Advice

I have anxiety and depression and I'm scared of the anxiety and depression. I have been on klonopin 3m a day for four years. It's not working anymore I've been on lexapro for a week. Went to psychiatrist and he wants to put me on buspar and then start taking me off klonopin. But I'm scared the buspar won't take care of the anxiety because it's not like klonopin and my anxiety is bad. Any suggestions?

[AlexSZfutureRN]

Hey there! I haven't personally taken either drug, but I'm a nursing student and I'm very familiar with both. BuSpar is a very safe drug, so much so that it's replaced other drugs of its kind due to a much better side effect profile. Klonopin is in the same family of drugs; it's an older drug, so it tends to have more side effects, like daytime sleepiness. How you react to the drug personally is unknown, of course, but I can tell you that BuSpar is typically a drug that you don't have to worry about

It's normal to feel some hesitation about change, and I would be the exact same way. Have you talked to your psychiatrist about these fears?

[Hidden in reply to AlexSZfutureRN]

Yes but he's not sure how to get me off klonopin because I'm scared of the anxiety. So he's trying buspar but when he starts taking me off klonopin my anxiety will be worse. I'm scared. I'm also taking lexapro. I can't calm down.

[AlexSZfutureRN in reply to Hidden]

It sounds like a good time to call an anxiety hotline. I did a google search just now to look for some examples, and since I haven't checked your bio, I've found a nice list that covers several different countries.

reddit.com/r/Anxiety/commen...

If your psychiatrist is unsure how to proceed, I can't claim to know more than them. Some of the examples listed above include webchat if you'd rather not speak on the phone.

[Hidden in reply to AlexSZfutureRN]

What anxiety hotline

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I got it. Thanks

[gogogirl]

Looking back I probably have had some type of anxiety and depression for years, but it got worse with some events from about a decade and a half ago. I am not on meds but do some herbal ( 5 STP). At any rate, have you targeted the source for this feeling?

[gogogirl in reply to gogogirl]

I think the hotline is a great idea. If you are in the US I also understand that NAMI can help as well. Does your psych just administer medicine or does he/she spend time talking to you as well?

[TP33172 in reply to gogogirl]

Psychiatrists don't provide psychotherapy, only a license mental health counselor provides it. Psychiatrist only prescribe psychotropic or medications to treat mental health diseases.

[gogogirl]

Thank you for sharing.