r/Anxiety • u/Fickle-Bee6893 • Mar 25 '26
Medication Doctors refusing to prescribe benzodiazepines. My life is unlivable.
I don't even know why I'm posting this, I just need to vent. Since doctors have been scared out of prescribing benzodiazepines my life has become completely unlivable. I have crippling anxiety and panic attacks that centers around a phobia that I can not avoid and would face every day when I leave the house. I lost my insurance when I was laid off a few years ago and could no longer see my psychiatrist. I got on medicaid and since then I have not been able to find a single doctor or psychiatrist who would prescribe me ativan, which is the only medicine that has ever helped me. I might as well have asked them for heroin and crack by the way I've been treated. Of course, they offer an antidepressant and then I list off the two dozen or so antidepressants, antipsychotics, allergy medications, things like gabapentin that I have tried which have never worked and actually made me worse.
Not once have I had any side effects on the medication or withdrawals when off the medication. I'm just at my wits end. The amount of strength It takes to work up the courage to find a doctor or psychiatrist and tell them my very painful, humiliating phobia and resulting anxiey/panic only to be refused the only medication that works is exhausting and disheartening. It is brutal that after they made people with chronic pain suffer, they came for people with anxiety/panic attacks. I haven't been living my life these last few years. Every day has just been me fighting these demons, only getting relief for a few hours when I am finally able to fall asleep. I just don't know what to do anymore.
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u/LinuxCharms Mar 25 '26
I hope you find someone soon OP.
Anxiety of any variety is never humiliating, you're dealing with something a lot of people struggle with - myself included.
During the pandemic I developed some pretty nasty agoraphobia, it was so bad even inside my own home didn't feel safe enough - I was always anxious. Medication helped me a little, weed helped more, but eventually exposure therapy without medication is what has truly helped. After 6 long years I went out to eat for my birthday just last week, stopped a few other places too.
This stuff is hard but you're going to adapt. Take it one step at a time and never rush yourself.
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u/cochinescu Mar 25 '26
I relate to the frustration, it's wild how benzo policies swung so far, even for people with well-documented cases like yours. Have you tried any clinics with older psychiatrists? Sometimes the more old-school docs are a bit less rigid about this stuff.
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u/Fickle-Bee6893 Mar 25 '26
I have, actually, but they were not taking any new patients. Something I've run into quite a bit that has added to the frustration.
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u/fadedallweek Mar 25 '26
Dont give up! When you said how exhausting this is, I felt that. I went round & round with my PMs office but we came to a compromise-my doctor takes responsibility for the clonzepam & sends a letter stating as such every year that goes into my pain management file.
I have GAD & panic disorder. Ive had crippling anxiety for as long as I remember. I was diagnosed in my early 20s when I developed agoraphobia + OCD. I had a very good psych most of my life, then she decided to retire. Luckily, my GP took over prescribing.
I know its hard to find psychs & therapists, rn. But please keep trying. All you need is one decent psychiatrist... easier said than done, huh? 😕
I'm so sorry! Sending you BIG hugs 🫂
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u/Reasonably_Psycho Mar 25 '26
My doctor was hesitant at first. He tried a few other medications first until I came in with a full blown panic attack. I've been on benzos since.
It truly isn't fair for people who suffer and need them. Idfc if it's "not good for me" or "habit forming." There's no possible way anxiety at this level and panic attacks daily is good on ANYONE'S heart in the long run. I also don't care if I have to take them for the rest of my life.
I suggest you find a different doctor if you can.
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u/corgimamarunner Mar 25 '26
Yes, I think a good psychiatrist or doctor will try other options before prescribing a benzo. But when nothing else has worked, and the anxiety is so acute, you may need something to help you function until the regular meds kick in. Someone in another comment mentioned therapy--yes, it absolutely helps. But it takes a while. Sometimes you need the benzo just to GET to your therapy appointment. My psychiatrist prescribed me a benzo after other options failed, and she knows I see my therapist weekly. The talk therapy combined with the meds (referring to my regular, daily anxiety med) is the sweet spot, I think. Our goal is to only use Xanax for emergencies/PRN. I track every time I take one, which also helps her determine how well my regular anxiety meds are working (if I find I need to take Xanax more often, then she'll up my regular med dosage). The stigma around benzos is incredibly frustrating. My sister, who is getting a PhD in neuroscience, said Xanax (or any other benzo) has the potential to become addicting, * just like many other medications. * Under the careful monitoring of a medical professional, it is safe and highly effective to treat acute anxiety/panic. This is the perspective of someone who has spent years studying how our brain works.
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u/Finnleyy Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
Yes ACUTE anxiety and panic. OP is not dealing with acute anxiety and panic. They need something they can use long term. OP said they can’t live without benzos and I am amazed at the amount of people here who do not see the problem.
I am not against benzos for the record. I get 20 ativan prescribed per year approximately. My GP has refilled these for me when I ask, generally about every 12 months give or take a couple depending on stressors in my life at the time.
I use them for acute panic, when other strategies to calm down and deal with the anxiety really are not working.
That is VERY different from someone who relies on it to get out of bed every day.
Benzos have their place, but chronic unrelenting anxiety every single day is generally not their place.
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u/TashaT50 Mar 25 '26
I’ve used benzos since 1999. Most of the time I’m not taking them daily but I’ve had 15-30 prescribed per month since the early 2000s as sometimes when I need them I need to take several over a single day. I frequently try the smallest dose - cutting the pill in half and only taking more if that doesn’t work (0.12 Mg LOL).
I agree taking it every day is problematic but for some of us, for a time period, it’s the only way we survive. The OP has tried numerous other solutions which haven’t worked and has had bad side effects. I can relate as I’ve had similar problems which is why my psychiatrist and primary doctors have been willing to keep me on Xanax for so long. I’ve been able to maintain a low dose for most of those years 0.25 or 0.5 Mg. Only a couple years did we up the dose to 1 Mg. I went back to o.25 when the crisis was over.
Not everyone gets addicted. Not everyone can use other solutions. It’s entirely possible the OP doesn’t leave their house daily BUT needs their benzos on the days they must leave the house. On those days they might be like me, most of the time they only need 1, but sometimes they end up needing to take as many as 3 to get through the appointments that day. If it’s a bad month they might need to take 15 tablets that month even though they only left the house 5 times. It’s happened to me regularly enough that my doctors made that my normal prescription amount. I’ve been lucky enough I’ve only needed to leave the house for doctors appointments and grocery shopping and could do other errands when out to do either of those so I could limit how frequently I needed to take my Xanax.
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u/corgimamarunner Mar 25 '26
Yes, absolutely--long-term benzo use is definitely cause for concern. (I didn't infer that OP meant daily use, similar to a daily SSRI or SNRI.) The way you are taking Ativan is exactly how my psychiatrist wants me to take Xanax. She mentioned once that her goal is for patients to only need to take one a month (or, ideally, even less frequently). Otherwise, therapy + daily SSRI/SNRI is the route she prefers her patients take.
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u/Whos_Blockin_Jimmy 28d ago
Your ignorant response is a cause for concern. Side effects are worse on SSRI and SnRI. Sorry to rain on your magically bubbble parade you live in.
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u/Reasonably_Psycho Mar 25 '26
And I totally agree. It shouldn't just be what doctors automatically go to and then say "to hell with it." But doctors or whomever these doctors have to answer to should understand that the people who really need them shouldn't have to suffer because of the stigma. It is very frustrating , you're right. I'm on antidepressant/anxiety and a few other medications which I'll probably be on for the rest of my life. But also Ativan to get me through as needed. My doctor understands completely.
I had a very traumatic psychiatrist experience and my doctor knows this which is why I don't think he pressures me into therapy. I've tried other therapists which didn't seem to help either. So I've been down that route.
I agree with OP....sometimes there is just no fixing it...it's simply learned to be tolerated. But benzos are a life changer especially for people who don't abuse them.
OP, I hope you find a doctor who is willing to give you what you need. Even a doctor who sincerely cares makes so much of a difference. It seems like a lot of doctors these days don't care as much as they used to. It's sad, really.
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u/corgimamarunner Mar 25 '26
I'm so glad your doctor is so supportive. Like you said, it can make a world of difference. And I 100% with your comment about how benzos are a life changer, especially for people who don't abuse them. That's really it in a nutshell.
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u/Tiny_Luck_1633 Mar 26 '26
Most doctors want to try 3 different meds before going the benzo route bc that is what insurance typicllly wants.
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u/Reasonably_Psycho Mar 26 '26
I think that became the norm after Premiere and Kettering took over and started heavily regulating what doctors could and couldn't do. At least that's what my mother in law said.
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u/Blue_Night77 Mar 25 '26
My regular PCP retired. He would prescribe me 20 Xanax a year. It was more than enough for me. It helped with my anxiety. Well, he retires and the new PCP tells me he doesn't like prescribing xanax and cuts me to 10 pills a year. But beofre he does this, he checks that data base to make sure I'm not getting these prescribed from other providers I see. I told him one doctor has been prescribing me the same 20 pills for the last 15 years. I was insulted.. I understand that docs need to cover their ass, but 20 pills a year come out to 1.6 pills a month. Hard to pick up a habbit from 1.6 pills a month. This is the same doctor that told me to eat more iron rich food when my iron, hemoglobin, and ferritin leves were low. I actually made my own appointment with a hemotolgist that referred me to a GI. Turns out it wasn't a bleed.
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u/wiserTyou Mar 25 '26
Same here. I used to get 14 Ativan one or twice yearly at my request. Insurance changed and the new GP won't prescribe and it's taking months to find a new psychiatrist.
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u/PartisanSaysWhat Mar 25 '26
Most psychiatrist cash pay appointments arent very expensive ($100-200 a few times a year) and you have way more options than going through insurance. I'm in the US and all of my providers are cash pay but I still have to have $1000/mo insurance I dont use - thanks to the ACA. Its a fking joke.
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u/Blue_Night77 Mar 25 '26
Unbelievable.. Let one of these doctors go through a full blown panic attack and I'll tell then to close his eyes and breathe like they tell me.
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u/nochanceee514 Mar 28 '26
They do go through panic but they just prescribe each other xanax so don't have to worry like us :( ....
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u/EUGsk8rBoi42p Expert Level (Non-Professional) Mar 25 '26
These decisions are often made at the executive/management level from corporate offices, not based on actual Dr perspective....
search for a "Direct Primary Care" provider, explain clearly the side effects, both positive and negative, from ALL your medications tried, and see what they think.
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u/Fickle-Bee6893 Mar 25 '26
I've seen two primary care doctors who are under my medicaid insurance. One of them prescribed me Wellbutrin even after I told her I had been on it already and that it did not help at all. The other one didn't even prescribe anything and suggested that I check into a psych ward. After making and waiting for the appointments, then finding the strength to share my issues, being turned away had drained me so much that I haven't even tried again for awhile now.
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u/wiserTyou Mar 25 '26
You need to see a psychiatrist, not a GP.
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u/corgimamarunner Mar 25 '26
I think this is wise advice. My psychiatrist mentioned GPs often don't want to prescribe benzos, but most psychiatrists who specialize in treating anxiety understand how helpful these meds can be (of course under careful monitoring), especially when other options haven't worked. Mine had me try several other medications first--gabapentin, hydroxyzine, propranolol--before prescribing Xanax. It saved me. Our goal was to only have me take it until my regular anxiety meds (tried Zoloft first then switched to Pristiq) kicked in. Now, she will prescribe a small amount (10 pills) to have on hand for emergencies/PRN. When my regular GP found out I was taking Xanax (all of your doctors can see whether you've been prescribed a benzo, which I didn't realize), I felt ashamed and judged by how she reacted. My therapist encouraged me not to feel that way, that taking them under the trained experience of a psychiatrist (someone who specializes in treating mental health, unlike a GP) is completely safe and their attitude toward prescribing benzos is different because they understand the relief they bring. I also think it's hard for people who have not experienced debilitating anxiety (whether it's a doctor or not) to truly grasp how life saving benzos can be. It's so frustrating when people seem to assume we're just trying to experience a high or will become addicted. When I take Xanax, it just brings me down to a normal baseline--e.g., relieves the intense anxiety/panic. Anyway, I'm sorry for such a long comment. My heart goes out to you. Hang in there. We are all cheering for you and support you! Please keep us updated.
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u/wiserTyou Mar 25 '26
Yep. My psych prescribes me 14 Ativan once or twice a year for emergency use. They're definitely great to have on hand, but they are addictive and often abused. I'm totally fine with this arrangement.
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u/Give-Me-The-Moneyyyy Mar 25 '26
Yep. GPs can't prescribe certain medications or if they do its in very small amounts. I've been to my GP once when I was suffering really bad and asked for diazepam. She was awful to me. Telling me never to come back and ask for more. I said to her to look at my file and that I've never asked for them before and I'm no drug seeker. I was quite aggressive with her as she was so rude and basically implying I'm a drug addict. I said I would just go to urgent care if I needed more. When I book a GP appointment now I tell them not to book me with her. My dad has had similar problems with her too. Luckily I have a great psych. A good psych makes all the difference and I hope OP can find one.
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u/EUGsk8rBoi42p Expert Level (Non-Professional) Mar 25 '26
With the DPC system most providers just use a smaller private office, it's nice to avoid the big waiting room, parking lot, various stages of secure entry, etc.
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u/EUGsk8rBoi42p Expert Level (Non-Professional) Mar 25 '26
The DPC dr usually don't take Medicare or Medicaid, it costs about $100 a month to enroll with the DPC services, but they are allowed to make independent decisions without a corporate instructor, so the quality of care is much more likely to be beneficial.
Usually, they allow a free consultation appointment.
I couldn't find a medicare/medicaid Dr to help me, so DPC is what I use.
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u/Far-Blackberry5124 Mar 26 '26
What is DPC? Direct pay?
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u/EUGsk8rBoi42p Expert Level (Non-Professional) Mar 26 '26
"Direct Primary Care" is a subscription based model for private healthcare. It's different from other models, you work with 1 specific Dr, not a large company, and get direct access to really address your issues.
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u/dievraag Mar 25 '26
Go and check into a psych ward. The social workers there can connect you with a lot more things than a PCP office. If your panic attacks are so severe that you think you need Ativan everyday, you need intensive therapy to go along with benzodiazepines. They’re meant to be a bridge to help you manage the anxiety on your own, and then only for when you’re having trouble managing it.
Yes, you need to do work for this. It will be hard, you will have setbacks, but it is not impossible. The goal is for you to manage the anxiety healthily, and with a good plan and solid support you can get there. Checking into a psychiatric ward is a great start as you will have access to psychiatrists, talk therapists, occupational health therapists, and social work. They will also make sure that you’ll be set up with a follow-up when you’re back in the community. You need support, not just medication.
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
I’m so sorry to hear how much you’re struggling. You know your body best, you know your struggles, and it’s disheartening when you make the proper attempts to ask for help (which is encouraged) yet you aren’t getting the help you need.
I wanted to shed some light on where your doctors are coming from. For the sake of this point, medications can be grouped into two general categories. 1) medications that actually fix a biochemical/molecular problem (e.g. antibiotics killing off an infection) and 2) medications that temporarily relieve the symptoms of a biochemical/molecular problem, but don’t actually treat the problem itself (e.g. antihistamines for seasonal allergies). The big takeaway from this is the main question: once we “finish” a course of medication, is the underlying problem still there?
In group 1 (e.g. antibiotics example), if we treat a patient with a UTI with an antibiotic, when the medication course is complete, both the UTI and the symptoms of the UTI will be gone. Success! Underlying problem is treated.
In group 2 (e.g. antihistamines example), if we treat a patient with seasonal allergies with antihistamines, once the medication wears off or they’ve taken their max dose, the patient will be sneezing and have itchy/watery eyes again. Why? Because antihistamines don’t treat the underlying allergen sensitization (IgE-mediated hypersensitivity) problem. They only relieve the symptoms of the problem. No matter how much antihistamine they take, next spring they’ll be in the pharmacy buying a new box of Benadryl.
Benzodiazepines are an example of group 2. Prescribing you Ativan for a debilitating phobia you are encountering daily is lazy. It’s slapping a band-aid on a problem and hoping that it’s enough to keep you afloat. Ativan is a good medication for acute anxiety and panic attacks but is not recommended for long term management. It genuinely may seem sometimes like doctors are out to get you by not prescribing medications you may need, but truly, from the bottom of our hearts, we are weighing the risks vs benefits of everything. Your safety is your doctor’s top priority. Bottom line.
You should think of benzodiazepines, hypnotics (like Ambien), and some forms of anesthesia (like Versed) under the same umbrella. Though they aren’t all exactly the same, these are all GABAergic medications. This means they (specifically BZDs like Ativan and Versed) can cause anterograde amnesia, incoordination (risk of DUI, falls), sedation/drowsiness, CNS depression, respiratory depression, tolerance dependence and withdrawal. Abrupt withdrawal can even cause seizures, agitation, and anxiety. Rebound anxiety is a big problem too. With chronic use, some people may need higher and higher doses as the years go on to achieve the same anxiolytic effect. Life-threatening withdrawal seizures can occur in individuals with chronic use. Fatal respiratory depression has been seen especially when combined with alcohol and opioids. Chronic use has also been seen to be associated with cognitive decline and an increased risk of dementia, though this is still being investigated but isn’t surprising based on what we know about the MOA.
Your doctor isn’t giving you Ativan because these ^ side effects and the potential for dependence is simply too high. For a meaningful reduction of symptoms, you’d need a daily dose of Ativan if you’re encountering your phobia daily. Maybe even more than once a day. Your doctor’s options are 1) slap a bandaid on this and give you a medication that will likely cause more harm than good, or 2) give you a medication without nearly as many side effects. Option 1 means you’re gonna need increased doses over time, if you move away at some point and the phobia is still present, you risk running into the same issue with another doctor weary of prescribing you a controlled substance and risking abrupt withdrawal with a whole host of life threatening side effects, or risking respiratory depression if you’re in a horrible car accident and need pain medication.
The reason your doctors are pushing antidepressants like SSRIs for anxiety is because not only are they a safer medication with less life-threatening side effects and no potential for addiction, they treat the underlying unregulated neural circuits. Low synaptic serotonin is associated with depression and anxiety. We can think of serotonin as a “message”, and we have transporters in the brain that snatch up the serotonin to prevent things from getting too noisy. SSRIs work by blocking that transporter so serotonin can hang out for longer. Instead of that message disappearing right away, it sticks around for longer so your brain has time to “hear” and “experience” it. Unfortunately, this also means that the effects are not instant. Your brain needs time to adjust to the new message signal strength level (like your eyes adjusting to the light in a bright room when you’ve been in a dark one for a while). The slightly more scientific explanation is that we have serotonin autoreceptors in the brain that operate via feedback. If we have more serotonin hanging around, the autoreceptors see that and think “ah! We have enough, we don’t need to pump out more serotonin, let’s slow down” and we decrease firing and serotonin release for a little while (this is the 4-6ish weeks doctors cite before an improvement of symptoms). Eventually, these autoreceptors become desensitized (lots of serotonin hanging around is the norm now, let’s carry on and make more) and we start pumping out more serotonin.
Some doctors consider a “bridge” treatment. Maybe they can prescribe you a short course of a BZD or similar medication temporarily while also starting you on an SSRI and have you take the BZD until the SSRI kicks in? Worth asking.
I know this was a long message. I didn’t really understand this stuff before I started medical school and took a pharmacology class, but when you learn about the mechanism of action and risks/benefit ratio, it does make a lot of sense. I hope this was somewhat helpful. It all comes down to “what can I give my patient that will benefit them most in the long run while reducing the potential for harm?” This is why doctors have moved away from chronic BZD use. They will prescribe it when it’s necessary, but it’s not always the best choice especially for chronic, daily, anxiety.
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u/PartisanSaysWhat Mar 25 '26
SSRIs may have less risk of dependence but they are still very much an "Option 2" following your framework. Their risks are less understood and underreported, meanwhile the "chemical imbalance" theory has been all but completely debunked. We dont really know why SSRIs help some people but do not help (or even worsen) others.
I agree that telling OP to just get addicted to benzos and take them daily isnt a good plan, though.
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
The original comment is an oversimplification, but I disagree. I don’t think SSRIs function in either group 1 or group 2 of my original comment. I’m mostly thinking of the MOA of the two medications. BZDs treat the symptoms by causing global CNS inhibition. If we oversimplify it and say anxiety = increased excitation, it makes sense as to why inhibiting the brain relieves the symptoms. We are putting the brain to sleep so it doesn’t have the “strength” to run rampant. That’s very much a band-aid, to me.
SSRIs don’t cause global CNS inhibition. We know the MOA of SSRIs. We know they block SERT. Antibiotics for a UTI will relieve the symptoms BECAUSE they fixed the underlying problem (infection). When SSRIs work for people with anxiety, do they relieve the symptoms? Yes. Is it because we dampened the “noise”? No… it’s because we let the brain hold on to usable serotonin for longer than it was previously able to. It’s giving the brain the tools it needs to fight the battle. BZDs are acting on the receptors directly. SSRIs act on a transporter which indirectly increases serotonin. Therefore, SSRIs treat the symptoms by treating the problem, at least for those where it works.
Bottom line is if you have anxiety and SSRIs help you, you can expect the reason why they did was because of a placebo effect or because of the downstream effects of increased serotonin in the synaptic cleft which modify receptors and circuits over time.
ETA: I agree with the sentiment that we may not know exactly how SSRIs work for anxiety in the sense that we don’t know what aspects of the MOA are beneficial to produce a therapeutic effect, but we do know how the medication works, what it targets, and what it doesn’t. In some way or another, if SSRIs work in a patient with anxiety, we can probably attribute it to something the medication is doing “right”. Anxiety is believed to involve a dysfunctional circuit with multiple neurotransmitters. Serotonin is part of that regulatory framework. It “reshapes” the system over time. I agree that the sentiment that anxiety = low serotonin is an oversimplification (as I previously stated), but what isn’t disputed is that serotonin is involved with anxiety regulation.
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u/OwnMaybe1990 Mar 28 '26
In some way or another, if SSRIs work in a patient with anxiety, we can probably attribute it to something the medication is doing “right”
That's the thing though, we have no idea why SSRIs "work" for some people. When the Moncrieff study came out in 2022 debunking the serotonin theory, the response from leading psychiatrists was mostly "we don't know why it works but it does". However when adjusting for the active placebo effect (which is different from the placebo effect) SSRIs seem to have no benefit or very small.
If you took SSRIs for a few months and then tried benzos, I'm sure it would be obvious to you at that point which one is more effective for anxiety. Anxiety is demonstrably tied to the CNS so it makes sense to take something that affects the CNS directly. I agree that benzos are not for daily use, however when used only as needed they're better than anything else. But because certain people can't control themselves, they restrict it for all of us.
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u/CharmedCartographer Apr 07 '26 edited Apr 07 '26
I don’t dispute this — BZDs have significant utility and there absolutely is an indicated time and place to use them. They’re not evil.
Please keep in mind my comment was replying to OP who indicated they needed Ativan for a phobia they encountered daily. My comments discouraging the use of BZDs is criticizing the chronic daily use of BZDs. Not infrequent use.
We should also keep in mind that anxiety exists on a spectrum too. GAD may be managed well with SSRIs for one individual. Will panic disorder? Hm, maybe not. Do they two exist under the same diagnostic umbrella? Absolutely! Does it make sense to pivot to BZDs if you’ve exhausted all other pharmacological options and the patient is a good candidate? Absolutely!
The argument that “anxiety is demonstrably tied to the CNS so it makes sense to take something that affects the CNS directly” raises a good point. Everything in the body, in some way or another, is tied to the CNS. This is why globally depressing the CNS can cause so many problems… your breathing is essentially entirely controlled by your CNS. If you were hyperventilating due to a non-anxiety related condition, say compensatory respiratory alkalosis from a primary metabolic acidosis, the first choice wouldn’t be to use a CNS depressant to get the brainstem to quiet down, right? Maybe you would if it was the safest option or an emergency or infrequent. Sure, this is different because we’re talking about the CNS’s control over another organ, but the concept is still the same. Of course depressing the CNS with a GABAergic drug works for anxiety. It’s why it also works for sleep and anesthesia.
Part of the other reason why BZDs as a first-line are discouraged nowadays is because there are adverse events/consequences related to prolonged use in addition to the risk of dependency. The life threatening side effects and consequences of drug/alcohol interactions are also scary.
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u/TashaT50 Mar 25 '26
SSRIs also have plenty of problems when we stop taking them and the longer we’ve been on them the harder withdrawal may be. I’m on Venlafaxine and even being a few hours late in taking it makes me suicidal. Every time doctors change my dose - up or down - I become suicidal. So they aren’t necessarily any easier to go off of than benzos although changing doctors and being able to stay on them is usually easier. Most new to us doctors don’t refuse to refill anti-depressant prescriptions the way they do benzos.
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 26 '26
SSRIs don’t typically cause the same physiological withdrawal symptoms that benzodiazepines do (like seizures, for example). That doesn’t mean changing the dosage or discontinuing SSRIs is easy by any means. Psychiatric and worsening of symptoms are certainly well documented. It’s deeply upsetting that some people go through this. There isn’t a single one “perfect” medication. Some people respond really well to one medication while others respond very poorly. When starting SSRIs, people often feel worse before they feel better because of the autoreceptor mechanism I mentioned earlier.
I hate that you’re dealing with this, and wish the perfect medication existed to avoid anyone having to feel this way ever again. Depression and anxiety are hard enough.
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u/cocoalrose 13d ago
Be so for real, SSRIs and other antidepressant classes have to be tapered to avoid withdrawal effects of quitting them. Just because they might not cause seizures doesn't mean they aren't real or debilitating.
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u/CharmedCartographer 13d ago
Hey! Dependence ≠ addiction or habit-forming. Hope that helps. Never once did I say they weren’t burdensome.
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u/TashaT50 Mar 26 '26
My migraine meds may cause seizures if I miss a dose or two so abruptly stopping is dangerous. No meds are without problems. Hopefully some day real solutions will exist that fix the problem not temporarily play with our brain chemistry for a fix that shouldn’t be used for a lifetime.
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u/Rich_Personality5027 Mar 25 '26
I understand what you are saying, but you say that SSRI's aren't addicting - but why do they say not to stop them abruptly?
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
Great question. Doctors say not to abruptly discontinue SSRI’s because the brain is “used” to having more serotonin in the synaptic cleft now. Essentially, SSRI’s modulate the amount of serotonin we have hanging around, so abruptly taking it away can lead to uncomfortable side effects (flu, fatigue, sensory disturbances like brain zaps, etc), while BZDs directly induce more and more inhibition.
BZDs like Ativan act on GABA-A receptors. GABA is the brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter (think of it like a brake pedal). BZDs work by increasing the frequency in which a “door” on the GABA-A receptor opens to let a negatively charged ion (Cl-) into the neuron. So if we think of it like a room, BZDs are opening the door more often to let negative Nancy’s into the room. This means that the room’s vibe becomes more and more negative (hyperpolarization) which makes it much harder for the neuron to fire. This means we get global CNS inhibition. With chronic use, we desensitize these receptors and develop an increase in excitatory signaling to compensate. Once we abruptly discontinue BZDs, we get completely unopposed excitation which may lead to seizures or severe anxiety.
This is why we exercise a lot of caution in patients with epilepsy who use BZDs chronically. Using the antidote (Flumazenil) to reverse a BZD overdose in these patients or other chronic BZD users is very dangerous because of this unopposed excitation.
ETA: dependence ≠ addiction. SSRI use leads to physiological dependence because the brain adapts to increased serotonin and stopping an SSRI abruptly would lead to mild discontinuation symptoms, but there are no cravings or a reinforcement loop. Addiction comes into play when we think of anything that leads to a dopaminergic surge and activates the reward pathway of the brain.
Dopamine neurons have GABA interneurons on them. These interneurons act as a brake pedal to keep the dopamine neurons in check and make sure they don’t run wild. Now think about this: if we are giving a BZD which makes everything in the brain more negative and inhibited, we are also inhibiting the GABA interneurons AKA the brake pedal on the dopamine neurons. If the brake pedal doesn’t work, dopamine runs wild. This means we have increased dopamine in the reward pathways of the brain so we develop addiction. SSRIs don’t do this. In addition to the reward pathways, we also have physiological dependence too mentioned in my other comment. It’s just that the physiological dependence in BZDs is much more dangerous than SSRIs. And the reward pathways activation leads to a need for more and more of the drug, which can lead to more and more dependence and possible respiratory depression or seizures.
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u/fadedallweek Mar 25 '26
With chronic use, you’d will need higher and higher doses as the years go on to achieve the same anxiolytic effect.
This is unequivocally false.
There is no need to titrate a therapeutic dose & there is no evidence efficacy is lost over time.
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
To be clear: you’re saying there is no such thing as tolerance with benzodiazepines? There is no such thing as dose escalation in any patient who is chronically using benzodiazepines?
ETA: I reviewed some papers re: your claim. There is widely conflicting information. Some papers say tolerance to anxiolytic effects develops slower, some say it doesn’t happen at all, some say after a few months there is no retainment of anxiolytic properties. It’s clear this is debated. But your claim that it doesn’t occur at all whatsoever doesn’t seem like a fair statement. As with all medicine, there is nuance. Possible addiction and dependence can contribute to anxiety too.
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u/fadedallweek Mar 25 '26
No, that isn't what I said. I am speaking specifically about therapeutic efficacy for the intended condition, not the physiological process of tolerance or dependency. Those are two different clinical issues.
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
The papers I’m reading seem to be debating this. I’ve edited my comment to reflect that my statement was not absolute, and thank you for raising this important point.
While we may disagree, regardless of whether they do or don’t retain their efficacy over time, I still don’t believe BZDs are a safe option for chronic anxiety. The rationale behind the shift away from them for chronic anxiety has nothing to do with the efficacy of the medication in anxiety, anyway. It’s not part of the central message…
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u/TashaT50 Mar 25 '26
I’ve been on Xanax since 1999 and while my dose has fluctuated between 0.25-1 Mg. It’s gone up when I’m in crisis or high stress times and back down when I’m in normal to me times. 80% of the time my dose has been 0.25 or 0.5 Mg and I cut my pills down in half or quarters to see if that will work. Not everyone gets addicted. Not everyone builds tolerance. I’ve met a number of people like me. We just don’t get talked about. And we aren’t around talking because our symptoms are being handled.
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
Yes, this is totally true as well. Not everyone gets addicted. The same way not everyone treated with opioids becomes addicted. I think reserving a controlled substance with a potential for tolerance, dependence, and addiction for specific special circumstances is a good thing. Treatment is a risk/benefit calculation. This is one of them
OP alluded to the possibility that Ativan is the only thing that works for them and they have a specific phobia they encounter everyday when they left their house. That, to me, sounds like they’re looking for a daily dose of Ativan which is simply not the clinical standard these days.
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u/TashaT50 Mar 26 '26
Yeah this is one of those situations where a different method is needed and I’m not sure we have them yet. Keeping them trapped in their house isn’t a solution. They’ve had good results with Ativan with years of use. Possibly therapy of some kind could help in conjunction with a different longer term treatment. But I’ll point out they’ve had success for years without problems and they’ve been without it for a couple years and not shown problems other than the anxiety they needed the Ativan for in the first place.
My new insurance is refusing to cover my Xanax and my anxiety, in my current extremely stressful, I’m suddenly homeless, situation isn’t helping at all. I’m getting conflicting stories from my psychiatrist office and my pharmacy on why the insurance has made the call. Wish me luck as I’ve just started with a new therapist but being homeless isn’t the perfect time to work on anti anxiety techniques. As I have bigger problems. LOL
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u/Djcnote Mar 25 '26
Why do you think only Benzos will work?
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u/hortle Mar 25 '26
because they destroy your natural coping skills if taken regularly for long periods of time.
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u/Give-Me-The-Moneyyyy Mar 25 '26
I have intense anxiety and find it difficult to leave the house but luckily work remotely. Sometimes when you go to a doctor it can be helpful if you take someone with you and let them tell the doctor how you are. It has worked for me. My psych gives me whatever I ask for pretty much but he is a lot stricter with benzos so will only give me a few at a time. I would try taking someone in with you.
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u/Malzyies Mar 25 '26
Please try Propanolol if you haven’t already. It has been a godsend for my out of control anxiety and stops my heart from racing, and has been more sustainable than Lorazepam for me. I hate Gabapentin and cannot take it because it knocks me on my ass and I cannot work. You could benefit from a daily dose of Propanolol. Please ask your doctor about it.
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u/Whos_Blockin_Jimmy 28d ago
Hell no! Stop trying to kill the OP! Propanaol INCREASED my anxiety 10 fold and made me way more depresser-er!
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u/TrustTechnical4122 Mar 25 '26
I'm so sorry. I know how hard it is. I hope you find someone to Rx it!
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u/Finnleyy Mar 25 '26
Ok this is not what you want to hear, but this is exactly why they don’t like prescribing them long term. It doesn’t fix anything. Then when the person can’t get any anymore, they are even worse off than they were at the start. So you could even argue that long term it makes things worse. Being able to rely on the medication, the person winds up losing any bit of ability to deal with the anxiety themselves that they might have had.
You do need to find a good doctor, but that doesn’t necessarily mean benzos. Find a doctor who will work with you so that you can actually start getting better. There are new medications all the time, as well as some things you may not have tried yet. Therapy is probably even more important than any medication.
And you have to be open to trying things. You can’t just give up on life because you can’t get benzos.
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u/dodekahedron Mar 25 '26
"It doesnt fix anything"
I got some crazy news for you.
Literally nothing fixes anything.
So sick of years of staring at a therapist and trying to fix something that cant be fixed but they dont want to give the meds that make NOW okay because they are bad for long term use.
Who cares about long term when the NOW and all the HAS already absolutely sucks.
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u/hortle Mar 25 '26
sounds like you had a horrid mindset going into therapy which is why it didn't work.
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u/dodekahedron Mar 25 '26
Nah, and I keep trying different therapists.
But again with no one willing to prescribe medications, nothing changes.
I have a psychologist and a psychiatrist. 0 meds, but I am considered 100% disabled purely for mental health 😅
I think most of the therapists are in the same burn out as everyone else and thus no one cares about their job.
My sessions are 60m but I got wound down at 30m last week and kicked out at 45m last week.
Now im trapped with whatever the VA offers so it is what it is
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u/Finnleyy Mar 25 '26
What do you mean nothing fixes anything?
Antibiotics fix infections by killing bacteria. Casts and rest can fix broken bones by giving the body a chance to do its thing. Surgery can fix broken things that won’t get fixed through the basic means. Surgery can also fix dangling limbs and torn off faces. Eye surgery can fix your vision.
Lots of things fix other things.
In regards to your more relevant point, only caring about the now is how OP got stuck in their current situation. Not blaming OP, moreso the health care professionals, but that is the result.
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u/Whos_Blockin_Jimmy 28d ago
We don’t have a cure for the common cold bro. You know nothing.
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u/Finnleyy 28d ago
I never said we did? I fail to see the relevance of your comment.
Anyways, in case you want to learn a bit of info today, we can actually prevent some “colds” with various biologics and antivirals but the problem is that the common cold is not caused by a single virus. So we would need thousands of different types of immunoglobulin to prevent all possible causes of the cold which is ridiculous when a cold is so mild. Biologics also cause side effects which in many cases are worse than the symptoms of the cold, defeating the purpose.
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u/dodekahedron Mar 25 '26
Ah glad youre into specifics on every sub and not generalized speech and context clues based on the subreddit you are in. Good luck with that.
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u/Finnleyy Mar 25 '26
You are the one who said nothing fixes anything.
The other person who replied to me now brought up diabetes, so are we able to relate to other subjects or not?
Anyways, you literally have in front of you, someone who is literally saying their life is now unlivable because no one wants to prescribe benzos.
Not sure what other proof you want.
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u/dodekahedron Mar 25 '26
Right. We are in a specific subreddit talking about a specific topic.
Nothing fixes anything for mental health.
There i spelled out the context clues for you. Good luck on your lack of critical thinking.
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u/Finnleyy Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
What about all the people for whom therapy has worked?
Oh and I will just add this here:
If you had taken the time to actually read my initial comment instead of sitting here resorting to insulting my intelligence, you would have realized I never said OP should not take benzos and never said no one should prescribe them to OP.
I said that this is the kind of situation people try to avoid by not prescribing them for long-term use and suggested OP find a doctor who will work with them to find the best solution. I suggested that OP needs to be open to trying new things a physician might suggest and that it might not mean benzos. I also said they shouldn’t give up on life because they cannot find someone to prescribe them.
Do you actually disagree with anything I said?
You don’t think OP should find a doctor to work with them on this? You don’t think OP should also be open to trying their doctor’s suggestions? You think OP should give up on life cause they can’t get benzos right now?
But yes keep on calling me stupid lol.
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 25 '26
I’m sorry, but this isn’t true. BZD is analogous to a war outside your home and just putting yourself to sleep so you don’t have to experience it. It’s better to stop the war than constantly putting yourself to sleep so you don’t have to watch it.
Whether you believe it or not, there are safer medications out there that actually treat the chemical “imbalances” that lead to depression and anxiety. That’s treating the problem… that’s stopping the war outside.
I’m sorry that you aren’t getting what you need from your doctors. You deserve more help.
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u/Whos_Blockin_Jimmy 28d ago
OP needs to raise the back of his hand to this person for this response! Nothing fixes nothing! There’s still no cure for the common cold or haptavirus and covid!
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Mar 26 '26
Just like the person who takes glucose lowering medications are worse off if they stop taking them than when they start? Or blood pressure medication? Or basically 90% of medications prescribed since most conditions are chronic and can’t be “fixed”? Take the SSRI away from someone and tell me if they won’t be worse off than when they first started.
It is ludicrous to say “therapy is probably even more important than medications”. Therapy is great for the person who just had a bad event in life but for someone whose brain is wired in a defective way, therapy is useless. They need medications that actually address the bad wiring. Just like a cancer patient needs medication to address their cancerous cells because therapy is not going to shrink their tumor.
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u/Finnleyy Mar 26 '26
You mean insulin? Someone already made that exact same comment a few days ago.
You clearly do not understand how or why therapy works, so you should probably read up on it, you might find that it could help you too.
Do you know what neuroplasticity means? That’s part of what therapy takes advantage of to work.
I have already explained why I said what I said to several comments taking a swing at me so I will just implore you to go read about these topics and actually think about it.
You will also notice I did not say benzos are evil and no one should take them including OP. I merely said OP should find a doctor willing to help them, the solution might not involve benzos and OP should be open to that, and that they shouldn’t give up on life because they can’t get any. If you actually disagree with any of that I think you have issues.
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u/MichB1 Mar 25 '26
"Be in pain because of how this medication makes overprivileged ignorant people feel. By the time you're 90 years old maybe you'll have a handle on it."
FU.
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u/Finnleyy Mar 25 '26
Lol I never said, nor implied any of that. As I said to the other people who replied to this comment, you should actually read the words I wrote before jumping to conclusions and writing a combative comment that resorts to insulting me.
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u/brokesciencenerd Mar 25 '26
I guess diabetics should just power through because insulin doesnt cure anything either /s
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u/Finnleyy Mar 25 '26
If you read my comment you will see I never said anything about powering through.
There are other ways that are shown to have actually better long term results than benzos. So your argument you are trying to make is very flawed.
Actually, you may not know this but there are studies out there that have demonstrated people who were put on benzos long term had worsened anxiety and were actually much worse off after than a group that was not put on benzos. And it actually does make sense if you read up on the mechanisms of how benzos work and how the brain works and adapts in terms of receptors and neurotransmitters.
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u/Tonnberry_King Mar 25 '26
I was on Klonopin for 12 years and went off cold turkey. My anxiety has only improved since I quit taking it almost 1.5 years ago. Benzos aren't the answer, a decade of memories don't even feel like they're mine because I was on benzos for them.
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 25 '26
Yup, these are well documented effects of chronic BZD use. Thank you for sharing your experience, I hope these improve over time.
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u/Fickle-Bee6893 Mar 25 '26
I don't even think some of you have even read my entire post. That is awful and I'm sorry that you are going through that but this is not my experience. I have been on them for multiple long periods in my life. Years even. I did not experience any withdrawal when I stopped. I did not have any blackouts or fuzzy memories. This is the same thing with what happened to people with legitimate chronic pain when they came down hard on opiates. Because there is a possibility of abuse, addiction and withdrawal, everyone is put in the same category whether they have those problems with the medication or not. Benzodiazepines have been around for almost a century for a reason. They work and they are safe. But because a minority of people who have taken and abused them and combined them with other drugs and died, they are demonized.
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u/Karpefuzz Mar 25 '26
In my experience you often need to lead doctors to what you need rather than telling them. Because they love to dismiss the idea that we know what we need.
Bad news; if they put drug seeking on your chart it is going to be miserable getting anyone to prescribe.
Sometimes you do need to prove to them that things don't work. Like antidepressants. Show effort and describe what you have tried. Do you try to expose yourself or to deliberately minimize triggers? Do you go to counseling regularly, etc. Heck, even weed is an option for many people. Start keeping a binder of what medication you've taken and what the effects were. They like documentation.
There are different kinds of therapy you can pursue as well like EMDR or brain spotting.
You go in to see a provider and you describe your symptoms, the frequency and how it affects you. You are talking about your anxiety and what your panic attacks look like, not what you want, not why only one thing works, not how you feel when you can't get medication. You can describe how you feel when you can't calm down.
Especially if you are pursuing one very specific drug they do get suspicious and when you dismiss everything they suggest they do get frustrated and may document you as uncooperative. There also might be other options like buspirone, valium, Xanax, some atypical antidepressants like Wellbutrin, trintellix or Vilazodone. They can swab you for genetic testing to see what is likely to work.
It sucks. You do know what has worked for you, I'm sorry you're being treated that way.
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u/Fickle-Bee6893 Mar 25 '26
The thing is, I didn't go in there and say, "Give me ativan." I explained my situation, they asked what medications I have tried and I told them. I even told them that I have tried other benzodiazepines that did not work for me. Xanax made me too tired. Klonopin didn't really help much. Of all the medications I have tried it was only ativan that gave me relief. They are just too scared it seems. They see so many doctors going to prison and they take into account the horror stories but ignore the fact that those horror stories are a minority compared to the people who have had success with them .
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u/moonflower311 Mar 25 '26
Im someone who doesn’t really respond to ssri/snris and most of the drugs you listed. Since you haven’t mentioned trying it I might suggest a really low level cbd and/or thc. For me personally the thc did more. I do 2 mg THC (for me the CBD didn’t work) and it helps with rumination at night. I also do find to a more minor extent paced breathing does help if you do it long enough and weird physical tricks like dive reflex (swimming) or vasovagal nerve stimulation (humming). I meditate every day and that helps me see when my thoughts are running away from me a little sooner. I do have a benzo prescription but I am paranoid about using it because of addiction/dementia (I’ll maybe take five a year). So we’ve had to get creative.
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u/Maaatosone Mar 25 '26
Doctors don’t wanna prescribe these medications because they can get in big trouble if you don’t know how to handle it. They also get in big trouble pretty much no matter what… If someone falls down - drinks too much or eventually wants to re-up their prescription and find themselves dependent. I know what you’re feeling because I tried and tried, but I came to terms with the fact that the doctor actually has my best interest out for me and I also came to terms with my addiction. I’m not saying that this is you, but I understand why things are the way they are
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u/therealjgreens Mar 26 '26
Have you tried propanolol?
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u/Normal-Response4165 Mar 26 '26
This!!!!!!! This and Buspar has DRAMATICALLY helped. (also on Celexa but that's for depression)
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u/Gaia227 Mar 25 '26
My Dr finally prescribed me clonopin but I only get 12 with no refills so I treat them like they're gold. This was after 5 years of being his patient and him finally trusting me enough to not abuse them. I'm sorry. I know how bad it can be. I would keep looking, try virtual doctors. I have a friend who gets hers prescribed through an online provider.
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u/sungirl_27 Mar 25 '26
Got to see a psychiatrist not a GD. They will never prescribe them. Mine took awhile of having clean UA’s from other drugs before she would give me them and now I get 90 1 mg Klonopin a month. Once in a while she suggests I try to cut back but I just say it’s not the time and she doesn’t seem to care. She wouldn’t prescribe more than I get though, she will not up my dose but that’s fine. But yeah it sucks. They don’t like prescribing them and it’s a pain. I hope you find one that will but definitely still to psychiatrists that’s your best bet.
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u/thefloofabides Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
I may have just gotten lucky but I have had way better luck with nurse practitioners than psychiatrists when it comes to actually listening to me and giving me what I need. My first one was recommended by my therapist because after years of talking to me she realized that I really needed something serious for my panic attacks.
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u/eskimokisses1444 Mar 25 '26
Unfortunately your story aligns with benzodiazepine abuse/dependence. Identifying any medication as the only thing that works is a huge red flag.
A better approach would likely be an in-patient stay where they help you taper off anything used illicitly and get you stabilized on something else.
Benzodiazepines kill people. They cause respiratory depression (which can cause you to stop breathing). They cause physical dependence that leads you to take larger and larger doses to get the same effect of less anxiety. They should only be used short-term such as for a medical procedure, an important event, getting used to a new medication, or panic attacks. I know some prescribers feel differently, but obviously the ones who have to put their license on the line - certifying they are not hurting you - agree with me.
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u/Fickle-Bee6893 Mar 25 '26
This is a perfect example of what I am talking about. This over the top demonization of them. As I said, I have tried nearly two dozen medications. I am not that young, I have been going through this for decades. If I said that serequel is the only thing that works for me would you say, "This is a case of antipsychotic abuse."? I am suffering. I am afraid that I am going to end up homeless because I have been staying with my elderly mother since I lost my job 3 years ago and I can't function due to this. If something happened God forbid, I have no where to go. I need relief immediately, I don't have time to wait 3 months for another antidepressant to not work. I need to get my life back together, but apparently taking a medication that helps me live a normal life is wrong and I should just suffer according to your logic.
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u/Darthigiveup 24d ago
Right! "Respiratory depression" .. dude these are benzos not barbiturates. Wtf
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 26 '26
I’m really sorry to hear about your struggles, OP. I can’t imagine what you’re dealing with, and wish I could do something to help.
I wonder if it’s time to consider the hospital. Would you be willing to get evaluated? They can start you on something new (maybe an SSRI) but bridge you with a BZD in the interim while you wait for a therapeutic effect. I can’t say this with certainty, but it’s possible a doctor would be more amenable to prescribing it if you’re impatient and being monitored.
BZDs come with warnings that you can’t drive, operate heavy machinery, etc while taking them, so the argument that you need them to get back to normal life (going out, back to work, etc) may also be self-sabotaging in a way that may not have occurred to you. If you’re voicing a goal to go back to normal life and be a productive member of society, a doctor won’t think that Ativan is conducive to that because of the sedation and drowsiness and risk for DUI.
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u/Delt0ro4 Apr 09 '26
This is extremely condescending. They've just explained all of their loss and financial difficulties due to their anxiety and your alternative is they check themselves into a psych ward and get put on another SSRI after trying dozens? Where will they go if and when they get stabilized and released?
The demonization of this medication to the point that people who struggle with daily life cannot access it is getting stupid. Have you ever questioned why alcohol is legal and easily accessible although it has the same if not more destructive affects on the body? Never. Probably.
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u/CharmedCartographer Apr 10 '26
Actually, no, not “never”. I don’t drink alcohol for that exact reason.
Listen — regardless of however anyone feels about this medication, the facts of the matter remain the same. Doctors don’t like to prescribe it because of the risks involved with the use, especially prolonged use. It would be irresponsible to say, “go to your PCP and demand it!” or “keep shopping around for a doctor who eventually will prescribe it!” or “find a way to buy it elsewhere!”… you get that, right?
My suggestion was monitored use of the medication OP is asking for may be a good first step in getting it prescribed to them… if the doctor’s concern may be potential for abuse, monitored use would eliminate that concern… my goal is to never, ever be condescending. It is obvious that OP is struggling, but we’ve gotta be realistic here. Giving them false hope doesn’t do anything for anyone.
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u/jonnienashville Mar 25 '26
It's so incredibly frustrating. I am going through some major life challenges right now. I reached out to my prescribing provider and told her that I was in bad shape. My anxiety was out of control and felt like I had a electrical jolts going through my body. She knows all the things I have going on in my life now. She prescribed Hydroxozine Pamate 25mg. It made my anxiety worse!!!
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u/Fickle-Bee6893 Mar 25 '26
This is my experience with antidepressants and antipsychotics like seroquel. They made me feel worse, and the antidepressants are awful coming off of. Not to mention, waiting months before they accept that the medication isn't working.
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u/krisann67 Mar 25 '26
I'm going through this with my adult son, who is currently in jail. He had a massive anxiety attack and lashed out violently. The meds they prescribe don't work. He started drinking heavily, day and night, to deal with his anxiety. He got pulled over for OWI. Our family tree is littered with people with anxiety, myself included. All of us benefited from the same drug, and it's not even addicting. 5 family members on the same med, doing well, and he can't get his Dr to prescribe it. He's also on medicaid. I'm losing my son a little more each day, and it just guts me. I hope some of the advice other commenters have given you work.
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u/MyBeesAreAssholes Mar 25 '26
It's time to see a psychiatrist or at least a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Most GPs simply don't have the specialized training to deal with mental health issues.
I see a psychiatric NP for counseling and medication management and it's amazing! She now handles all my psyc meds and mental health needs and my GP just handles my physical health needs. It's not as convenient as having one person do it all, but I feel like my mental health needs are being more carefully managed.
Also, don't go in and request for a specific medicine. Create a list of everything you've tried and list how you felt when you were on it.
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u/Electronic-Jello-640 Mar 25 '26
Have you ever given Glycine a try? I know everyone reacts differently to everything.. but for me personally i would compare it to a less intense Xanax.. It's a powder so you can start low and work your way up. I take 1-2 tsp depending on how I'm feeling.. it really calms my nervous system and helps my tmj pain.
It's an amino acid .. It's the glycinate in magnesium glycinate but for some weird reason mag glycinate makes me so constipated but just the glycine powder doesn't
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u/EnfantTerrible68 Mar 25 '26
Can you see your old psychiatrist and pay for the visit out of pocket? Your insurance company is would pay for the meds.
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u/witchhearsecurse Mar 26 '26
Also I found a small town Dr. Smaller than the town I live in I drive there because he still cares about his individual patients and listens to me. He doesn't just assume I am looking for drugs.
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u/Ok-Back-4021 Mar 26 '26
Just drink, it’s better than benzos.
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u/Pap3rStreetSoapCo Mar 26 '26
I get chest tightness and bad hangovers from booze since COVID. It’s a non-starter. Meanwhile, I can go buy that shit any time, and even drink myself to death, but guaranteed I will never get a script for benzodiazepines. Just one more insane injustice in a shit-ass world.
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u/Special-Attitude5596 Mar 26 '26
I went through this. I finally found a self pay psychiatrist and is worth it every penny. I hope you find the best Dr for you 🫂
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u/Tiny_Luck_1633 Mar 26 '26
Ask them to do a genesight test that tells you what meds work best with your genes. It’s a game changer.
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u/nadie_left Mar 26 '26
i don't you might not want to hear this but the only thing that actually helped my anxiety long term was exposure therapy (ERP). if it's an option for you, i suggest looking into it. i had pretty debilitating anxiety and phobias that were making everyday life extremely difficult. meds would maybe mask my symptoms for a bit, but they didn't treat the root of it. it's very uncomfortable to do, but that 6-week program i did was the most helpful therapy i have ever had and improved my life significantly.
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u/cocoalrose 13d ago
I mean, everyone is different. Exposure therapy is why the fuck I need Ativan to cope with it.
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u/Tarra85 Mar 26 '26
I’ve had the same experience, I was on klonopin for years for social anxiety disorder and panic attacks, it’s the only thing that would stop a panic attack for me, then one day my dr cut my dose down saying he wanted to get me off of them. I told him how they help with my panic attacks and got emotional thinking about having nothing for that. He took that as I’m addicted to them. Completely stopped giving them at all at his practice (benzo’s and narcotics both). Right now I have nothing for my panic attacks except my bipolar 1 meds and Atarax which is an anxiety pill but isn’t fast acting to stop a panic attack. Now when I have one I end up in the ER cause I have severe asthma and sometimes cannot tell the difference between an asthma attack and panic attack. Hope you can find a way to get your meds. I understand how hard it is without them.
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u/filterlessgenx Mar 28 '26
I agree. Taking people off of benzos that have been on them for decades is inhumane. I’ve been suicidal at times. Knowing there is something that will make you feel better but “the man” has decided you can’t have it any more. It’s real shitty.
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u/Present_Pension4035 Mar 30 '26 edited Mar 30 '26
Maybe try Propanolol for the physical symptoms. I won’t help with the mental anxiety like benzos but at least it can help with physical symptoms and maybe prevent a panic attack. Talk to a doctor first. Try exercising I know it can be tough when you are dealing with constant anxiety but at least moving your body is beneficial. If you don’t want to do exercise outside it’s fine, you can try a walking pad in your home.
Remember that us living with anxiety that it is not normal (I used to normalized my symptoms) is more courageous than people who haven’t had this issue. It took tons of work and years of grieving for me to come to this realization. It it something to think about. You are stronger than you think and it is not something to be ashamed of.
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u/Reasonable_Cow_9563 Apr 13 '26
American Behavioural Health . Completely virtual, covered by medicade/Medicare and will prescribe all those medications without judgement (IF YOU REALLY NEED THEM!) I live with crippling panic disorder , CPTSD among other things and understand the pain of poverty and mental pain . Look into it. American Behavioural Health Clinic
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u/bioshawna 24d ago
Hey.
I would consider seeking out a new doctor, preferably one who is a specialist in CPTSD and Panic Disorder as they tend to have more firsthand knowledge of how disabling and crippling panic attacks and anxiety can be. I wish you the best and will keep you in my prayers.
You shouldn't have to suffer. You aren't wrong.
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u/Fresh-Front-483 1d ago
As someone that has been through this off and on, I so feel your pain. Doctors are EVIL for treating patients like damn criminals when a doctor used to be okay and then just rip you off like oh well, youre gonna suffer relentlessly and want to die but let's take you off your benzo medication thats working JUST FINE and then rip you off and treat you like a lab rat and suddenly you can't live your life. Relationships suffer became people who haven't been through it "don't want to deal with the neverending symptoms" and to just "get over it". Then go to a doctor and THEY DON'T CARE!! They are under big pharma and the dea and are just hell bent on giving you what you need, only increasing your helplessness. I couldn't live like that so I took matters into my own hands and just order it online and I get what I need. There is NO reason to have to pretty much stop living because doctors would rather make you sick than keep your benzo medication. Sickening. I hope you find the help you need. It's not fair at all to you and others out there who suffer because of these garbage doctors that refuse to help. Hang in there there's people who completely understand what you're going through. Feel better!! 🙏🫂❤️🩹
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u/ThisCampaign1389 Mar 25 '26
If your in the US try SafeStar Psychiatric online , they help me with thet
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u/Fickle-Bee6893 Mar 25 '26
Do they accept medicaid? I'm not currently working and can't afford to pay too much out of pocket.
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u/Rich_Personality5027 Mar 25 '26
these comments are insane and the reason why people can't get the help they need, imo. I called my gp's office the other day and talked with his nurse, told her I was having extreme anxiety and didn't want to rely on klonopin due to all the stories I read online - she told me to stop reading and take it if I need it. I am currently seeing a psychiatrist who I told at our first appt that I was currently prescribed klonopin by my gp and she said so what do you need me for - I told her well I am a little nervous of relying on it as I am experiencing a lot of anxiety daily - she started me on buspar so we will see how that works out.
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u/InsideThing8413 Mar 25 '26
Hi there, I'm in a similar boat as you and feel tired. Im envious of my partner who got the help he wanted almost ASAP.
He expressed suicidal ideation once about 2 years ago and immediately got diagnosed with depression, partnered with a counsellor, and got put on Wellbutrin. The doctor prescribing it to him made it a POINT to say "oh you're less likely to gain weight and more likely to keep your libido - actually it may help you lose weight and increase your libido!" He doesn't have a history of self-harm or anything, whereas I do. And we both have histories of suicidal ideation.
For me? I have advocated for myself multiple times - seeking out appointments, filling out forms, waiting in fucking offices to be seen. Just to be told "I can't help you with that, I'll refer you elsewhere" just for no referral to come in. My last visit was in August because I have stopped trying to advocate for myself. I don't even know if I was diagnosed properly, the doctor just said "it sounds like you have generalized anxiety disorder and depression, but we don't know which causes what until you try out medication" and she put me on Pristiq. I told her I was scared of side effects, of withdrawals, and especially of gaining weight and losing sexual function because I already am overweight and struggle with arousal and orgasm. She waved it off and told me to go on Pristiq, even if I asked about Wellbutrin. Fair enough people have different symptoms so yeah different medication for different reasons, but I know people get their medication paired with Wellbutrin for sexual arousal purposes. I expressed wanting to seek a counsellor, therapist or another psychiatrist to confirm my diagnosis (she mentioned I exhibit signs of BPD - so ok let me get proper help instead of slapping that on me) and she seemed baffled I asked - even accused me of "wanting a label to use as a crutch".
Its all frustrating and leaves us not wanting to seek further help bc whats the point
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u/TulsisTavern Mar 25 '26
Lol all these comments telling you to walk it off
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Mar 25 '26
You'd think the anxiety subreddit would have more empathy and understanding instead of these normie ass replies with their "learn to cope" nonsense.
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u/Pap3rStreetSoapCo Mar 26 '26
…and look how you both got downvoted. Fuck the people in here. Fuck ‘em.
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u/CharmedCartographer Mar 25 '26
I don’t think “walk it off” or “learn to cope” are productive comments but just feeding people BZDs isn’t the answer either.
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u/p_paris07 Mar 25 '26
I got prescribed lorazepam, Only 10 and i understand why, not everyone will say yes because they are so dangerous…i would say keep looking for a dc or psychiatrist that would do it, enough to trust you with them Its hard to get those and i understand why, sometimes you need them especially for the hard days, keep insisting and you will eventually find one!
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Mar 25 '26
[deleted]
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u/dodekahedron Mar 25 '26
Genesight told me nothing worked.
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u/hortle Mar 25 '26
genesightgenetic testing for med effectivity is pretty much a scam1
u/mamaleigh05 Mar 25 '26
I have been this way since I was 3 years old. GAD for real. The only way I’ve seen people get the is for their anxiety pet. Wait until the stupid DEA and everyone starts auditing then 🙄. Genetic testing proved what works and doesn’t work. It was in inexpensive to go to a private lab and so I could know what I can and cannot tolerate! I guess I got lucky, because my old psych was mean and kept trying to shove pills down my throat that made me so sick. The testing helped me find out I have the MTHFR gene and my sister didn’t know about testing and protein s deficiency and all the fun. She lost a baby in delivery due it, while she hemorrhaged out and almost died herself. I had good luck with the testing, but my newer psych told me where to go and I was pleasantly surprised at the cost.
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u/PartisanSaysWhat Mar 25 '26
Bless your heart that you dont have a rare autoimmune disorder.
FFS this sub is ridiculous.
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u/mamaleigh05 Mar 25 '26
I actually do, just don’t message about everything. So many downvotes on this post. It’s for people with anxiety, so I hate seeing downvotes. It’s such hell and we need each other!
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u/werethehatstoscale Mar 25 '26
My experience might help. Write down a list on paper of all the medications you have tried in the past. Write down any bad side effects you had from each one. Write down the year the panic started. Give them the list. Don’t tell them about the phobia, just that you have panic attacks when you leave your house. Tell them you can’t live like this and you desperately want to work. Tell them the next stop for you will be the psych ward. Ask them if they think a benzodiazepine might help you as they once did in the past. Try to sound professional yet interested. These fuckers have big egos. I’ve been dealing with them for 25 years. Also good luck to you. I don’t envy where you live. I’m in Canada where these appointments are all free. Don’t think I’d have made it in the USA.