Posted by laima on August 26, 2006, at 11:05:24
In reply to Thanks for all the replies!..., posted by Meri-Tuuli on August 26, 2006, at 3:36:21
Hi Meri,
A little more-
I thought of another potential side effect- a person like me, who developes tolerance very quickly, can end up more anxious than before, due perhaps to chronic start of "withdrawl". I've read (I think on benzo.org?) that some people can go into slight withdrawal even if they don't adjust their dose, if their body starts craving more. I don't know how accurate that info is- but I've had more anxiety struggles AFTER benzos entered my life than before, though think it's hard to come up with a definate conclusion about if that is due to my coping skills, stresses, drug effects, or other factors. One definate contibutor to this problem of mine has been slipping up with controlling myself with my prescriptions when the going gets rough-then I run out early, and rebound anxiety flares-that rebound tends to be different from and worse than the original anxiety. It can be hard for me to resist craving substances which offer fast and immediate relief-I've had to develop some "tricks" to help me control myself, even as drastic as having someone else hold the bottle for me if I feel like I could be in a time of risking abuse. This has helped.
Whether or not this sort of craving-mess could turn into a side effect for you I guess depends on how well you do with addiction/substance abuse issues, I imagine.
> But they all 'silence' anxiety
I'd be careful with this conclusion- they can or could "fuzz-out" anxiety, too.
> And it doesn't really feel like having an alcoholic drink - alcohol produces more side effects.
I definately agree! You can think and function so much better on benzos than on alcohol, too. No contest here!
Benzos can be a slippery slope like alcohol, too, Though if you can control your drinking, perhaps that is a good sign (?)
But benzos can also be lifesavers, and for me personally, they help me lose interest in overdrinking-I've often turned to drinking thanks to anxiety, too.By the way, if you end up drinking while on benzos, their sedating and fuzzy effects can really intensify and the situation could get potentially dangerous-but not necessarily, if you drink only a teeny amount and are able to *control* yourself. I guess the danger is more if one takes more of each (?) I think about Marilyn Monroe...
I wish you the very best of luck with your doctor and in getting yourself a prescription to try for yourself- from how you describe your situation, I imagine they would be very helpful.
It seems that a lot of substances have a bright side and a dark side to consider- and we are all different with our situations.
I'm amazed at how hard all of you from the UK report that it is to get a benzo prescription there- seems so odd and unfortunate.
What exactly do the UK doctors expect anxious people to do when they need help with anxiety but "deep breathing" and "bubble baths" don't do the trick??I wonder if your chances would be better if you told your doctor you are drinking "more and more" due to anxiety and need an alternative, or if that would set off alarm bells?
Or, if you went the route of describing how anxiety is getting in way of your "functioning"? I think a lot of psychiatrists respond to "not functioning". Just a couple of thoughts.
Warmest wishes and good luck!
Laima
poster:laima
thread:679936
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060825/msgs/680261.html