What can I take for anxiety that won't clash with adderall

[EnergizerJen]

If I could make a suggestion:

I'm not a doctor.
I have not been on Adderall very long. (4-5) months.

but this is my opinion.
I mean no harm or disrespect to anyone who previously posted or that will post in the future.
Just my opinion.

Benzo's (regardless of the brand or dosage) should ONLY be used on an as needed basis.
I have a script for Xanax 1 mg 60 count in the bottle.
I've had it since March, and I have 15 or more in the bottle.

I ONLY take it when my PANIC ATTACK has become so awful that I'm struggling to breathe and I can't stop crying/screaming/etc.

My suggestion: for you the OP is to try a mild sleep aid. I use Desryl (trazodone). It's an anti-depressant and a sleep aid. I don't take it all the time, but when I do, I sleep soundly and comfortably all night long and I don't have the drugged/hangover thing in the morning. My body relaxes and personally I can't recall having bad dreams/panic attacks in the middle of the night EVER with it.

I have watched more than 20 people try to come off Benzo's in different facilities and without scaring you, I want you to know that ALL THOSE PEOPLE struggled as hard as someone coming off Heroin.
I'm not comparing one drug to another and those people I mentioned used benzo's daily or every other day for more than 6-9 months.
I think I only saw 2 people make it through the withdraws without caving and going back to them.

Do I have benzo's in my medicine cabinet? Yes.
Do I avoid them at all costs? Yes.

My boyfriend will usually trail behind me and BEG me to take one. I always decline. I've tried really hard to do whatever I can to deal with what's going on or try to let it pass.

The middle of the night panic attacks are super tough. I get those too. I cry and thrash around and it's a mess.
but I'll get up break a trazodone into thirds and take it. I sip a glass of water in the chair and take deep breaths and watch tv for about 15 minutes.

The tv distracts me while the trazodone quickly takes affect. I get the same "calm" feeling as with a benzo and if I lay down, I usually fall back asleep within minutes.

We are talking about 20 minutes tops from the time I wake up in panic to the time I'm back asleep.
A benzo does the exact same thing.

Obviously you can't take a trazodone in the middle of the day, but this would be my suggestion for night time.

Avoid those benzo's like the plague. Use them responsibly.
They can eventually (even over one months use) make your panic attacks worse and last longer because your body is waiting for the benzo release.

Adderall does increase panic and anxiety in people. Maybe that might be something to discuss with your pdoc.


I only post about the benzo's because I'm so scared that other people do not know what kind of withdraws are associated with it if they decide to stop.

Adderall has it's own withdraws. But speaking from experience, next to Alcohol and Heroin withdraw-benzo's are next and it's painful and very scary to watch someone go through.

Those withdraws may not be typical to EVERY person who takes them, but I haven't seen one yet.

Just be cautious and explore all your options. If benzo's is the answer, there's no shame in it (I USE THEM TOO), but just be aware of what misuse or extended periods of time using can result in.

I hope you get the answers you need.

Jen

[sarahsweets]

I agree with Jen. Some people need them in dire ircumstances ut just like anything(cold meds,food,sex,etc) they can all e addictive. So I would avoid them. I hsve xanax as well ut i use it in a "break glass in an emergency" sort of setting.

[tambourine-man]

I've only taken two regular benzodiazepines in conjunction with Adderall and I only just started one of them. Both reduce the effectiveness to a degree it would seem. Valium, however, eventually did NOTHING for my anxiety though it did reduce meltdowns and interfered greatly with my cognition. Klonopin seems to be a much better alternative though I just began the combination.

[FocusPocus10]

I second Tambourine, klonopin taken daily at a fairly low dose will not clash with adderall or dex. If anxiety is a problem I'd highly recommend it. Xanax is the only other benzo I have tried and it made me sleepy and loopy regardless of my stimulant.

[tambourine-man]

Originally Posted by FocusPocus10

I second Tambourine, klonopin taken daily at a fairly low dose will not clash with adderall or dex. If anxiety is a problem I'd highly recommend it. Xanax is the only other benzo I have tried and it made me sleepy and loopy regardless of my stimulant.

I've found clonazepam (Klonopin) to be the only benzo that maintains a degree of its anxiolytic properties over time (provided you don't overdo it). Infrequent dosing is, of course, ideal, but regular, moderate dosing is possile without completely loss of benefits. I recently picked up the first script for Klonopin I've had in years (90 1mg tablets). I certainly hope I'm not staring into an empty bottle at the end of the month. So far I'm taking less than half the daily prescribed dose.

Any dose of Klonopin WILL reduce the effectiveness of Adderall to some degree, but if size of the dose is appropriately limited the reduction in stimulation will be negligible. Klonopin reduces cognitive functioning. There's no real way of denying it. It has therapeutic benefits specifically because it drepresses the central nervous system. Adderall works by stimulating the CNS. The effect of combining the two isn't some phenomenal pharmaceutical speedball - they just sort of cancel each other out.