Posted by pablo1 on July 14, 2004, at 15:12:38
Can anyone recommend a mild SSRI for anxiety?
I've never been suicidal but have always had a low grade depression and repressed anxiety. Quite possibly I have a permanent chemical imbalance after 40 years of this. I've always self medicated with weed & alcohol. So about 6 months ago my career ground to a complete halt causing a divorce, visiting a psychiatrist for depression (years of talk therapy didn't do much).
Wellbutrin -felt icky, couldn't sleep, energetic so not really depressed but...
Then I learned inattentive type ADD may be part of my scenario...
Ritalin, Adderall -just made me more hyperfocussed & obsessive and still avoiding things
then I learned anxiety may be my main problem making me stubborn, uptight and worried therefore avoiding things...
Effexor -immediately sedated any worries I had but still avoiding things & concerned that's such a powerful drug... quitting now and happy to have my emotions back...
Now, my thought is the seratonin thing seems helpful but effexor is such a wicked brew & maybe too much for my needs. I didn't like the noradrenalin effect of wellbutrin & effexor has that too, interfering with my sleep.
I'm thinking an SSRI plus a stimulant for dopamine minus the noradrenaline and trying to mix up a combo that works for me. Lexapro seems a popular SSRI but also sounds wicked in terms of withdrawl & side effects. Prozac? Any other ideas?
Somehow I'm not interested in the whole sleeping pill thing and the SSRI is probably good for me maybe in smaller doses to balance out my brain chemistry a bit without transforming me drastically since I'm not in that bad shape.
poster:pablo1
thread:366145
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040714/msgs/366145.html