What's its like to take zoloft/prozac/xanax

Deano · 09-18-2009, 01:09 AM

So I'm currently dealing with some mild anxiety, mild meaning that the anxiety is not serious enough to induce panic attacks and it's not preventing me from living my life, but it's there and it's been giving me chest pain for more than a year now.

I take stress specific multivitamins that have eliminated the chest pain, exercise takes a lot of the edge off, I'm sleeping well, but in general I'm just uptight all the time. I've tried the natural way to eliminate stress, and I dont want to resort to medication unless it's actually going to help.

It's mostly social anxiety, and this is a very important thing to overcome because if I want to move up in my job, make new friends, etc I have to be better with people.

So what are the outcomes of these meds? I dont want to end up a zombie that doesn't feel anything. And I am not depressed in the slightest, so maybe these are the wrong meds all together. The most desired effect would be that unwound relaxing sociable feeling after two beers. This is ideal, but it probably doesn't work like that, I dunno. Gimme the scoop.

TLDR: What's it like to take anti-anxiety medication?

Bravoie · 09-18-2009, 01:17 AM

Nah, smoke weed son.

Deano · 09-18-2009, 01:24 AM

yeah, I was gonna say, I should try that first

Opheox · 09-18-2009, 01:32 AM

no. I wouldn't smoke weed if your looking to relieve stress in your work situation. The last thing you wanna do is go to work high. I don't care what anyone says. someone will be able to tell. Also weed will make you Paranoid in certain situations.

I don't know anything about those meds except that Xanax enhances the effect of opiates. but that's not what you wanna know.

Bravoie · 09-18-2009, 01:47 AM

I don't know, I think it depends on the job's atmosphere. I am currently video game testing and I think it is pretty much the most ideal job for smoking weed. Everybody, including all of my bosses, have smoked on the job so there is really no paranoia because nobody cares. I realize that those circumstances probably don't apply to your job, but I have done well with other jobs where nobody smokes. Everybody is affected differently, though. The most important thing, if you decide to try it, is not to smoke so much to where you become cloudy and confused. A small hit is usually enough to relax me a bit without fucking up my job performance.

Demented Ferret · 09-18-2009, 01:56 AM

Despite what American Healthcare would have you believe, none of these should be a first-line approach to remedying Social Anxiety issues. You should definitely look into CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) above anything else, I can't stress enough how medication will not help you, primarily in the long run, and is NOT a quick-fix solution. Benzodiazepines such as Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium), Clonazepam (Klonopin), etc, etc are incredibly addictive and have a very long term withdrawal period - as well as carrying the risk of lasting psychological and physical dependence. It's worth noting that benzodiazepine withdrawal is noted by many addicts to have a much worse withdrawal period than heroin - that and the withdrawal can actually kill you (severe cases, I must point out).

The SSRIs you listed are much less 'dangerous', so to speak - but there are still issues behind altering serotoninergic function in an (I'm assuming) otherwise stable brain. This can include adverse sexual side-effects that may remain permanently even after disuse of the medication, altered emotional state - may persist even after disuse, paradoxical depression/suicidal ideation, withdrawal when medication is not correctly titrated, sleep apnoea, nightmares, insomnia, 'brain-zaps', fatigue, bruxism (teeth grinding, that can eventually wear down teeth), nausea and many more!.

The bottom line is, these medicines can and will drastically change the chemical make-up of your brain; this can be beneficial (e.g. those with major depressive disorder who cannot possibly live under normal circumstances) it may do nothing at all for you, or it could be bad.

Go to Amazon and find the titles of some self-help books you like the look of - they're easy to find in pdf format if you look hard enough. If you're really struggling, talk to your doctor about CBT.

Aaron Haynes · 09-18-2009, 02:08 AM

On prozac, you still have anxiety, but you're a lot less likely to get "stuck" in it. Meaning that you're not completely overcome by depression or anxiety or obsessive thoughts and can forget about them a lot easier.

At first it feels very strange, like it's muting your emotions, but as you adjust to it, that goes away. The early side effects are annoying as well and don't completely go away, muscle tension, restlessness, clenching jaw, kind of a lightheadedness, yawning. It has sexual side effects too (it's sometimes used to treat premature ejaculation, so that should give you the basic idea), and those don't go away until you go off them. It takes about a month for it to build up in your system and have its full therapeutic effect, too, so the first week or two is pretty discouraging, as it's almost all side effects.

Even if you don't have depression, SSRIs like prozac are used for a wide range of anxiety and personality issues. They aren't "happy pills" or mood elevators, more like mood stabilizers. They're designed to give you some reinforcement if you're having trouble maintaining a state of mind you feel comfortable with. It won't feel exactly like a couple beers, but it does make social anxieties a little easier. It takes a commitment, though, because the early weeks are frustrating and it takes a while to find the right med at the right dosage, and they'll only get you partway there, it takes a cognitive effort as well.

Prozac and Zoloft are in a different category than Xanax. They're SSRIs, which have a blanket effect against anxiety, depression, OCD, and some other personality disorders. Xanax is a benzodiazepine, which targets anxiety in a much more specific way. I've never been on those, but I've talked to people that have and the overall consensus is they make you into a lethargic robot. They're generally prescribed to people who have anxiety issues to the point of having trouble leaving the house or talking on the phone.

Hope that helps, lemme know if you have anything else you want to ask.

Aaron Haynes · 09-18-2009, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demented Ferret

Despite what American Healthcare would have you believe, none of these should be a first-line approach to remedying Social Anxiety issues. You should definitely look into CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) above anything else, I can't stress enough how medication will not help you, primarily in the long run, and is NOT a quick-fix solution.

I wouldn't stress that won't help, but it's definitely wrong to think of it as a magic fix.

And yes, CBT makes a huge difference.

Demented Ferret · 09-18-2009, 02:17 AM

Badly phrased, I didn't even proofread that post. I meant as as a sole strategy, even with SSRIs there'll still be quite a lot of work to do with overcoming anxiety, in terms of overcoming social barriers, personal anxieties, etc. It may act as a catalyst to that - then again it may not.

Aaron Haynes · 09-18-2009, 02:20 AM

Yeah, that's about right.

In my experience, weed has a tendency to exacerbate anxiety if you're ever anxious while high. Anything you bring to the party, it multiplies. Just be wary of how you do on it, but I had to stop because it actually made my anxiety worse.

Deano · 09-18-2009, 03:18 AM

Thanks for the advice, it definitely makes things a lot clearer now. Medication sounds pretty hardcore and I'm not sure if I'm at that level, some days I think I am, other days I'm fine. I spoke with a general practitioner about this a while ago and she said that I should start out with CBT and if there's no improvement, maybe a small amount of medication. That's the thing, I'm not dysfunctional, it's not getting in the way of things, I'm just uptight, and it's having a physical effect on me. I just have to stop caring about my social failings, as hard as that may be. It seems that the moment I stop caring about people, the more they want to be around me. How fucked up is that?
Health and herbs (valerian root, chamomile) help a lot with relaxation and sleep, but there's nothing like that 'couple of drinks' feeling. It feels like everytime I have a few drinks, it's a vacation from myself, all my muscular tension lifts. it's like I've taken the heavy backpack of anxiety off and I can take a mini vacation from my emotions.

Santiago · 09-18-2009, 03:33 AM

Man, you have no fucking clue how much I understand you right now.

Santiago · 09-18-2009, 03:45 AM

Also; this may sound silly but aren't you married? Because I always felt that finding someone who cared about me that much would make me feel much more confident about myself or whatever.

Happyjuice · 09-18-2009, 04:59 AM

AR-Raven · 09-18-2009, 05:01 AM

I had pretty bad anxiety in college. I beat it by snapping. I was at a point where I was asking random girls for their numbers at establishments. I asked a girl who was at least 10 years older than me for her number at a club/concert, and she turned me down. Then I asked the coat girl jacket for her number. Of course I was drunk. Then a while later I went to a house party near my college and some girl nicknamed me "floppy" because I had long hair. I only wanted to go to that party to meet someone but it didn't work. But that did it, being called floppy. I called up a random friend and told her to sleep with me. And she was ecstatic, and we did. And that cured me. I still get nervous from time to time but it's the way anyone does, a natural human response to some situations.

That's the first time I've typed that out. I don't know if it will help you. But it helped me.

Deano · 09-18-2009, 06:01 AM

Yeah that seems to be one of the most effective ways to overcome it and I'm really happy that you were able to pull through. In the 'college life' situation, I'd imagine that I'd have a lot of social interaction and opportunities to get over these sort of things, but I'm married and working in an office, so I'm around the same people everyday, and it might be a bit harder for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santiago

Also; this may sound silly but aren't you married? Because I always felt that finding someone who cared about me that much would make me feel much more confident about myself or whatever.

Yeah I'm married, 6 years dating, 1 year married. I have a great relationship with my wife, and around her I'm relaxed and content. We both have vulnerabilities and the chemistry between us is perfect. I can't really imagine how I'd be without her, I'm imagining a depressed boob of a man. So yeah you're right a close relationship brings happiness, but in the workplace and in uncomfortable social situations I still feel stressed out to the max.
Funnily enough, around my wife's friends, workmates, relatives, and so on, I'm completely confident, relaxed and who I want to be. It's the mentality that they have no expectations of me, so I can take a step back and let the situation go where it wants, and usually I leave a really good impression. I have no idea why I can't apply this to my own social interactions.

Kale Monster · 09-18-2009, 06:51 AM

i dunno dean you've never been anxious during our nude photo shoots...

Shaun · 09-18-2009, 07:12 AM

I've taken Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, and Paxil. Xanax too but as other people have said it's not an SSRI. Zoloft I noticed the most dramatic change, but also the most side effects. Paxil is probably the best overall, out of the four. I kept switching them because frankly they wore off (after so many months).

There's actually not too much that hasn't already been said.

They make me somewhat more extroverted. At least enough so that other people almost notice. It's much easier to shrug off the small stuff

It's definitely not a cure for a crappy situation. I never noticed being senselessly optimistic, or something like that. Anxiety is lessened and depression is basically replaced with emptiness.

And my teeth never stop chattering, ever

Compcat · 09-18-2009, 07:35 AM

I used to have somewhat bad social anxiety, but then one day I just decided, "Fuck people, I could live a pretty badass life being completely introverted," and that for the most part fixed my social anxiety. Not in the sense that I just stop communicating with people, but basically I stopped caring whether people liked me or not (a lot less anyway, so now its manageable). I'm still really shy and introverted, but if I say something stupid or have to interact with people I don't stress out about it too much. Although I wouldn't necessarily reccomend that you try this, because usually shit that works for me never works for other people; also it takes a fuckin lot for me to feel lonely, all I need to do is hang out with friends for a little while once every week or two, chat with my family, and I'm all set to be alone the rest of the time, most people aren't ok with that, I actually prefer it.

I hope you can sort shit out without drugs, dean. Anxiety sucks so much, I've also had panic attacks before and those are the fuckin worst (not from social stuff). Regular panic attacks are the only that could ever drive me to take mood stabilizers, but luckily those aren't triggered from everyday things for me. Just remember, its all in your head and you have the power to change it, JUST WITH THINKING. Thats a cool thought, I think.

Bravoie · 09-18-2009, 07:51 AM

Wow, I've always been somewhat uncomfortable with the thought of taking anti-anxiety prescription drugs, the stories in this thread confirms my fears and scares the shit out of me.

Shaun · 09-18-2009, 07:56 AM

that makes no sense Brandon. You smoke and probably drink. Why would you be scared?

Bravoie · 09-18-2009, 08:06 AM

Yeah, but can you really compare the withdrawal symptoms and side effects associated with some of these anti-anxiety medications with the moderate use of weed?

Shaun · 09-18-2009, 08:12 AM

No no. But people who have never taken it are sometimes under the impression it's a mild form of brainwashing. And that's not true. I thought that's what you were getting at.

because almost any medication for anything has some side effects

Notch Johnson · 09-18-2009, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deano

Thanks for the advice, it definitely makes things a lot clearer now. Medication sounds pretty hardcore and I'm not sure if I'm at that level, some days I think I am, other days I'm fine. I spoke with a general practitioner about this a while ago and she said that I should start out with CBT and if there's no improvement, maybe a small amount of medication. That's the thing, I'm not dysfunctional, it's not getting in the way of things, I'm just uptight, and it's having a physical effect on me. I just have to stop caring about my social failings, as hard as that may be. It seems that the moment I stop caring about people, the more they want to be around me. How fucked up is that?
Health and herbs (valerian root, chamomile) help a lot with relaxation and sleep, but there's nothing like that 'couple of drinks' feeling. It feels like everytime I have a few drinks, it's a vacation from myself, all my muscular tension lifts. it's like I've taken the heavy backpack of anxiety off and I can take a mini vacation from my emotions.

i feel you.

and like you, i wouldn't say i have any debilitating problems. it's more like... when i'm at a party, i don't feel confident enough to go talk to any girl. i feel like if i go and introduce myself, they'll say something like "okay...", roll their eyes and turn around, thinking "who the fuck is this guy". which i know, rationally, is bullshit. in fact, that's never happened to me. but i can't help feeling like it will. i get self-conscious about everything from the position of my mouth to how my arms hang at my side.

Xanax is the only thing that has completely cured me. it did everything. it made me MUCH more social, MUCH more carefree, and turned me into the person that i wish i was.

but no. stay away from it. i became entirely dependent on it in high school, taking two or three bars a day at work. i've done every major illegal drug, and i have to say that Xanax is the only thing i've been legitimately addicted to. i became scared at the prospect of going a day without it... there was a point when my Mom saw what was up, and she started rationing my supply of it. and i BEGGED her for it. i fucking BEGGED her until she'd relent and give me 5x my prescribed dosage. Xanax is responsible for every stupid thing i did in high school... i just wouldn't care. i'd take a couple xannies, and i'd end up smoking a bunch of pot and getting drunk, because i didn't CARE, and then i'd go home and stumble through the front door, a wreck. and i wouldn't remember i thing. don't mess with it.

CBT sounds promising. who has experience with it, and did you see a therapist or just read books?

Aaron Haynes · 09-18-2009, 11:48 AM

I have, I see a therapist about once every couple of weeks, though when I started it was more often. It's entirely dependent on who you get and what methodology they use how useful it is, you'll probably know after one session whether you're talking to the right person or if you should try someone else. I was lucky to get the right person the first time.

I'm not going to go too far into detail, but in my case, I spend a lot of the time kind of verbally working through my thought process in stress-causing scenarios, the patterns I've noticed, and coping mechanisms. She helps me to identify what's working, what the causes are, and how to approach existing problems, which is a lot about slowly training your mind to find new ways to respond to anxiety or compulsive triggers. It takes work, but the sessions are cathartic for me, just having the opportunity to out-loud work through all those things you notice about yourself but have never said or really, truly acknowledged. It becomes a self-discovery thing, and in fully realizing the scope of the challenges (which can be terrifying, it was for me), you also discover resources you didn't know you had.

It's basically like emotional exercise. Like getting on a treadmill and just working through the tension and fears and insecurities. But you have to find someone you're comfortable with, who can gain an understanding of who you are over time. I highly recommend giving it a try if you start to feel overwhelmed by your state of mind or the direction your life seems to be taking.

I haven't read any books, though I have tried group therapy, and that was a horrible experience.

09-18-2009, 01:09 AM	#1
Deano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 9,819	What's its like to take zoloft/prozac/xanax So I'm currently dealing with some mild anxiety, mild meaning that the anxiety is not serious enough to induce panic attacks and it's not preventing me from living my life, but it's there and it's been giving me chest pain for more than a year now. I take stress specific multivitamins that have eliminated the chest pain, exercise takes a lot of the edge off, I'm sleeping well, but in general I'm just uptight all the time. I've tried the natural way to eliminate stress, and I dont want to resort to medication unless it's actually going to help. It's mostly social anxiety, and this is a very important thing to overcome because if I want to move up in my job, make new friends, etc I have to be better with people. So what are the outcomes of these meds? I dont want to end up a zombie that doesn't feel anything. And I am not depressed in the slightest, so maybe these are the wrong meds all together. The most desired effect would be that unwound relaxing sociable feeling after two beers. This is ideal, but it probably doesn't work like that, I dunno. Gimme the scoop. TLDR: What's it like to take anti-anxiety medication?
Deano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 9,819

09-18-2009, 01:17 AM	#2
Bravoie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 4,713	Nah, smoke weed son.
Bravoie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 4,713

09-18-2009, 01:24 AM	#3
Deano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 9,819	yeah, I was gonna say, I should try that first
Deano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 9,819

09-18-2009, 01:32 AM	#4
Opheox Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 3,513	no. I wouldn't smoke weed if your looking to relieve stress in your work situation. The last thing you wanna do is go to work high. I don't care what anyone says. someone will be able to tell. Also weed will make you Paranoid in certain situations. I don't know anything about those meds except that Xanax enhances the effect of opiates. but that's not what you wanna know.
Opheox Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 3,513

09-18-2009, 01:47 AM	#5
Bravoie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 4,713	I don't know, I think it depends on the job's atmosphere. I am currently video game testing and I think it is pretty much the most ideal job for smoking weed. Everybody, including all of my bosses, have smoked on the job so there is really no paranoia because nobody cares. I realize that those circumstances probably don't apply to your job, but I have done well with other jobs where nobody smokes. Everybody is affected differently, though. The most important thing, if you decide to try it, is not to smoke so much to where you become cloudy and confused. A small hit is usually enough to relax me a bit without fucking up my job performance.
Bravoie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 4,713

09-18-2009, 01:56 AM	#6
Demented Ferret Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 16,248	Despite what American Healthcare would have you believe, none of these should be a first-line approach to remedying Social Anxiety issues. You should definitely look into CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) above anything else, I can't stress enough how medication will not help you, primarily in the long run, and is NOT a quick-fix solution. Benzodiazepines such as Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium), Clonazepam (Klonopin), etc, etc are incredibly addictive and have a very long term withdrawal period - as well as carrying the risk of lasting psychological and physical dependence. It's worth noting that benzodiazepine withdrawal is noted by many addicts to have a much worse withdrawal period than heroin - that and the withdrawal can actually kill you (severe cases, I must point out). The SSRIs you listed are much less 'dangerous', so to speak - but there are still issues behind altering serotoninergic function in an (I'm assuming) otherwise stable brain. This can include adverse sexual side-effects that may remain permanently even after disuse of the medication, altered emotional state - may persist even after disuse, paradoxical depression/suicidal ideation, withdrawal when medication is not correctly titrated, sleep apnoea, nightmares, insomnia, 'brain-zaps', fatigue, bruxism (teeth grinding, that can eventually wear down teeth), nausea and many more!. The bottom line is, these medicines can and will drastically change the chemical make-up of your brain; this can be beneficial (e.g. those with major depressive disorder who cannot possibly live under normal circumstances) it may do nothing at all for you, or it could be bad. Go to Amazon and find the titles of some self-help books you like the look of - they're easy to find in pdf format if you look hard enough. If you're really struggling, talk to your doctor about CBT.

09-18-2009, 02:08 AM	#7
Aaron Haynes Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 15,125	On prozac, you still have anxiety, but you're a lot less likely to get "stuck" in it. Meaning that you're not completely overcome by depression or anxiety or obsessive thoughts and can forget about them a lot easier. At first it feels very strange, like it's muting your emotions, but as you adjust to it, that goes away. The early side effects are annoying as well and don't completely go away, muscle tension, restlessness, clenching jaw, kind of a lightheadedness, yawning. It has sexual side effects too (it's sometimes used to treat premature ejaculation, so that should give you the basic idea), and those don't go away until you go off them. It takes about a month for it to build up in your system and have its full therapeutic effect, too, so the first week or two is pretty discouraging, as it's almost all side effects. Even if you don't have depression, SSRIs like prozac are used for a wide range of anxiety and personality issues. They aren't "happy pills" or mood elevators, more like mood stabilizers. They're designed to give you some reinforcement if you're having trouble maintaining a state of mind you feel comfortable with. It won't feel exactly like a couple beers, but it does make social anxieties a little easier. It takes a commitment, though, because the early weeks are frustrating and it takes a while to find the right med at the right dosage, and they'll only get you partway there, it takes a cognitive effort as well. Prozac and Zoloft are in a different category than Xanax. They're SSRIs, which have a blanket effect against anxiety, depression, OCD, and some other personality disorders. Xanax is a benzodiazepine, which targets anxiety in a much more specific way. I've never been on those, but I've talked to people that have and the overall consensus is they make you into a lethargic robot. They're generally prescribed to people who have anxiety issues to the point of having trouble leaving the house or talking on the phone. Hope that helps, lemme know if you have anything else you want to ask.

09-18-2009, 02:17 AM	#9
Demented Ferret Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 16,248	Badly phrased, I didn't even proofread that post. I meant as as a sole strategy, even with SSRIs there'll still be quite a lot of work to do with overcoming anxiety, in terms of overcoming social barriers, personal anxieties, etc. It may act as a catalyst to that - then again it may not.

09-18-2009, 02:20 AM	#10
Aaron Haynes Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 15,125	Yeah, that's about right. In my experience, weed has a tendency to exacerbate anxiety if you're ever anxious while high. Anything you bring to the party, it multiplies. Just be wary of how you do on it, but I had to stop because it actually made my anxiety worse.

09-18-2009, 03:18 AM	#11
Deano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 9,819	Thanks for the advice, it definitely makes things a lot clearer now. Medication sounds pretty hardcore and I'm not sure if I'm at that level, some days I think I am, other days I'm fine. I spoke with a general practitioner about this a while ago and she said that I should start out with CBT and if there's no improvement, maybe a small amount of medication. That's the thing, I'm not dysfunctional, it's not getting in the way of things, I'm just uptight, and it's having a physical effect on me. I just have to stop caring about my social failings, as hard as that may be. It seems that the moment I stop caring about people, the more they want to be around me. How fucked up is that? Health and herbs (valerian root, chamomile) help a lot with relaxation and sleep, but there's nothing like that 'couple of drinks' feeling. It feels like everytime I have a few drinks, it's a vacation from myself, all my muscular tension lifts. it's like I've taken the heavy backpack of anxiety off and I can take a mini vacation from my emotions.
Deano Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 9,819

09-18-2009, 03:33 AM	#12
Santiago Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,471	Man, you have no fucking clue how much I understand you right now.
Santiago Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,471

09-18-2009, 03:45 AM	#13
Santiago Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,471	Also; this may sound silly but aren't you married? Because I always felt that finding someone who cared about me that much would make me feel much more confident about myself or whatever.
Santiago Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 3,471

09-18-2009, 04:59 AM	#14
Happyjuice Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 11,573	-

09-18-2009, 05:01 AM	#15
AR-Raven Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 5,558	I had pretty bad anxiety in college. I beat it by snapping. I was at a point where I was asking random girls for their numbers at establishments. I asked a girl who was at least 10 years older than me for her number at a club/concert, and she turned me down. Then I asked the coat girl jacket for her number. Of course I was drunk. Then a while later I went to a house party near my college and some girl nicknamed me "floppy" because I had long hair. I only wanted to go to that party to meet someone but it didn't work. But that did it, being called floppy. I called up a random friend and told her to sleep with me. And she was ecstatic, and we did. And that cured me. I still get nervous from time to time but it's the way anyone does, a natural human response to some situations. That's the first time I've typed that out. I don't know if it will help you. But it helped me.
AR-Raven Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 5,558

09-18-2009, 06:51 AM	#17
Kale Monster Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,908	i dunno dean you've never been anxious during our nude photo shoots...

09-18-2009, 07:12 AM	#18
Shaun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 17,881	I've taken Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, and Paxil. Xanax too but as other people have said it's not an SSRI. Zoloft I noticed the most dramatic change, but also the most side effects. Paxil is probably the best overall, out of the four. I kept switching them because frankly they wore off (after so many months). There's actually not too much that hasn't already been said. They make me somewhat more extroverted. At least enough so that other people almost notice. It's much easier to shrug off the small stuff It's definitely not a cure for a crappy situation. I never noticed being senselessly optimistic, or something like that. Anxiety is lessened and depression is basically replaced with emptiness. And my teeth never stop chattering, ever
Shaun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 17,881

09-18-2009, 07:35 AM	#19
Compcat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 8,810	I used to have somewhat bad social anxiety, but then one day I just decided, "Fuck people, I could live a pretty badass life being completely introverted," and that for the most part fixed my social anxiety. Not in the sense that I just stop communicating with people, but basically I stopped caring whether people liked me or not (a lot less anyway, so now its manageable). I'm still really shy and introverted, but if I say something stupid or have to interact with people I don't stress out about it too much. Although I wouldn't necessarily reccomend that you try this, because usually shit that works for me never works for other people; also it takes a fuckin lot for me to feel lonely, all I need to do is hang out with friends for a little while once every week or two, chat with my family, and I'm all set to be alone the rest of the time, most people aren't ok with that, I actually prefer it. I hope you can sort shit out without drugs, dean. Anxiety sucks so much, I've also had panic attacks before and those are the fuckin worst (not from social stuff). Regular panic attacks are the only that could ever drive me to take mood stabilizers, but luckily those aren't triggered from everyday things for me. Just remember, its all in your head and you have the power to change it, JUST WITH THINKING. Thats a cool thought, I think.
Compcat Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 8,810

09-18-2009, 07:51 AM	#20
Bravoie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 4,713	Wow, I've always been somewhat uncomfortable with the thought of taking anti-anxiety prescription drugs, the stories in this thread confirms my fears and scares the shit out of me.
Bravoie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 4,713

09-18-2009, 07:56 AM	#21
Shaun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 17,881	that makes no sense Brandon. You smoke and probably drink. Why would you be scared?
Shaun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 17,881

09-18-2009, 08:06 AM	#22
Bravoie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 4,713	Yeah, but can you really compare the withdrawal symptoms and side effects associated with some of these anti-anxiety medications with the moderate use of weed?
Bravoie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 4,713

09-18-2009, 08:12 AM	#23
Shaun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 17,881	No no. But people who have never taken it are sometimes under the impression it's a mild form of brainwashing. And that's not true. I thought that's what you were getting at. because almost any medication for anything has some side effects
Shaun Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 17,881

09-18-2009, 11:48 AM	#25
Aaron Haynes Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 15,125	I have, I see a therapist about once every couple of weeks, though when I started it was more often. It's entirely dependent on who you get and what methodology they use how useful it is, you'll probably know after one session whether you're talking to the right person or if you should try someone else. I was lucky to get the right person the first time. I'm not going to go too far into detail, but in my case, I spend a lot of the time kind of verbally working through my thought process in stress-causing scenarios, the patterns I've noticed, and coping mechanisms. She helps me to identify what's working, what the causes are, and how to approach existing problems, which is a lot about slowly training your mind to find new ways to respond to anxiety or compulsive triggers. It takes work, but the sessions are cathartic for me, just having the opportunity to out-loud work through all those things you notice about yourself but have never said or really, truly acknowledged. It becomes a self-discovery thing, and in fully realizing the scope of the challenges (which can be terrifying, it was for me), you also discover resources you didn't know you had. It's basically like emotional exercise. Like getting on a treadmill and just working through the tension and fears and insecurities. But you have to find someone you're comfortable with, who can gain an understanding of who you are over time. I highly recommend giving it a try if you start to feel overwhelmed by your state of mind or the direction your life seems to be taking. I haven't read any books, though I have tried group therapy, and that was a horrible experience.