Will you please talk to me about antianxiety meds?

Talk with your Doctor or Pharmacist.

You are also indicating you wish to “self medicate” ( you can take as needed, not have to keep up with all the time ) not a good idea!

I currently take a very low dose of Klonopin as needed. It can be addictive in very high doses. When I take just a 0.25 mg, it “takes the edge off and leaves me functional.” I can’t speak to the rest of your list.

I take Xanax on occasion. Also, a very low dose. If I take it periodically it “takes the edge off and keeps me functional.” If I take it too often, it seems to stop working but I don’t up the dose. Benzos are supposed to be addictive but I have not developed any dependency on it.

@Tropical_Willie It is not self-medicating if you are prescribed a drug to be taken as needed.

I agree with @Hawaii_Jake. I also take Klonopin for my anxiety. It’s .5 mg and I actually cut that in half if I need it during the day. A whole one makes me drowsy but it’s perfect for nighttime when I can’t calm my brain enough to fall asleep. It works very quickly and sometimes it’s the only thing that keeps my anxiety in check for things such as social gatherings where I tend to freak out.

They all are addictive. Meaning, even if you only take them “as needed” , in some length of time you’ll be a wreck if you don’t take any. They’re diabolical and I detest them. From what I’ve read, doctors tell you if you can find one that they are not addictive so you have to keep going back to him/her for refills. Once you’re hooked you’re looking at at least one solid year before you can function normally without one. And soon you won’t be able to sleep without one either. OMG stay away.
But don’t believe me: go to www.askapatient.com and read the victims’ stories.

@Aster Is right. The whole thing is so upsetting to me I’m going to have to take 5 mg of diazepam to go on functioning just from thinking about it.

Klonopin for me, too. I take only a quarter of a .5 mg pill when needed; any more makes me fall asleep.

@Aster And yet – that is totally not my experience as you can read above.

@Aster and @ETPro are absolutely correct. They helped when I needed them (in the ‘90s), but after using them much longer than I should have, it took me a decade to wean myself off. I’m very glad I did.

Buspar is considered by most doctors to not be addictive. Most people I know who took or take it say it does take some edge off, some people complain it interferes with their sleep a little, as far as I know it is usually prescribed to be taken regularly, I don’t know if it is prescribed as needed.

The bensos (Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Klonopin) are addictive period. Most people who take them only once in a while do not get addicted, similar to people who take a drink once in a while. The drugs are pretty magical for most people, which adds to the addictive properities pyshologically. Some say Klonopon is less addictive than Xanax. For me Klonopin made me a little drousy, I prefer Xanax. Xanax for me does not make me feel drugged at all, just takes the edge off, gets rid of the physical manifestations of stress like feeling shaky, loss of appetite, stomach upset, and overall calm feeling. I do think they are great for accute situations though, as long as the person is not an addict or recovering addict to any chemical substances. Xanax helped me a lot through a bad time where the anxiety was affecting my health. I took them for about 6 weeks three times a day and stopped after that. Since then, over 20 years ago, I have probably taken 15–20 of them total, taking a few during bad times for a few days.

I don’t have experience with something you take as needed, but I can sing praises of Celexa for regular treatment. I am so much more of a “chill” person than I used to be, and I couldn’t be happier about that. I didn’t realize how much of a problem my anxiety was until I didn’t have it anymore. Good luck, dear.

Treatment of anxiety, depression, etc is very personalized. It frequently involves a lot of trial and error. And it frequently involves a lot of deciding what you hate worse: the symptoms or the side effects. Good luck to you.

On my first visit with my new family practice doctor(two months ago), he told me that I have an “anxiety problem” and wrote a prescription for “Metoprolol Tartrate” 25 mg tabs. He said that I can take them or not as needed. I do not have an anxiety problem so I didn’t touch them. It’s a long story but a few days later I wound up in the E.D. from plural effusion (fluid build-up surrounding the lungs). It felt like asthma as I struggled to breath. A nurse read in my chart about my “anxiety problem” and incorrectly concluded that I was simply having an anxiety attack and promptly shot a dose of Metoprolol into my I.V. Suddenly I felt paralyzed and floating. The thought occurred to me that I was going to die. I will NEVER take that crap again.

I din’t think what you want exists, if it does though, please let us know, I would ask my doctor for it. I take 100mg of Sertraline, if I am not having a seriously bad day, then it is a good pill to take.

Only benzos really work. Even a small dose. Buspar works but in my experience it quit working, I took more and more, it boomaranged and made me aggressive, I got in a fight and arrested in palm springs. I don’t have anxiety really anymore, and I have proper valium if I feel like I am going to.

I took Elavlil and Klonopin for several years and fiound that they did lose their efficacy. But by following my PCP’s instrucions, getting off them was easy and took only a month each.

I split the Klonopin tabs in half for a week or so and then in quarters. Then for the last week, my doctor told me to lick a crumb or two each day. That’s all it took, with a laugh at the end.

@Jeruba, the only real solution to your list of requirements is chocolate. Too much at bedtime is not a good idea because of the caffeine, but other than that….

I take Xanax to “take the edge off”. I usually take it when I become very stressed and on a non-stop crying jag. It really does take the edge off and not leave me feeling dopey. My script says 1 pill 3 times a day but find that if I take it for a couple days, my mood stablizes and I don’t really need to take it more than that. I take it as needed. Never often enough to become addicted to it. ALWAYS check with a doctor, explain your symptoms and ask them what would be the best med for you. Good luck. We are here for ya!!:)

I take Xanax as needed, and it works like a charm. It is addictive, but hardly anyone who takes it only occasionally actually gets addicted. I’ve been taking it occasionally for more than eight years, and have never felt I needed it when I’m not anxious. I can go months without it.

At one point in the past, I took it three times a day for about three months to get through a particularly difficult time in my life. Even then, I was able to go back to occasional use very easily.

@gailcalled The Elavil didn’t make you feel very drugged? I could barely move on that drug.

@JLeslie: No. It was fine. Maybe I was on a low dosage,

Red wine. Bonus: good for your heart

@drhat77 Not addictive was one of the parameters the OP was after. Red wine in my opinion doesn’t fit the bill. I wrote about bensos, so don’t get me wrong, mine is addictive also, but I recognize it. I thought about mentioning alcohol also, but bensos are so much more effective and less altering in my opinion. But, I have never used alcohol to relax, so I can’t compare the different methods.

I don’t think a glass of red wine would be addictive, in that if you miss it you won’t go through withdrawal

@drhat77 I disagree if the person does it regularly or if they have a proven history of chemical dependency. I think it is close to the same as bensos (probably bensos are more addictive) but alcohol is very acceptable in society so people downplay it. If it is enough wine to relax you, it is enough wine to become addicted to in my opinion. But, I’m no expert, I just see a lot of people who think their nightly beer or wine is no big deal, but you better not take it away from them. A glass of wine once in a while, no problem, and easier to access than Xanax.

I have no personal or genetic family history of chemical dependency. I’m not taking any chances with it anyway, having seen and heard enough of how it can destroy lives—and not just the lives of the users. Being one of those affected family members myself is what brings me here with this question. It’s also why there’s not going to be any alcohol in my house for as long as it’s an issue.

On balance, I think I’d rather do without the pharmaceutical help than chance unwanted consequences.

@Jeruba I hope the high anxiety is short lived. Talking things through can maybe help. Sometimes a few therapy sessions can ease the stress. Give you persective or help you take action is action will help.

Tricyclic antidepressants are not addictive and when taken daily over long periods of time, they can prevent anxiety attacks and reduce the general level of anxiety. Dosage is key.

I take 2 Anticonvulsants which are both also used as mood stabilizers. I also take an anti-depressant. However, I was still anxious and so I was also given Ativan, which really has helped me.