Hi all

I have GAD (diagnosed) and maybe a touch OCD (not diagnosed). In the past my anxiety has been mostly episodic- I'll go through a period of a few bad weeks, then months that are okay can go by until the next episode. the ruminating worrying about the future is the worst of it for me, and I become irritable, distracted, generally unhappy. It sucks for me and for my family, who need a better mum

My doc (family doc, not a psychiatrist) recommended a benzo (ativan) as well as zopiclone to help me sleep. I am pretty sure my insomnia is connected to the anxiety in some way. funny thing is I fall asleep fine usually, but I wake up at different points throughout the night...and then the anxiety sets in and the next day after a night like this is usually BAD.

I last saw this doc in early summer, when we came up with this plan. thing is, since then my anxiety has not been really 'episodic'- it's been pretty much non stop, with a few days of good happy respite here and there. the bad days have definitely outnumbered the good for about 4 months now. there have been some external stressors that have added to this (like dd being diagnosed as adhd/gifted at the end of the last school year), but the root of this has always been in me, for sure.

anyhow, my question is, am I taking ativan properly? He prescribed 1 mg twice a day, "as needed". I presumed he meant when I am feeling acute anxiety, and not as a daily maintenance thing. so far, if I wake up and feel "okay", I try not to take it, then if the day gets worse I have this ongoing conversation with myself if I should be taking it...bah. also, does twice daily mean one in the morning and one at night, i.e. every 12 hours to cover the 24 hour clock, or, 2 doses spread over my *awake* hours, which would be closer than every 12 hours.

I also wonder about the zopiclone and how it relates to the ativan- if I have taken 2 doses of ativan during the day, do I still need the bedtime dose of zopiclone to get me to sleep? is it even okay to do that?

anyhow, my timing is good because I have a follow up appt. next week. I am wondering also if it's time to try an SSRI again since this in not really 'episodic' anymore.

any input, advice, experience is muchly appreciated- thanks!