Cant Leave The House without taking a Benzo

Chemical imbalance makes the most sense for mentally ill people. You cant blame everything on environment/childhood. It doesnt add up. Just look at psych wards.. thats proof.

LOok and see what? People from abused backgrounds, people with messed up lifes?

I say the chemical imbalance doesn't add up. It cannot be measured? why? Why the meds don't work the same for everybody... why some people start doing dramatically better when they drop meds? None of it support chemical imbalances.

Maybe it's what some people want to hear, but... it's not proven. Many even show contratry information...

and be honest with yourself... how much it helped you? Maybe that infinite sadness in you has concrete roots. It often does.

Please, do not take it as critique of you....

I just don't see the whole "broken brain" theory as helpful.

And as for benzos... they are downers, hence can cause depression among other things. Something to consider.

Keep in mind that in the case of anxiety, the most common treatment that's widely considered the best is cognitive behaviour therapy and exposure type therapies, because anxiety is usually more cognitive in nature than neurological.

Regardless, benzos are not a long term solution due to so many long term problems (addiction, withdraw, natural resistance, etc), so you might want to start learning a coping mechanism that's more reliable.

I forgot to ask this question. Is it situational anxiety or could it just be anxiety from the possibility of anxiety? I've had experience with both. You can make your anxiety worse. Just a thought.

They maybe downers, but one in particular practically SAVED my life and stopped the panic attacks.

Situational, OCD, Social anxiety disorder, yeah, it's that bad. (not making excuses)

I take the lowest dose, but i understand what u mean. i don't abuse it in anyway. Doctor prescribed.

So something as serious as schizophernia or bipolar disorder you dont think at all is biological/chemical? i know some people don't believe in the chemical imbalance theory, their entitled to their opinion. Did you ever take meds? Hey, im not saying my sadness doesnt have concrete roots or caused by my situation in life, but i was at points in life where i couldnt function at all and wanted to die sometimes. Then i saw a doctor. Im not saying doctors are God, just saying.

Yes but how much is anxiety brought on by thinking that something may happen that you can't cope with w/o the med? Have you tried going out w/o taking one but taking one with you in case? If you ever want to go out w/o taking one you may want to start small like this. Also I can't recall but did you specify if this happens more than once per day... I mean if you took one at 8am and went out would you need to take another if alter on in the day you went out at 5pm or 8pm etc?

I didn't take meds, no. Please don't call me luckier... it's just what I chose, for so many reasons.

I am BP... and nah, I still don't think it's purely chemical. Schizophrenia, I don't know about, but I heard it more often comes from abuse and trauma then out of the blue.

And again... even IF these are true, it says nothing about benzos and imbalances. Even most rabid med proponets (crazyboard.org is good example) will tell you benzos are just... well drugs. Just like pain killers don't heal broken ribs, although it may be difficult to have broken ribs and not take anything for them... George has excellent advice. Try go without but have it at hand.

Placebo or power of thought is actually pretty powerful. It will be empowering when you discover that you can do many things.

I was prescribed xanax for 11 years by a pdoc who said I needed them for life. Truth is, he needed my bucks in his pocket for life. He should be in prison for drug peddling! He never told me about tolerance withdrawal or any of the other problems from long term benzo use. I hope you look to alternatives to help free you of your prison. Meanwhile don't quit cold turkey, it's dangerous. If you can find a therapist to help you work through the agoraphobia, so much better. Good luck

I've dealt with anxiety to one degree or another my entire life. I've done it all; prayer, meditation, New Age, therapy, even benzos.... some of these I still as of right now cuz it's the best there is (this includes a consultation from a Dr. at a nationally renown university... psychiatrist's idea ).


Infinite Sadness, I'm just here to tell you there is no size fits all when it comes to handling anxiety. So many praise exposure Therapy; yes it works for a lot of ppl (mainly OCD), but I wouldn't even say it's one of the best methods. I say this because I I've been exposing myself to my triggers for years- with and without Benzos-and it hasn't done **** for me but cause panic attacks, yet I continue trying.

Who really gives a flying **** how much is genetic/biological and isn't? I personally think a of mine derives from being so sensitive. B ut at the end of the day I'm not sure that matters.

What does matter is we all have alot of ****ing **** that daily impacts our lives. I think we need to quit bickering about how who handles it.