I’ve had a freaky-outy kind of day and so I broke down and took a xanex,
Got a lot of mixed feelings about it.
Yes, I feel better, but I also feel completely sedated and out of control of my emotions.
Benzos are weird like that.
Its a love/hate kind of thing,
Does anyone feel the same?
What alternatives do I have?
Speaking as a complete lay person, and just my opinion, I am not sure if abilify is the AP for you. It is notorious for causing anxiety and impulsivity. It just seems to me you were happier before the depot and using weed medicinally. It upsets me to see you upset.
Is your pdoc giving you the shot tomorrow? Maybe have a discussion with them.
Apologies if me voicing these thoughts is inappropriate.
I’m also to trying to find a substitute for a benzo. Apparently L - Theanine is similiar to a benzo.
@everhopeful can explain, he’s got experience with benzos and L - Theanine.
I feel 100% the same way.
I am going to have a heart to heart with my doctor tomorrow,
There has to be a better treatment plan for me.
Thanks for the sincere post,
It means a lot.
I agree with @anon20613941
I’ve tried the L-Theanine,
And it does help, to a certain extent.
More for the coffee-jitters kind of feelings vs the apocalypse kind of feeling.
I need more than that, but less than xanex.
I’ve already tried Ativan, but didn’t like that either.
Hmm. What about ambien? It’s made from benzodiazepines if I’m not mistaken.
Isn’t ambien just for sleep?
If it’s just the anxiety and abilify is working otherwise then you could try rexulti. It’s supposed to be abilify without the anxiety.
I actually think he’s mentioned that!
At the time I didn’t understand what it was and was hesitant to try another medication,
But I’ll ask him about it again tomorrow.
Thanks!
It’s used for sleep but people found it effective for anxiety.
http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/647579-Ambien-works-wonders-on-anxiety
I take hydroxyzine nightly and go to therapy. Hydroxyzine has side effects if you take it during the day but now that I take it every night my anxiety is much better. It was a slow process but I was able to manage my anxiety better than before.
I slow down with xanax, so I can rational think better and better in control of myself. I don’t usually take in during the day except if I’m super duper anxious. I generally take it before bed to initiate sleep.
A non habit forming long term solution would be trying vistaril but for u that might be a fools errand.
Is it worth trying Valium? It’s less of a sedating med like klonopin and Xanax and more of a hypnotic like benzo that lasts long and can eliminate that low threshold for anxiety caused by abilify. I know u only take em occasionally so if I were u I’d ask for Valium as needed, it’s worth it bc ur anxiety hasn’t gotten better in the months you’ve been on abilify. And long term I guess I’d switch from the abilify. Do NOT take invega. It can sometimes have permanent side effects
i take ativan and it doesnt get me high. if i took enough to do that i wouldn’t remember it. anyhow xanax is extremely addictive while ativan has less addiction potential. some benzos are more adfictive than others, make sure you choose wisely.
I’m pretty sure all benzos are addictive in the same way, the only difference with them is potency
Oh I agree with that. It has the shortest half that’s why.
Valium/diazepam can get you off the Xanax because it can tritate you down. 1mg of Xanax is 10mg of diazepam and you can cut down to 1mg of diazepam. That is how I have done it. And yes abilify is notorious for anxiety. It wrecked havoc for me in anxiety when I took it. Perhaps something like qutiapine would be a better alternative
Also as @anon20742722 said Valium/diazepam is longer lasting.
As alternative L theanine can work. You might want to try a higher dose of it. L theanine has helped me relax when I’ve take it.
I’m not sure what other alternatives there are but I bet other forum members have some.
I’d rather suffer an intense withdrawal for a week than a slow easy one for months.
Good luck tomorrow, let us know how it goes.
Ativan seems not to work for me at all but L-theanine works well.