Anonymous wrote:People with real mental illness have to take meds for them. They are not"drug users"

Um, they are. By definition. Just because there's an Rx doesn't mean they're not dependent on a drug.

I took Xanax every single day (sometimes 2 times a day) for almost two years for severe PTSD. I never increased my dose, never felt the need to take it more often, and had absolutely no trouble getting off of it when it was time.

And it saved my life.

I'm PP who took ativan for several months during a tough time, though mostly at night. I weaned off of it slowly without any problem. For a few nights after I stopped I had trouble sleeping. When people take this under a doctor's care it is rarely a problem. All medications have potential problems and should be taken carefully under a doctor's care. The benefit of benzos can be huge if someone is incapacitated by anxiety.

Anonymous wrote:

Xanax gets a bad rap because it deserves one. It works fast and furiously as mother's little helper, but will rob you of your life.

Wow, I take one a day to deal with an incredibly stressful time that I am dealing with. It is not "robbing me of my life." I work every day at a relatively demanding job and take good care of my kid. I do have some concerns that it may be uncomfortable for a bit when the time comes to stop taking it (maybe the anxiety will be worse, or sleeping problems), but my life right now is fine.

I'm sorry pp. I am absolutely a proponent of medication for psychiatric conditions. But the entire family of benzos is problematic. You are in for one the worst withdrawals with Xanax. Opioids such as heroin are actually easier to withdraw from because they are cross tolerant with other medications and long acting so that you can be weaned gradually. Xanax is so short acting that a tolerance go through the roof very quickly--It wears off people take more--it's a vicious cycle with a falling of a cliff and swirling down a drain while huffing gasoline like feeling. It is extremely dangerous --drs should really not ever prescribe except in a hospital setting.

OP, my doc told me taking Xanax is like making a deal with the devil. You develop a tolerance for it, so you have to keep increasing the dose, and it's addictive.

Instead, he gave me Buspar for situational anxiety (in addition to daily Lexapro), but the Buspar doesn't seem to do anything for me.

Xanax gets a bad rap because it deserves one. It works fast and furiously as mother's little helper, but will rob you of your life.

Wow, I take one a day to deal with an incredibly stressful time that I am dealing with. It is not "robbing me of my life." I work every day at a relatively demanding job and take good care of my kid. I do have some concerns that it may be uncomfortable for a bit when the time comes to stop taking it (maybe the anxiety will be worse, or sleeping problems), but my life right now is fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People with real mental illness have to take meds for them. They are not"drug users"

True but you can still become addicted. A family member became addicted while taking Xanax under Drs orders.
Situationally it's fine. Daily is just masking the problem.

There's a huge difference between dependence and addiction. Educate yourself before you spout off. Otherwise you sound like an idiot and your points have no credibility. (And no, one family member's anecdotal experience does not count as educating yourself.)

Anonymous wrote:You sound like you get a high from it. "It's gone in 30 minutes."

It's pretty obvious from context that OP means the anxiety is gone in 30 minutes. Congrats to her for seeking out a treatment that works.

I wonder how many people who are criticizing OP's daily use of Xanax don't think twice about a couple of glasses of wine a night to "wind down". It is just a different drug, folks, only this one is prescribed by the doctor.

Anonymous wrote:People with real mental illness have to take meds for them. They are not"drug users"

True but you can still become addicted. A family member became addicted while taking Xanax under Drs orders.
Situationally it's fine. Daily is just masking the problem.

You sound like you get a high from it. "It's gone in 30 minutes." Mix the Xanax with sugar pills and trust me, you won't know the difference and like a miracle, it will be gone in 30 minutes even with the sugar pills. It's all in your mind. Find other non drug related coping mechanisms for your anxiety. Find the root of your problem versus suppressing the symptoms with a drug.

1. You don't "get high" from Xanax. You are showing your ignorance.
2. If you had chronic panic attacks (or even 1 true panic attack-not just generalized anxiety) you wouldn't be such an ass about this.

OP, you aren't going to become dependent from short term use of Xanax. However, there are better drugs, like Clonazapaem, that your doctor can prescribe for anxiety that can be used safely for a longer period of time. Are you getting your meds from an internist or a psychiatrist. I would recommend getting your antidepressants and anxi-meds from a psychiatrist. They are better trained to prescribe this drugs and get the right combination safely. This is not one size fits all medication

A lot of idiots on this thread who have no idea what they are talking about.

Xanax works quickly so if you are overwhelmed by anxiety you will feel relief in about 30 minutes, which is really wonderful if you have been experiencing this form of true suffering. That is what OP was referring to, not getting high. And she's definitely not a drug addict taking it as prescribed. This is the general approach because SSRIs and the like take 3 to 4 weeks to become effective and the xanax forms a bridge. For those of you scared off of it you should see a doctor and discuss it. Its not a long term solution but it helps you get to the long term solution.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I don't have a drug dependency.

so you couldn't answer op without a poorly concealed jab?

What part about my response indicated an attempt to conceal it?

She's hooked on drugs. That's really, really sad.

Instead of being a judgemental asshat, how about offering something constructive or just not comment.

You don't know why the OP has started having panic attacks. Or what what else OP has tried or is trying.

OP, if you're worried about dependency please talk to your doctor. Look for something alternative or at least try a smaller dosage. Definitely pursue CBT or other methods to help manage the panic attacks--visualization, breathing, mediation.

We have a real Tom Cruise on our hands....

People with real mental illness have to take meds for them. They are not"drug users"