Best SSRI for anxiety?

[[Am...]]

I'm on 20mg celexa and trying to decide if I should up the dose or if there is one better for anxiety.

 

Note: I realize these meds are frowned upon here but I've been struggling my whole life with anxiety, and have never been able to be in a relationship, despite being attractive and having a girl that is ready to marry me. I've used almost every drug out there and none have had lasting therapeutic value. I basically hide out at my moms house and am ashamed to tell anyone at work. Thank you.

[[rc...]]

You are right in that SSRI's are generally frowned upon on this site. Sometimes, people need an extra boost, though, to bring them out of a rough patch. I have been having some success with Lexapro. It is chemically similar to Celexa and a lot of people describe it as it's slightly more powerful, older brother. I am on a very low dose (5mg) and most consider 10mg to be the lowest possible therapeutic dose. I do not plan to go that high. My ultimate plan is to come off of psych meds all together. Wishing you will if you decide to changes SSRI's!

[[rc...]]

wishing you WELL**

[[bl...]]

Just wondering how you have come to decide to select an anti-depressant to treat anxiety ? Have you tried CBT or non-medication interventions?

[[Su...]]

I'm on 20mg celexa and trying to decide if I should up the dose or if there is one better for anxiety.

 

Note: I realize these meds are frowned upon here but I've been struggling my whole life with anxiety, and have never been able to be in a relationship, despite being attractive and having a girl that is ready to marry me. I've used almost every drug out there and none have had lasting therapeutic value. I basically hide out at my moms house and am ashamed to tell anyone at work. Thank you.

Hi Americano,

This site is really meant to support us with whatever we decide is best for us.  and sometimes that's a med!  Just saying.....  I would encourage you to work with you doc around the best AD and dosage for you.  We are all so different. 

Wishing you a good day

 

[[Be...]]

Why not think about an older AD, like imipramine, Tofranil, a tricyclic AD, rather than an SSRI?  I took that many years ago and it helped. 

[[Lo...]]

I think the best AD for anxiety is the one you are on right now, because the brain doesn't like too many medication changes. Your nervous system is probably chemically fragile at this point and just staying on an AD you're on right now may make the most sense. No single antidepressant works the same, and they all target different receptors and neurotransmitters in the brain. Many people have ended up on benzodiazepines partly due to either frequent AD med changes or frequent AD dosage changes. The less disruption to the nervous system with changes, the better off you'll be.

[[St...]]

This is actually a response to BlaggyBum.  My spouse suffers from anxiety and has been tapering off of cymbalta.. anxiety has hit the roof now that he's down to 20 mg per day.  I want to insist on therapy for that and bc he wants off ativan too. Advise?  Have you had CBT for anxiety or depression ?

[[Gr...]]

How long have you been on Cymbalta?  When my anxiety was greatly altered for the better by Zoloft, I felt it after 3 months.  It was amazing.  If it's been three months and you don't feel a whole lot of relief, then I would switch ssris and not bother with the updose.  IMHO, you only need 6 months to a year on an SSRI, or maybe less.  My anxiety never came back the way it was before I took Zoloft.  It was a game changer for me.

[[St...]]

I think my husband has been on it about a year and a half to two years.  He wants off SSRIs because the ones he's been on has caused so much weight gain and just numb barely happy or sad feelings --  plus he hates the idea of those drugs altering his brain chemistry possibly forever. 45 years old But I have to say the first 4 or 5 months he was on it.. down to almost zero anxiety and panic... then after awhile it's like it stopped working .. Dr upped the dose and he felt horrible. No sex drive 30 lb weight gain ..  so he decided no more.  Now panic is back with a vengeance.  I want him off this drug too if he can.. but I feel like he has to replace it with something.  Glad you had success with zoloft!  Wellbutrin was the first of these drugs to hate. He has to do something though this condition has caused him to be out of work for 4 years plus 😕  But he doesn't want to try therapy either...

[[bl...]]

Hi struggling, I had CBT for anxiety after firstly trying psychotherapy which made my anxiety worse as it dug up a load of stuff from the past which hieghtened insomnia and anxiety it was awful. With the CBT I clearly set my stall out in the first session in terms of changing thoughts cannot get rid of withdrawal induced anxiety but I would like tools and coping strategies to deal with anxiety when I have it. It was extremely useful I had it at the start of my taper in December last year till Feb this year and I have had little anxiety and less panic attacks and my sleep is a lot betterand I get 6-8 hours a night despite tapering and I take no other supplements or meds. I have discussed CBT for depression with a psychologist something I don't have but someone close to me does and he felt that CBT would possibly be useful but that a clever therapist who focuses on behavioural activation and compassionate mind theory would help. Counselling helps depressives to ruminate more and psychotherapy a similar thing though interpersonal psychodynamic therapy (IPT) could be useful but not that easy to find.  Good luck, I hope that helps.

[[St...]]

This is very helpful information. My husband doesn't really believe in therapy or the basis of where it is from. But I feel like it's the only option he hasn't tried and I want him to try CBT.  I feel at this point because we are in financial ruin because he has not felt able to work or make a decision on where to work in years.. that he should be willing..  glad to know CBT may help.  Thanks so much and I know from watching him how hard the WD is, so I wish you the very best of luck. 

[[La...]]

I'm on 20mg celexa and trying to decide if I should up the dose or if there is one better for anxiety.

 

Note: I realize these meds are frowned upon here but I've been struggling my whole life with anxiety, and have never been able to be in a relationship, despite being attractive and having a girl that is ready to marry me. I've used almost every drug out there and none have had lasting therapeutic value. I basically hide out at my moms house and am ashamed to tell anyone at work. Thank you.

 

I too have struggled with it and have taken buspar for it for about 15-17 yrs. I recently came upon an article talking about L-Theanine and it's use for treating anxiety. I ordered a bottle of it from Amazon with some inositol in it and after tapering off the buspar, I'm hardly taking any now. I've gone from max dose of 50 mgs daily to 5-15 mgs daily. No side effects like from anything pharma. Honestly, if it works for me, it'll work for anyone. Just Google it.

[[Re...]]

Why are SSRI's generally frowned on here? Is there an interaction between SSRI's and benzo withdrawal/recovery?

[[ma...]]

Try tianeptine, lot more effective for enxity than any of SSRI or benzo shit

[[Su...]]

Why are SSRI's generally frowned on here? Is there an interaction between SSRI's and benzo withdrawal/recovery?

I think there can be a bias that all psych meds are bad.  I sure can see where that could come from, but I think it's important to not "throw out the baby with the bathwater." IMHO.  To quote a very wise doc I know:  "A touch of the right medication can work miracles." 

There is no interaction between benzo w/d and SSRI's that I have heard of, and it can be difficult to get off SSRI's when people are ready to do so; if they choose to do so, and many people chose to stay on a dose of AD meds that is helpful for them.

Hope that's helpful.

SS

[[Re...]]

Why are SSRI's generally frowned on here? Is there an interaction between SSRI's and benzo withdrawal/recovery?

I think there can be a bias that all psych meds are bad.  I sure can see where that could come from, but I think it's important to not "throw out the baby with the bathwater." IMHO.  To quote a very wise doc I know:  "A touch of the right medication can work miracles." 

There is no interaction between benzo w/d and SSRI's that I have heard of, and it can be difficult to get off SSRI's when people are ready to do so; if they choose to do so, and many people chose to stay on a dose of AD meds that is helpful for them.

Hope that's helpful.

SS

 

Thank you for your response. It's sad to me that there would be a bias like this. I imagine a lot of people on this site were prescribed benzos for psychiatric disorders. People who need help with their brains can't be expected to give up on all meds because of benzos. I've been afraid to start taking any other psychiatric meds during withdrawal/recovery because I'm so afraid of making symptoms worse.