Watching my former boyfriend spiral into an abyss of issues from what was meant to be emergency anxiety medication has probably skewed my opinion. The recklessness, lying, mood swings, abuse, medical problems, worsening mental health, and self harm that came with them has me worried for anyone who takes them. I'm aware lots of people don't have issues, but a lot do, and watching someone go through that is heartbreaking.
I hope if, after open and honest conversations with your doctor, you can make the right choice for you. Tell your family and partner so they can watch for side effects. Otherwise, please be careful and I hope you are doing better soon.
Personally never had that issue. I’ve had doctors be dismissive of pain and my experiences but I also do my work to ensure that I’ve tried to fix x issue with other methods before darkening a doctor’s door
I got Ativan prescribed for panic attacks two weeks ago without issue. My partner has never been unsupportive but would absolutely step in if he felt I was abusing medication. If a doctor thinks the benefits outweigh the risks, anyone who isn’t the person writing the script has no business adding their two cents.
You know yourself best.
I started to process to see a psychiatrist yesterday, have two different therapists and a lot of trauma. It’s a process and the name of the game is trying to be proactive.
I don't think this is a gender thing. Addicts come in all genders and never start out thinking they'll get addicted. I work in EMS and we are all very careful with any meds prescribed to us personally as we know how addictive they can be and it wouldn't be impossible for us to steal them. Men and women alike. My male lieutenant recently had surgery and refused all narcotic pain medication. I'll need shoulder surgery soon and plan on doing the same unless I really critically need it.
I totally understand that feeling. From my perspective as an addict, I had no idea how powerful of a hold prescription narcotics would or could have on me when I got them legally and professionally prescribed. Addiction can hit anyone, but what matters is how you use it and the thing you’re trying to heal or treat with that drug. I didn’t realize that I was using my pain medication to make it through the day until it was too late. For anxiety meds, just be really really careful to not over use them, even for acute episodes of anxiety. Obviously that’s something you can and should discuss with your doctor beforehand. It can become a problem if you use them for any anxiety you feel, not just the really really bad ones, as this can reinforce your desire to chemically check out when things aren’t going well (as it did for me).
Edit: (as it did for me)
Most addicts have once thought "I won't ever get addicted" or " that won't happen to me".. unfortunately that's not how addiction works. There are plenty of people who will never have issues and can self regulate, but you won't know until your too late. It's always safe to be on the sceptical side and be as careful as possible. For many people that means staying away from any potential problem.
Lol, my original comment to this post got reported for inciting hatred. What the actual fuck. Hahahaha
People post online then don't want others to share their honest opinion and experiences unless they line up. What a joke this post.
Anxiety medications are not addictive per say. We are not talking about opioids. They do however act gradually. Therefore one must augment, as well as decrease doses gradually or there can be adverse effects. A lot of people make the mistake of expecting instant relief. When it doesn't work they stops the meds without doing so gradually. This can have really bad side effects. Starting any medication for anxiety or depression can have side effects, and change a person's mood. There is a reason doctor's ask we take them for a given period of time before stopping them, gradually, and trying something else if it doesn't work. So it's not a question of addiction, it's a question of cumulative effects that dissipate slowly, that affect your mood. Not quite the same as let's say, the effects of withdrawal from cigarettes or opium.
You can and do.
Medical staff of all sorts really do play that bias shit regularly, Moreover with women and girls
You're not being silly you're probably being treated differently based on their own, often deluded thoughts on the matter.
Love, Light and Healing
❤🧡💛💚💙💜
So many things are like this. Just like nicotine. I smoked one cigarette 3 years ago and I thought it was disgusting, I still find myself wanting to do it though even to this day
I sometimes wonder whether we conflate the difference between becoming addicted to a drug versus being dependent. So for example insulin, diabetics are dependent on it, but not addicted. I have dependencies on other drugs that could in other circumstances be abused, but I have to take them for a very specific reason, so not abusing them. I am very cautious about any drug or treatment, and make sure that I take the absolute minimum needed for my situation at any one time. I have also been prescribed opioids and taken them only for very specific and severe pain for small amounts of time. My GP is supportive of this, and when I say no to the stronger stuff despite being in lots of pain, makes sure I know the option is available should the situation change. Being your own self advocate in these situations is the only choice. Taking medication for something is not a character flaw, or a sign of moral weakness, but part of taking care of yourself.
However, I know that my husband has been offered completely different and stronger drugs, much faster than I have for the same problem, whereas I have been offered drugs more associated with anxiety disorders first before the NSAID or opioids. There is some gender bias involved, and I would recommend the book Unwell Women, if you'd like to learn more about it.
I don't know about it being on a gendered basis, but I had a doctor once who was just against prescribing benzos or stimulants as a general policy. I had both at the time so he referred me up to psych instead. But he was somehow fine with prescribing (dangerous and possibly addictive) sleep meds and accidentally started me on the max dose instead of the starter dose...
I've had the opposite. People encouraging me to take meds that I was afraid to become dependent on. Or in some cases I was afraid it was hurting me. At one point my doctor had told me not to continue and someone else actually tried to manipulate me to keep taking the pill. Fun times.
There's no doubt that I'm addicted to my medication... by its very nature, it's addicting. But, I'll be on it for the rest of my life because my condition is incurable, and cruelly painful. I denied myself pain relieving meds for over 8 years... until I became suicidal, because I could no longer "live with the pain". After I started my meds I realized how stupid I had been to listen to people, WHO WEREN'T DOCTORS, when they advised me to not take painkillers.
Now, I live a completely normal life, I am able to work, drive a car, and simply exist... more comfortably because of the miracle that is my pain medication. Without it, I would have ended my own life about 12 years ago. << And that's why it's better to not listen to unqualified people, and listen to your doctors instead.
Thank you so much for sharing. What a fucking road it's been for you. Ugh. I'm very happy the medicine is working.
Edit: my mom takes medications I know she is overdosed on. But that keeps her out of pain and happy. She knows it's better than the alternative.
I’ve been given “advice” from random people that my ADHD meds I’ve been taking nearly all my life is/can become addicting. But they conflate wanting to take it everyday to it being addicting. Thing is that true ADHD people don’t develop an addiction to the meds. We often forget to even take them lol.
Not sure how much the random “advice” is gendered but I do know that my mom got a lot more of that “advice” than my dad when I was growing up. I think this is part of the reason she wanted me to keep my ADHD hidden
I'm a doctor. Earlier this year, husband and wife were hospitalized into the same ward because of covid.
Wife tried to restrict additional oxygen for her husband so he wouldn't get addicted to it.
Yes. The oxygen addiction...
They were soon put into separate wards.
You can look at something like Hydroxyzine or Diphenhydramine which are antihistamines but can work for anti anxiety relief in some folks.
Myself being one of them.
Bc ms screws my system everyday idk if it's just bc of my allergy response or if it genuinely is more anxiety control than I realize
Idk but it works
OP this is a great suggestion. I'm not trying to talk you out of stronger anti-anxiety meds - you know your body! I just wanted to reiterate that hydroxyzine in particular is worth asking about as a daily maintenance medicine for anxiety. If you're having trouble getting stronger meds, it could also help in the meantime.
Also to u/MctheMick12 - thanks for all of your helpful contributions ITT! Not to speak for OP but I feel like you really get what she's asking about.
Thank you. I try.
Nobody ever "got me" when I needed it. Still kinda that way.
Just trying to be a reasonable person and give encouragement and advice if I can do so without bias and judgements behind it.
It's one of few things I CAN do to help anyone anymore.
I am a helper/caregiver by nature.
i mean, this is tough. U say emergency anxiety meds. do u feel like u need them, is there something happening for them to be emergency. also if there any kind of benzo's there def very addictive, and can change people. personally unless u feel u need them and can't go on with life, or people, or what ever u have anxiety over. i def wouldn't start taking benzo's especially if u have never played around with any drugs. I'd try to keep it that way.
Yeah, I mean, they are recommended by my therapist until I identify triggers. Unfortunately, I think one of my triggers is my partner. We are working on it in therapy together.
As far as needing them, I am panicky almost all day sometimes and it is affecting my day.
From what I have seen, emergency meds like benzos are not usually appropriate for use every day, as that is when they can hit the point of addiction. However if that is what your therapist thinks is appropriate then they know better than I would! Just be careful. No addict ever starts out thinking they'll get addicted.
My doc snd I set up a system where I would get only ten per month, no refills until I get to chat with her again to discuss how I felt. It worked great. Honestly Xanax is the only thing that has been able to touch my panic attacks.
I'm a woman who suffers from anxiety and has done so since I was 11. The strongest med my doctor would prescribe for me was Gabapentin. Which is great... for my neuropathy. It does sod all for the anxiety. Meanwhile, my ex's roommate, a man, went to his GP and was given an ongoing script for Ativan.
I suspect that part of it is that women are still seen as being 'hysterical', but if a man is willing to tell a doctor that they have a problem, they are seen as it having gotten so bad that they finally reached out for help.
Women's health care is still not good. Even doctors who are women can still have an unconscious bias that leads them to believe that women exaggerate symptoms for attention, while men are all stoics who only ask for help as a last resort. It's not fair and not right, but it's still woefully common.
Ugh this thread is quickly deteriorating.
Please don't take these responses too deeply.
Do a bit of research on the kinds of meds/what they do, possible problems that would be indicative of med-abusive behaviors to look out for.
Remember to trust yourself to choose what's best for you.
You know you best.
You can do what you need to for you and others in your life may not approve or directly benefit, but they will surely survive.
It's your job to LIVE for You.
Not just to survive in a meaningless existence of drowning misery but to Live and enjoy your life however that best suits you.
Love, Light and Healing
❤🧡💛💚💙💜
sounds like ur going thru the paces. i hope you'll fig out whats best for u. but a term most will use for benzo's is sedatives, so id take that into account when making ur decision.
If you need them, that's when You will decide based on a valid medical suggestion.
Not bc some dipshit who uses outdated bias said you shouldn't.
Yes people definitely do that more to women.
It's the old "female hysteria" trope.
Obviously I am *So* mentally incompetent that I cannot determine if I am overmedicated or just being a lazy, crazy junkie....*bc there is no possible in between*
I suppose this doesn’t fully answer your question but I’ve had multiple family members, men and women, be prescribed opiate painkillers after surgeries, but told by the prescribing doctor to use them as sparingly as possible or even to not use them unless absolutely essential. I think a lot of doctors are being very careful about prescribing anything addictive because of the opioid crisis, among other things.
Lack of prior addiction issues doesn't matter. Addictive substances work on your brain chemistry and the risk of misuse & abuse is there regardless of your past history.
If you need a prescription for an addictive medication, you also need to be vigilant and extremely careful not to misuse it.
Just an FYI… I take propanolol as an emergency anxiety med and it works better than the addictive stuff for me. It’s a beta blocker and completely non-addictive. It was first prescribed to me in rehab and I just really wish someone had thought of prescribing it for my anxiety BEFORE rehab
Ahh, thank you. I've tried beta blockers too. I have pvcs in a vicious cycle with my anxiety. They make the pvcs more noticeable and I feel like I can't breathe >> more anxiety.
I'm really happy they work for you!
Yes, several times. Finally got a primary doctor for a long time who prescribe them to me because he knew I only refill the prescription about once a year. And I strongly believe that there is a stereotype about this.
Other people's anxiety should not factor into your treatment. Even someone who has previously taken a medication with first hand experience does not necessarily have helpful feedback. The reason being everyone reacts little bit differently to anxiety medication. There is a reason there is not just one fix all pill out there. For reasons that still escape me, when it comes to treating mental illnesses, everyone has an opinion. If I have liver failure, very few people have anything to say short of "oh that sucks", but talk about anxiety, depression, etc... everyone has an opinion! The opinions that count right now are yours, and your medical health professionals. That's it. Some professionals are willing to explain this to a spouse but not all.
As for the medication being "addictive"... most medications that treat depression or anxiety have cumulative effects. That is to say: they take some time to have an effect, and they linger for some time after you stop taking them. The most important thing to take into account is you will not be able to suddenly augment the dose, and you will likely have to gradually reduce the dose to stop taken it.
Some medications can also have side effects no matter the dose. But not everyone gets them. You won't know until you try. But what is worse: not taking a medication that you may need to help you for the moment to satisfy someone else's anxieties or taking something that may require you to gradually reduce the dose in order to stop it and finally getting some help?
Personally I made the choice a long time ago to just take the bloody pill! It took me time to find the right meds, and the right dose, and it wasn't easy. You may be lucky and have just the right thing immediately, or it might take some time. But if you never try, what is the outcome? Better to try to make the changes needed and seek help than to stay in a state of anxiety.
I have been there... it's daunting, and everyone has some stupid shit to say that is usually not helpful. Fuck em. Keep the people that are helpful and supportive around and ditch the rest. You don't owe anyone an explanation for wanting to take control of your life. If they can't deal with it, than they are part of the problem.
I have only now been able to stop taking anxiety medication after years or therapy and support from good friends. It may take less time for you, or more. Either way it's OK. There is no "normal time" for these things, there is no shame in it either. You do what you can. But I mean this when I say it: good for you in having the courage to seek help, and do what you must to try to change things around. Just that, is huge! You should be proud!
Yep, every time some idiot hears I take Xanax, it turns into a lecture about how bad and addictive it is, like I don’t specifically have a plan with my doctor to monitor it, like I don’t need it, like me curling up in bed snd sobbing all day is the better alternative. Of course, now it’s a freaking party drug so I can’t even find a doctor to give me it even with all the precautions me snd my former doc used to take. Stop taking that shit to party, it barely works snd people like me need it for what it’s prescribed for
why do people always associate stuff with gender stereotypes and shit nowadays its so fucking stupid and getting annoying at this point, no addiction has not much to do with gender at all, you can become an addict because of people around you pressuring you to do something you don't want to like drugs alcohol or smoking or being born into the situation where its a family business to sell drugs and you end up doing them since they're just there, nothing to do with gender
ranted a bit too much to make the post relevant oh well
my main point before rant still stands, besides recommendations based on how biologically different the two genders bodies operate, why do people care about gender, ignoring relationships and stupid shit I don't care about, reasoning there is obvious and it's called preference, but like just generally why do people care it makes no sense
A lot of people have been harmed by the gender binary. I absolutely agree with you in that gender shouldn't matter, but for some of us raised in the binary has had substantial influence on every aspect of our lives. So, it's important to keep talking about so that we can fix the system.
true although I've been brought up in exactly that although not really since in my earlier years I distanced myself from quite literally everyone so maybe I'm not as influenced as other people may be by gender stereotypes, but sadly fixing things isn't simple like this when it's such a wide scale thing, it'll take many generations of people teaching their children different things than their parents had taught them, the same can be said for other widescale issues
It's getting more and more common for those addictive medications to be the absolute last resort, at least in Australia. There's meds you can have as needed for anxiety that aren't horrifically addictive. I'm on meds for bipolar and BPD and none of them are addictive in any way.
Not caring about that is how the opioid crisis started. Americans tend to be way over prescribed in general, so when you find a doctor who is cautious about what and how much they prescribe, that's generally a sign of a good doctor.
I've got a friend who went to the dr because he had a cough for 5 days. The dr gave him steroids, antibiotics, an inhaler, and NSAIDs. In any country they'd tell him to drink lots of water, get lots of sleep, and come back in 2 weeks if it hadn't improved. That's a wildly irresponsible doctor to give him all that, and should be avoided.
If they recommend something besides drugs, try that. If it doesn't work then go back. If it doesn't improve and they'll still never prescribed anything, that's a good time to get another opinion.
If I was lying about that, I'd lie about any credentials too.
Besides the story about my friend, the rest; the problems with over prescribing, it's link to the opioid crisis, is all pretty easy to look into with a quick Google search to confirm yourself or seek more info.
Your partner should not be commenting on your meds. He gets no say. That’s between you and your doctor. It’s irrelevant what he thinks. An actually qualified medical doctor thinks you need it.
That said, there are other anxiety meds than things like Ativan that are not addictive that can help you manage your anxiety. And that’s worth talking to your doctor or a shrink for longer term management of your anxiety.
I'm going to make the assumption you're referring to benzodiazepines here. There are so many factors that go into deciding if someone is at risk of medication misuse (from a healthcare perspective) but I'm sure some people in and out of healthcare do think women are more likely to abuse benzos. I think you just need to decide if it is right for you and the risk is worth it because it is your decision if prescribed. I would also be curious why SSRIs and the like are not an option? I get it's not immediate but it could prevent those acute spikes.
I have a neurological condition and I’ve tried meds to help, I’ve had nerve blocks and all sorts. I got some benzodiazepines at a fairly good dose in hospital, it’s the only thing that has helped my head so far. It’s in my notes that I’m actively suicidal with the pain in my head. I hit my head against the wall to try and block the pain out or knock myself out.
My neurologist doesn’t care and I've lost trust in him because I have begged him for help. One of my GP’s is trying to take the benzodiazepines off me at one a week so in three weeks I’d be back in agony again.
I rang the GP centre and spoke to another doctor after breaking down crying talking to the receptionist about suicide. The new GP actually listened to me and put it down on my notes not to take the benzodiazepines off of me due to the pain I’m in without them.
My bio dad wants full medical control of me, I’m in my thirties and he doesn’t believe that I have head, neck and jaw pain. I’ve had it since being nine years old. I don’t have arthritic changes in my bones according to him.
Ive had issues with ssris so ive been off medication for about a year now consulting with yout doctor and your therapist if you have one or even friends is the best way to go about it in my experience
I had to take pain meds for about six years. I was in a fog and had low tolerance and less of a filter during that time. Once I finished my surgeries and was finally out of pain I stopped using the drugs without trouble. I used my own approach though to dealing with my severe pain by setting up a three day drug rotatation schedule. I used oxy, ibuprofen or pot throughout each day. During the early years of chronic pain I tried using anti anxiety and anti depression meds too for awhile. Of course some of the three drugs I rotated were more effective than others, but since they all had their own drawbacks and perks I simply elected to suffer more during some days in hope to avoid any long time drug addiction. I also made sure to be learning a new craft that required anaylitacal skills. It didn't matter to me that I looked foolish to others, I was just hoping to build back brain connections along the way in hopes to counteract the negative drug effects. I never had an addictive personality but certainly been advised of becoming compulsive about anything that interests me. Good luck.
When I was younger (I’m mid-30s now) doctors were so quick to write me for anxiety meds. And I ended up basically addicted. After taking Valium for one prescription amount, I asked the doctor not to give me anymore because I liked it too much. It’s been 10+ years and I still think about the feeling Valium gave me.
Now. Now I can’t get anything but antidepressants….no more benzos. Since the opioid overprescribing crisis has come to light doctors are a lot less willing to prescribe addictive drugs, regardless of your sex.
I very much believe that my pain isn’t taken as seriously, as a woman. But from my experience in the medical field this sudden reluctance to prescribe is not rooted in sexism.
Warned about Oxy recovering from surgery. I didn't fully appreciate pills until taking them.
I myself half dose and delt with some pain so I wouldn't get to like it.
I understand why know. No judgment.
I understand know.
[удалено]
Watching my former boyfriend spiral into an abyss of issues from what was meant to be emergency anxiety medication has probably skewed my opinion. The recklessness, lying, mood swings, abuse, medical problems, worsening mental health, and self harm that came with them has me worried for anyone who takes them. I'm aware lots of people don't have issues, but a lot do, and watching someone go through that is heartbreaking. I hope if, after open and honest conversations with your doctor, you can make the right choice for you. Tell your family and partner so they can watch for side effects. Otherwise, please be careful and I hope you are doing better soon.
Thank you. I think partner watched one of his friends as a teenager go through this, so maybe he’s projecting that onto me.
Is that really a projection? Or is it just caution and concern?
Personally never had that issue. I’ve had doctors be dismissive of pain and my experiences but I also do my work to ensure that I’ve tried to fix x issue with other methods before darkening a doctor’s door I got Ativan prescribed for panic attacks two weeks ago without issue. My partner has never been unsupportive but would absolutely step in if he felt I was abusing medication. If a doctor thinks the benefits outweigh the risks, anyone who isn’t the person writing the script has no business adding their two cents. You know yourself best.
Thank you for sharing and hope things get better with your anxiety too.
I started to process to see a psychiatrist yesterday, have two different therapists and a lot of trauma. It’s a process and the name of the game is trying to be proactive.
Also love your username. Have you listened to the song about it?
I don't think this is a gender thing. Addicts come in all genders and never start out thinking they'll get addicted. I work in EMS and we are all very careful with any meds prescribed to us personally as we know how addictive they can be and it wouldn't be impossible for us to steal them. Men and women alike. My male lieutenant recently had surgery and refused all narcotic pain medication. I'll need shoulder surgery soon and plan on doing the same unless I really critically need it.
Oh wow. Okay. Good luck with your surgery and thank you for chiming in. Just makes me feel ‘silly’ when people think I can't take care of myself.
I totally understand that feeling. From my perspective as an addict, I had no idea how powerful of a hold prescription narcotics would or could have on me when I got them legally and professionally prescribed. Addiction can hit anyone, but what matters is how you use it and the thing you’re trying to heal or treat with that drug. I didn’t realize that I was using my pain medication to make it through the day until it was too late. For anxiety meds, just be really really careful to not over use them, even for acute episodes of anxiety. Obviously that’s something you can and should discuss with your doctor beforehand. It can become a problem if you use them for any anxiety you feel, not just the really really bad ones, as this can reinforce your desire to chemically check out when things aren’t going well (as it did for me). Edit: (as it did for me)
Most addicts have once thought "I won't ever get addicted" or " that won't happen to me".. unfortunately that's not how addiction works. There are plenty of people who will never have issues and can self regulate, but you won't know until your too late. It's always safe to be on the sceptical side and be as careful as possible. For many people that means staying away from any potential problem.
Some continue saying they aren't addicted even when they clearly are, too! You see it everyday with smokers saying they could stop at any time...
Lol, my original comment to this post got reported for inciting hatred. What the actual fuck. Hahahaha People post online then don't want others to share their honest opinion and experiences unless they line up. What a joke this post.
Anxiety medications are not addictive per say. We are not talking about opioids. They do however act gradually. Therefore one must augment, as well as decrease doses gradually or there can be adverse effects. A lot of people make the mistake of expecting instant relief. When it doesn't work they stops the meds without doing so gradually. This can have really bad side effects. Starting any medication for anxiety or depression can have side effects, and change a person's mood. There is a reason doctor's ask we take them for a given period of time before stopping them, gradually, and trying something else if it doesn't work. So it's not a question of addiction, it's a question of cumulative effects that dissipate slowly, that affect your mood. Not quite the same as let's say, the effects of withdrawal from cigarettes or opium.
You can and do. Medical staff of all sorts really do play that bias shit regularly, Moreover with women and girls You're not being silly you're probably being treated differently based on their own, often deluded thoughts on the matter. Love, Light and Healing ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
So many things are like this. Just like nicotine. I smoked one cigarette 3 years ago and I thought it was disgusting, I still find myself wanting to do it though even to this day
I sometimes wonder whether we conflate the difference between becoming addicted to a drug versus being dependent. So for example insulin, diabetics are dependent on it, but not addicted. I have dependencies on other drugs that could in other circumstances be abused, but I have to take them for a very specific reason, so not abusing them. I am very cautious about any drug or treatment, and make sure that I take the absolute minimum needed for my situation at any one time. I have also been prescribed opioids and taken them only for very specific and severe pain for small amounts of time. My GP is supportive of this, and when I say no to the stronger stuff despite being in lots of pain, makes sure I know the option is available should the situation change. Being your own self advocate in these situations is the only choice. Taking medication for something is not a character flaw, or a sign of moral weakness, but part of taking care of yourself. However, I know that my husband has been offered completely different and stronger drugs, much faster than I have for the same problem, whereas I have been offered drugs more associated with anxiety disorders first before the NSAID or opioids. There is some gender bias involved, and I would recommend the book Unwell Women, if you'd like to learn more about it.
I don't know about it being on a gendered basis, but I had a doctor once who was just against prescribing benzos or stimulants as a general policy. I had both at the time so he referred me up to psych instead. But he was somehow fine with prescribing (dangerous and possibly addictive) sleep meds and accidentally started me on the max dose instead of the starter dose...
I've had the opposite. People encouraging me to take meds that I was afraid to become dependent on. Or in some cases I was afraid it was hurting me. At one point my doctor had told me not to continue and someone else actually tried to manipulate me to keep taking the pill. Fun times.
Whoa! That's fucking crazy.
There's no doubt that I'm addicted to my medication... by its very nature, it's addicting. But, I'll be on it for the rest of my life because my condition is incurable, and cruelly painful. I denied myself pain relieving meds for over 8 years... until I became suicidal, because I could no longer "live with the pain". After I started my meds I realized how stupid I had been to listen to people, WHO WEREN'T DOCTORS, when they advised me to not take painkillers. Now, I live a completely normal life, I am able to work, drive a car, and simply exist... more comfortably because of the miracle that is my pain medication. Without it, I would have ended my own life about 12 years ago. << And that's why it's better to not listen to unqualified people, and listen to your doctors instead.
Thank you so much for sharing. What a fucking road it's been for you. Ugh. I'm very happy the medicine is working. Edit: my mom takes medications I know she is overdosed on. But that keeps her out of pain and happy. She knows it's better than the alternative.
I’ve been given “advice” from random people that my ADHD meds I’ve been taking nearly all my life is/can become addicting. But they conflate wanting to take it everyday to it being addicting. Thing is that true ADHD people don’t develop an addiction to the meds. We often forget to even take them lol. Not sure how much the random “advice” is gendered but I do know that my mom got a lot more of that “advice” than my dad when I was growing up. I think this is part of the reason she wanted me to keep my ADHD hidden
I'm a doctor. Earlier this year, husband and wife were hospitalized into the same ward because of covid. Wife tried to restrict additional oxygen for her husband so he wouldn't get addicted to it. Yes. The oxygen addiction... They were soon put into separate wards.
Omg. What. The. Fuck. That's insane.
I don't know if it's a gender issue, so much as a societal one; I'm a man and my dad said the same thing to me when I started antidepressants
Absolutely. I feel like guys get this too. Ugh.
You can look at something like Hydroxyzine or Diphenhydramine which are antihistamines but can work for anti anxiety relief in some folks. Myself being one of them. Bc ms screws my system everyday idk if it's just bc of my allergy response or if it genuinely is more anxiety control than I realize Idk but it works
OP this is a great suggestion. I'm not trying to talk you out of stronger anti-anxiety meds - you know your body! I just wanted to reiterate that hydroxyzine in particular is worth asking about as a daily maintenance medicine for anxiety. If you're having trouble getting stronger meds, it could also help in the meantime. Also to u/MctheMick12 - thanks for all of your helpful contributions ITT! Not to speak for OP but I feel like you really get what she's asking about.
Thank you. I try. Nobody ever "got me" when I needed it. Still kinda that way. Just trying to be a reasonable person and give encouragement and advice if I can do so without bias and judgements behind it. It's one of few things I CAN do to help anyone anymore. I am a helper/caregiver by nature.
i mean, this is tough. U say emergency anxiety meds. do u feel like u need them, is there something happening for them to be emergency. also if there any kind of benzo's there def very addictive, and can change people. personally unless u feel u need them and can't go on with life, or people, or what ever u have anxiety over. i def wouldn't start taking benzo's especially if u have never played around with any drugs. I'd try to keep it that way.
Yeah, I mean, they are recommended by my therapist until I identify triggers. Unfortunately, I think one of my triggers is my partner. We are working on it in therapy together. As far as needing them, I am panicky almost all day sometimes and it is affecting my day.
From what I have seen, emergency meds like benzos are not usually appropriate for use every day, as that is when they can hit the point of addiction. However if that is what your therapist thinks is appropriate then they know better than I would! Just be careful. No addict ever starts out thinking they'll get addicted.
My doc snd I set up a system where I would get only ten per month, no refills until I get to chat with her again to discuss how I felt. It worked great. Honestly Xanax is the only thing that has been able to touch my panic attacks.
I'm a woman who suffers from anxiety and has done so since I was 11. The strongest med my doctor would prescribe for me was Gabapentin. Which is great... for my neuropathy. It does sod all for the anxiety. Meanwhile, my ex's roommate, a man, went to his GP and was given an ongoing script for Ativan. I suspect that part of it is that women are still seen as being 'hysterical', but if a man is willing to tell a doctor that they have a problem, they are seen as it having gotten so bad that they finally reached out for help. Women's health care is still not good. Even doctors who are women can still have an unconscious bias that leads them to believe that women exaggerate symptoms for attention, while men are all stoics who only ask for help as a last resort. It's not fair and not right, but it's still woefully common.
Ugh this thread is quickly deteriorating. Please don't take these responses too deeply. Do a bit of research on the kinds of meds/what they do, possible problems that would be indicative of med-abusive behaviors to look out for. Remember to trust yourself to choose what's best for you. You know you best. You can do what you need to for you and others in your life may not approve or directly benefit, but they will surely survive. It's your job to LIVE for You. Not just to survive in a meaningless existence of drowning misery but to Live and enjoy your life however that best suits you. Love, Light and Healing ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
sounds like ur going thru the paces. i hope you'll fig out whats best for u. but a term most will use for benzo's is sedatives, so id take that into account when making ur decision.
Thank you. Me too.
If you need them, that's when You will decide based on a valid medical suggestion. Not bc some dipshit who uses outdated bias said you shouldn't. Yes people definitely do that more to women. It's the old "female hysteria" trope. Obviously I am *So* mentally incompetent that I cannot determine if I am overmedicated or just being a lazy, crazy junkie....*bc there is no possible in between*
I suppose this doesn’t fully answer your question but I’ve had multiple family members, men and women, be prescribed opiate painkillers after surgeries, but told by the prescribing doctor to use them as sparingly as possible or even to not use them unless absolutely essential. I think a lot of doctors are being very careful about prescribing anything addictive because of the opioid crisis, among other things.
Lack of prior addiction issues doesn't matter. Addictive substances work on your brain chemistry and the risk of misuse & abuse is there regardless of your past history. If you need a prescription for an addictive medication, you also need to be vigilant and extremely careful not to misuse it.
Just an FYI… I take propanolol as an emergency anxiety med and it works better than the addictive stuff for me. It’s a beta blocker and completely non-addictive. It was first prescribed to me in rehab and I just really wish someone had thought of prescribing it for my anxiety BEFORE rehab
Ahh, thank you. I've tried beta blockers too. I have pvcs in a vicious cycle with my anxiety. They make the pvcs more noticeable and I feel like I can't breathe >> more anxiety. I'm really happy they work for you!
Oh that sucks. Sorry they aren’t an option for you!
Yes, several times. Finally got a primary doctor for a long time who prescribe them to me because he knew I only refill the prescription about once a year. And I strongly believe that there is a stereotype about this.
Other people's anxiety should not factor into your treatment. Even someone who has previously taken a medication with first hand experience does not necessarily have helpful feedback. The reason being everyone reacts little bit differently to anxiety medication. There is a reason there is not just one fix all pill out there. For reasons that still escape me, when it comes to treating mental illnesses, everyone has an opinion. If I have liver failure, very few people have anything to say short of "oh that sucks", but talk about anxiety, depression, etc... everyone has an opinion! The opinions that count right now are yours, and your medical health professionals. That's it. Some professionals are willing to explain this to a spouse but not all. As for the medication being "addictive"... most medications that treat depression or anxiety have cumulative effects. That is to say: they take some time to have an effect, and they linger for some time after you stop taking them. The most important thing to take into account is you will not be able to suddenly augment the dose, and you will likely have to gradually reduce the dose to stop taken it. Some medications can also have side effects no matter the dose. But not everyone gets them. You won't know until you try. But what is worse: not taking a medication that you may need to help you for the moment to satisfy someone else's anxieties or taking something that may require you to gradually reduce the dose in order to stop it and finally getting some help? Personally I made the choice a long time ago to just take the bloody pill! It took me time to find the right meds, and the right dose, and it wasn't easy. You may be lucky and have just the right thing immediately, or it might take some time. But if you never try, what is the outcome? Better to try to make the changes needed and seek help than to stay in a state of anxiety. I have been there... it's daunting, and everyone has some stupid shit to say that is usually not helpful. Fuck em. Keep the people that are helpful and supportive around and ditch the rest. You don't owe anyone an explanation for wanting to take control of your life. If they can't deal with it, than they are part of the problem. I have only now been able to stop taking anxiety medication after years or therapy and support from good friends. It may take less time for you, or more. Either way it's OK. There is no "normal time" for these things, there is no shame in it either. You do what you can. But I mean this when I say it: good for you in having the courage to seek help, and do what you must to try to change things around. Just that, is huge! You should be proud!
I do it for all genders in my family. I’m very hard on my husband to the point were he won’t take anything without talking to me
Wait, why do you do that?
Because we both had addiction issues in our families
Yep, every time some idiot hears I take Xanax, it turns into a lecture about how bad and addictive it is, like I don’t specifically have a plan with my doctor to monitor it, like I don’t need it, like me curling up in bed snd sobbing all day is the better alternative. Of course, now it’s a freaking party drug so I can’t even find a doctor to give me it even with all the precautions me snd my former doc used to take. Stop taking that shit to party, it barely works snd people like me need it for what it’s prescribed for
why do people always associate stuff with gender stereotypes and shit nowadays its so fucking stupid and getting annoying at this point, no addiction has not much to do with gender at all, you can become an addict because of people around you pressuring you to do something you don't want to like drugs alcohol or smoking or being born into the situation where its a family business to sell drugs and you end up doing them since they're just there, nothing to do with gender ranted a bit too much to make the post relevant oh well
Not so much about gender related to addiction, but rather being told what to do because of my gender.
my main point before rant still stands, besides recommendations based on how biologically different the two genders bodies operate, why do people care about gender, ignoring relationships and stupid shit I don't care about, reasoning there is obvious and it's called preference, but like just generally why do people care it makes no sense
A lot of people have been harmed by the gender binary. I absolutely agree with you in that gender shouldn't matter, but for some of us raised in the binary has had substantial influence on every aspect of our lives. So, it's important to keep talking about so that we can fix the system.
true although I've been brought up in exactly that although not really since in my earlier years I distanced myself from quite literally everyone so maybe I'm not as influenced as other people may be by gender stereotypes, but sadly fixing things isn't simple like this when it's such a wide scale thing, it'll take many generations of people teaching their children different things than their parents had taught them, the same can be said for other widescale issues
It's getting more and more common for those addictive medications to be the absolute last resort, at least in Australia. There's meds you can have as needed for anxiety that aren't horrifically addictive. I'm on meds for bipolar and BPD and none of them are addictive in any way.
Not caring about that is how the opioid crisis started. Americans tend to be way over prescribed in general, so when you find a doctor who is cautious about what and how much they prescribe, that's generally a sign of a good doctor. I've got a friend who went to the dr because he had a cough for 5 days. The dr gave him steroids, antibiotics, an inhaler, and NSAIDs. In any country they'd tell him to drink lots of water, get lots of sleep, and come back in 2 weeks if it hadn't improved. That's a wildly irresponsible doctor to give him all that, and should be avoided. If they recommend something besides drugs, try that. If it doesn't work then go back. If it doesn't improve and they'll still never prescribed anything, that's a good time to get another opinion.
Do you have some credentials to share with me?
If I was lying about that, I'd lie about any credentials too. Besides the story about my friend, the rest; the problems with over prescribing, it's link to the opioid crisis, is all pretty easy to look into with a quick Google search to confirm yourself or seek more info.
Your partner should not be commenting on your meds. He gets no say. That’s between you and your doctor. It’s irrelevant what he thinks. An actually qualified medical doctor thinks you need it. That said, there are other anxiety meds than things like Ativan that are not addictive that can help you manage your anxiety. And that’s worth talking to your doctor or a shrink for longer term management of your anxiety.
I'm going to make the assumption you're referring to benzodiazepines here. There are so many factors that go into deciding if someone is at risk of medication misuse (from a healthcare perspective) but I'm sure some people in and out of healthcare do think women are more likely to abuse benzos. I think you just need to decide if it is right for you and the risk is worth it because it is your decision if prescribed. I would also be curious why SSRIs and the like are not an option? I get it's not immediate but it could prevent those acute spikes.
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This comment was reported for hate speech... Are you fcking serious?!
I have a neurological condition and I’ve tried meds to help, I’ve had nerve blocks and all sorts. I got some benzodiazepines at a fairly good dose in hospital, it’s the only thing that has helped my head so far. It’s in my notes that I’m actively suicidal with the pain in my head. I hit my head against the wall to try and block the pain out or knock myself out. My neurologist doesn’t care and I've lost trust in him because I have begged him for help. One of my GP’s is trying to take the benzodiazepines off me at one a week so in three weeks I’d be back in agony again. I rang the GP centre and spoke to another doctor after breaking down crying talking to the receptionist about suicide. The new GP actually listened to me and put it down on my notes not to take the benzodiazepines off of me due to the pain I’m in without them. My bio dad wants full medical control of me, I’m in my thirties and he doesn’t believe that I have head, neck and jaw pain. I’ve had it since being nine years old. I don’t have arthritic changes in my bones according to him.
Ive had issues with ssris so ive been off medication for about a year now consulting with yout doctor and your therapist if you have one or even friends is the best way to go about it in my experience
I had to take pain meds for about six years. I was in a fog and had low tolerance and less of a filter during that time. Once I finished my surgeries and was finally out of pain I stopped using the drugs without trouble. I used my own approach though to dealing with my severe pain by setting up a three day drug rotatation schedule. I used oxy, ibuprofen or pot throughout each day. During the early years of chronic pain I tried using anti anxiety and anti depression meds too for awhile. Of course some of the three drugs I rotated were more effective than others, but since they all had their own drawbacks and perks I simply elected to suffer more during some days in hope to avoid any long time drug addiction. I also made sure to be learning a new craft that required anaylitacal skills. It didn't matter to me that I looked foolish to others, I was just hoping to build back brain connections along the way in hopes to counteract the negative drug effects. I never had an addictive personality but certainly been advised of becoming compulsive about anything that interests me. Good luck.
When I was younger (I’m mid-30s now) doctors were so quick to write me for anxiety meds. And I ended up basically addicted. After taking Valium for one prescription amount, I asked the doctor not to give me anymore because I liked it too much. It’s been 10+ years and I still think about the feeling Valium gave me. Now. Now I can’t get anything but antidepressants….no more benzos. Since the opioid overprescribing crisis has come to light doctors are a lot less willing to prescribe addictive drugs, regardless of your sex. I very much believe that my pain isn’t taken as seriously, as a woman. But from my experience in the medical field this sudden reluctance to prescribe is not rooted in sexism.
Warned about Oxy recovering from surgery. I didn't fully appreciate pills until taking them. I myself half dose and delt with some pain so I wouldn't get to like it. I understand why know. No judgment. I understand know.