[sadeyesr4ever]

Hello I am new to this site and I have a question for anyone who may be of help. I know I suffer from depression and anxiety but I do not take any meds for them. Can you please tell me if there is a medication strictly for anxiety that you can take every day that you won't become addicted to? I know alot of people take Xanax and Valium but I believe they are addicting and shouldn't be taking long term. Are there any others out there that can be taking every day? Thanks

[abilifyguy]

The SSRI's (like prozac, lexapro, paxil, etc.) and the SNRI's (effexor and cymbalta) are good for anxiety. They are not "addictive" in the sense of building tolerance and having to increase the dose to get the same effect, but there are withdrawals. So they should be taken every day.

[LMo]

I took Lexapro strictly for anxiety, and was prescribed a daily dose. My husband currently takes it daily for depression/anxiety. It has worked wonders for both of us. I no longer take it, but I have to say that I do miss it very much and feel that it really helped me through a difficult time.

any antidepressants out on the market are also used for controling anxiety too because they work on both depression and anxiety. for example paxil is an antidepressant but also works on anxiety. so does the antidepressants prozac, welbutrin and many others.

Any and all medications can become adicting. Heck even soda, chocolate, potatoes, you name it no matter what it isin this world people can and do form an adiction on it. I have an adiction to music. I need music in order to go to sleep at night, to calm myself when in panic and so on. I started to form an adiction to over the counter allergy medication, years ago I was adicted to Dexitrim diet aid you buy in a store. A friend of mine is adicted to slim fast shakes.

An adiction is just something that a person MUST have in order to function.

I know many people who no ifs ands or buts MUST have their morning coffee or their day is in ruins, Many people with OCD have all kinds of adictions from having to wash their hands so many times or have their room look a certain way. Adictions are everywhere about everything. Not just medications, drugs and alcohol.

As for medication adiction - the key to NOT forming an adiction is using them at the supervision of the prescribing doctor and being 100% honest about how the medication is working, side effects and so on with the prescribing physician.

[sadeyesr4ever]

Thanks for your replies. I appreciate them. Has anyone ever taking St. John's Wort? I am considering that as an option as well. Thanks

[Rhapsody]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
sadeyesr4ever said:
Thanks for your replies. I appreciate them. Has anyone ever taking St. John's Wort? I am considering that as an option as well. Thanks

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I personally like Celexa (as a Rx med) and Valerian Root (as a natural herb)..... I use them both right now.

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

* * * * * * * *

[Boopers]

I am on prozac and wellbutrin and that seems to be a good combo for me for depression as well as anxiety. I did try St. john's Wort at one point but didn't seem to help me. Each person is different.

Good Luck,

Linda

[ickydog2006]

Welcome to PC

Like myself said, please keep in mind ANYTHING can be addictive.

Also it often takes time to find the right medication / what works for you. I would strongly suggest talking to your doctor or your T (if you have one) about what you are looking for, worried about, and ask them for suggestions.

Good Luck

I took Xanax at night for about 20 years for anxiety & never had to increase my dosage. It just calmed me enough for me to sleep. I recently had to change to Trazadone to help me sleep due to having a manic episode, but the Xanax was very helpful & taken under a doc's care should help prevent any addiction problems.--Suzy

[sadeyesr4ever]

Thank you so much for the welcome and for all your comments and suggestions, they were very helpful.