I notice that I have insomnia which is something that I have never dealt with before and it is making it hard for me to go to sleep. I have heard that Sleeping pills are bad because they make the body dependent on them later on but I feel like I have a hard time going to sleep.
Chosen Answer:
benadryl (diphenhydramine) is a great drug to help you sleep. It is sold over the counter (OTC) in most pharmacies. The best part is that it is non-habit forming, so your body will not get dependent on it.
Another drug to try is melatonin. Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the body. Taking it medicinally can help with insomnia. Do not take melatonin if you have high blood pressure (can raise BP), diabetes (can raise blood sugar), depression (can make symptoms worse), or a seizure disorder (can potentiate seizures)
One more option could be Valerian root extract. This has been shown to help treat insomnia. Do not drink alcohol with this drug, or other CNS depressants because they could increase each others effect in the body
by:
on: 24th October 11
I am a 17 year old female who has been dealing with some anxiety issues for the past few years. I am going to my doctor’s next week for an analysis. Lately, my anxiety has really been affecting my self-esteem and frankly, I want to do something about it!
I am open to options about some mild medications which I won’t become dependant on. Are there any suggestions I should ask my doctor about?
Chosen Answer:
Your doctor will likely discuss all your options with you in detail. If you need medication, he/she will prescribe it for you, after talking to you about the various pros and cons associated with it. Make sure you ask plenty of questions if you’re not certain about something. Your doctor knows your situation and will help you make an informed decision. Until then, try not to jump the gun, and good luck.
by: Nox
on: 5th June 10
I have anxiety and i finally told my parents about it, and im going to go see a doctor about it. But i was wondering, how long (generally) does it take to cure anxiety while seeing a specialist?
I have anxiety about getting a job. I cant apply for a job, go to an interview or even start a job without having panic attacks. If i know i have an interview coming up, from the day of the call till the day of the interview i will cry and have panic attacks everyday worrying about it. It has developed mostly in the past year or so.
Chosen Answer:
Nobody here can give you an answer. There are too many variables starting with the cause of your anxiety. Are you anxious because you know next year you have to go away to college and you fear the change? Or are you anxious because you were sexually abused when you were 6 and don’t feel safe in your surroundings? I have a good friend in her 40s that deals with this and it has improved greatly after 10+ years of therapy, but she still needs anti anxiety meds to get her through the day.
by:
on: 2nd May 11
I have a driving test in 3 weeks time, the only problem is I am suffering bad anxiety at the moment, do you think I would be better putting my test of until i get help for my anxiety or is there a way i can manage my anxiety on the test day so that i don’t get too nervous, is there any techniques i could use to reduce the anxiety on test day?
Chosen Answer:
I had the same thing when I went for my test on the 7th.
I went the first time on March 26th, I was a little nervous, went through the test fine until I failed because some moron didn’t give me the right of way. On April 7th I went again and I was SOO nervous. I bawled my eyes out an hour before, it was raining, there was an accident at one end of the town and road construction on the other. But I did just fine and I passed. The instructors KNOW your nervous.
When I was in the car with the instructor I kept telling myself that he was just some guy who was giving directions to his house and I had to drop him off. When that didnt work I told myself, Hey no one knows me in this place anyway so whatever.
Back to your question.
Deep Breathing, and just put your mind somewhere else. The more you think about it the more nervous you will get. And I don’t recommend putting it off, you’ll always be nervous about it and you’ll never be ready for it until test day.
Just think, years from now, you’ll be telling your kids how you did on the test.
=)
by: Kate
on: 24th August 10
I think I might have insomnia. I’m a 14 year old girl. I’m afraid to tell my mom about it because she already thinks I’m doctor crazy. I just finished therapy a few months ago and I don’t want to go back. What should I do?
Chosen Answer:
If you text and browse the internet before going to sleep that might be your problem, a study recently showed that those activities may cause insomnia in kids and teens. Check it out!
http://healthmad.com/conditions-and-diseases/did-you-know-that-texting-or-surfing-the-internet-at-night-generates-insomnia/
by: Brenda Jennings
on: 20th January 11
I have been having really bad anxiety. I get it out of no where and I don’t know how to get rid of it. I don’t want to take medicine, is there any way to get rid of it naturally? I am going on a plane on Thursday and I have never had anxiety on a plane. I am afraid I will because of what has been occurring recently. Please help? Thank you.
Chosen Answer:
Therapy helped me, but honestly medication is so much more effective. I didn’t want to take it either. Then I went to saying I’d only take it temporarily, I’d only take one, etc. Now I have found a good mixture that helps me and I wish I would have just accepted the fact that I needed it a few years ago and saved myself all that misery. Clonazepam might work great for you! I take 0.5 mg’s and it causes no side effects since the dose it low. It is used as-needed, not every day, and would work great for your social/plane anxiety. You take one pill, most likely 0.5-1 mg about two hours before you will need it. You will most likely sleep through that plane trip because it makes you really drowsy. For sleep I take it a few hours before, and for situational anxiety I take it the night before because the half-life is 50+ hours. Trying it out won’t hurt you. Therapy is also a good idea. Good luck!
by: Amber
on: 29th June 11
What kind of anxiety medicine works for anxiety? I was diagnost with anxiety and tomorrow i go to my doctor to get medicine for it. I always have racing thoughts, I always worry, I am very irretable and I stay tired all of the time.
Chosen Answer:
That’s the worst s h i t you can ever take. Anxiety is normal, everyone has it. It’s how you deal with it that matters. No medication is going to teach you how to deal with life, overcome fears, deal with worries, stress, etc. Even depression can be a factor with anxiety, and often it’s because of the way we think that ends up in a cycle of depression. How we think ends up in how we feel. It’s the habit of thought process that ends up in the negative emotions. How you learn to deal with your thinking, your outlook, your attitude (positive or negative), your level of faith, confidence, etc. I would far more recommend counseling than medication (even group therapy). Also, relaxation exercises, physical exercise, yoga, spirituality, relaxing music, taking time out, play time, etc. Anxiety medications especially the ones in the family of valium, Xanax, Librium, Attivan, etc are all from the same chemical structure. Once you get it on them, they actually cause a syndrome of anxiety that can increase 10 fold. You’ve heard of housewives that become addicted and end up having psychotic or mental breakdowns. It’s a nasty rebound affect, the medication that was suppose to help in the end is the disease. That kind of stuff is only good for VERY short term. Never stay on it for long term, look for other answers I’m not a big believer in alcohol. But honestly, you would be BETTER off taking a glass of wine 2-3 times a day than taking a valium 2-3 times a day to relax a little. I wouldn’t recommend the wine necessarily either, but it’s a better option than anxiety medication. By the way I was on it from age 16-21 and I ended up with an anxiety disorder and ended up spending 21 days in the hospital to get off the stuff and get my mind back. It took a long time before I ever felt normal again. My boss’s son is in his 30′s and he’s a MESS from Xanax, so is his wife. They wonder why they can’t overcome their anxiety disorder. The mother started it because of travel anxiety. She recommended her son for mild anxiety attacks he would have. Now their both 10 times worse off being on that crap. They don’t realize the medication is what’s crippling them. Millions are going through the same thing right now on the same stuff!
by: Pauly
on: 4th August 08
I have servere depression (I believe it’s called clinical depression). I am completely fed up with feeling this way, and have been this way for the last 6 years. I kept thinking that it would get better, but it’s obviouse that it’s not.
I’m going to be 25 yrs old in November and I realize that there are so many things that I would have wanted to accomplish by now, but my depression has prevented this.
I keep reading about how depression is caused by ‘chemical imbalances’ in the brain, and it feels like I don’t stand a chance at beating it without going on Anti-depressants, but I don’t want to go down this route cause I’m worried about the side-effects.
Can anyone suggest natural ways to beat depression that don’t involve medication?
Chosen Answer:
Exercise, St. John’s Wort, positive mental feedback (tell yourself good things, not bad), good ole night’s sleep – amazing what sleep will do for you. Try melatonin and/or valerian root if you have trouble sleeping. Hugs – it sounds silly, but really, hugs.
It is often imperative to also get some therapy along with medication, if only to change the negative thought patterns you have developed while depressed.
by: Phoenix, Wise Guru
on: 28th July 06
I have to find a doctor that accepts my insurance (Humana HMO) and will help me with my anxiety and insomnia. I tried going to the website and picking a doctor at random, and he was horrible, he didn’t help at all. I don’t have time to go doctor shopping, but my symptoms are getting out of control.
Chosen Answer:
Take a vacation , go to the beach , take a mental day off , meditate , get delta wave cds for relaxation , practice breathing techniqes …before bed
by: SID~U.S.M.C.
on: 10th February 08
I have bad insomnia that affects my day to day life and also heart murmur type problemos, I’ve been worried lately I’m going to just drop dead from exhaustion or something is it possible?
Chosen Answer:
Estimates indicate that humans may be able to survive 2 to 10 years of total sleep deprivation before dying
You should be ok I think. See a Doctor to get help though.
by: J Pett
on: 4th December 10