When can I take something for anxiety?

I've heard that magnesium helps? I am almost 2 months CT and dealing with a lot of anxiety, its hard to get things done. I procrastinate to the last minute, wake up feeling terrible every morning, etc.

 

If this isn't the right place for this post admins please move it where it needs to be

Anxiety is an unpleasant but normal symptom of a cold turkey withdrawal, so a physical solution may work best rather than taking anything.  You could try magnesium, but I'd do so with caution since you're still early in this process.  Distractions may work better for you at this point.

 

Feeling bad first thing in the morning is also par for the course in this, unfortunately, and is most likely due to cortisol spikes.

 

This post is fine where it is, though you might post something similar on the Anxiety board.  There are some good ideas for dealing with anxiety at the top of the Anxiety board in the sticky notes, too.

 

You're doing pretty well for two months into a c/t from a high dose of Xanax, Amberfire... 

Thank you Challis

 

I think you are probably right about not taking anything right now, I should just look up some youtube videos on anxiety. I tried that yesterday but need to look up a different one.

 

Anxiety is an unpleasant but normal symptom of a cold turkey withdrawal, so a physical solution may work best rather than taking anything.  You could try magnesium, but I'd do so with caution since you're still early in this process.  Distractions may work better for you at this point.

 

Feeling bad first thing in the morning is also par for the course in this, unfortunately, and is most likely due to cortisol spikes.

 

This post is fine where it is, though you might post something similar on the Anxiety board.  There are some good ideas for dealing with anxiety at the top of the Anxiety board in the sticky notes, too.

 

You're doing pretty well for two months into a c/t from a high dose of Xanax, Amberfire... 

Breathing techniques worked best for me, but I know if your anxiety is extreme that may not be very helpful.  I also drank a lot of chamomile tea, but I've seen posts saying chamomile works on the nervous system, too, so take that advice with a caveat.  It didn't seem to harm me...

I get akathisia and can't mediate or breathe. Some antihistamines have anticholinergic properties which is helping me but I'm in super acute withdrawals right now. Vistril is an anxiety medicine used for antianxiety. Some people do have real anxiety issues that are crippling and were put on these meds for that purpose. I don't know what they are supposed to do. I wasn't going to work or leaving the house four years ago until klonopin. It's a medicine and a poison...

I get akathisia and can't mediate or breathe. Some antihistamines have anticholinergic properties which is helping me but I'm in super acute withdrawals right now. Vistril is an anxiety medicine used for antianxiety. Some people do have real anxiety issues that are crippling and were put on these meds for that purpose. I don't know what they are supposed to do. I wasn't going to work or leaving the house four years ago until klonopin. It's a medicine and a poison...

 

How are you handling your anxiety now? I've crippling anxiety. 

My advice would be to first try to do the basics of anxiety management. Cut out the caffeine, get some exercise, try not to skip sleep (if you can sleep - insomnia is rampant in this situation), and check out some of the asmr videos on youtube. Type in "maria asmr" into youtube and listen to one of her videos. She has an incredibly soothing voice and it has personally helped me to reduce my anxiety during this trying period. Breathing techniques as Challis mentioned can be very powerful as can distractions. If you are not suffering from cog fog, you can try puzzles or any other game that engages your mind. If you do have bad cog fog, TV might help you there. Magnesium might help you. You will need to listen to your body on that front though it has helped some people here in a major way.

 

I think that one of the things that might be valuable from this experience is to try to break the idea of using a pill to cure anxiety. I went down that road and experienced infinitely more anxiety trying to deal with coming off the anti-anxiety medication than was ever cured by the medication. I took from that realization the idea that coping skills are a better and safer bet for dealing with anxiety than drugs. I am not saying that everyone can use these techniques and be fine but I think that most of us do not have an anxiety so crippling that we can't work our way through it.

I get akathisia and can't mediate or breathe. Some antihistamines have anticholinergic properties which is helping me but I'm in super acute withdrawals right now. Vistril is an anxiety medicine used for antianxiety. Some people do have real anxiety issues that are crippling and were put on these meds for that purpose. I don't know what they are supposed to do. I wasn't going to work or leaving the house four years ago until klonopin. It's a medicine and a poison...

 

How are you handling your anxiety now? I've crippling anxiety. 

 

So I was reading this thread again and was about to reply that I could relate completely to the post by the person saying they got akathisia... Until I saw that it was ME who posted it! You got to love the cognitive effects of withdrawals. I don't even remember ever posting it 

 

I'm still experiencing anxiety and slight akathisia in the evenings. When my anxiety is heightened, I will actually get up and do something, usually clean as I find it is taxing enough to keep my mind on the task and can physically calm me down. I can't just watch TV or listen to music as my mind will wander off and my body doesn't calm down.

 

I also drink herbal teas. Right now I'm drinking some chamomile tea to help me unwind and I can already feel my body calming.

 

I've been getting constant headaches and the only thing that stops them besides my prescription imitrex is Excerin Migraine which has caffeine in it so I think that's causing physical anxiety in me as I wasn't having this issue as much prior to starting Excedrin.

Sorry you're feeling very anxious, do you have high blood pressure?

 

I do and am going through valium tolerance hence withdrawal, so my doctor gave me a small dose of beta blockers for my blood pressure. It has an effect of stopping physiological anxiety - I was very surprised. I'm only on half the minimum dose of the beta blocker.

 

Because of the BB I'm considering just going cold turkey off my low dose dependence. I want this Benzo poison out of my system.

 

The Ashton manual actually recommends beta blockers. Maybe it may assist?

Amberfire I should elaborate a little more on my low dose beta blockers. Just like the Ashton manual says, beta blockers don't effect the mind directly. They just stop the release of excess adrenalin I *think*. So in my experience, I still am having mood swings, and stressful thoughts and depression but the anxious thoughts can't set off a heart race reaction. I had bad palpitations too, ectopics and heart race dizziness but the beta blockers have stopped it providing I don't miss a dose. If you take it at night before bed, and I'm speaking from experience, you won't wake up with physiological anxiety and heart race. Pm me for the type I'm on. It's the once a day version. Of course BB have side effects and you *cannot* drink alcohol any more but it's preferable to horrid physiological anxiety - especially in the morning. Hope you find your solution.

Not too bad, I haven't really been doing or taking anything except my continued MJ use.

 

I get akathisia and can't mediate or breathe. Some antihistamines have anticholinergic properties which is helping me but I'm in super acute withdrawals right now. Vistril is an anxiety medicine used for antianxiety. Some people do have real anxiety issues that are crippling and were put on these meds for that purpose. I don't know what they are supposed to do. I wasn't going to work or leaving the house four years ago until klonopin. It's a medicine and a poison...

 

How are you handling your anxiety now? I've crippling anxiety.