Anxiety and Learning Disabilities

[Charlie2750]

Does anyone use a minor tranquillizer to help with their persons anxiety?

[LDAutie]

ive used one very long term although i dont know if its classed as minor or not.i am prescribed up to 10mg a day of diazepam-every day for severe anxiety that triggers severe challenging behavior.it kicks in in 10 minutes.

ive been prescribed it for many years by the learning disability team pyschiatrists as GPs often dont understand the long term use of valium for learning disability and/or autism,i have a good GP though who gives me more diazepam around periods where there will be lots of fireworks every day.living in a multi ccultural area where theyre set off for the bonfire season,all the different new years, marriiges,eid i think it happens here etc.

all of those valium type drugs are known to be adictive so it may be dificult geting prescibred one of them but its very good for rescuing from very severe anxiety and the behaviors that follow.

doctors are quite often trained in STOMP so may want the person to try many other things first.

there are other things to try first or alongside PRN like mindfulness/breathing exercises, acesible counseling or acesible modifed CBT or DBT (DBT isnt just for borderline PD,it has been adapted for autistic and/or learnign disabled people but CLDTs are only really trained in basic modifed CBT-i will bet almost every where in the UK wont fund it on NHS for us given people with bPD struggle to get it funded and it was invented for them) , sensory equipment and distraction toys (but costs come into this, there are toy libraries for children and adults with aditional needs around the place thaat rent out these toys for around 50p a week,i used to go to one before saving up), RDA riding therapy, music therapy, play therapy etc and i can recomend art therapy-i have this threw my supported art studio.

i hope this helps.

[Charlie2750 Community friend in reply to LDAutie]

Hi LDAutieThank you for your lovely reply. It is late now but I will be back to reply in depth. My son of 33 is /or appears to be stressed through some changes at his day centre. He is repetitive and talkative and comes home with information about how his carers' personal lives are going because he listens in to their conversations' e also misunderstands everything we say and no matter how often we repeat he still brings it back up. This is repeated several times each hour. He cannot concentrate on anything. He takes thyroxine as well but I am speaking with his doctor tomorrow. I will come back.

[HolisticMum in reply to Charlie2750]

I've used a lovely homeopath for years. She has been great and there are some great homeopathic remedies to try that work. There is always Ainsworths the Homeopathic Pharmacy in London. You can ring them and ask what they would advise maybe.

[katkit15]

My daughter (ASD +LD) is prescribed Lorazepam to take when she is very anxious however we haven’t found it that effective in calming her down when she is very bad. It does help her sleep when she is worrying about something but it doesn’t seem to work when she is having a major meltdown.

[redsails]

My son has complex learning and physical disability and autism and been on a mild dose of citalopram for a few years now and it has been excellent for reducing his anxiety levels. His staff team also introduced a wind down hour after his evening shower and supper and once he’s in bed, black out blinds darken his bedroom. He has a variety of colour changing lights which, along with relaxation music really helps to calm him before he goes to sleep.