos,” says Stephen Stahl, chairman of the Neuroscience Education Institute in Carlsbad, California, and a psychiatrist who consults to drug companies, “are the greatest things since Post Toasties. They work well. They’re very cheap. Their effectiveness on anxiety is profound.”

-Ghastly
 
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doesit

Well-known member
first of all xanax helps with anxiety greatly,once you get the dosage right theres no more depression,anxiety ,stress,sleepless nights and so on.The downturn of this medicine is ,its highly addictive,once you use it more then couple weeks then,theres almost no return from it,im on it for well over a year,and although it helped greatly,and i wasn't using it everyday ,usually twice three times a week.Eventually i got addicted,now the withdrawals from it,is bigger nightmare then anxiety alone,not only its psychological but physical as well,from muscle twitches,memory loss,severe anxiety and panic attacks.what started for me as 1mg a day grew to 10mgs and i can barely fell effects of it anymore,just keeps me together.
Now if you're willing to go that road,get a proper psychiatrist first,then dont ask for xanax,look into alternatives first,if nothing suites you then try valium/diazepam first,as it lasts well over 8h and doses can be adjusted as small as possible,where xanax lasts only up to 4-5h at most and leaves you strangled as body processes it fast,where valium stays in the body up to 3-7 days.hope this helps.And better look for alternatives,believe me you dont want another brick on your anxiety as benzos make it worse when it comes to quitting them.
 

Lamb

Well-known member
I have not tried it, and would be fearful to. As the above poster mentioned, I'd suggest you look at all options available to you.
 

spearhunter

Well-known member
well I never heard of xanax for depression, for anxiety it works very well.But usually benzos d'ont help for depression,one of the side effects, for benzos that is very common is it causes a depression.
 

Something-Vague

Well-known member
Hi GhastlyCC!

I have not tried Xanax, but I have tried another benzodiazpine, Clonazepam (aka Klonopin). While it was very effective in helping me decrease my anxiety, both generalized and social, it also caused me some concentration/memory issues. I am certain that they have persisted to at least some degree today.

If you do indeed decide to start taking Xanax, make sure that you take it as prescribed and do NOT go off of it all of a sudden if you wish to stop it. I went through terrible withdrawal effects and ended up being in a psych ward for intense symptoms. Not only were their rebound effects of anxiety, but other symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, which I had never had before.

~Something-Vague
 
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Hellhound

Super Moderator
Hi GhastlyCC!

I have not tried Xanax, but I have tried another benzodiazpine, Clonazepam (aka Klonopin). While it was very effective in helping me decrease my anxiety, both generalized and social, it also caused me some concentration/memory issues.

Wait, really?

I have terrible concentration/memory problems, I've been taking it for a long time now.
 

Something-Vague

Well-known member
Wait, really?

I have terrible concentration/memory problems, I've been taking it for a long time now.

Hellhound,

I think that taking the Klonopin for years has definitely contributed to my memory and concentration problems. (Technology may have assisted in these issues as well, haha.) Before this medication, I do not recall having either of these issues. According to American Academy of Family Physicians, "Benzodiazepines induce anterograde amnesia, which accounts for the beneficial effects of benzodiazepines such as midazolam (Versed) for presurgical medication. These specific amnestic effects appear to be separate from sedation. Episodic memory (the remembering of recent events and the circumstances in which they occurred and their time sequences) is particularly impaired and more markedly so in heavy alcohol drinkers who also use benzodiazepines. Specific deficits in visuospatial ability and sustained attention have also been described in patients who have taken therapeutic doses of benzodiazepines regularly for longer than one year" (2000).

More information about benzodiazepines can be found here:
Addiction: Part I. Benzodiazepines-Side Effects, Abuse Risk and Alternatives - April 1, 2000 - American Family Physician

I hope that this helps. Also, it may be helpful to look up The Ashton Manual.

~Something-Vague
 

Hellhound

Super Moderator
I know I've taken it for longer than a year. I'm going to ask the doctor about this, because the concentration issue is really difficult to deal with.

As for Xanax, no, I've never ever heard of it. But if it's as addictive as they're saying it is, then I'd rather not try it.
 

Something-Vague

Well-known member
I know I've taken it for longer than a year. I'm going to ask the doctor about this, because the concentration issue is really difficult to deal with.

As for Xanax, no, I've never ever heard of it. But if it's as addictive as they're saying it is, then I'd rather not try it.

Hellhound,

I think that it is a good idea to talk to your doctor, especially if you would ever consider going off of the medication. Maybe it would also help to do some research of your own. This is just my own personal experience, so perhaps you will find out more that I have not looked into by asking your doctor or by researching further. Definitely don't go on my word alone! Best of luck to you! I hope that your concentration issue becomes resolved or the impact is reduced.

~Something-Vague
 

GraybeardGhost

Well-known member
I once knew a guy who was hooked on Xanax—twenty pills a day, as I recall.

One day, he took too many by mistake.

He didn't need them after that.

Proceed with caution.
 

doesit

Well-known member
I once knew a guy who was hooked on Xanax—twenty pills a day, as I recall.

One day, he took too many by mistake.

He didn't need them after that.

Proceed with caution.

Doubt that he took only xanax,as benzos alone would hardly kill you,coma yes but to overdose on them is unlikely.
that said,as i mentioned before taking any benzo route is almost for life,as the addiction develops within weeks,and its not only mental but physical as well.So once you take this route imagine that any anxiety you had before will triple in no time,as your main concern will be not having anything to calm you down eventually,and need for that will grow dependently for every occasion where before you would felt no need for anything.
 
xanax

I have a prescription for xanax, but I do NOT take it every day. As far as I understand, xanax is the kind of thing that is better to take on an as needed basis if you feel you really need it for some situation in particular that causes a lot of anxiety. I know it's tempting to take every day because of constant anxiety and tension, but that would probably end up making things worse for me overall. It isn't the kind of pill that should be taken everyday, it's addictive and tolerance to it builds up really quickly. If people do take them every day it's only for a very short period of time. It definitely does cause memory issues, no doubt about that. If you want to try xanax it's something I would recommend taking occasionally.
 
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