Jenn,
I've taken Xanax for 15 years (suffered terribly from panic disorder with mild agoraphobia). I don't take it daily, only when I need it. I take a very low dose (usually less than 2mg a day when I need it, most of the time only about .75mg). Besides the anxiety, it helps with tinnitus (ringing in the ears) which is part of my Meniere's disease (a hearing and balance disorder). My counselor several years ago taught me about deep breathing and "facing the fearful thought" - it has helped tremendously. The idea behind facing the thought is to actually allow some of the anxiety to "happen" and then do the breathing to calm the physiological symptoms - racing heart, sweaty palms, etc. If we constantly avoid the thoughts / situations, we actually give more "power" to the anxiety-producing triggers. Does that make sense? For me, personally, I also went through my Bible and found comforting Scriptures about God's presence in times of trouble, His power to save, etc., and I wrote them out on paper and take them with me when I have to "face" something. After using these strategies, I really surprised my dentist! He couldn't believe I was the same patient! I ask his assistant to "remind" me to breathe deeply while I'm in the chair - if my chest is moving but my tummy isn't, she knows I'm breathing too shallowly. Back to the Xanax, it can be highly addictive for some people, but my dosage has never really changed in the 15 years. Hope this is helpful.
Blessings,
Kaybee C
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Re: Anyone take xanax?
