Besides Benzos (Klonopin, Xanax, Valium, etc.) What Is Something I Can Take to Calm My Anxiety?

I think I have built up a tolerance for klonopin. It doesn't last long for me now, especially with a new medication I am taking for depression. The medicine works great on depression but not on anxiety. I'm looking for something long term that I won't build up tolerance to. I have actually habituated to tinnitus the past few days (maybe it will bother me later this week) but its only been replaced by other obsessive thoughts about my health which I don't even want to mention so I won't give people more things to worry about. I would prefer it not make me drowsy all the time. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow so if you have something I can suggest, it would be great. The last time I went I got muscle relaxers and whatnot which helped but made me tired and gave me a dry mouth. The doctor meant well and tried her best to calm me down about tinnitus.

 

Kava kava is good. L-theanine may work. Valerian root helps some.

 

Besides above posted, you can also try Lemon Balm, Hops, Passion Flower, Chamomile, Catnips & Lavender etc. Here is a site talking about the natural alternatives for calming and sleeping help.

http://www.christopherhobbs.com/library/articles-on-herbs-and-health/herbs-and-natural-remedies-for-insomnia/

 

You might try Magnesium Citrate ... I'm working to get off Xanax, and when start to feel a little antsy after going to a lower dose, it seems to help:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blo...gnesium-and-the-brain-the-original-chill-pill

 

If you have serious unchecked anxiety, then you need to make serious structural changes to your life to keep it in check. Playing whack-a-mole with drugs is not a successful long term strategy.

What are your diet and exercise habits like? What's your sleep schedule like? If you're doing anything other than sleeping the same 7-9 hours every night, exercising 3-5x a week, and eating a diet based on healthy whole foods with no processed garbage and limited sugar, then you've probably found the cause of some of your anxiety :-P

 

I am in the same place. I have had four separate docs prescribe Klonopin, .5 mg twice a day with no concern at all regarding dependance, tolerance and withdrawal issues. They do work pretty good but I know even after a short course they are tough to get off. I tapered to one for sleep then stopped and never felt more depressed and anxious, so bad that I will no longer use them. I'm interested in trying SAM-e, from what I read it might be a good mood lifter and I asked the last psychiatrist I saw, on Monday, about it and he thought it was worth a try. Since I have been seeing some improvement I am a little reluctant to rock the boat with something new and I am not in that dark hole at the moment but I guarantee the next time depression grabs me I will try a course of SAM-e.

 

It's worth noting that Valerian is essentially a weak herbal benzo, and there are some medical reports about withdrawl effects including actual seizures. I use it and I'm more cavalier than I would be about popping Xanax, but I wouldn't call it entirely benign.

You could try CBD oil, too.