What should I do if my therapist thinks I need anxiety meds but I don’t like the way they make me feel?
Say, "I don't like the way that drug makes me feel, is there something else we can try?"
Why did my therapist recommend marijuana for PTSD? How does it benefit?
Hello Melissa,I believe I can answer your question. I am a legal card holder for medical cannabis. I can say, after 3 years of using it for my PTSD, it really did not help. As a matter of fact, it actually made my symptoms worse. In the beginning we want to believe that there is a magic pill ( so to say), and look for that in medical cannabis. But the truth is, that it heightens our paranoia, (at least for me anyway, and other veterans I have spoken to as well), and the side effects of hyper-vigilance, and paranoia are not worth the little bit of benefit in relaxation. It is very expensive, takes a long time to get approved, and really does not benefit, or did not for me anyway, at the cost of heightened awareness and paranoia.I hope that helps. I am a combat veteran and have been doing this for 25 years. I do what works, not what looks good or feels good at the time. Most of the time i have found, that what is hardest emotionally, and tasking in repetition, (ie, group therapy, therapists, appointments, etc)… are what really works best. Self application, and vigerous dedication is the key.Good luck in your future endeavors
How do I tell my therapist I want to try medicine for my anxiety?
First of all, your therapist cannot prescribe medications; only psychiatrists can. If they are knowlegable enough on the types of anti anxiety medications on the market, they can educate you on your options then you can take that info to your psychiatrist for further discussion. They will ultimately have the final say. I always suggest to my clients to get on the internet and research your options and their side effects before going into your psych appointment so you’ll have a better understanding of what you halve available, you can have a say so, and you understand what the doctor is talking about.
Is Prednisone used for anxiety?
My boyfriend went to the doctor to get some medication for anxiety (his therapist recommended that he do that...she cannot prescribe meds). He felt that the doctor did not really listen to him, and then the doctor prescribed Prednisone. Isn't that a powerful steroid used primarily for allergic reactions? He is on a lot of other medications, we are worried that the Prednisone would react with one of them and isn't really for anxiety anyway...something I read online said that Prednisone can actually cause depression! Oh, and the doctor told him "not to read any of the warnings" when he picked up the medication. Anyone able to help? Thank you!
Do I have to go to therapy in order to get medication for my anxiety?
You probably will not have to go to talk therapy. Many primary care physicians will prescribe medication for psychiatric conditions. Many routinely prescribe first line antidepressants, however, since many medications for anxiety are addictive, they may not write them long term. They will want you to see a psychiatrist. Complex psychiatric diagnoses are out of their scope of practice.I saw my primary care doctor for anxiety. She prescribed anti-depressants. I had paradoxical reactions to the three she was comfortable prescribing. At that point she referred me to a psychiatrist. I had the same paradoxical reactions. I saw a psychologist for talk therapy who told me meds weren't the right choice, as my anxiety was situational. There was nothing I could do to change that situation. I had to learn coping mechanisms. I did. Don't discount talk therapy, or a combination of pharmaceuticals. Both may be helpful.
I was just diagnosed with anxiety/panic disorder. My therapist plans to teach me coping mechanisms, but I've been dealing with these extreme feelings for years. I can already cope, it's just getting much harder to. Should I consider meds?
Speak specifically with your therapist about the coping mechanisms suggested. There are some research-driven CBT techniques (interoceptive therapy) that have been shown to be very effective in treating panic, even long-term panic, and you will need to practice them. It’s critical to get the right therapy. Meds are an option, but with pure panic disorder it’s been shown that the correct CBT taught and practiced has high rates of success. So ask your therapist specifically about the pros and cons and literature on the subject (David Burns, MD, is a psychiatrist who is internationally known for his work in CBT for depression and anxiety, and you can look up his books as a reference; David Barlow is a researcher who developed CBT for panic disorder).If you think about meds, get a psychiatrist who also knows about CBT. Being a fully informed consumer is your right as you engage in any therapy.Hope this helps; even though you’ve had anxiety/panic for a long time, there is hope for you.
My therapist wants me to see a psychiatrist to get medication. Can he talk to the psychiatrist for me?
Maybe.Legally, he can if:one: they work for the same organization, and so this would simply be a matter of one coworker talking with another, and you have agreed to the plan, generally;two: you sign a consent form allowing the therapist to communicate with the psychiatrist about this medication issue - all info between you and the therapist is private, and cannot be shared with others - unless you give consent. If you do, you and the therapist can define what can and cannot be shared - for example, if you have shared embarrassing or shameful information with the therapist, the psychiatrist does not need to hear that - the psychiatrist really only needs to hear from the therapist’s view what your symptoms have been and how they impact your functioning.I am pretty sure the therapist can express what the meds would be for better than the average patient. So, this might be better.I do not agree with anyone suggesting to use this opportunity to push you to be more assertive. This med question is not the time and place for that.Overall, in my opinion, you should work really hard at the therapy, and avoid medications as much as possible. For depression, they will most likely give you one of the common antidepressants. The problem is that people have a hard time with side effects, and with discontinuing them once you reach the point that your brain has adjusted to the way they influence your brain chemistry. Psychiatrists are now getting educated on how to withdraw patients from antidepressants. You can google “antidepressant withdrawal” and see if this is a possibility you want to mess with.Anxiety meds are a problem, also. People can become dependent. People become tolerant, like people become tolerant to alcohol or smoking. Also, if you stop taking them, you can get rebound anxiety. You can google “rebound anxiety” and see if you want to mess with this.A few years ago, I gave all of this advice to someone who was fighting anxiety and depression. They did not put full effort into finding a good counselor and working on the counseling, so that was a half-hearted attempt. But they did go against my advice and they began antidepressant and anxiety.Now, that person is worse off than ever.You need to explore people’s experiences on the internet, or talk with them in person about this and decide what is right for you.
Which anti anxiety meds cause weight loss?
I recently went to my therapist and he recommended me going on anti-anxiety medication specifically paxil. I am hesitant about going on anti-anxiety medication due to the fact that I do not want to gain weight b/c I am aware that with alot of anxiety medications weight gain is a common side effect due to the fact that it tends to slow your metabolism. Is there any anti-anxiety meds out there that can cause weight loss or have no side effect as far as weight gain is concerned and what would they be?