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Positive feedback on Xanax for anxiety?

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Posted 10/21/2011 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi friends,
I posted the other night that I had been taking Xanax for about 2 weeks and wanted to start tapering off it and was looking for advice.
I started doing that this weekend but the anxiety has been really bad. I saw my counselor Monday and Tuesday this week and told him I was afraid of becoming "addicted" and didn't know what to do. He suggested I not try to taper off it yet since it is helping me and it may help me get through these next few weeks. We did some EMDR therapy and some major revelations came out of me that I think have been burying for most of my life and building up for the past few weeks which may be the source of my panic and anxiety this past month. He said he is confident that we should be able to work through this within a few weeks and he is sure I will start to feel better. I have been seeing him for 2 years and trust him very much I am feel like a "pill popper" . I have never had anxiety like this and I hate feeling this way. I hope he is right and I will start feeling better and then I will stop the Xanax.
Any one have any positive feedback on Xanax? Anyone who only took it a month or two and was able to taper off it without too much trouble? I am taking .25/mg once or twice a day but trying to stick with once. I am wrestling with myself about taking it at all but it really is helping my nerves. I also can't tell if my nerves are so bad because they just "are" or because I didn't take the Xanax. It is all so complicated, ugh, this is awful and so confusing to know what to do.
Any help or advice would be appreciated so much! Thanks!
Posted 10/21/2011 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
Have you tried other techniques to calm your nerves in conjunction with the Xanax, so you have something to turn to when you taper off? Someone else had posted a thread about decreasing caffeine intake since it increases anxiety. Meditation techniques work well for some, and you can even use mindfulness meditation in the moment wherever you are. Stress balls, breathing techniques, etc. It's good to build up a repertoire of resources beyond just your medication. That way you are not just stopping your one therapy - you're just stopping one tiny portion of it while continuing the rest of the methods that work for you. I believe a lot of it is psychological dependency, rather than only biological dependency on the drug.

I don't know much about tapering off Xanax unfortunately. My mom takes them as-needed (once in a great while, not every week). But I've not known anyone to take it daily and I myself have only ever been on Zoloft and Lexapro.

I wish you the best of luck!
Posted 10/22/2011 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
I have been trying to meditate but not very good at it yet, doing breathing techniques and exercising, just hate feeling this way. I'm going back to my Dr on Wednesday so we will see what she has to say. I do feel like a lot of this is in my head but can't seem to relax like I used to. I like your idea about the stress balls. I'll try some researhc on mindful meditation. My Dr had prescribed me Paxil at first along with the Xanax but it made me feel bizarre and scared me off it. She gave me Lexapro to try next but am hesitant to try anything else as far as meds go, just keep hoping I'll start feeling better soon. Thanks
Posted 10/22/2011 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
I have not been on this forum before but have been on the forum for GERD and irritable bowel because have had some digestive issues which have made me very anxious----but when i saw this topic, i clicked on ---i was a couselor for 15 years and I specialized in panic----I want to recommend a book "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund Bourne---It will answer all your questions and has all the information you need to get the proper treatment for this disorder---I suffered terribly for years before I became a therapist and specialized in treating it---a therapist really needs to know Cognitive therapy to deal with it---i know how terrifying it can be believe me----Hope all of you benefit from this book---I used it in my practice because it covers everything needed for a total recovery----you can get well----good luck..
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