Adventures with Benzodiazepines and SSRIs

[AmZ]

Concerning Benzodiazepine Withdrawal/usage...

I know the internet again can be a bad place and when you come across these crazy hyped up videos on YouTube and other websites... It's scary.

How much truth is there in Benzodiazepine Withdrawal? Now, obviously, some people are obviously just doing silly things like taking a large dose for years and not steadily coming off of it. But what about the other end of the scale of people who take them in low doses such as just 0.5mg a day? From what a read, Benzodiazepines should be used ideally for short term, like a month... In this case, could someone take 0.5mg a day for a month and then just stop and be fine or they'd still need to go down to 0.25mg a day for the short term?

I've personally started off on 0.25mg a day and even though it's only been 3 days taking it (Alprazolam) and a few days before that (Clonazepam, which was 0.5mg a day) (before they switched it), so 7 in total, so far roughly, the 0.25mg a day is not enough for the whole day. Just don't want to keep raising it though... Hope that the next psychiatrist visit will put me at 0.5mg and stay there. And hope that this will be a short term thing, like 4-5 weeks until I can get a bit more balanced out by my sessions with the psychologist also (even though it's still going to take another week pretty much until I get set up with one which sucks).

 

[David Baxter PhD]

When you get to that point, talk to your doctor or psychiatrist aboutb how s/he wants you to handle discontuing the drug. Risk for major problems are notn high with short term use of a low dose. And as I said before, it is likely that you'll be put on one of the SSRI or SSRI/SNRI medications rather than continuing the benzodiazepines.

 

[AmZ]

Thanks for the advice.

Just feel like the level of follow-up/care that I have so far experienced, was not as I would have expected it to be. I was given enough medication for 2 months and sent on my way with no word as to a follow-up with the psychiatrist, so it's like I'm needing to chase them. On one hand, I don't want to overreact and on the other, like I say, they're perhaps a little too far the other way. Maybe I just don't understand the way things work here/in general with this stuff... But how am I meant to know?

I don't expect to come here and for someone to answer my questions for me 100% and tell me what to do, but on the other hand, I don't know for example when I should go back to the psychiatrist to follow-up if they are not going to be in touch with me.

Concerning the SSRI/SNRIs - Are these used to treat mainly depression or anxiety also as equally as each other? I ask this because the psychiatrist said to me that in my case, the anxiety is the major/majority problem so that Alprazolam is best for me, but back to what I said before, no word of a follow-up, 2 months worth of meds and also no direction given as to where I am going with this. I'd of course prefer to be on a non-Benzo (even if we're talking about switching to a non-Benzo in another 2 weeks time or now, or whatever would be recommended), rather than to just continue with these, when something else could help with the anxiety and maybe wouldn't have the same possible 'disadvantages' or whatnot as what I am taking now (longer term, I know I don't need to worry myself right now so much).

I'm sorry for always asking questions. I just really don't have any knowledge of these medications and feel that I need to clue myself up (even though I'm not my own doctor of course) and that here is a good place to get the knowledge I need.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

SSRI/SNRI medications are designed to treat both anxiety and depression.

One can make an argument that benzodiazepines are best for treating certain types of anxiety. However, most physicians are uncomfortable prescribing benzodiazepines for long term use because of the addiction potential.

 

[AmZ]

In the defense of the psychiatrist, he did say (and I also heard on here I think), that the Benzos work faster to stop the physical problems entailed with a person having anxiety, rather than SSRI/SNRIs do. So, just to clarify, I am of course not saying that this shouldn't have been prescribed in the first place. If anything, I am thankful that it did help with taking away most of the physical feelings of anxiety that I was having, and quickly. But in saying that, if I take the medication at 6am, by the afternoon, I have had a couple of mini-panic attacks start-up that I luckily managed to control so far, so OK.

I of course don't want to tell the psychiatrist what I want to do, as he is the professional, but I am not way going to just continue on with the Alprazolam with the 2 months of medication I have and will go back maybe mid-next week and get the answers I want and need.

Is it maybe something that I can talk to my new psychologist about also/instead? It's still going to probably be only next Wednesday or Thursday I will have a new one to go to, but maybe I should just wait until then and get some advice from him/her. Is this something that would be acceptable and a good idea maybe?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

You should make an appointment to follow up with the psychiatrist. Psychologists (at least most psychologists) cannot prescribe medications.

 

[AmZ]

Yes, I am aware that they can't prescribe medications, but thought that maybe I could at least get some more advice about it from someone that will understand more what is going on with me and if they are trained and knowledgeable of the different medications also, could possibly be another point of professional advice rather than relying on my own opinions about the situation.

Like I say, I don't just want to go running back to the psychiatrist saying how I read this and that on the internet and want to move to a non-Benzo - Even though, that's how I am feeling. Haha... Ah, life.. What can I say...?! Just don't particularly want to jump from medication to medication. In an ideal world, I'll just wake up tomorrow and not take anything, but I guess that's not a possibility, so on we go...

I think I'm just not seeing any progress forward as of yet, as I haven't seen a psychologist for over a week and a half now and since then, have just been given these meds which have helped, but that I don't want to take long term and no other follow-up or check has been provided, neither have I really been directed to one place in my city that can help me out with all of this and/or a place which can even help me with a psychologist there and a psychiatrist there permanently... My health care directed me to the psychiatrist who said that their clinic is only for emergency patients, but in the meantime, here is two months of medication lol.

All of my ramblings seem like, I don't know, I'm either totally crazy and/or have no faith in ANYONE! I'm really not either of these things - This is just all confusing and I'd like for the process to be a little easier and clearer, at least so I know the plan here...

---------- Post added at 03:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:36 AM ----------

Enough from me I guess...

This is just all very frustrating.

It's 3.30am and I can't sleep so have taken my morning medication 'early' in the hopes that it will help me sleep... Even if I just tell myself that and it works, that's good enough for me.

4 and a half hours until I need to get up and start another day of this rubbish.

Negative people are seriously annoying. Including myself, I know.

---------- Post added at 10:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:28 AM ----------

I am just an absolute mess now... I managed to sleep for 3 hours, woke up with a bad stomach. Called my health care to arrange a psychologist and had another set back with that... now just sitting uncontrollably crying and can't stop... I can't seem to help myself and nobody can seem to help me either.

I've just really had enough already.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Part of the problem is that most of uis have no idea about the health care system in Israel.

Do you have a family doctor? You talk about "calling your health care" but I don't know what that means. If you don't have easy access to a psychiatrist, most family physicians are comfortable prescribing medications for anxiety and depression and it really sounds to me like you need treatment for both. You could also get advice on what doses of the current medication are safe for you while you get started on a more long-term solution.

Once you have that taken care of, get in to see your psychologist and start working on some self-management skills for coping with mood and anxiety spikes.

 

[AmZ]

Thanks for the advice.

I know, this is part of my problem also, I've been here for 3 years but have never dealt with anything like this generally in life and/or with the health care here. And not dissing Israel too much, but I am from England originally, and let's just say, that if I was in England right now, I would be set up with everything 100%. Unfortunately, it's not the same here and you get sent here, there and everywhere it seems before anything gets moving in any decent direction.

I have 2 family doctors that I can go to. One is highly unhelpful when I have seen him in the past and the other one I can only get an appointment with in 2 1/2 weeks time because she is the more 'popular' one out of the two (by far it seems). Because of this, I have basically bypassed the route of seeing my family doctor. I ended up calling my health care company directly, and they directed me to a clinic in my city which I can just turn up to without needing to see my family doctor anyway. So that was the psychiatrist I saw who has given me the 0.25mg of Alprazolam.

My Dad and his wife are visiting the country so luckily I sat down with them today and went over what is happening and got advice as to what I need to do.

First port of call is the medication. I know it seems that I have not given it 'enough' time, but the meds I have been given have several problems with them. I called the psychiatrist today and he said that I can go back to him so I am going on Wednesday. I have a list of things which are still big problems with the meds and/or are still needing to be resolved asap. I hope that there is a good solution to this that won't take too much time as I can't go on much longer not eating until 4pm every day in 30 degree heat and sleeping 4-6 hours max a night badly. (Amongst other things).

Once I get the medication solved, I agree, I then need to get to a psychologist and get working on things.

---------- Post added at 09:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:43 PM ----------

Dr Baxter... Would I perhaps be able to raise some of the problems I have been having and to see what your professional opinion is? Of course, I am still going to the psychiatrist on Wednesday regardless and won't take your answer as final etc... Just is interesting for me to see and maybe clue me up a bit more as to the general way symptoms are treated.

Do you accept donations via PayPal!? LOL - I owe you.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Dr Baxter... Would I perhaps be able to raise some of the problems I have been having and to see what your professional opinion is? Of course, I am still going to the psychiatrist on Wednesday regardless and won't take your answer as final etc... Just is interesting for me to see and maybe clue me up a bit more as to the general way symptoms are treated.

I can give it a shot. Bear in mind that I can't offer you a diagnosis or give you medical; advice, though, but I might be able to give you some general advice or make some general comments.

Do you accept donations via PayPal!? LOL - I owe you.

Yes. See the Donate button in the top navigation bar of any forum page.

 

[AmZ]

I can give it a shot. Bear in mind that I can't offer you a diagnosis or give you medical; advice, though, but I might be able to give you some general advice or make some general comments.

Totally agreed.

So, here we go (I have these bullet points to take to the psychiatrist on Wednesday when I see him):

Current medication - Alprazolam - 0.25mg once a day in the morning
- Alprazolam: You know me and my issues with the Benzos?! From what I've read, it's not something I want to be on really. I prefer not to be. I've been given 2 months worth and don't want to be doing that. The original issue really was the anxiety so that's why this was given to me so that it will kick in and work faster than the other medication available. But I think it's bringing me down too much and as an example, I am tired enough, and then this med makes me even more tired, at least for the first hour or two when I take it.
- Dose: Not enough! I was on 0.5mg of Clonazepam before and that was doing me better (even though I was more tired because of it, so that was a con). With the current dose, when I have taken it in the mornings, some times in the afternoon I have started feeling anxiety depending if I have found myself in a situation where it can bring it on. The dose has not been enough to cover me the whole day, even in the morning/lunchtime, I still feel mildly anxious (fluttery feeling of nerves inside etc).
- When to take it: Psychiatrist said to take it in the morning with food. Problem is, I can physically not eat anything until the afternoon. Once I took the medication with just water and I vomited. (Unless that was a coincidence, but I doubt it). I've ended up taking it with chocolate soya milk which is semi-working out but still not the answer.
- Sleeping issues: Fall asleep at 1am most of the time - For a month now since this started I wake up every day without fail between 5-6am. Sometimes going back to sleep, and sometimes not. I take the medication then at 5-6am when I wake up because I feel concerned that I will wake up at 8am (roughly) when my alarm is set and that I will be feeling bad and I want to get up and start my day not sitting here feeling bad waiting to feel better. So not sleeping enough either, I need to be able to sleep through the whole night rather than 4-5 hours and then half of the time go back to bed for another couple of hours. Also, medication makes me more tired (adding on to tiredness I already have in the morning) for the first hour or two of taking it. Hence why I take it at 5-6am when I originally wake up and hope to fall back asleep for an hour or two to sleep through the first couple of hours and get more sleep generally! Don't want to do this though. Want to sleep the whole night and wake up feeling OK also!
- No Appetite: For the last month, I've been living on just liquids from morning until earliest 1pm to 4pm... I physically can't bring myself to eat solid foods before then. Makes me heave. Even in the afternoon when I go to eat, it's not like I have a desire to eat. My stomach just begins to rumble and I eat just to fill my stomach so that I don't pass out at this point. More of a task than something I can try and enjoy a bit at least. Nothing I desire to want to eat which makes it more difficult.
- Bad stomach: Still every day, I am waking up at 5-6am with my stomach going crazy on me. ONLY once I go to the toilet and my stomach is cleared out does the nauseous and gas/wind feelings go, then I feel OK in my stomach after that. I'll give this a bit of time though, as maybe some medication will help with it, not sure. To me, it shows all the signs of being IBS, but I know that it's not really the easiest thing to diagnose, so I hope that, like I say, through taking the correct medication and the visits to the psychologist will maybe make it go off within time. I'll give it a couple of weeks. It's something that isn't so pleasant for the first 30 minutes of the day, so in the grand scheme of things, can be sorted out via my family doctor if it's not sorted out via the medication and psychologist's advice.

I don't expect all of these things to be resolved at once, but as you can see, there are other things that really need to be sorted out such as my lack of appetite and desire to eat and lack of sleep... Maybe there are other meds out there that can help me more with these things that what I am currently on.

Thanks in advance.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Current medication - Alprazolam - 0.25mg once a day in the morning
- Alprazolam: You know me and my issues with the Benzos?! From what I've read, it's not something I want to be on really. I prefer not to be. I've been given 2 months worth and don't want to be doing that. The original issue really was the anxiety so that's why this was given to me so that it will kick in and work faster than the other medication available. But I think it's bringing me down too much and as an example, I am tired enough, and then this med makes me even more tired, at least for the first hour or two when I take it.
- Dose: Not enough! I was on 0.5mg of Clonazepam before and that was doing me better (even though I was more tired because of it, so that was a con). With the current dose, when I have taken it in the mornings, some times in the afternoon I have started feeling anxiety depending if I have found myself in a situation where it can bring it on. The dose has not been enough to cover me the whole day, even in the morning/lunchtime, I still feel mildly anxious (fluttery feeling of nerves inside etc).
- When to take it: Psychiatrist said to take it in the morning with food. Problem is, I can physically not eat anything until the afternoon. Once I took the medication with just water and I vomited. (Unless that was a coincidence, but I doubt it). I've ended up taking it with chocolate soya milk which is semi-working out but still not the answer.

I expect you were told to take it in the morning to calm you so you could eat. However, this sort of medication does make many people feel a little sleepy, especially if you're already sleep deprived as it seems is the case for you.

You might want to try taking it at night. Getting a decent night's sleep alone will probably help many of your symptoms. Then if necessary you could take a second dose or a half dose around midday the following day (assuming your prescription allows for this). In that case, talk to the psychiatrist about switching back to clonazepam because it's a bit longer lasting than the Xanax.

- Sleeping issues: Fall asleep at 1am most of the time - For a month now since this started I wake up every day without fail between 5-6am. Sometimes going back to sleep, and sometimes not. I take the medication then at 5-6am when I wake up because I feel concerned that I will wake up at 8am (roughly) when my alarm is set and that I will be feeling bad and I want to get up and start my day not sitting here feeling bad waiting to feel better. So not sleeping enough either, I need to be able to sleep through the whole night rather than 4-5 hours and then half of the time go back to bed for another couple of hours. Also, medication makes me more tired (adding on to tiredness I already have in the morning) for the first hour or two of taking it. Hence why I take it at 5-6am when I originally wake up and hope to fall back asleep for an hour or two to sleep through the first couple of hours and get more sleep generally! Don't want to do this though. Want to sleep the whole night and wake up feeling OK also!

See above. Changing when you take the tranquilizer may help.

- No Appetite: For the last month, I've been living on just liquids from morning until earliest 1pm to 4pm... I physically can't bring myself to eat solid foods before then. Makes me heave. Even in the afternoon when I go to eat, it's not like I have a desire to eat. My stomach just begins to rumble and I eat just to fill my stomach so that I don't pass out at this point. More of a task than something I can try and enjoy a bit at least. Nothing I desire to want to eat which makes it more difficult.
- Bad stomach: Still every day, I am waking up at 5-6am with my stomach going crazy on me. ONLY once I go to the toilet and my stomach is cleared out does the nauseous and gas/wind feelings go, then I feel OK in my stomach after that. I'll give this a bit of time though, as maybe some medication will help with it, not sure. To me, it shows all the signs of being IBS, but I know that it's not really the easiest thing to diagnose, so I hope that, like I say, through taking the correct medication and the visits to the psychologist will maybe make it go off within time. I'll give it a couple of weeks. It's something that isn't so pleasant for the first 30 minutes of the day, so in the grand scheme of things, can be sorted out via my family doctor if it's not sorted out via the medication and psychologist's advice.

It's hard to say what is causing or contributing to this. It does sound to me like anxiety and perhaps depression are factors (loss of appetite, nausea, etc., are fairly common as symptoms of anxiety or depression) but that doesn't mean there aren't other factors contributing. I think your first step is to try to get on the right dose(s) of the right medication(s) for you. If the symptoms persist (bearing in mind that if you take an SSRI/SNRI it can take up to 4-6 weeks before you notice a significant benefit), it may be something else, for example IBS.

But the general approach is to rule out the simplest explanations first (Occam.s Razor) before going on to explore more complex explanations.

I don't expect all of these things to be resolved at once, but as you can see, there are other things that really need to be sorted out such as my lack of appetite and desire to eat and lack of sleep... Maybe there are other meds out there that can help me more with these things that what I am currently on.

Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]

 

[AmZ]

Thanks for the reply Dr Baxter.

I expect you were told to take it in the morning to calm you so you could eat.

Even once I am feeling calm, I still have no appetite. I haven't seen any correlation with when I get an appetite and when I have taken the medication. Today for example was even worse than yesterday. I drank half a glass of soya milk at 7am with the medication and ate 4 small crackers at 12pm, then ate a small pastry at 7pm. Now 9pm and that's all I've eaten. I feel bad but have no hunger pains and can't even think of eating something. Just no desire to eat anything or even manage to force feed myself.

You might want to try taking it at night. Getting a decent night's sleep alone will probably help many of your symptoms. Then if necessary you could take a second dose or a half dose around midday the following day (assuming your prescription allows for this)

That's precisely what I thought also, but for whatever reason, the psychiatrist was adamant on taking the medication first thing in the morning. Makes more sense to take at night and then at lunchtime the next day. Also, that way, I should be able to eat something with the dose at lunchtime and not have the problems of having it on an empty stomach also. I'd be happy to try the 0.25mg twice a day like this, seeing that just once in the morning isn't enough also and not at the right time of the day to take conveniently.

It's hard to say what is causing or contributing to this. It does sound to me like anxiety and perhaps depression are factors (loss of appetite, nausea, etc., are fairly common as symptoms of anxiety or depression) but that doesn't mean there aren't other factors contributing.

Kinda confused on this one also and it's my own body and mind! Maybe we'll say it's both, definitely fair to say that it's both, whether it's one more than the other. The way I feel though, it feels more like something that would be linked to depression... Maybe I just haven't quite gotten there yet with the way I am feeling to know what the problem is. I generally have no desire for food, like even if someone offered me my favourite food or said to go to my favourite restaurant, I have no desire whatsoever and most of the times in the day, like I said before, it's actually worse than that, it makes me feel bad to think of food. I don't think it's an anxious feeling necessarily, more of something else, whether it be depression or I don't know what else.

I think your first step is to try to get on the right dose(s) of the right medication(s) for you. If the symptoms persist (bearing in mind that if you take an SSRI/SNRI it can take up to 4-6 weeks before you notice a significant benefit), it may be something else, for example IBS.

Yeah, it's a difficult one. Pros and cons to both. If Benzos are more fast-acting then I'd still prefer to stay on this rather than to switch and for the SSRI/SNRIs to take longer and be maybe more long term to take because of this. Of course, on the other, the tiredness is a problem, but maybe that can be solved by taking the Alprazolam before going to bed and sleeping better anyway and the lunchtime dose should be reasonably OK if I am up and about and just feeling a bit sleepy - Not much I can do about it.

I don't think it's a big deal and hope it's OK, but yesterday, I took 0.25mg at 6am and at 7pm... so twice a day, instead of once. I felt better for it to have it at night also and was more relaxed and calm. But was still too early to take it to cover me for the night as I woke up just before 5am again this morning after just 4 hours sleep again. To be honest, I'm going to do it again tonight and take later on, like 11pm before I go to bed and then tomorrow will take later on in the morning/lunchtime. Maybe it's not the best of ideas without consulting with the psychiatrist, but it's still only 0.25mg, right? Not like I'm going off a bit crazy here? I'm going to him anyway on Wednesday and will bring all of the issues up mentioned here and see what he says.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

If Benzos are more fast-acting then I'd still prefer to stay on this rather than to switch and for the SSRI/SNRIs to take longer and be maybe more long term to take because of this.

It's not either-or. You could start taking an SSRI and stay on one of the benzodiazepines while the SSRI "kicks in".

 

[AmZ]

It's not either-or. You could start taking an SSRI and stay on one of the benzodiazepines while the SSRI "kicks in".

Ah, gotcha... I see.

Err, maybe I asked this before, but is there something that can help with me being able to eat!? Benzos are not doing anything so far if they are 'meant to'... At my uneducated guess, the SSRIs are more like 'bring-you-up' medication rather than mine to mellow you and stop the anxiety, so, would they not also help more with gaining an appetite?

It's taking time for all of these things to unfold and see how I am feeling at different times - For example, today, after just 4 hours of taking the medication, I went to a lesson in a room with about 15 people, everyone sitting around one table, and low and behold, I started to feel anxious and I really had to work on breathing properly and controlling myself as I could feel it was becoming a mini-panic attack (heart beating fast and feeling faint again). Luckily it only lasted maybe 3 minutes, but just don't know where it comes from - Never had this before when I've been in a room of people like this. It's like what happened in the past with me having visions in my mind of something bad happening, in this case, passing out in front of everyone. I switch in my mind and have this thought and picture in my mind playing it out, then have an urge to quickly get up and go out of the room, then switch back to controlling it and then it goes after a minute. Weird.

Medication #1 importance, psychologist #2 importance, but both things need to be done asap (!)... That's all I know.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

is there something that can help with me being able to eat!?

Have you tried Gravol or a similar anti-nausea medication?

Benzos are not doing anything so far if they are 'meant to'... At my uneducated guess, the SSRIs are more like 'bring-you-up' medication rather than mine to mellow you and stop the anxiety, so, would they not also help more with gaining an appetite?

No, SSRIs will help to decrease both anxiety and depression symptoms (little known fact: they were actually originally developed for anxiety, despite the popular designantion "antidepressant").. More effective medications for both anxiety and depression may help with your appetite IF the source of the lack of appetite is anxiety or depression (which is very possible).

Medication #1 importance, psychologist #2 importance, but both things need to be done asap

Exactly.

 

[AmZ]

Have you tried Gravol or a similar anti-nausea medication?

Sorry, I know it's all a bit complicated to understand what is going on with me when. The nauseous feeling is only when I wake up in the morning with the stomach issues. Then within 30 minutes, after the bathroom has been visited, does the nauseous and other stomach problems cease. For the rest of the day, I don't feel nauseous, just no appetite and/or no desire to eat.\

No, SSRIs will help to decrease both anxiety and depression symptoms (little known fact: they were actually originally developed for anxiety, despite the popular designantion "antidepressant").. More effective medications for both anxiety and depression may help with your appetite IF the source of the lack of appetite is anxiety or depression (which is very possible).

Gotcha... Well, I won't get too stuck on the idea of the SSRIs as the psychiatrist will probably just say to increase the Alprazolam. That's my guess. But maybe not. We'll see. To be honest, the feeling of depression I don't think were really so much there in the first place and is was 95% anxiety, 5% depression lets say... The more this has gone on, it feels like the 'depression' has gotten worse, but not because of my previous problems or life problems... But just because of the anxiety and the frustration I have had and trying to control and get help with that, adding the difficulties I've had in trying to do so. Fine, yesterday I had a serious breakdown crying, but at least for the reasons I understood or felt this happened was due to frustration more than anything. Can't say that it's been a pleasant 5 weeks to be honest! I can see that the more this has gone on, the more my appetite has gone and going going going even more!

 

[David Baxter PhD]

1. I wonder if you're not stuck in a vicious cycle of anxiety -> IBS symptoms -> inhibited appetite as a result of both.

2. Again, the SSRI would not be just to treat depression. Indeed, many people who are not depressed at all and suffer only from an anxiety disorder find SSRIs or SSRI/SNRI drugs benificial.

 

[AmZ]

1. I wonder if you're not stuck in a vicious cycle of anxiety -> IBS symptoms -> inhibited appetite as a result of both.

If it's possible that the IBS can affect someone the whole day physically and not just in the morning and/or yes, you could be right, maybe it's both with the anxiety also. It's difficult to say. I think there are 2 possibilities:

1. It's all anxiety and I could end up just sticking with the current medication at a higher dosage which will decrease my anxiety and then help with my appetite also. A sign of this maybe being true is me having the mini-episode today after taking the medication and still feeling anxious in the situation I was in. Maybe just the dose isn't enough.

2. It's a mixture of anxiety and depression and therefore, like you say, I could stay on the Benzo and add an SSRI, which would maybe solve everything after adding the SSRI and in giving it more time also.

2. Again, the SSRI would not be just to treat depression. Indeed, many people who are not depressed at all and suffer only from an anxiety disorder find SSRIs or SSRI/SNRI drugs benificial.

Sorry, I didn't mean to word it like that in my previous post. I did understand what you were saying that the SSRI treats both depression and anxiety. I was just coming from the perspective of the psychiatrist, who has gone on more to fix the problem of anxiety over the 'probable, but mild-depression' which I can sort out with the psychologist and solve by changing some things in my life. At least, that's how he saw it. And I agree, that it's true. BUT, with the lack of desire to eat, WHATEVER it is from, it only seems to have gotten worse, so I need to make sure to put that across to him and see about what he can add and/or change to my medication to solve this. Whether it means by adding an SSRI, fine, just something.

I hope that in taking a literal list to the psychiatrist on Wednesday will help... When I met with him before, not only did I probably not express enough the problems and what has gone/is going on but also my lack of appetite is worse since then also. I thought that the medication would help me to sleep better also, but obviously, that hasn't been the case either because of various possible factors such as the dose and/or the time of day I've been taking it.

Right... I think this is going in a better direction now... It's good to process all of this.

 

[Daniel E.]

But just because of the anxiety and the frustration I have had and trying to control and get help with that, adding the difficulties I've had in trying to do so.

BTW, while it's only a good thing you are trying to get professional help, trying to control anxiety and related symptoms can be a paradox, as mentioned before and mentioned here:

Cognitive-behavioral treatment of ... - Google Books

As mentioned in that book, part of CBT may include normalizing your symptoms rather than seeing them as something abnormal -- even if your symptoms are uncommon in most people most of the time. For example, everyone has a gastrocolic reflex. There's just a greater degree of it when experiencing some IBS-like symptoms.