medication for anxiety

Is anyone on any medication to help manage anxiety .

Before my diagnosis i was prescribed citalopram for anxiety  and my doctor took me of it nearing my assessment period .

After the diagnosis i have had CBT to help manage my anxiety ,

Which worked for a while but i see i am starting to see my reaction to certain situations and people are getting back to how it was before being on medication.

I have read a lot of peer reviewed research on this subject and it seems the community seems to be split that ssri's are no better than a placebo ,

Has anyone tried the CBDV oil for anxiety as research has been conducted on this and seems promising .

I know full blown THC/CBD is not good for me as i am a danger to myself after taking it as i seem invincible, then after it has worn off it seems like i am in an even worse place before taking it .

I did prefer the citalopram but wondered is anyone else being prescribed anything different which helps .

  • Thanks, aidie - I was quite active on the old NAS forum, with the same username, about four years ago but the design of this one is less user-friendly for me and for a long time I couldn't find a way to log in at all!

  • hi Oblomov,

    I think you are new so Welcome to this Forum Slight smile

  • That's exactly my experience with Citalopram and particularly Mirtazapine, which I returned to the chemist, explaining that I didn't want to contaminate the sewers with it.  

    The resulting emotional numbness reminds me of the "pod people" in the sci-fi classic INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, the original version of which was made in the mid-1950s, around the time of the first antidepressants.  Despite the title, it's arguably more about mind-snatching and I now always view the film as an allegory of the encroaching use of antidepressants.

  • Most antidepressants seem to just fog the mind until it malfunctions so much you can't be depressed - you can't be anything.     Functional zombie seems to be the desired result.

  • I have found anxiety medication amazing but it zonked me out. The combo with stimulant meds is good - anxiety under control and motivation / brain fog better.

  • I could have taken antidepressants, but I looked at my anxiety as a sign that there was some other issue that was going on in my system, and taking antidepressants would have only masked the problem, and it's not a cure for it.

    The thing that took away my anxiety, was noticing my stomach issues, and that certain foods caused cramping and other negative physical ailments, and by not eating those things for a few days, my anxiety and depression went away as well, and my physical health improved. So it'll be good to find out which intolerances and allergies you have. 

  • I've refused the vaccine and will never consent to having it injected into me. 

  • Personally, I have found all common prescription anti-depressant medications ineffective.  And, I've tried them all. Truth be told, I'm convinced they're little more than placebos.

    The only medication that has ever worked for me is Promazine, which I've used for the past six years. I take it as and when required, it's non-addictive, fast acting, and has relatively few side-effects. You probably won't have heard of it. GP's very rarely prescribe it because it is classed as an 'anti-psychotic' specialist medicine.  At one time, it was mainly prescribed to older people who were experiencing age-related restlessness and anxiety. The only patients who normally get to take it nowadays are those with bipolar disorder because they have negative reactions to bog-standard anti-depressants. I was lucky to see a psychiatrist who prescribed it to me (even though I am not bipolar). Sadly, most patients with anxiety are only offered the same cheap anti-depressants, regardless of their limited efficacy.

  • Hi Symon,

    I'm glad to see that this sparks a lot of conversation. Please be aware that this community is not a substitute for medical advice, it may be worthwhile to consult your doctor as well. For more information about anxiety, this page might be helpful, https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/mental-health/anxiety/autistic-adults#H2_3.

    Kindest regards,

    Eunice Mod

  • I tried Sertraline and it made me worse. Then I now take fluoxetine (prozac) and see no benefit. I still get anxious about the same stuff and just as intensely.

  • I have tried CBD oil, both orally and vaped. I don't think it has a huge effect, it's just mildly calming. I think L-theanine might actually be better and it's cheaper.

    But I find the best thing is mindfulness and meditation and exercise. I know they can seem like a chore but they really do more than any drug for me.

  • Exercise and social contact is often better than any medication 

  • Yep! I get that. I'm sick to death of GPs treating me like a naughty girl for refusing medication for anxiety.

    I'm a MEDICAL phobe. You just can't stuff me full of chemicals with a list of contra indications and side effects as long as your arm and expect me to feel better. I'd be paranoid about how they could be harming me. The meds would become the anxiety.

    I've had my COVID jab though. I've been literally house bound since the beginning of the pandemic and refused to go to hospital for other urgent stuff. I was terrified of catching COVID in hospital.

    At least the jab enables me to feel I can at least go out for a walk now and has calmed down the panic if I have to go into the corner shop. All that constantly trying to judge whether I'm at least 2 m away from everyone else and people without masks squeezing past me, was sending me into melt down every time I went.

  • I'm on a low dosage of citalopram and have been for the last couple of decades. It was boosted slightly when I had my last meltdown which saw me signed off for the best part of a year. Since the diagnosis I've not found myself as emotionally "stuck" which has probably done far more for my mental health than drugs ever did.

    There's a conversation going on about whether anti-depressants actually do anything at all. The last book I read by Temple Grandin suggests she was comfortable with a low dose of anti-depressants used in combination with other kinds of interventions. I'm no fan of CBT myself (I lose myself a lot when writing so the idea of "writing out" things that I find difficult and do a for/against scenario would end up in me writing entire books about my decision-making dilemmas and stress triggers). Much happier with acceptance/commitment therapy which makes a lot more sense and has led me to manage some difficult situations (and difficult emotions) a lot more effectively.

    I went a time of trying different stuff, Prozac (rubbish), Dothiepin (equally rubbish) and St John's Wort (did nothing). Never felt the need to change the meds since I started with citalopram although I'm going to have a discussion with my GP about the dosage. 

  • I find slow release propranolol really helps with the fight/flight/freeze response. Gives me headspace to have a word with myself and give things a go, or be more kind to myself when I choose not too.

    I changed from a low dose as and when required as recently found I was stuck on an exhausting roller coaster of emotion/stress etc.

  • I did find citalopram the best way of managing my anxiety so may talk to my gp about it and ask about propanol too ,

    CBD did nothing but again that is still a grey area in law and may not have been the best quality .

  • Propanol does work but will say your strength. It works by reducing the amount of Adrenaline you body produces, so it will help with anxiety but will hinder anything that is physically demanding. I usually use Citalopram as this really works on my anxiety and I start or stop taking it without side effects ( I only use it when I really need to these days)

  • thanks yes CBD is pretty expensive. and if it is cheap its probably hemp oil

  • Unfortunately it seems they're now out of stock. Hope links aren't banned here. I imagine actually buying it like this is expensive though, and probably why they can afford to give out free samples. www.sendmeasample.net/.../