Alprazolam and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 4)

• mul...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 10, 2022

For Anxiety "Someday someone will figure out why benzos as a whole rewire your brain to the point that you are worse than before you started if you try to quit. I was prescribed this drug by a sleep doctor, and I was told nothing about its effects. I stayed on the low dose for over five years until I started to experience tolerance withdrawal, where I would get anxiety until I would take my sleeping dose. I spoke with my doctor about it and was told to just stop taking it because I was on such a low dose. BIG MISTAKE. I was basically incapacitated for a week while I tried to wait it out. Constant horrific anxiety that left me unable to leave the house, unable to eat, barely able to care for myself. I ended up going back on and working with a doctor to medically withdraw. The process took months, and I still ended up with about 1.5 years of panic attacks, agoraphobia, and extreme general anxiety. I had to go on disability for my work and eventually leave."

• mul...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 10, 2022

For Anxiety "Someday someone will figure out why benzos as a whole rewire your brain to the point that you are worse than before you started if you try to quit. I was prescribed this drug by a sleep doctor, and I was told nothing about its effects. I stayed on the low dose for over five years until I started to experience tolerance withdrawal, where I would get anxiety until I would take my sleeping dose. I spoke with my doctor about it and was told to just stop taking it because I was on such a low dose. BIG MISTAKE. I was basically incapacitated for a week while I tried to wait it out. Constant horrific anxiety that left me unable to leave the house, unable to eat, barely able to care for myself. I ended up going back on and working with a doctor to medically withdraw. The process took months, and I still ended up with about 1.5 years of panic attacks, agoraphobia, and extreme general anxiety. I had to go on disability for my work and eventually leave."

• han...
• June 21, 2016

For Panic Disorder "I have been taking alprazolam for about 10 years. I started with 0.5 mg daily as needed. But my anxiety, panic attacks, and depression got worse. My doctor increased it to 0.5 mg twice a day. It worked for a short period of time. Now I feel so terrible that I take 1 mg 3 times a day, sometimes 4 mg a day. Anxiety is still present with panic attacks. The doctor added Lexapro 10 mg daily; I could divide 5 mg am and 5 mg pm. I have moments of tranquility, but they are short. I tried meditation; soft music makes me more depressed. I have no family members and basically no friends. No energy or desire to do things I used to like. I stay at home most of the time, afraid to drive. I don't have money to see a counselor, only every 3 months to the psychiatrist."

• DPG...
• June 6, 2019

For Anxiety "Great for short-term anxiety and panic attacks. I’ve been on Xanax 2-3 mg 6 days a week for over 10 years now, and it’s helped so much with my anxiety that sometimes I feel fearless. But I’ve realized that I can’t be dependent on a pill for feeling great all the time my whole life, so I’ve been tapering down. It’s worked so well for me that I make sure I take 1 day off a week, make sure I never take more than my recommended dosage. I never drink alcohol on it, and I’ve learned that only I am in control of myself, and what happens to me depends on the actions I take now. Xanax is just a tool to help me relax when I’m feeling overly anxious. The only downside of it is if I go 48 hours without it, I get super anxious. Overall, a good medication for anxiety, but I’m always careful with it."

• Adc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2022

For Anxiety "What a terrible drug. Stay far, far away from it. Took it for 2 weeks only, and when I tried to stop, I got the worst anxiety of my life. Could not sleep for 5 days, went through extreme withdrawal. Have to wean off slowly. Can't imagine how others who have taken this poison for a longer period of time will ever get off it."

• Mtg...
• October 27, 2015

For Anxiety "I have suffered from anxiety for most of my life. Starting as early as 10 years old. As I got older, it only got worse. I'm naturally the quiet type that isn't very sociable, inept. After high school, I started suffering deep depression. Tried self-medicating with weed and other things, only to find it worse. Xanax is the only thing that can help with my anxiety and depression. All I need is 1, and I feel like I am in control. I take trazodone nightly and Xanax as needed, and I can honestly say I love my life."

• Ava...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 8, 2021

For Depression "I took Xanax for about 10 years for severe anxiety. It definitely is a miracle pill, however, I got hooked on it very easily. As my body built up a tolerance, I had to take more. I was physically ill and had horrible rebound anxiety if I didn’t have any pills to take. I’m aware that not everyone gets hooked on it, but just be very careful. Xanax is an easy fix, but there are other avenues to explore before taking this."

• Ali...
• February 11, 2014

For Anxiety "I was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma when I was 36. Kidney cancer. Luckily, it was found by accident and very early. Stage 1. It was the best possible diagnosis you can get when you are told you have cancer. My grandmother (78) died of cancer. My mom (57) died of cancer, my dad (68) had skin cancer which was removed, and now my sister-in-law (47) was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer and has been doing chemo and will have surgery tomorrow (Feb 12, 2014). To say I have anxiety is a huge understatement. I am in remission. It's been 6 years. There isn't a moment that goes by where I don't think about cancer. It came to a point where I couldn't get out of bed. Xanax has changed my life. I can move on and live."

• Ken...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 26, 2019

Alprazolam for Anxiety "So I took Xanax at the hospital for my anxiety. I had it for at least two days before going in, and it didn’t seem to really work. It would make me go to bed for about 5-10 minutes, and if I woke up from anxiety again, I would get no sleep. If I did, I’d wake up with anxiety again, so I don’t know if there’s something wrong with me, but I didn’t feel better at all after I took a Xanax."

• BDC...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 11, 2022

For Anxiety "Since being prescribed Xanax 6 years ago, it has literally turned my life around; in a positive direction! I had to fight to function in social situations, breaking out in sweats, couldn’t breathe, and horrible insomnia. I started on .25 mg 3 times a day, and now take 1 mg 3 times daily. What a difference this medicine has made in my life. The social paranoia is gone, the fits of anger to get people to stay away, the shakes; horrible panic attacks are now gone. I too am now able to be free from sometimes crippling anxiety and live what to me is a normal life. I sleep well every night, I eat regularly, and feel in control. I hear all these terrible things about Xanax but, if I need to be on it the rest of my life, so be it. I'm in better physical and mental condition now, hoping to stay this way. In my younger days, I was on meds for what was always diagnosed as depression and always felt like I was trying to swim through wet cement when taking them. Life is better now!"

• Anonymous
• April 30, 2011

Alprazolam for Anxiety "Xanax is an excellent medicine for myself. It has prevented panic attacks and helped me through times of rough anxiety. Ativan never worked for me, and Klonopin makes me drunk-like and put me in the hospital 3 times. The hospital finally said I have an allergy to Klonopin and could no longer take it. After going on Xanax, I felt so much better and relieved. I try not to take Xanax every day, as it is not meant to be a long-term solution to anxiety and can be very addicting, so be very careful. I am on Paxil CR and Risperdal on top of Xanax for my anxiety, PTSD, panic disorder, and OCD."

• mom...
• April 30, 2009

For Anxiety "This medication works well for my anxiety. I feel very relaxed and calm, but I find it highly addictive. Sometimes I have memory loss, and when I try to wean off of it, my anxiety worsens, and I go through withdrawal similar to a hangover."

• jwo...
• October 20, 2016

For Anxiety "A horrible experience in life a few months ago, and I had a gun in my mouth and had to beg for my life while they beat the crap out of me and kicked and spit on me. Long story short, they robbed everything I had and just left me to die under the hotel room bed. I've always suffered from anxiety, but after that day, I haven't been the same. I have severe PTSD, severe panic disorder. I can't leave the house by myself, or I get scared, and it's hard for me to even stay home without having a panic attack, getting bad anxiety. But I have tried everything: seeing therapists and doctors, and it's just a big waiting game to them. It's all about money. I've been waiting since April to even see a psychiatrist for help, so I've been suffering. Glad you all got help so easily."

• Anonymous
• November 6, 2008

"I have been on Xanax for almost 6 years when I first began experiencing panic attacks. It has been a wonder drug for helping me cope with my panic issues. It has also helped lessen my anxiety in social situations. You can only be prescribed so much of this controlled substance, and you need to take it correctly. Now, if I take one extra a day and run out early, I experience worse anxiety than I did before I even began the medication. It's great for anxiety, but be careful how you use it."

• Ste...
• November 25, 2009

For Anxiety "This is the medication I never knew I've always needed. I've had sleep disorders and mood disorders all my life. I went to my family doctor and asked to try Xanax to help me sleep. I have a huge problem with anxiety when I'm going to sleep. I wasn't aware it was anxiety until I took it. I've had some cases since I've taken it when I was almost having a random panic attack. Whenever I take Alprazolam, almost instantly I feel balanced again and normal. It's amazing."

• alp...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 11, 2025

For Anxiety "Amazing, take 1 mg at night, that's it for 35 years. If I miss, I get very anxious. I am 81 and began at 38. I was in high-pressure real estate development. Need to buy quality online. Helped with everything, advantages outweigh disadvantages."

• Zio...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 29, 2019

Alprazolam for Anxiety "I’d taken Ativan prior to this, and my experience wasn’t that great with Xanax. It made me feel really sedated and gave a drunk feeling and hangover the next day on only .5. Kind of made me paranoid a little bit. I would highly recommend Ativan over Xanax, as Ativan gives you a calm feeling, better for anxiety, at least for me, and not that disgusting drunk feeling."

• mik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 21, 2024

For Anxiety "I've been on this 3 different times, as any doctor or prescriber I have seen over the last 5 years insists that I should be taking up to 3 times a day. I'll agree because I often won't remember what doses I was on and won't recall if there were at least some, if any, efficacy. Fourth time on it now, and yeah... hard to believe that this has the potential for abuse. I'll take more than prescribed just to see if it starts to have an effect. Maybe a yawn after 5mg, but really doesn't do anything for anxiety."

• Reb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 5, 2021

For Depression "Terrible. Didn’t help. Didn’t notice a thing. Took .50, and it didn’t help at all, except with sleeping. The next day, I felt absolutely awful. Depressed, completely foggy and miserable, unable to function. Couldn’t believe I had rebound anxiety from taking this medication once. It doesn’t even make you feel relaxed or anything. Might as well have just had a sugar pill, only worse because somehow it produced a hangover."

• Anonymous
• March 12, 2009

Alprazolam for Anxiety "Great for anxiety. The only problem I've had is after taking it regularly. When I try to reduce the dosage or frequency, my anxiety increases."

• Anonymous
• June 10, 2009

Alprazolam for Anxiety "When I start to pace around the room, swimming in my non-stop traffic of thoughts, I know I need to take my Xanax, it calms me, and I even stopped smoking out of anxiety."

• Edd...
• December 15, 2016

For Anxiety "Used only to sleep. After effects are nervousness."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 19, 2018

For Panic Disorder "This drug is bad! Needs to be removed, gives you more anxiety, you act numb, nothing is interesting anymore. I will never take it again, the worst."