Alternatives To Xanax

[cathyy]

thanks for the replies... as for pot smoking, i don't believe that smoking pot in the past causes my problems now. in fact my problems are due to a brain chemistry imbalance.

Girlx, I feel for you. My husband also has a brain chemistry problem causing an anxiety disorder. He takes the locally made version of Xanax, which is named Zolam and works like the expensive US version. His prescription is for 3 tablets a day, but he very rarely takes that many. That's just how much he needs when he has a flare-up. He's been on it for well over 2 years now with no sign of addiction. He's developing no tolerance, nor is it losing effectiveness. He will go several days without it if his anxiety doesn't flare up.

All he did to get it was walk into the hospital with his US prescription bottle showing the prescription and dosage. He saw a doc, a shrink most likely, described his symptoms, and walked out with a prescription. He's had no trouble getting more when he needs it for almost a year now here in Thailand.

He avoided Xanax for years because it is so addictive. Finally his Doc told him he could be miserable the rest of his life or addicted to Xanax. Odd that addiction hasn't happened.

Something non-drug that really helps his anxiety is an aromatherapy oil massage.

[Old Man River]

Xanax is easy to find around BKK, Panax is the generic version also easy to find.

While I have no doubt that Xanax (or any drug) can be found in Bangkok if one looks hard enough, it is no longer easy to find unless you get it from a doctor in a hospital or clinic. A few years ago the Thai government declared it illegal for pharmacies to sell it over the counter.

[Sheryl]

Sheryl, thanks for your advise, it's much appreciated! In the same context, what do you think about Desirel (Trazodone)? I understand that is a similarly nonaddictive alternative available OTC in Thailand.

Trazodone is an anti-depressent, totally different from sedatives. Will not relieve anxiety and may make it much worse. Also will not usually induce sleep.

Among the minor tranquilizers, the only non-addictive one I know of offhand is Atarax/hydroxyzine.

[naklang]

I was skeptical, but it works. http://www.moodcure.com/false.html I bought the book and it made perfect sense why mental health is in a freefall despite a supposed increase in living standard. Some of the claims seem to be a bit exaggerated, but if anything, the book is a scathing indictment of the food industry and our goverments. The allowance of engineered toxic fats to seep into virtually every food type and the stripping of essential nutrients from the diet is a nutritional tsunami. Introducing compounds that inflame and reducing the compounds intended to fight it are the cause of most afflictions including cancer. Millions of years of evolution insure the body can protect and heal itself if given the essential tools to do so.

To fight anxiety and re-balance your brain chemisty, you should try some GABA amino supplements. GNC has it and other sources a sure to as well. Good luck.

[sleepyjohn]

The human organism, body and mind, will tend to get better given supportive conditions. Therefore I suggest you put these conditions in place and give it patience.

Exercise and physical work.

Ethical correctness.

Meditation or some calm alternative.

Friends.

Try to replace wrong thinking, the root of our problems, with right thinking. The Buddhist method is available and a pretty good one to help there. There are others.

Good luck

girlx I am still seeing a lot of emphasis on chemical solutions and "brain chemistry being out of balance".

I mentioned wrong thinking and the Buddhist method. I am going to add somthing else very directly to the point.

Although brain chemistry may possibly get involved in moderate negative mental situations, my experience (I have a history of agoraphobia and panic attacks after a major shock) is that when I make a "breakthrough", such as managing to do something I've previously been afraid, no petrified, to do, the "brain chemistry" is magically much improved in a trice. This suggests it is not the chemistry at all but mental habit patterns, which we probably aren't even aware of. Such as looking for "danger" in situations that would normally be normal, or depressive types of "thinking negative".

This it turns out forms the basis of cognitive therapy which will work with depression and anxiety. THe basis is that it's not "how you are" or "how you feel" that makes you think negative, it's the other way round. The thinking, or wrong thinking, leads the feeling. If you can examine your thinking, using sets of questions and answers and like discipline, then adjusting it with more reasonable mental statements you will change the way you feel. Burns, in "Feeling Good" presents a ton of good evidence that changing thought patterns is more efficacious than drugs and without the downsides. Do not be put off by the simplicity of the title. What's more it can work fast.

What's amazing is that studies were made by other respected institutions of improvement rates after simply reading the book (bibliotherapy). They were stunning and actually much better than face to face psychiatric sessions. Even more amazing was that just reading the first small part of the book which contained the core of the method and associated evidence had a major effect.

ps: If you have a typical pattern of negative thinking, you will be saying to yourself "It'll never work for me". Have you? Why? QED!

If you are in CM you might be able to borrow my copy.

<About the Author

David D. Burns, M.D. is an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine and has served as Visiting Scholar at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Burns has been a pioneer in the development of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a drug-free treatment for depression and anxiety which has become the most widely used and extensively researched form of psychotherapy in history.

Dr. Burns has won numerous research, teaching and media awards, but is best known for his phenomenally successful self-help books, such as Feeling Good and the Feeling Good Handbook, which have sold more than 5 million copies in the United States alone. In a national survey of American mental health professionals Dr. Burns' Feeling Good was the top-rated book, from a list of 1,000 self-help books, for patients suffering from depression. In addition, American and Canadian mental health professionals "prescribe" Feeling Good for their patients more often than any other self-help book.>

Edited June 30, 2007 by sleepyjohn

[girlx]

The thinking, or wrong thinking, leads the feeling. If you can examine your thinking, using sets of questions and answers and like discipline, then adjusting it with more reasonable mental statements you will change the way you feel.

yoga/meditation addresses this in the same way, and i agree it works to an extent. however a brain chemistry imbalance is still a brain chemistry imbalance and if there exists something to balance it then i am all for taking it in emergency situations.

by the way i should mention that i did try atarax and didn't notice it helped much. passion flower is it for me.

Edited July 4, 2007 by girlx

[solo siam]

Xanax is easy to find around BKK, Panax is the generic version also easy to find.

While I have no doubt that Xanax (or any drug) can be found in Bangkok if one looks hard enough, it is no longer easy to find unless you get it from a doctor in a hospital or clinic. A few years ago the Thai government declared it illegal for pharmacies to sell it over the counter.

Thats strange because the 3 or 4 pharmacies I have been to to enquire about something to help me sleep have all offered me Xanax immediately, they have huge tubs of them. Same goes for diazepam, neither of which actually help me sleep that much.

[Neeranam]

Xanax is easy to find around BKK, Panax is the generic version also easy to find.

While I have no doubt that Xanax (or any drug) can be found in Bangkok if one looks hard enough, it is no longer easy to find unless you get it from a doctor in a hospital or clinic. A few years ago the Thai government declared it illegal for pharmacies to sell it over the counter.

Thats strange because the 3 or 4 pharmacies I have been to to enquire about something to help me sleep have all offered me Xanax immediately, they have huge tubs of them. Same goes for diazepam, neither of which actually help me sleep that much.

I feel I have to tell my story here as a warning to others about the dangers of benzodiazepines.

I started taking them every now and again when I was about 20 years old for alcohol and other drug withdrawal, especialy 'speed'.

When I came to Thailand in 1993, I started taking a lot and soon became dependant on them. I took on average 50-100mg of Diazepam daily on top of alcohol for about 5 years. At the end, I was taking 200mg a day. Believe me when I say that coming of ANY drug is a walk in the park compared to benzos. maybe methadone is an exception. Coming off benzos is a long long painful process -beware, it's easy to get dependant and then tolerant.

There probably are no Oasis fans reading this - but Noel Gallagher had exactly the same problems. He took drugs for a little while, then started having panic attacks and getting paranoid - it just came out of the blue. He wrote the song 'Gas Panic' about it.

The same happened to me - strange.

I don't take any drugs now and sleep comes easily.

[Neeranam]

Xanax is easy to find around BKK, Panax is the generic version also easy to find.

While I have no doubt that Xanax (or any drug) can be found in Bangkok if one looks hard enough, it is no longer easy to find unless you get it from a doctor in a hospital or clinic. A few years ago the Thai government declared it illegal for pharmacies to sell it over the counter.

Thats strange because the 3 or 4 pharmacies I have been to to enquire about something to help me sleep have all offered me Xanax immediately, they have huge tubs of them. Same goes for diazepam, neither of which actually help me sleep that much.

I bet they charge a fortune for them.

They should be arrested - xanax is worse than heroin.

[girlx]

xanax is worse than heroin

eh? how so? i have known people addicted to them but they were nowhere near as bad as heroin addicts!

[Phil Conners]

I started taking them every now and again when I was about 20 years old for alcohol and other drug withdrawal, especialy 'speed'... I took on average 50-100mg of Diazepam daily on top of alcohol for about 5 years... At the end, I was taking 200mg a day. ... it's easy to get dependant and then tolerant.

Easy? I don't think taking 50-200mg every day on top of alcohol for 5 years is easy. We're talking "normal" usage of it, perhaps .5 mg (Xanax, I think that is about the equivalent of 2 mg Diazepam) once or twice a week as necessary.

From Wikipedia: Diazepam is a core medicine in the World Health Organization's "Essential Drugs List", which is a list of minimum medical needs for a basic health care system.[4] Diazepam is used to treat a wide range of conditions and has been one of (if not) the most frequently prescribed medications in the world for the past 40 years.

Yes, it's got potential for abuse, but so does so many other things, including alcohol. Let's keep it real, shall we

[Neeranam]

We're talking "normal" usage of it, perhaps .5 mg (Xanax, I think that is about the equivalent of 2 mg Diazepam) once or twice a week as necessary.

0.5mg xanax is equal to 10mg Diazepam(valium)!!!

[bkkmei]

another natural stress reliever

http://www.rescueremedy.co.uk/index.htm

[Nienke]

Was just reading somewhere ...

A deficiency of a certain amino acid, called GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid), in the brains can cause anxiety. By supplementing GABA, the chemistry in the brains might come back into balance without using any allopethic med's.

Dr. Eric Braverman, MD. has done some research on this.

Amino Acids for Brain Health

by Eric Braverman, M.D.

Amino acids have arrived big time into the world of healthy living. They help people sleep and feel better, and to overcome anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. The two-dozen amino acids present in the human body are among the most potent healing substances ever discovered. They are the building blocks of protein, which, after water, is the most abundant component of the human body. Protein from food is broken down into amino acids, which is then re-constituted into 50,000 new proteins the body uses for different kinds of functions. Proteins make up our genes, brain chemical neurotransmitters, antibodies, hormones and enzymes, muscles, bones, and organs. Ensuring adequate levels of amino acids ensures adequate protein building blocks for total health. And consideration of those levels provides the vital information necessary for restoring health using natural means. Dramatic therapeutic amino acid discoveries include: Arginine for sexual dysfunction, Tryptophan for insomnia, Phenylalanine and tyrosine for energy, N-acetyl cysteine for detoxification and Glutamine for cancer treatment. While amino acids impact the entire body, it is their critical role in healthy brain functioning that represents the frontier of medical science.

Read further the very interesting arrticle on: http://www.newliving.com/issues/april_2003...acidsbrain.html

And from http://americanwellnessnetwork.com/27-5/A-...-LONGEVITY.html

BRAIN CODE SYMPTOMS and COMPLAINTS

Voltage (Amplitude)Deficiency Symptoms: Physical: sugar/caffeine cravings, fatigue, pallor, diarrhea, light-headedness, decreased strength, routine-task difficulty

Psychological: procrastination, decreased libido, diminished self-image, carelessness, hedonism, isolation

Memory: inability to follow instructions or process information, forgetfulness, poor abstract reasoning

Attention: diminished alertness, failure to complete tasks, poor concentration, diminished libido/physical activity, routine-task difficulty

Major Conditions: obesity, chronic fatigue, thyroid disorders, sex disorders, addictions, narcolepsy, Parkinson’s Disease.

Speed (Frequency)

Deficiency Symptoms:

Physical: fat cravings, dry mouth, slowed reflexes, sexual dysfunction, speech/ vision/urination problems, involuntary movements

Psychological: confused thinking, indecisiveness, personality changes, mood swings, rebelliousness

Memory: lapses, impaired visual or verbal memory, memory disturbance

Attention: difficulty concentrating, diminished comprehension, impaired creativity, reading/writing difficulties

Major Conditions: dyslexia, learning disorders, arthritis, osteoporosis, glaucoma, diabetes, hypo-arousal, stroke, senility, Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis.

Rhythm (Pulse)

Deficiency Symptoms:

Physical: Carbohydrate cravings, flushing, stomach butterflies, lump in throat, ringing in ear, muscle tension, trembling, twitching, parasthesia, hyperventilation, blurred vision, abnormal odors or sense of smell, unusual allergies, night sweats, tachycardia, chest pain/discomfort

Psychological: restlessness, feelings of dread, emotional immaturity, short temper, phobias

Memory: impaired verbal memory

Attention: impulsivity, disorganization

Major Conditions: tinnitus, anxiety, hypertension, chronic pain, cystitis, irritable bowel and other GI disorders, PMS, seizures, stroke, bi-polar disorder.

Synchrony (Symmetry)

Deficiency Symptoms:

Physical: Salt cravings, backache, headache, cold or clammy hands, shortness of breath, drug reactions, premature ejaculation, yawning, sleep disturbances

Psychological: impulsiveness, hypervigilance, high pain/pleasure threshold, depersonalization, lack of common sense, rage

Memory: impaired visual recall Attention: slow reactions, restlessness, lack of concentration

Major Conditions: PMS, phobias, insomnia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

It all starts with brain chemistry. When you first lose your edge, you can associate your symptoms with a specific neurotransmitter and use proven multi-modal treatments to restore it. For example, obesity is a metabolic disorder, so anyone who just can’t keep the weight off should look to the dopamine recommendations under the Voltage brain code.

MULTI-MODAL BRAIN TREATMENTS

Voltage (Dopamine)Diet: wheat germ, granola, oat flakes, cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, pork, wild game, beans, black-eyed peas, soy, pumpkin seeds

Supplements: chromium, rhodiola, thiamine, dl-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, L-methionine

Lifestyle: power naps, scheduled breaks, deep-breathing and anaerobic exercises, meditation, relationship self-help books

Electrical Therapy: Cranial Electrical Stimulation (CES) Hormones: testosterone, estrogen, DHEA, thyroid, cortisol

Medications:

Allergies: Sudafed, Claritin

ADD: Ritalin, Clonidine, Adderal

Tobacco Abuse: Wellbutrin, Effexor

Drug Abuse: Parlodel, Desipramine, Clonidine

Fatigue: Effexor, Provigil

Narcolepsy: Dexedrine

Parkinson’s: Eldepryl, Tasmar, Sinemet.

Speed (Acetylcholine)

Diet: grape juice, eggs, blueberries, wheat germ, peanut butter, fish, chicken, leafy vegetables, celery, caviar, cod roe, soy beans, tofu, oranges, almonds, hazelnuts

Supplements: choline, GPC, phosphatidylserine, lipoic acid, huperzine-A, N-acetyl L-carnitine, CLA, fish oil

Lifestyle: scheduled quiet time, reading, meditation, aerobic exercise

Electrical Therapy: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TCMS)

Hormones: HGH, insulin, vasopressin, DHEA, calcitonin, parathyroid, erythropoietin

Medications:

Memory Dysfunction: Exelon, Vinpocetine, Galantamine, Piracetam

Memory Enhancement: Vinpocetine, Piracetam

Muscle Weakness: Mestinon

Senility/Alzheimer’s: Aricept, Prostigmin, Tacrine, Reminyl

Urinary Disorders: Bethanechol

Visual Disorders: Pilocarpine.

Rhythm (GABA)

Diet: decaffeinated herb teas, banana, rice bran, citrus fruit, whole grains, brewer’s yeast, brown rice, broccoli, molasses, liver/organ meats, halibut, lentils, potatoes, tree nuts Supplements: inositol, thiamine, riboflavin, BCAA, GABA, glycine, kava, valerian, passionflower

Lifestyle: relaxation, non-scheduled activities, task delegation, aerobics

Electrical Therapy: CES, Transcutaneous Electro-nerve Stimulation (TENS), Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

Hormones: progesterone, cortisol, pregnenolone

Medications:

Anxiety: Xanax, Ativan

Hypertension: Verapimil, Calan

Muscle Pain: Oxycontin

Spasm/Twitching: Klonipin

Neuropathic Pain: Neurontin, Dilantin, Tegretol

Seizures: Gabitril, Lamotrigine, Mysoline.

Synchrony (Serotonin)

Diet: decaffeinated herb teas, cottage cheese, granola, oat flakes, Swiss cheese, lox, banana, salmon, turkey, wild game, blue fish, mackerel, pork, beets, brown rice, avocado, potatoes, sunflower seeds

Supplements: St. John’s Wort, fish oil, thiamine, niacinamide, folic acid, B-12, panthothenic acid, 5-hydroxy tryptophan, melatonin, SAMe, B-6

Lifestyle: scheduled activities, increased planning, introspection, deeper relationships, aerobics

Electrical Therapy: CES, TENS

Hormones: progesterone, pregnenelone

Medications:

Depression: Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Prozac

Insomnia: Trazodone, Serzone

Memory Loss: Hydergine

Migraine: Triptans

OCD: Anafranil, Fluvoxamine

Sleep Disorders: Antihistamines.

He has also written a book on this subject. http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Effect-Eric-R-B...n/dp/1843402491

Does this make sense?

Nienke

In Chiang Mai I know of health shops where they sell amino acid supplements. Dunno about the islands.

[solo siam]

Xanax is easy to find around BKK, Panax is the generic version also easy to find.

While I have no doubt that Xanax (or any drug) can be found in Bangkok if one looks hard enough, it is no longer easy to find unless you get it from a doctor in a hospital or clinic. A few years ago the Thai government declared it illegal for pharmacies to sell it over the counter.

Thats strange because the 3 or 4 pharmacies I have been to to enquire about something to help me sleep have all offered me Xanax immediately, they have huge tubs of them. Same goes for diazepam, neither of which actually help me sleep that much.

I bet they charge a fortune for them.

They should be arrested - xanax is worse than heroin.

Generic, think they are 10 baht each or something.

I'm sure that anti-anxiety drugs have a potential for misuse as do all drugs - I wouldn't class them worse than heroin.

[Neeranam]

another natural stress reliever

http://www.rescueremedy.co.uk/index.htm

I tried that once - it was good.

[JimmyCA]

well i haven't been able to find it in a phamacy, though my friend did and like i mentioned earlier i am pretty sure it was fake.

Available many places, try again. Phanex is the generic so it is propably not fake

[Neeranam]

xanax is worse than heroin

eh? how so? i have known people addicted to them but they were nowhere near as bad as heroin addicts!

More Than 20% Of The People Who Try

To Quit Using This Drug “Cold-Turkey” By Themselves

Actually Die!

This is very dangerous drug. I know many people abusing it in Bangkok. And if you get it without a prescription or by exaggerating to a doctor then it's abusing.

It has eclipsed heroin, cocaine and even methamphetamine as the world’s major, most dangerous drug.

If you know anyone using it tell them to stop.

Edited July 5, 2007 by Neeranam

[solo siam]

xanax is worse than heroin

eh? how so? i have known people addicted to them but they were nowhere near as bad as heroin addicts!

More Than 20% Of The People Who Try

To Quit Using This Drug “Cold-Turkey” By Themselves

Actually Die!

This is very dangerous drug. I know many people abusing it in Bangkok. And if you get it without a prescription or by exaggerating to a doctor then it's abusing.

It has eclipsed heroin, cocaine and even methamphetamine as the world’s major, most dangerous drug.

If you know anyone using it tell them to stop.

Thats a WILD claim to make seeing as Xanax is one of the most prescribed drugs in the world - any evidence to back that claim up?

[Neeranam]

More addictive than heroin, yet prescribed to one

in four adults. Benzodiazepines can ruin lives...

Sunday Express Magazine

Report by Cherrill Hicks

1999

When Barry Haslam tried to come off drugs, he went through hel_l on earth. "I was physically sick, and incontinent," he recalls. "I would spend hours staring at the walls, curled up in the foetal position. I was severely depressed; I couldn't stop sweating and I had hallucinations. I must have lost three or four stone."

Barry Haslam wasn't hooked on heroin, or any other illegal drug. For the previous ten years he had bean taking Ativan – a so-called "minor" tranquilliser – in doses prescribed by his doctor.

Ativan belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines more commonly known by brand names such as Valium, Librium and Mogadon. Used to treat anxiety and insomnia, they can be highly addictive and, as Haslam discovered, withdrawal from them can be agony – more difficult than with heroin. Described by one doctor as the opium of the masses, they have, it is claimed, ruined careers; marriages, families – and lives. Yet benzos, as they are known, are also among the most widely prescribed drugs in Britain, with millions of prescriptions made out for them every year. An estimated one in four adults has used one of these drugs.

"A lot of people have been damaged by the overprescribing of benzodiazepines", says Robert Kerwin, Professor of Psychopharmacology at the Maudsley Hospital, London. "They get repeat prescriptions – and then they get stuck on them."

Developed in the early Sixties by big drug companies, such as Roche and Wyeth, the benzodiazepines work by increasing the effectiveness of the chemical messenger that dampens down activity in the brain. Highly effective for acute anxiety, they were also thought to be safer than their predecessors, the barbiturates, which were known to be dangerous at overdose. Benzos soon became the new wonder drugs. GPs began to dish them out to anyone. But before long some doctors started to express concern about patients becoming dependent on the new drugs. Professor Malcolm Lader, consultant at the Institute of Psychiatry, was one of the first to blow the whistle on the potential dangers.

"We found that patients who had been put on Valium were getting withdrawal symptoms when it was stopped," he says. "Some of these were similar to alcohol withdrawal. They included mild delirium tremens [a state of confusion accompanied by trembling and hallucinations,] sleeplessness, jumpiness, everything seeming loud and bright – some people said they felt as though they were going mad." Ironically some of the withdrawal symptoms produced by benzodiazepines resemble the very condition they are supposed to be treating: "Symptoms include intense anxiety, panic attacks and sleeplessness," says Kerwin. "But if a patient got these, doctors just put it down to their disorder – and re-prescribed benzodiazepines. What they are being used for is not the original condition – but just preventing the withdrawal syndrome."

Despite the warnings from people such as Lader prescriptions for benzodiazepines reached 31 million in 1979 and they continued to stay high in the Eighties. Not surprisingly, an estimated 1.2 million patients have become dependent on these drugs – with many taking them regularly for 20 or 30 years.

Some long-term users report side-effects of benzodiazepines that are every bit as devastating as the withdrawal symptoms. Side-effects can include memory loss, lack of confidence, feelings of unreality, loss of concentration, irritability, depression, aggression and emotional anaesthesia – the inability to feel pleasure or pain. "Users go through life semi-tranquillised – in a state of hypnosis." says Kerwin.

"One common feeling among long-term users is that they have spent years in a kind of daze," adds Heather Ashton, Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. "Many cannot remember their children growing up – and this is one of their most bitter regrets."

Those who struggle to get off the drugs can find it very difficult and sometimes dangerous. Abrupt withdrawal can lead to fits, as well as other severe symptoms such as muscle pain and tinnitus.

"These drugs dampen down everything in the brain – so when you come off them you get this rebound state," says Ashton. "You're very sensitive to physical stimuli. In some cases this never settles down."

A sizeable minority of users develop "post-withdrawal syndrome", which may linger for months or even years. "As yet we have no hard evidence that benzos cause permanent damage," says Ashton, "but there are suggestions that cognitive performance may be reduced for a long time after."

The government's Committee on Safety of Medicines warned in 1988 that withdrawal symptoms from benzodiazepines can occur after taking them for a very short time. It advised they should be prescribed only for severe, disabling anxiety or insomnia, and then only in the lowest possible dose for periods of two to four weeks.

But despite these guidelines – and advice from doctors' own professional bodies – GPs currently make out an estimated 16 million prescriptions a year to patients in the UK for anti-anxiety drugs, mostly benzodiazepines. "They're still being doled out without much thought," says Professor Kerwin. "GPs are very busy and have very little time and if people want them, it's easy to write a prescription. It's a bit like antibiotics – doctors tend to become careless in prescribing them."

Malcolm Lader agrees. "Some older doctors just don't want to change, and they're still giving out repeat prescriptions," he says. "Some GPs also deny the drugs' effects, arguing that their patients have addictive personalities," he adds. "Yet one of the most common benzodiazepines, diazepam (brand name Valium), is also used in patients with sports injuries as a muscle relaxant. We found that people without any psychiatric condition at all have the same withdrawal problem."

One alternative to the benzodiazepines are the newer anti-depressant drugs, such as Prozac, which are highly effective for some anxiety states. But, as Lader points out, these tend to be more expensive to prescribe. The benzos, by contrast, have become extremely cheap since drug company licences have expired. Diazepam, for example, costs the NHS 6p for twenty 2mg tablets (with a daily dose between 6mg and 30mg) while Prozac costs ฃ20.77 for thirty 20mg capsules (the average dose being one a day). Not everyone agrees that GPs should be criticised for overprescribing. "These days most prescriptions are for acute anxiety, and will be short term, covering days rather than weeks," says James Kennedy, a practising GP and member of the Royal College of General Practitioners' prescribing committee. GPs also have to prescribe for many long-term users, he adds, "where all that can be hoped for is a gradual reduction in dose".

The RCGP, says Kennedy, has campaigned successfully to promote more responsible prescribing, although he admits that "some doctors are still not following the best prescribing practice."

The drug companies have always argued that if prescribed correctly, the benzodiazepines cause few problems. According to Roche, they play "an essential role in modern clinical practice" and are "remarkably safe". Legal action for compensation involving 17,000 "benzo" users has failed so far, although some patients are still pressing on with their own cases through the European Court, as well as demanding a government inquiry into benzodiazepines.

Inevitably, over the past few years, benzodiazepines have found their way on to the street. Known as "benzos" or "vallies", and more recently including the "date rape" drug Rohypnol, they are being used in vast numbers, in combination with hard drugs such as heroin.

"One of the biggest problems with drug abusers is not heroin or ecstasy but addiction to benzos, which have found their way on to the street through lax prescribing," says Professor Kerwin. "Some people might be picking up repeat prescriptions, then using half – and selling half."

Most doctors agree that, used appropriately in cases of extreme anxiety, benzodiazepines are useful drugs. Diazepam can be lifesaving for an emergency condition called status epilepticus, or repeated seizures.

But their use should be far more restricted, and GPs need to be educated further about alternative treatments for anxiety disorders such as counselling and psychotherapy, argues Kerwin. As well as newer drugs for depression-related anxiety, there are also safer, shorter-acting tablets available for insomnia, adds Lader.

Barry Haslam, meanwhile, has been off benzodiazepines for 13 years. Now 55 and on disability benefits, he says he has permanent damage from the drugs, including nerve pains in his legs, hearing problems, mood swings, fatigue and cognitive defects.

"I was on those drugs for 10 years and I don't remember any of it," he says. "When I finally got off, it was like waking up. What happened to me was horrendous and it has affected my whole family. I'm still living with the effects."

ANN TALLENTYRE

"I was very frightened. I couldn't leave the house."

Ann Tallentyre was first prescribed benzodiazepines 32 years ago – and has been taking them ever since. "I do not live: I exist," she says. "I can't go out because I have agoraphobia. I am totally dependent on others – my daughter has to do the shopping."

Now aged 54, she was first prescribed Valium for panic attacks when she was 22 and the mother of two small children. "I was in a horrendous marriage, pregnant with my third child and feeling dreadful." she recalls. "The doctor said I could have as much as I wanted – there were no limits. It was a case of take one whenever you need to and lust phone in for a repeat prescription.

The tablets seemed to help at first. "Suddenly I didn't feel as though I had any problems – I was too zonked." But after only three weeks, Ann became agoraphobicท "It was very frightening," she says. "I just couldn't leave the house. I thought I was going mad. The doctor said It was to do with hormone levels in pregnancy.

"I also started to have mood swings – high as a kite one minute and suicidal the next."

After the birth, her new son was in special care far six weeks: he was floppy, wouldn't wake up to feed and had projectile vomiting. "At home, he used to sleep 24 hours at a time " Four years later, while still on benzodiazepines she had a daughter, who also spent three weeks in special care. "I don't remember much about bringing them up – a friend helped out a lot," she says.

"Over the next few years I was put on half a dozen different benzos – including Librium and Ativan. I had to be admitted to psychiatric units several times with depression – I now realise that I was having withdrawal symptoms.

"Every time I tried to stop the benzos, I went into withdrawal, so they would just put me back on them.

"Another thing I've suffered is memory loss. And I get terrified of the daylight – sometimes I'll hide under a blanket. The slightest sound makes me panic."

Although Ann has worked on and off as a cook in old people's homes, she is currently on disability benefits for agoraphobia. A few years ago, she was involved in a collective legal action against the drug manufacturers which collapsed.

The GP who first prescribed them is now dead, she says. "I used to think doctors knew best but he didn't know enough about them to prescribe them."

The doctor she has now is "more supportive"; he has helped her get down to a maintenance dose of 6mg daily.

"I'm coming off them very very slowly" she says. "Every day I get a nail file and file a tiny bit off. That's how difficult it is."

ANDREW INCE

"I stopped taking them – and thought I was dying."

Andrew was prescribed diazepam early last year for muscle spasm, after he suffered whiplash injury from a fall. "It started at 2mg three times a day, then went up to 15mg a day because I was still in pain," he says.

"I'd been taking them for almost five months. When I realised the pain had gone I stopped taking them – and thought I was dying. I had severe panic attacks, heart palpitations, blackouts and tinnitus [ringing in the ears]. I ended up in Accident and Emergency five times."

"That was where I found out what was happening. One young doctor asked if I'd been taking any drugs and so I told him. He said I was suffering abrupt withdrawal syndrome. I hadn't been warned about their effects – and I'd picked up a lot of repeat prescriptions."

"It was then I started a withdrawal programme. I had my GP's support but I also saw a doctor privately who specialises in withdrawal techniques."

"You have to reduce dosage extremely slowly. First of all I stabilised on 6mg of diazepam a day and I have to reduce this by an eighth of the total dose every two weeks. To do it like this you need it in liquid form. It's been very difficult. I reduced the dose too fast at one point, and I was almost admitted to a psychiatric ward. I couldn't stop grinding my jaw, I was hypersensitive to noise, my arms and legs and all my joints ached and I got very depressed. It was absolutely terrible. I had to start taking more again."

"Now I've managed to get down to quarter of a mg once a day, but I still have some way to go. Then I'll probably get what's called post-withdrawal syndrome, because the body has to recover from the damage. It has greatly affected my life. At the moment I don't have a job – I used to work for an architectural company. I had to end my relationship because I've been so irrational and paranoid."

"Some people can come off benzos very quickly without any problem but others, like me, are very sensitive – and the experience has been horrible."

BENZO BABIES

In pregnancy, the benzodiazepines are known to cross the placenta, causing addiction in the unborn child. Once born, these babies go into withdrawal – developing a condition known as "floppy baby syndrome".

Although doctors warned against prescribing the drugs during pregnancy, an estimated 20-30,000 babies every year are born with benzodiazepine addiction, many of them to drug-abusing mothers. There are also claims that benzodiazepines are still being prescribed by GPs to women of child-bearing age without warning of the dangers.

Dr James Robertson, a paediatrician at Arrowe Park Hospital, Liverpool, says that benzo babies' withdrawal symptoms are worse and longer lasting than those suffered by the babies of heroin addicts. "They include colic, sneezing, diarrhoea, inability to suck, jitteriness and a very distinct cry," he says. "Many babies will need intensive care." Benzodiazepine use in pregnancy has also been linked to foetal malformations such as cleft palate, and to developmental difficulties later.

CHECK LIST

Commonly prescribed benzodiazepines include:

Chlordiazepoxide (original trade name Librium)

Diazepam (original trade name Valium)

Lorazepam (original trade name Ativan)

Oxazepam

Nitrazepam (original trade names Mogadon or Somnite)

Loprazolam

Temazepam

[solo siam]

"Those who struggle to get off the drugs can find it very difficult and sometimes dangerous. Abrupt withdrawal can lead to fits, as well as other severe symptoms such as muscle pain and tinnitus."

How on Earth does that relate to your claim that 1 in 5 people die from abrupt withdrawal, aching muscles and a ringing in the ear!!!

[Phil Conners]

We're talking "normal" usage of it, perhaps .5 mg (Xanax, I think that is about the equivalent of 2 mg Diazepam) once or twice a week as necessary.

0.5mg xanax is equal to 10mg Diazepam(valium)!!!

You're still talking recreational (ab)use at 5-20x normal dose - daily. I still think normal use of, say .5 mg Xanax once or twice a week does not "easily" lead to dependency.

Edited July 5, 2007 by Phil Conners

[Neeranam]

We're talking "normal" usage of it, perhaps .5 mg (Xanax, I think that is about the equivalent of 2 mg Diazepam) once or twice a week as necessary.

0.5mg xanax is equal to 10mg Diazepam(valium)!!!

You're still talking recreational (ab)use at 5-20x normal dose - daily. I still think normal use of, say .5 mg Xanax once or twice a week does not "easily" lead to dependency.

I'm not sure. Try not taking it for a few weeks to see if you are dependant or not. It's a dangerous drug to play about with. I'd rather take pure heroin once or twice a week.

Here are the withdrawal symptoms from Benzo’s and the thing to keep in mind is that withdrawals can last for up to one year.

Single asterisk are symptoms that are common, and occur in most people. The double asterisk indicates symptoms that occur to some degree or another, at one time or another, in virtually every person experiencing benzodiazepine withdrawal.

Psychological symptoms: anxiety** (including panic attacks), depression**, insomnia*, derealization/depersonalization* (feelings of unreality/detachment from self), abnormal sensitivity sensory stimuli* (such as loud noise or bright light), obsessive negative thoughts*, (particularly of a violent and/or sexual nature) rapid mood changes* (including especially outbursts of anger or rage), phobias* (especially agoraphobia and fear of insanity), dysphoria* (loss of capacity to enjoy life; possibility a combination of depression, anxiety, and derealization/depersonalization), impairment of cognitive functioning*, suicidal thoughts*, nightmares, hallucinations, psychosis, pill cravings. Note that it is far more common to fear psychosis than it is to actually experience it. Physical Symptoms: muscle tension/pain**, joint pain*, tinnitus*, headaches*, shaking/tremors*, blurred vision* (and other complications related to the eyes), itchy skin* (including sensations of insects crawling on skin), gastrointestinal discomfort*, electric shock sensations*, paresthesia* (numbness and pins and needles, especially in extremities), fatigue*, weakness in the extremities (particularly the legs)*, feelings of inner vibrations* (especially in the torso), sweating, fluctuations in body temperature, difficulty in swallowing, loss of appetite, "flu like" symptoms, fasciculations (muscle twitching), metallic taste in mouth, nausea, extreme thirst (including dry mouth and increased frequency of urination), sexual dysfunction (or occasional increase in libido), heart palpitations, dizziness, vertigo, breathlessness

Edited July 5, 2007 by Neeranam

[solo siam]

I took them to sleep for around 10 days in a row around 3 months ago and didn't feel any sort of addiction, I can see how they would be addictive to someone who suffers from anxiety however.

Its pretty telling that almost all those symptoms are also symptoms of anxiety which is the only reason to prescribe Xanax anyway, do you find it strange that someone who needs to take a drug for anxiety will feel anxiety again after discontinuing.

[Neeranam]

I took them to sleep for around 10 days in a row around 3 months ago and didn't feel any sort of addiction, I can see how they would be addictive to someone who suffers from anxiety however.

Its pretty telling that almost all those symptoms are also symptoms of anxiety which is the only reason to prescribe Xanax anyway, do you find it strange that someone who needs to take a drug for anxiety will feel anxiety again after discontinuing.

US doctors say no longer than 4 weeks. UK doctors say 2 weeks. Anxiety is just one of many withdrawal symptoms.

Psychological symptoms: anxiety** (including panic attacks), depression**, insomnia*, derealization/depersonalization* (feelings of unreality/detachment from self), abnormal sensitivity sensory stimuli* (such as loud noise or bright light), obsessive negative thoughts*, (particularly of a violent and/or sexual nature) rapid mood changes* (including especially outbursts of anger or rage), phobias* (especially agoraphobia and fear of insanity), dysphoria* (loss of capacity to enjoy life; possibility a combination of depression, anxiety, and derealization/depersonalization), impairment of cognitive functioning*, suicidal thoughts*, nightmares, hallucinations, psychosis, pill cravings. Note that it is far more common to fear psychosis than it is to actually experience it. Physical Symptoms: muscle tension/pain**, joint pain*, tinnitus*, headaches*, shaking/tremors*, blurred vision* (and other complications related to the eyes), itchy skin* (including sensations of insects crawling on skin), gastrointestinal discomfort*, electric shock sensations*, paresthesia* (numbness and pins and needles, especially in extremities), fatigue*, weakness in the extremities (particularly the legs)*, feelings of inner vibrations* (especially in the torso), sweating, fluctuations in body temperature, difficulty in swallowing, loss of appetite, "flu like" symptoms, fasciculations (muscle twitching), metallic taste in mouth, nausea, extreme thirst (including dry mouth and increased frequency of urination), sexual dysfunction (or occasional increase in libido), heart palpitations, dizziness, vertigo, breathlessness

[girlx]

i was put on antidepressants once, which did not work for my diagnosis at all. when i came off paxil i did it suddenly. it was an absolute nightmare. the drugs are ok if you do them right but it is brain chemistry you are messing with so you want be sure. xanax should be used at the right dosage for your problem, and not to excess. the people up there doing 5-20x the normal amount deserve to feel like crap after.

[Neeranam]

1.5 Million patients at risk from danger pills

Tranquillisers are linked to brain damage

Sunday Express, May 13, 2001

by Lucy Johnston, Health Editor

POTENTIALLY lethal drugs are being prescribed long-term to people – when they should not be taken for more than four weeks.

The sedatives are taken by 1.5 million people in Britain, despite Government guidelines imposing the four-week limit.

The drugs, known as benzodiazepines, were launched as a wonder cure for anxiety during the Sixties.

But according to Government figures, they kill more people than heroin and ecstasy and cocaine combined.

They have been linked with damage to the brain and nervous system. They can also lead to tremors, palpitations and muscle pain.

The time limit was imposed 13 years ago but a new survey reveals there has been a boom in the tranquilliser "trade" and a persistence in long-term prescriptions.

The situation is described as a "disaster" by Professor Louis Appleby the National Director for Mental Health.

[girlx]

well i will be straight up and tell you that i was force fed massive dosages of benzodiazepines at a very young age, and it does not seem to have had too bad an effect in the long run, other than what i guess is residual generalized anxiety. i personally am well aware of the side effects (in me) and addiction (in someone close to me)- and though it was bad i really don't believe it is worse than heroin addiction... but then again i watch a lot of movies. i wonder how they kill people? my guess is mixing it with alcohol? i should be dead!

[solo siam]

they kill more people than heroin and ecstasy and cocaine combined.

Sorry but I can't find anything on the net stating that people prescribed Xanax are dying on a regular basis. Your figures may be skewed by the fact that benzodiazepines are the drug of choice for suicide.

Xanax and its ilk can be a really helpful drug to some, your skaremongering about it being worse than heroin is irresponsible and well just silly. I'm sure both are addictive but for very different reasons.

1. Heroin - Gives yuou the biggest Orgasm and ultimate High of your life, there is no other way ever to recreate this feeling other than Heroin.

2. Xanax - Helps Relax you.

It's pretty obvious that the potential for misuse and addiction are very different.

[mrtoad]

they kill more people than heroin and ecstasy and cocaine combined.

Sorry but I can't find anything on the net stating that people prescribed Xanax are dying on a regular basis. Your figures may be skewed by the fact that benzodiazepines are the drug of choice for suicide.

Xanax and its ilk can be a really helpful drug to some, your skaremongering about it being worse than heroin is irresponsible and well just silly. I'm sure both are addictive but for very different reasons.

1. Heroin - Gives yuou the biggest Orgasm and ultimate High of your life, there is no other way ever to recreate this feeling other than Heroin.

2. Xanax - Helps Relax you.

It's pretty obvious that the potential for misuse and addiction are very different.

Whilst I think that Neeranam is over emphasisng the dangers of Benzo abuse, he certainly does have a valid point that addiction and withdrawal from Benzo's are extremelly difficult and painful.

I fully agree there is a big difference between potential for misuse and addiction.

In the UK, it is slightly different, as CPNS and GP's havew over the past few years become more aware of the importance of responsible prescribng and the use of alkternative therapies to treat Anxiety, such as CBT. A short course of Benzo's can be very effective for some people, but it should be closely monitored by the GP and if involved either the CPN or the practice based counseller. In the past Benzo's were given out willy nilly, and it wasn't uncommon to encounter people who had been prescribed them for a number of years. Thankfully in general that sort of irreesponsible prescribing has stopped, but that has been replaced with the prescribing of Anti - Depressants for almost anything if a person turns up at a surgery and says they are miserable. You would not believe the amount of ludicrous referals I used to receive from GP's for people claimg to have a depressive episode or an anxiety disorder only to find that they ae just having some normal everyday ups and downs.

The problem here in Thailand, is that a lot of these medications ae available over the counter so people self diagnose and self medicate, and this can be very dangerous. I would suggest that anyone who is considering taking any form of medication to first go and get a proper consultation with a qualified practitioner. Put it this way, if it was your car you would take it to a mechanic to get it fixed and not the carpenter. The same principles apply here.

Things that are good for anxiety - exercise, balanced diet, anxiety management through breathing and distraction techniques, CBT and any number of alternatives that work for the individual. Don't just rely on medication to deal with it, it can help, but the most important thig is being able to problem solve and deal with the issues. People have to also take responsibilty for their mental health and not just expect the practitioners to solve all their problems.

In respect of Benzo's being the drug of choice for suicide, research in the UK suggests that Paracetamol is the most abused medication for these purposes and also a very slow and painful death, hence the reason you can now only buy 16 tablets at a time for a shop- not that it stops people aquiring enough if they really want to.

Anyway, better stop writing.