Why some Docs have it all wrong about Benzo's

Lately, there has been a growing stigma about benzodiazepines. Essentially, benzodiazepines are treated two different ways: 1. as an as-needed basis, in which a person takes very few pills a month and no problems erupt ever and 2. as a regimen, in which abrupt withdrawal can be be deadly and you make take years to heal.

A significant minority of benzodiazepine users who take benzodiazepines as a regimen and then try to get off of the medication via tapering suffer from prolonged and profound side effects that there is no scientific explanation for. Lab work can be fully optimized, with blood checked, platelets, MRI's, Enzymes, etc, and there is not a single explanation as to why such a large minority suffer so horribly. Comfort rates vary greatly with longevity of the taper and significance of a cut, which doctor's fail to take into account.

But they do(suffer horribly.) Unlike most, who get off of benzodiazepines with problems but not too threatening, this large minority of people who experience side effects are often disabled, and cannot work. Symptoms are very very diverse and differ but can be anything from constant shaking, not seeing correctly, extreme anxiety and depression, constant sweating, feeling something crawling on your skin, seizures, eyes flattering, heart palpitations, hallucinations, lack of sleep, and the list continues. Many patients will taper off in a very slow manner yet feel sick even after their finished taper for years. The only way to prevent this from many is to allow them to taper at as slow of a rate as possible, as even with the slow tapers now, it may not be slow enough.

Rightfully so, many doctor's worry about putting their patients on a regimen of benzodiazepine's. This should not be disputed given that there are tremendous dangers unknown as to how they occur that affect people gravely.

However, this is generally patients who have been on benzodiazepines for years, and were suddenly cut off. When taken only as an as-needed medication as rare as possible, it poses no danger and is very effective and helpful.

Therefore, with regards to prescribing some for panic attacks, so long as it is known not to take as a regimen or anywhere near daily, doctor's should have zero concern about prescribing benzo's for panic attack relief. To prevent abuse, doctor's should write smaller doses and smaller quantities. In example, it is not necessary to write 30 tablets a month if the patient should take it no more than a few times.

With regards to prescribing benzodiazepines as a regimen, while the withdrawal effects are very dangerous to many, several items must be considered..

1. Withdrawal effects from antidepressants, including Cymbalta and Pristiq have been reportedly terrible, and many stories erupt with similar stories like that of benzodiazepines.

2. This happens in a minority of people, not the majority.

3. Benzodiazepines should be limited minimally for treatment as a regimen and only when other medications have failed.

Doctor's are however creating a huge stigma for benzodiazepines while ignoring antidepressants.

     a. Doctor's must understand that antidepressants can be just as hard to get off of, with little scientific explanations to explain the dangers that certain populations face as well.
     b. Doctor's must understand that in light of the dangers benzodiazepines have on people who wish to get off, it may be medically necessary and the pros may outweigh the cons dramatically in continuing a patient on the benzodiazepines. Doctor's must stop changing a treatment plan overnight that risks a patients well being. Furthermore, jails and prisons must ensure that those who are locked up are still receiving their much needed medication.


So where do I differ?
--->  I don't think victims of doctor's who had no idea what they were doing should not be forced to discontinue the medication under any circumstance and should have no barriers to obtaining it. If someone does taper and it is dehabilitating, they should be eligible for disability.
---> I think antidepressants are just as bad, especially the newer ones. The medical community has largely undermined antidepressants.
---> Prescribe benzodiazepines for an as-needed basis, not a regimen. Regimen= Last resort.

That's it. Just quit blaming benzos when antidepressants are worse and quit denying people refills or cutting them off when they are in a dangerous scenario.

Anxiety Treatment

MY GUIDE FOR COPING WITH ANXIETY!

NOTE: PLEASE PURCHASE A JOURNAL. WHEN YOU HAVE ANXIETY, WRITE DOWN THE CIRCUMSTANCES. THEN WRITE DOWN METHODS ATTEMPTED TO COPE. ALWAYS HAVE YOUR JOURNAL READILY NEAR SO YOU CAN RECOGNIZE PATTERNS.

1. Holistic-

    a. Acupuncture - Has been proven to be very, very effective. Most insurance companies now cover acupuncture and just require a copay. A few visits a week for a few months can drastically change someone's life.

     b. Herbal Supplements that are known to be calming and tranquil - Kava and Valerian Root are the two most reputable supplements for anxiety as both actually affect the GABA part of the brain but in a way that does not cause addiction. It is advised to not operate machinery or be in public when you try it in the event that it causes too much sedation. It is also good to take a multivitamin each day, and shall you have a major deficiency, take something for that. Omega 3 is highly encouraged and has been proven to reduce anxiety by over 40% of the 60 out of 100 people tested. Take 2-3 grams a day. You can buy Omega 3 which generally comes in 500mg capsules or 1,000, or you can but fish oil that has varying amounts. Omega-3 is essential and while 500mgs is a good daily recommended dietary dose, 2-3 grams has a profound effect on anxiety and pain relief after just a few weeks! Make sure you are getting natural nutrients too, via healthy food.

     c. THERAPY - This is the most essential by far. When you notice that you are starting to see an increase in anxiety, do not think twice to schedule an appointment with a therapist, counselor, psychologist, or even clergyman/woman. Therapy is essential because coping mechanisms are the number one aid is calming down from anxiety and depression. You should always see a therapist at least once a week if you have anxiety. If you cannot find one in your area that is available at a reasonable time, you would be amazed at how many licensed therapists actually can schedule a session on nights and weekends online between you and them. Or via the phone. Regardless, access to therapists no longer requires being in an office. Rather, it requires a webcam, microphone, and comfortable spot. Face-to-face via webcam is preferred as body language is important but take any therapy you can get. 

      d. Coping Mechanisms - Learn them! The best way to learn coping mechanisms is by going to a therapist who can teach you. However, if you can't see a therapist, create a journal listing what makes you anxious or made you anxious at a particular time, what you are going to try to do to fix it, and then try. You can learn coping mechanisms through google, or you can simply try things out. Whenever freaking out and at home, maybe try a warm bubble bath. Maybe get a bowl of ice cream. Learn breathing techniques. I emphasize this because it is not uncommon for people to faint when they have a lot of anxiety. Learn some Yoga practices on youtube - Yoga is a rapidly growing technique with huge success rates. If you have a pet, go to your pet during a time of major stress and say if they can help.

     e. Lifestyle Changes - A lot of anxiety is a result of having neglected duties and now worrying about finishing it. Sometimes it is not neglecting, but rather not finishing. Other times you are not getting enough sleep or you are getting too much. It is essential that you have a fixed schedule for waking up-going to bed, with exceptions only for the weekends/days off. You need to allocate 7-9 hours of sleep a night but it is advisable not to exceed that amount. Create a schedule that can be a guideline to follow in order to finish all duties needed. (Ex: Create a fixed-in, routine sleeping schedule. Allocate time to get ready for work/school, if applicable. Try to give yourself 30 minutes of extra spare time, and do not use that time to snooze. Rather, use that time to catch up with something, or a time to meditate, pay a bill, go early for a breakfast, etc. It is advisable to eat meals at around the same time every day, and try to come up with a schedule for dishes, laundry, etc. Write down your schedule and if you live with others, assign clear duties. Follow through on your part and have them do theirs. If you have an unhealthy diet, try to make changes. Go in your cabinet and select several unhealthy snacks. Ensure you will not buy them again and replace with something healthy. Regardless of financial situation, always create a budget and stick to it. When you get home, if there is a priority that needs to be done (ex: homework, finishing some duties for work, making appointments, e-mailing particular people, etc), then the moment you get home, start doing them. Get it out of the way. If you come home exhausted, take a one hour nap. Do not ever take a 15 minute nap or 30 minute. You may be asking why? Your body needs to go through 1 cycle of REM (rapid eye movement) in order for you to feel refreshed and not drained. This generally takes 45minutes-1hour. Do not go under 45 minutes but preferably an hour or you will wake up more groggy than before. 

     f. Exercise, and make it a habit - Is it fun? Not if you don't usually do it. But 20 minutes of exercise a day stimulates endorphin's in your brain that drastically change mood and increase energy, metabolism, and confidence. This is part of making lifestyle changes as are all recommendations, but exercise is so much healthier for our mental health than we give it credit for.

     g. Volunteer in a charity - One thing that I have learned helps me feel better is knowing I have helped others. Try to spend at least a few hours a week volunteering and helping others. You don't have to be a volunteer staff at a 10k walk, or build a home. Many places look for at-home volunteers. However, it is advisable that you go out and do something nice. Plant a tree. School events. Pets.

     h. Pet Therapy - A lot of anxiety comes from being busy, so it is nice to relax and feel a bond with someone who isn't a boss or a busy friend. Someone who loves you, who you rescued or adopted, and who you make happy. Get yourself a pet and devote time in your schedule specifically for spending time with your pet (maybe go on a walk with your dog, or play games with your cat.) Either way, pet therapy is a great means of feeling wanted but also helping out an animal who needed it. I very highly recommend pet therapy, especially for young adults and older adults. If it improves your mental health, you may receive a doctor's note (literally) saying it is essential that you have a pet as part of a recovering process. 

     i. Splurge but don't exceed - Let's face it. The top causes of anxiety are probably work, kids, and money. If money is a problem for you, then you may have to make lifestyle changes that significantly lower the amount of money you spend. However, make sure you have a couple of times out of the year where you can splurge. Save money little by little, and use that money. Also, maybe every Friday after work, go get yourself a Frappaccino. 

    j. Spirituality - Regardless of religion or lack thereof, everyone can be spiritual or philosophical. One example is Buddhism. Not all Buddhists believe in re-incarnation or an afterlife. They take the teachings of the Buddha as a philosophy that is often applied to their lives somehow (meditation, pondering, etc) and they find an inner peace in this. If you are not Buddhist, but a different religion, pray to your Creator as you know them to be, read your scriptures for motivation, and engage in your spirituality.

     k. Less Television and Internet - If you do not watch much television or get online much, do the opposite. If, however, you are the typical American and spends 25 hours a week watching television, and find yourself on the internet being on facebook for hours at a time, change this. You don't realize how much time you are wasting that could be appropriated to finishing other duties that cause your anxiety. Limit your television so that it's special. Same with the internet. As aforementioned, if you do not watch much television at all nor get online often, you may want to. It's all about moderation! 

Summary: I have given some advice on different things to do or try. If you can't remember well, at least remember this; try your best to make positive changes in your life. Journal any time your anxiety begins to skyrocket and mention the time, date, why you are freaking out, what you are going to do to try to stop it, and then try. Look for patterns to find what gives you anxiety and what eases. Learn coping mechanisms and techniques to help you get through an anxious time. You can learn coping techniques from just about anywhere, including googling. It is essential that you see a therapist if you want long time treatment. What people do not understand is that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and many other Therapeutic techniques including questionable ones like EDMR and Hypnosis restructure your brains thought process to resolve conflict easier. It doesn't take hypnosis though. Speaking with a therapist in and of itself may help. It takes time but have patience. Make sure you are on a consistent schedule and that you have your priorities set out. Go to acupuncture which is proven to be one of the most effective methods. Take some Kava when you get home to relax, or maybe some Valerian Root. If you can't sleep, try Melatonin. Your goal is to learn how to cope with problems in your life and how to address problems you currently have. 

2. Medicinal 

If you want to take the medicinal approach, it is important you are seeing a specialist if possible.

     a. See a Psychologist/Therapist/Counselor - Preferably once a week, but if you can go twice, that would be awesome. Always, when taking medicine, do so while simultaneously working with a therapist or other professional. You do not need a referral from your doctor to do this.

     b. Go to your Primary Doctor and ask for Blood Work - You may be thinking "WHAT?" Many anxiety disorders are derived from issues with cardiovascular health, the thyroid, etc. Get tested for natural causes of anxiety first. 

     ca. Schedule an appointment with a Psychiatrist. You do not need a referral to see a Psychiatrist. See which Psychiatrists in your area accept your health insurance, and then call for an appointment. It is very, very important your research your Psychiatrist and their reviews. Check with your local State's issuing agency to see if they have any malpractice. Listen to reviews. Ask your doctor if they know a good one. Psychiatrists are the least respected type of doctor, often due to malpractice. It is essential you find one who is not like that. Simple reviews online will give you ample information.

     cb. Schedule an appointment with your doctor but ask your therapist/psychologist/counselor to get in contact first to see if they think you may need medication. 

     d. Study medications before going to the doctor - Evaluate the pros and cons based on research, family history, friends, etc. For generalized anxiety, you will probably be put on an SSRI  or SNRI. Please stay away from medications that have been deemed more dangerous like Pristiq and Cymbalta. How do you know? Do a thorough search of antidepressants commonly prescribed and and there is plenty of online data that discusses the pros and cons of a medication, Understand that for anxiety, the first response is generally an antidepressant. While I am personally against this, I don't create the status quo. Search for safer antidepressants that have a less risk of being dangerous when tapering, are not quickly habit forming, have the least amount of side effects, and are rated high in efficiency. Prozac is always a great beginner medication as it is the oldest, and has a very long half-life which is medical terminology means you can stop taking it after 4 weeks with a lot more ease. Family history is important. It is noted that whatever is prescribed in the family that works well for other members will likely do the same for you. As a rule of thumb, Prozac is probably deemed the safest SSRI. Lexapro, if starting with a low dosage, is generally one of the more effective ones, but prepare to taper. Antidepressants take 3-4 weeks to reach their full effect.

          > If you have panic attacks, tell the doctor- As a first-response, they may want to prescribe to you a benzodiazepine like Xanax, Ativan, Valium, or Klonopin. While there is a growing stigma with regards to benzos, if taken only as needed for severe panic attacks, it should be no problem. I believe the health care industry has put benzodiazepines wrongfully in a terrible spotlight while ignoring SSRI's/SNRI's. However, ask for Hydroxyzine first. Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine that is deemed *very* safe to be taken as an anti-anxiety medication. It has been proven to be just as effective as benzodiazepines such as Bromazepam. You may discontinue the medication at any time and will not feel sick, and as long as you take as needed, will not develop a tolerance. If a doctor tries to prescribe you a benzodiazepine, tell them you have read about hydroxyzine and want to give it a try first. It is one of very few non-benzodiazepine anti-anxiety medications that is incredibly safe compared to other medications treating the same issue. 

          > If you do not want to be treated by an antidepressant, ask about Buspar. Like an antidepressant, Buspirone does take some time to build up in your system. However, it is strictly an anxiety medication that is not habit forming, and unlike an SSRI or SNRI, you can stop it abruptly without any major side effects.

          > Ask about other medications known to help for anxiety - There are countless numbers of medications not meant to be for anxiety treatment but have yielded fascinating results. Such medications include Propanalol, certain pain medications, Lyrica, some blood pressure medications, some nerve damage medications, beta blockers, and many others. Many medications are used off-label to treat anxiety, from social anxiety, to GAD, to panic attacks. It is advisable to do research to check!

         > If these methods fail, do not be scared of benzodiazepines - Benzodiazepines are not meant to take daily and only indicated to be taken for extreme panic attacks. If you have a few panic attacks a month and need something to relieve it, benzo's such as Xanax, Valium, and Ativan are excellent. However, only take when needed and never take as a regimen. 

               > Some doctors will prescribe it as a regimen - If you have tried all other options mentioned above, a regimen may be okay. There has been a recent stigma for benzodiazepines but to me it is overrated. If the doctor puts you on a regimen, ask them if it will be for long term treatment. Just ensure it's not going to be a one month thing. Withdrawals from benzodiazepines are very unknown as to how they work, but are very dangerous to a decent minority of people who quit taking. It is strongly encouraged that you take a long-acting benzo like Valium and start at a small dose, and do not increase unless necessary. Short acting benzo's are great for panic attacks, and you may want a small supply of short-acting benzodiazepines. However, to provide around-the-clock relief with as small of a dose that is effective as possible, you want to take a longer acting benzodiazepine, preferably Diazepam, 5mgs. Shall you need to increase, you can increase by 2mgs but only increase regimen when necessary. Diazepam(Valium) comes in very small doses, so always remember that 5mg diazepam equals .25mg of Xanax, but last longer, so ensure you know the dosages. Make sure your doctor knows and tells you that this will be a long term regimen. It is critical to ask that if he wanted to take you off, how would he do it? If the doctor says anything about a rapid taper, do not accept it as it is dangerous. Learn as much as you can about benzodiazepines before taking it as a regimen. Do not be afraid, just make sure you know that abrupt withdrawal can be dangerous, and that your doctor understands as welll!

To summarize this for you: You have many options, but it is best to understand your options very well and have a very good understanding of any medication(or class of medications) you may be prescribed. Always try holistic techniques and utilize all resources before resorting to medication. Do a ton of research... There are a lot of anti-anxiety meds that you never knew existed. Best of luck! 

Welcome to my blog!

Hello all!
My name is Kyle and I am a 23 year old stay-at-home son (HAH) only because I am on a medical withdrawal from my University. In reality, I am a 23 year old Sociology major who has gone through a lot in my life, and has had to use many different medications (primarily for mental health) in order to get around.
Studying mental health medications, and how the government's policies toward them are shifting, how the government supports big pharmaceutical companies, works with them, etc., are issues I have learned about over the past few years and are now something I want to speak about. It has become a passion for me to try to educate people on medications.
I suffer from PTSD, GAD, Social Anxiety in certain circumstances, Panic Disorder, mild Depression, and I used to have a huge list. For now, you can just say I suffer from some depression, a little OCD, and a lot of anxiety.
Aside from my anxiety and (former-ish) depression, I have a sleeping disorder. I have been severely depressed before to where I was bed ridden. I take prescription painkillers and have tried many, as I am on a huge dose, due to a car accident. I love studying medications and their pharmacology because I have learned not to trust what a doctor just tells you right off the bat. While often times they are being truthful, many have agendas, especially Specialists. I want to inform the world of my opinion on laws and policies here in the United States that I find worrisome, commentate on some medicines, etc!
My blog will be themed around mental health and commentary. Also, health care in general. I am two courses from graduating University but had to take the Spring Semester off because of my bad back. Sociology is my major. I still have that odd love that a few nerds have for continuous study on their own time over a certain topic!
So ask me anything! Read my posts, give me feedback, let's have a dialogue, and let' s learn!
As a general guideline, no discrimination is allowed on this blog by anyone, of any kind. Everyone is to be mutually respected even if disagreeing. Shall my blog one day be popular and members have serious debates, make it a nice dialogue and be open minded, not a fight with drama. :)
Maybe this blog will be me ranting my life away. Or maybe, just maybe, it will attract attention. Who knows, but hello! Enjoy! 

We all take pills, essentially. Whether it is vitamins, painkillers, blood pressure, or mental health, seeing something like this in your home likely exists. But are these pills good? From my experience, let's gain some thought!