What works for people who have high anxiety along w/ sz? Why can't they just take something like xan

Last year (September) my anxiety became a huge a problem. I started having severe high anxiety. My pdoc had me take Buspar. It helped some. In December I told my pdoc that I was still having high anxiety. He suggested I see my medical physcian for a physical. I did. Nothing wrong physically. My MD told me the best way to control my anxiety was physical excerise. Neither one of the two docs wanted to put me on Xanax. That med is very addictive. In fact when my pdoc wanted to put me on an anti-anxiety he did not want me to take anything addictive. My MD also said that.

So I took my MD's advice. I started to do more work around the house. Alot more. At first the anxiety crept in a few times. I kept working. Now I hardly ever get high anxiety. My MD was right. My pdoc gave the med, but my MD gave the coping skill.

Staying busy I don't have time to let anxiety creep in. It also helps with depression and voices.

I hope that helps.

Dave

I suffered a lot of anxiety the first few years after I was diagnosed.  I don't know how much was from sz or whether it was due to an abusive marriage, divorce, losing my house and job, having to move in with my parents, etc.  I don't know what is going on in the life of the person you are talking about - maybe there are stresses that could be lessened or avoided.  My doctor did prescribe Xanax for me for a few months, then he cut it off and said, "No more.  It is too addictive."  Now I know there are non-addictive anti-anxiety meds, but he won't prescribe those either.  I don't know why.  But over the last few years, I have learned the things that set off my anxiety and I have avoided them.  The anxiety level dropped considerably and gave me a better opportunity for recovery.

Carolyn

Hello Adam's mom,

I know what works for me and some other people is keeping a journal to record our feelings and moods as well as the events of our life.  The Connection has a Health Central sister site, AnxietyConnection, that I found helpful in piecing together what happens and how to control it.  Anxiety is often an automatic response.  Sometimes I worry what will happen if I'm in a certain situation, and I automatically go on alert that it could happen again.

I don't recommend taking Xanax or Ativan or any of the other addictive drugs to control anxiety and only in the case of extreme panic attacks they might be warranted.

At this point, I'm going to recommend cognitive therapy specific for people with SZ who have troublesome thoughts or automatic thoughts or responses.  I'm considering a round of CT sessions in July and will talk to my psychiatrist on Friday to see his opinion of this option.  I will call the director of the private practice to schedule an intake in two weeks and will be writing about this kind of therapy in a SharePost or two come August.

Because I find what works the best for me is creating a "thought blockage" as soon as the paranoia comes on, and because that sometimes doesn't work, I will pursue cognitive therapy if I'm able.  With a thought blockage, you shift your thought from one thing to another.  It can be as simple as telling yourself "Stop!"  Although what works best for me is to reality test and keep reminding myself that what I think is happening really isn't happening and that I can choose to have another perception of what's going on.

My trouble comes on mostly in restaurants and on the subway, and is on and off and hasn't happened in two weeks or so, so I've been free of it for now though I know it will return, as it always does.  So the CT is an option I'm considering.

Regards,

Christina