Drinking Alcohol While Taking Anti
Easily the most readily available drug is alcohol, and most of us are known to enjoy a glass of wine, for example, from time to time however, when taking anti-anxiety medication, you need to be cautious. Why the caution? Well, both alcohol and benzos are depressants, which can cause sedative effects that include drowsiness and muscle relaxation, as noted by Healthline.
And, when combining the two together, these effects are intensified. A 2018 study in animals that looked at the effects of combining alcohol with Xanax, one particular type of benzo, found that ethanol, which is found in alcoholic drinks, increases the concentration of alprazolam in our bodies . This then causes the liver to work harder to break down both the alcohol and the anti-anxiety medication.
Because there is generally no recommended dose when combining anti-anxiety medication with alcohol since our bodies all react differently the best option is to talk with your doctor about your use of alcohol so that you can ensure you’re being safe.
How Can A Psychological Treatment Potentially Reduce Anxious Feelings
Pill-giving is a get-rid-of-that-feeling-without-listening-to-its-message approach. Psychotherapists, by contrast, help anxious clients to identify the underlying concerns triggering their anxiety. They then help them to map a plan of action to address these concerns.
Therapists sometimes quote the mantra “the best antidote for anxiety is information.“ Think, for instance, of when you have worried that you have a serious physical problem. Speaking to a physician who explains that your symptoms are benignor tells you what the problem is and how to handle itdissipates the anxious feelings.
Therapists also reduce anxiety with cognitive-behavioral approaches . These techniques clarify thought patterns, such as worrying and catastrophizing, that exacerbate anxious feelings. CBT therapists then teach new options to diminish the likelihood of future anxiety episodes.
Longer Answers About Anti
How Anti-Anxiety Medication Works
There are several different classes of anti-anxiety medicine:
These are the four major categories of medicines that are used to treat anxiety, and all of them have side effects. Doing a simple web search on WebMD or helpguide.org can familiarize yourself with side effects and normal usage patterns of each of these categories. If you are considering medication, you would be smart to do some research with a trusted friend first.
Question #1 Is it Wrong?
Question #2 Is it Helpful?
Question # 3 Is it Necessary?
If living with perpetual fear, anxiety, and worry damages the body, relationships, and spiritual vitality, why would we not want a medicine that could stop this kind of damage?
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Can Antidepressants Cause Anxiety
Dr. Shelton says that SSRIs typically dont cause anxiety symptoms. However, if a patient is very anxious its a good idea to start on a very low dose to allow the patient to adjust to the medication slowly.
Dr. Plummer says that a patient starting an SSRI may notice an initial increase in anxiety. It takes a minimum of two to four weeks, sometimes longer, for SSRIs to reach the serotonin levels needed to relieve the depression or anxiety, she says.
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Stress Drugs For Stress And Anxiety
While there are currently no drugs specifically for stress, there are enough for anxiety that should have roughly the same overall effect. But because of the adverse reactions and the physiological and psychological dependency risks, even these should be used extremely sparingly.
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Side Effects Of Antidepressant Medications
All medications can have side-effects. Some people experience no side-effects. Others may find the side-effects distressing. In most cases, side-effects lessen as treatment continues.
Treatment is usually started at a low dose, to minimize side-effects, and then slowly increased until the ideal dose is found. The ideal dose is one that provides the greatest benefit with minimum side-effects.
If you are experiencing side effects, check the information given to you by your doctor or pharmacist on the specific effects of any drug you have been prescribed. If side-effects are not mild and tolerable, it is best to continue taking your medication as prescribed but let your doctor know as soon as possible. Your doctor may:
- encourage you to wait a little longer for the side-effects to fade
- adjust your dose
- suggest you take the medication at a different time of day
- prescribe other medications to help control side-effects
- change your medication
- stop medication treatment and suggest a different type of treatment approach.
Side-effects vary depending on the type of medication. More information on side-effects is included for each type of types of antidepressant.
You can help to control possible side-effects on your own by:
Do antidepressants increase the risk of suicide?
Before starting treatment, prepare for the possibility of feeling worse before you feel better. Know what supports are available to you and who you can call.
Why You Should Speak With Your Doctor Before Stopping Anti
Say you’ve been taking anti-anxiety medication for a year when you decide that you’re ready to go without. If you think you can just stop the medication cold turkey, think again. Whether you wish to go off the meds because you plan to become pregnant or you feel you’re in a better head space whatever the reason may be we can’t stress enough the importance of consulting with your doctor first. Your doctor will likely help you ween off of the medication gradually over the course of weeks or even months, minimizing the impact of any nasty withdrawal symptoms, according to the National Association for Mental Illness.
And what are some of these possible withdrawal symptoms that it’s best to avoid? They include headaches, nausea, vomiting, sweating, tremors, rapid heartbeat, and muscle tension and they even have the potential to be life-threatening. According to Harvard Health Publishing, what’s tricky is that it’s sometimes difficult to tell whether what you may be experiencing is a symptom of withdrawal or the presence of anxiety that has returned from being off the meds. Oh geez.
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Should Christians Use Anti
Dr. Tim AllchinFor Those Giving Help, For Those Seeking Hope
One of the more common questions we get asked when helping those with fear, worry, and anxiety is whether they should use anti-anxiety medication. At BCC, we often counsel those who have already been prescribed by a medical doctor and it is estimated that 8% percent of the US Population takes some sort of anti-anxiety medicine. How should we think through the issues of anxiety medication?
You may have wondered about these questions that we hear frequently:
- Do anxiety medicines work effectively?
- What are the side effects?
- What is the relapse rate?
- Is there a more natural medicine approach?
- Is it sinful to try psychiatric medication?
- What else besides medication might relieve anxiety?
- Would EMDR help my anxiety?
- Would medical marijuana help with my anxiety?
When approaching the question of medication, we walk our counselees through three questions that help clarify whether anxiety medicines would be an appropriate choice. In the first half of this article, I am going to present the short answers to the three questions. In part two of this article, I will expand on my answers and give a fuller explanation.
A Few Important Disclaimers:
1. We dont discuss specific medicine brands because psychiatric medicines are constantly changing or rebranding, and new medicines are being developed and marketed on a regular basis. We will discuss the major categories of medicine and how they work.
Do I Need This Treatment
A certain amount of anxiety or insomnia is a normal reaction to what is happening in your life. You may worry or feel stressed, and sometimes these feelings can keep you up at night. Most often, these feelings pass and are not a problem. However, these feelings can become a problem when they continue over a longer term, cause severe distress, make you feel physically ill and affect your behaviour. This kind of anxiety may be triggered by a challenging life event. It can also be a symptom of a mental health problem.
The ability to fall asleep and to sleep through the night can be affected by many types of health problems. These include physical conditions that cause pain or trouble breathing, as well as mental health problems. When sleep is disrupted, health can be further affected.
While each situation is unique and different treatment approaches may be called for, benzodiazepines can help to provide relief.
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Speaking With A Professional
A mental health professional can help you identify the specific coping strategy and lifestyle changes that can help you manage your symptoms. Although it can be difficult, make sure to be as honest as possible about the symptoms and challenges that you face. Together, you and your mental health professional can work toward developing customized coping strategies.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Discussion Guide
Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment.
Other Treatments And Lifestyle Changes
Medication is only part of the overall treatment for anxiety. To effectively treat anxiety, you want to make lifestyle changes, such as adding exercise to your daily routine, eating right, getting enough sleep and learning relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing.
In addition, therapy methods, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, have been found to be as effective, if not more effective, than medication for some people. Even if you choose to begin medication, you may want to begin this type of therapy. Many individuals have been able to lower or discontinue medication after completing CBT.
References:
“How to Get Help for Anxiety Disorders,” 2009, July 7, National Institute for Mental Health
“Medication,” Date Unknown, Author Unknown, Anxiety Disorders Association of America
“What Medications Are Used to Treat Anxiety Disorders,” 2011, Feb 25, National Institutes for Mental Health
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What Can You Expect If You Do Not Take Medicines For Panic Disorder
Some people use counselling, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, to treat panic disorder. It can help you to:
- Deal with problems you are having right now.
- Learn how to deal with future anxiety and panic attacks.
Other treatments include support groups and exercises that help you relax, such as progressive muscle relaxation or meditation.
Can I Have Depression And Anxiety At The Same Time
Depression and anxiety are two different mental health disorders that are often comorbid. Meaning, they occur at the same time.
Depression is a mental disorder that is commonly identified with intense feelings of hopelessness, despair, worthlessness, and overwhelming sadness. Around 10% of Americans experience major depression , according to theCleveland Clinic. While most people will experience feelings of sadness at some point, with depression, these feelings are prolongedlasting two weeks or moreand severe enough to impact daily life.
Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive worry, nervousness, or fear that impacts everyday functioning. Without treatment, anxiety can get worse over time. There are a number of anxiety disorders, with their own set of unique symptoms.
About 2% of people in the U.S. have generalized anxiety disorder . According to Richard Shelton, MD, a psychiatrist and the vice chair of research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, GAD symptoms include persistent fear and worry that is often difficult to control. Other anxiety disorders include:
- Panic disorder
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
Depression and anxiety have the following symptoms in common: feelings of despair like nothing good will ever happen, physical symptoms , and exhaustion.
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Medication For Anxiety And Depression
There are many medications for anxiety and depression that are available for patients experiencing both disorders.
Danielle Plummer, Pharm.D., says that antidepressants can treat panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and phobias. Dr. Shelton adds that the medications are also somewhat effective for OCD, and less so for PTSD, which are technically not anxiety disorders.
Dr. Plummer says that the treatment depends on which anxiety disorder a patient has. For generalized anxiety disorder , both SSRIs and SNRIs are first in line, she says. She added that the most commonly prescribed medications to treat both depression and anxiety are SSRIs and SNRIs.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a class of medications that have a broad therapeutic range. They can be used to treat some anxiety disorders, depression, or, in some cases, both at the same time. SSRIsblock the reuptake, or reabsorption, of serotonin. As a result, SSRIs increase serotonin in the brain.
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are a class of medication that are similar to SSRIs because they too inhibit reuptake and increase the level of serotonin. Unlike SSRIs, they also increase norepinephrine, which is considered a component of our brains stress response.
Ssri Antidepressants For Anxiety
Many medications originally approved for the treatment of depression are also prescribed for anxiety. In comparison to benzodiazepines, the risk for dependency and abuse is smaller. However, antidepressants take up to 4 to 6 weeks to begin relieving anxiety symptoms, so they cant be taken as needed. Their use is limited to chronic anxiety problems that require ongoing treatment.
The antidepressants most widely prescribed for anxiety are SSRIs such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, and Celexa. SSRIs have been used to treat generalized anxiety disorder , obsessive-compulsive disorder , panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Common side effects of SSRIs include:
- Fatigue
- Increased sweating
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You’ve Started Having Problems At Work
AsHershenson says, “It is a problem when your anxiety begins taking a toll on your mental and physical health, affecting work and relationships.” This means your anxiety is likely getting out of control and going beyond the “normal” anxiety we all feel every day. So, are you having trouble making it through a work day? Or are you too nervous to travel on business trips? Take these as signs.
You Feel Immobilized With Fear
Certain anxiety disorders can cause you to feel paralyzed by the fear of certain situations or experiences.
Social anxiety disorder, for example, may stop you from going out to public places.
Phobias can cause you to go out of your way even at your personal expense to avoid people, places, or things that cause you to feel anxiety.
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