I have psychosis and Anxiety issues. Psychosis is fine on clozapine 225mg but anxiety is not.
I’m already on a SSRI called paroxetine cr 37.mg and a benzo called clobazam 15mg and I still have very high anxiety/panic symptoms. I’ve tried all other SSRIs and SNRIs, they all worsen my psychosis.
Any thoughts ?
Have you thought about CBT
What about therapy? Medicines can only do so much if you don’t get to the root of the problem.
Some cbt or talk therapy might be beneficial to figure out what is causing the anxiety, and teach you better coping skills
Also mindfulness
And YouTube relaxation techniques
Guys, @Pikasaur @shellys12 you think if meds didn’t work, some bs therapy and yt videos will.
Is like trying to heal depression with happy thoughts or psychosis with prayer
I’m sorry @clinic for this terrible advices.
You should talk with your doctor maybe some betablockers or anxiolitics will help.
There are benzos, ad, betablockers and anxiolitics for anxiety. I doubt you can fix it with supliments
In beta blockers, ive tried propranolol, it worsens my anxiety and also worsens postural hypotension caused by clozapine.
Someone suggested the beta blocker called atenolol which seems to not cross blood brain barrier and might be helpful but I’ve not tried that.
It seems im running out of options.
Therapy isn’t bs. And I never said meds wouldn’t work.
But meds only mask the symptoms, they don’t remove what’s causing them in the first place.
Therapy is a valid way of learning to deal with problems and handle symptoms, insteaf of just waiting for them to magically get better.
I agree with @Pikasaur
You have to learn to manage anxiety but you have to take time
Yes get your medication right
I’m on atenolol and seroxat and you can learn to cope with anxiety
There was a time I was so anxious I was scared to move and I understand that when it’s really bad nothing much helps but you can get relief by mindfulness and distraction techniques
Sorry for rambling
I also take Atenolol and Paroxetine, I think that this combination works well.
Atenolol works well in reducing the anxiety and tachycardia caused by the clozapine.
Benzodiazepines can be helpful for short term use, but half of the people on them develop tolerance to them.
how much mg of atenolol do u take ?
I’m on 25 mg
He put me on it because side effects of clozapine making heart beat too fast
Im just worried if it will worsen my postural hypotension
Could it be possible that I have an undiagnosed bipolar disorder which explains not been able to tolerate SSRI/SNRIs ?
FYI meds don’t mask the symtoms, meds keep them sub control, meds makes then disappear.
Therapy is gonna get you to the problem? Ha
You think everything has a deeper meaning and if just we could possibly discover it and POF hocus pocus were healed
I do think meds help a lot, I just don’t think they’re the ONLY answer.
No meds have made my voices go away, for an example. Invega lessens them a bit, though.
But after I started therapy, I’ve been much less tormented by them.
Same with anxiety. Nothing took away my anxiety, but therapy taught me to deal with it better, and that made it much less bothersome.
Maybe up your dose of clozapine
I also have this issue, medications seem to have no effect on my anxiety. I was in the ER once and stayed wide awake and anxious through being tranquilized, it sure was something.
While I would recommend therapy, be careful. Pick a therapist who’s actually equipped to handle your problems, meaning anxiety and psychosis. Coming from personal experience, therapists who have only worked with patients who have lone anxiety but no experience working with psychosis can worsen your anxiety and paranoia or leave you feeling hopeless.
Otherwise, the best ways I’ve learned to cope with anxiety is learn to self talk. It takes work, but something has to give. I begin talking myself out of spirals and sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t. Other tools are keep yourself distracted and don’t leave time for ruminating that’ll inevitably lead to spiraling. So entertainment, leaving the house, ect.
Also, you could make sure Clonzapine isn’t the cause of your anxiety? You can tell if you or someone else remembers if you were that anxious before you were put on it, or ask your pdoc about it. Multiple APs I was on were worsening my anxiety greatly.
I hope you’re able to find help. I know where you’re at, and it’s miserable.
Anxiety is a strange thing. I swear ive sort of outgrown it somehow lol.
I know @anon92220549 doesnt like therapy but i found it HIGHLY usefull, maybe its what helped get rid of my anxiety, who knows…
I do therapy but I don’t think it will work on anxiety.