If you go the Xanax route, please be wise about it. Educate yourself about how it works and the dosage you are taking.

I worked as a substance abuse counselor in grad school, and benzos are horrible to come off of it you abuse it. It literally rewires your brain and the detox can be horrific. I worked with a mother who would take one whenever she felt stressed. She wasn't trying to get high or abuse the drug, but developed an alarming tolerance. She went off of them cold turkey, and wasn't prepared for withdrawal. She ended up in the hospital.

OP, if you think you need it - good for you for seeing it! Talk to your doctor and see what the options are for you. I say good for you for realizing this. So many people do not.

OP here. Thanks to the helpful PPs who shared experiences and advice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone has stress. A pill will not make it go away. Plus that shit will kill you. Have a glass of wine.

Wine will kill you too, natch.

WRONG xanax plus wine

You shouldn't take such a heavy-duty medication to deal with your stressors, OP. With the best intentions, you are taking on too much, and the answer is that you have to let go of a few things, not push yourself too hard and take drugs. (Isn't that what you would advise your own kids?) Sometimes something's got to give, and you cannot do it all. Or at least, you cannot do it all WELL. It's a hard thing for us to accept.

Figure out what you can let go of for a while. Can you take some leave from work while you get the nanny situation settled? Are you a single parent or do you have a partner who can take on more of the kid-related responsibilities and worries? Can anyone help with your move, or can you accept that things will be a mess for a while?

When you can, make time for whatever activities destress you naturally, like exercise, sex, sleep, having a laugh. That sounds facile, but every little thing helps.

I've never taken Xanax but a couple years ago, I started taking an anti-depressant. I had three kids in three years, the oldest was 6 and two of them had been diagnosed with SNs. DH and I WOH full time, we had no family nearby to assist, and the family my DH did have (my ILs) were in poor health/dying. We had 3-5 therapy appointments a week, DH was in a major depression, my marriage was crumbling and I was so very overwhelmed. It felt like I was PMSing constantly. I didn't feel like myself. I thought I was peri-menopausal. I finally got so sick of it, I went to my OB/GYN to talk about it. She put me on an anti-depressant and, I have to say, I wish I'd done it earlier. It wasn't mind-altering. It let me feel like my old self. Having said that, I can tell when I miss a day or two of the medication but, for me, it's definitely been worth it.

I hope you do see a medical provider for assistance. Your life doesn't need to be this way. When we're under stress, particularly long term stress, chemical changes occur in the brain that are more difficult to reverse the longer it's left untreated. And, some people have an underlying propensity to depression/anxiety - like my DH - so that when he's under a lot of stress, he is far less resilient than I am and more quickly and more deeply is affected. Call it mental illness if you want, I prefer to call it the mental flu. Whatever. I'm just glad these medications are available to us becuase they make a significant, positive difference in my life. Hugs.

Don't let DCUM diagnose you. That's what doctors are for. But you should know that the first line of treatment for anxiety is not Xanax. It is an ssri antidepressant like Zoloft. It doesn't numb you to everyday life but makes stressful events less disabling.

I was having panic attacks. I was on Xanax for two weeks until I could get in with a psychologist. My GP prescribed them and made sure I got in with the psychologist. Xanax is highly addictive. I was very worried about it, as was my GP. I would only use it for short amounts of time and then see a shrink.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you are in a state of perpetual anxiety. When your anxiety moves beyond worrying. When you've taken an anti-depressant for years that's helped alleviate the debilitating, oppressive nervousness so that you can function and even enjoy life, but sometimes a life event or situation arises which makes you feel anxious.

That is when I take a Xanax. As needed, along with my daily SSRI. I take maybe 5 in a year and I don't ever up my dosage.

I'd try other stress-relievers first; exercise, rest, good diet. Had a physical recently? You could have a heart condition, thyroid dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, any number of issues that can make you feel nervous, jittery, panicky, etc. You could have Generalized Anxiety Disorder...I don't know. consult with a doc first before going straight to a tranquilizer.

This is helpful. But I think what I'm trying to figure out is whether I've crossed from worry to anxiety, and whether it is preventing me from enjoying life. I'm not sure I can tell.

I have just taken my first one this Monday. I have had a prescription for over a year and never felt the need. I'm on Lexapro for severe depression and general anxiety and that was working ok until I began having huge issues at work with a boss from hell, I could not calm down, as soon as I woke up I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my body, I lost my appetite and could hardly focus on my kids, could not stop my mind from going in all kinds of directions. So I took it. It helped. I take one as soon as I wake up and by the time the kids are up I"m done shaking, as the day wears on I calm down.

Good luck.

Anonymous wrote:Ok OP I am going to tell you by experience with Xanax. When I had 3 kids under 5 I needed it....plain and simple. My days were so compact and stressed. My middle child had multiple therapy appointments, I was mainly responsible for my sick MIL, the list went on and on. And honestly it really really helped. 6 months later I am back to working out everyday, my youngest is sleeping through the night at least 50% of the time, husband is traveling less so I start to wean off it. OMG I FELT LIKE A HEROIN ADDICT. I started by taking half the dosage and I threw up multiple times, got the chills, blood sugar drops and really bad dry mouth. I could not believe it. I had never felt anything like it in my life. I truly had thought at the most I would feel a little headache or anxiousness. So in short for the 6 months I took it I felt great and think it helped, but it took me just as long to get off it without feeling like crap so I dont know if it was worth it?

Xanax is not recommended for long-term use, for the reasons you describe. An anti-depressant may help if you are having trouble coping with stress. Xanax is great if you get panic attacks, if certain situations cause a lot of stress/anxiety (e.g., flying), or if you have a short-term acute stressor (e.g., dying spouse).

Sudden death of a spouse or child... yes.
Need to find a nanny and back to school... no.

You should talk to a therapist and see if your life is out of balance. You should talk to your doctor and see if your hormones are out of wack.

Talk to your boss about cutting back some hours or working from home 1 day a week, maybe look for a less stressful job.

Ok OP I am going to tell you by experience with Xanax. When I had 3 kids under 5 I needed it....plain and simple. My days were so compact and stressed. My middle child had multiple therapy appointments, I was mainly responsible for my sick MIL, the list went on and on. And honestly it really really helped. 6 months later I am back to working out everyday, my youngest is sleeping through the night at least 50% of the time, husband is traveling less so I start to wean off it. OMG I FELT LIKE A HEROIN ADDICT. I started by taking half the dosage and I threw up multiple times, got the chills, blood sugar drops and really bad dry mouth. I could not believe it. I had never felt anything like it in my life. I truly had thought at the most I would feel a little headache or anxiousness. So in short for the 6 months I took it I felt great and think it helped, but it took me just as long to get off it without feeling like crap so I dont know if it was worth it?

Anonymous wrote:

Only weak people take Xanax or mind-altering drugs.

This is why so many people who need help and don't get it...and then we have incidents of the mentally ill losing it and taking out a theater or restaurant or school.

They had anxiety? No, I don't think that was their particular disorder and Xanax wouldn't help.

Americans in general are too quick to look for the easy fix. Xanax is for weak people.

I take Klonipin from time to time when I'm running at a million MPH...orsmoke a lilittle pot before bed. Pot makes me sleep like a rock. I can handle anything life throws at me on a solid 9hrs of uninterrupted sleep.

Anonymous wrote:Only weak people take Xanax or mind-altering drugs.

Thank you, Tom Cruise, for this PSA.

Xanax is NOT considered a mind-altering drug. If its chemical make up allows me to function normally, I'd classify it as a miracle drug, not a mind-altering one. This tiny, prescribed pill, can stop a roiling stomach, sweats that rival a menopausal hot flash, explosive diarrhea, a racing heart, shaking hands and panic so intense that I've prayed for death. I wish I could say that this is all hyperbole.

To anyone who's ever suffered through even one panic attack, the initial feeling is akin to what happens to a heart-attack victim and/or a person going into anaphylactic shock. Sometimes, a panic attack will just happen, without any perceptible trigger and that's a special piece of hell. I wouldn't wish anxiety with panic attacks upon my worst enemy.

Also for the PP/naysayers; some of us have "broken" receptors, as was explained to me by a compassionate therapist. My childhood was full of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of an alcoholic father. As a very young child, I was scared and anxious, for good reason. My body and brain were bathed in adrenaline and I was in a constant state of anticipation and worry. That sets a pattern in motion; my brain doesn't seem to recognize serenity and so even normally happy events used to cause waves of angst and nervousness. Rather than continuing the pattern of drinking my nerves away, I am a teetotaler who takes a daily SSRI that has truly saved my life. Sometimes, I need a Xanax. Big deal.