This post is regarding the choice to use anti-anxiety medication, or the choice to not take anti-anxiety medication, but first off, I want to say hello to all the visitors on Sane Advice. I hope you are all keeping a balance and taking action to find an even better balance.

When To Consider Taking Anti-Anxiety Medication

I understand that most people don’t want to take medication to get their anxiety under control. I would suggest that you try to get your thinking under control and find an emotional balance before you try taking medication such as Paxil. However, there is a defining moment when you may find that medication is required to get yourself sleeping again, eating properly again, and making good choices again. Where this line is is different for every anxiety sufferer. This is something you need to discuss with a doctor, friends and family.

Don’t let the medication withdrawal symptoms you hear about online frighten you. As long as you learn how to quit taking your anti-anxiety medication properly, you can certainly ween yourself off later down the road. I’m not suggesting you should run off to the doctor to get a Paxil prescription. Not at all. If you only have a panic attack once a month, and you suffering from light symptoms, you don’t need medication, and you can get yourself back on track by making lifestyle changes and thinking changes.

BUT….if you can’t sleep, can’t eat, have really bad diarrhea or IBS, have serious depression and thoughts of suicide, you need to get to a doctor immediately. You VERY likely need medication right away. Like I said, when you are at this extreme state of your disorder you can’t mess around anymore. You’re going need some help in the form of medical advice, medication, and/or counseling.

When You Begin Taking Your Anti-Anxiety Medication

When start taking your anti-anxiety medication don’t be afraid. It’s not something you have to take the rest of your life. It might only be for 6 months or a year. Don’t let all the Internet forums and blogs scare you into thinking that medication is a bad poison that the drug companies have crippled the public with. You can ween yourself off your medication the right way and move into the future anxiety free and medication free.

I know I’m repeating myself, but this information is very important for people who begin taking anti-anxiety meds. No matter what kind of medication you begin taking try not to be afraid of it. You will be able to quit another day, and right now you need to get yourself under control give yourself a break from your desperate stress, and get yourself sleeping and eating properly again. Once your sleep and appetite get better again, you brain will begin getting back on track. Then you need to start making changes in your life and changes in your ways of thinking. The reason you are suffering from extreme anxiety can be many.

Reasons For Extreme Anxiety

In my case my anxiety is due to family genetics and the household I was raised in. This could be you as well. All of our brains have developed, grown, and receded in different ways. Some people are very fortunate to have been raised by parents who don’t have any family history of stress disorders, bad thinking, fear-based processing, or actual physical genetics that cause brain disease. The medical and scientific professions are learning more every year on the causes of brain disease, family genetics, depression, anxiety, and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder).

Whatever your special circumstance is, you are suffering from anxiety due to your surrounding, your parents/family, your past choices, your job, your attitude, your immediate surroundings, and the nature chemical balance in your brain.

You may be one of those millions of people who suffer from extreme anxiety due to all of the above scenarios. Your anxiety and imbalance may be so extreme that medication is your only temporary answer if you want to begin healing. If you have to go the medication route, do not be afraid, and don’t despair. Don’t listen to those around you who have never been where you are. You need to speak with a GOOD doctor who understands your symptoms and condition. Family members, loved ones, friends, and co-workers likely won’t understand what you are even talking about. They may something ridiculous like, “Oh, you just need to find a good spouse”, or “You just need to relax – lets go have some drinks”, or “you just need to stop worrying”. As all extreme anxiety sufferers know, it is not that easy, and if it was that easy, we would have done all that. Most of us extreme anxiety sufferers HAVE tried all that. Many times.

No – these kind folks have no idea how bad your suffering is and you need to educate yourself regarding your condition. I want you to know that if you are just beginning to realize that you have an anxiety disorder, it is very treatable, and you will see the sun again. You will get things back on track, and you eventually STOP thinking bad thoughts. In fact, you will learn that your thoughts are not really meant to be trusted and taken a gospel. When you have good thoughts, happy visions, and relaxing moments in your day, you are connecting to the real truth. When you have bad thoughts, negative visions, and constant worry, you are unconnected with your universal energy source, and those thoughts cannot be trusted. Your thoughts are not you. Your soul and spirit are you.

If you ever have scary thoughts that frighten you, such us killing someone, killing yourself, hurting someone, hurting yourself, dying, becoming terminally ill, etc – these are untrue thoughts and not to be taken seriously – just ignore them.

In fact you can pretty well ignore the majority of your thinking because it’s that useless. Usually your thinking is just repetitive grinding on fantasies and untrue thoughts. You don’t need to be constantly reminding yourself that you think you are a dolt, or a dummy, you’re losing your mind, you’re dying, you’re losing face, etc, etc, etc. Your thinking has been caused by your societal programming and it will take time to stop taking these thoughts so seriously.

Our minds are tools, and usually useless tools. Let your body have the day and pay attention to it. Use your brain to move your body, hands, feet, muscles, etc. to move you from room to room, building to building. Let your mind take you to your car, the train, the plane, or the bus, so you can get to where you need to go. Let your brain help you be kind to friends, family, and strangers – don’t let your brain do much more than that. You will notice that you are much happier, healthier, and MUCH less anxious.

Paxil brain swooshes, for those who don’t know what they are, are a weird momentary feeling in your head and it’s best described as a “swoosh”. There is allot of different takes on this sensation. Some Paxil users really hate the swoosh feeling, whereas some don’t mind it, and some actually like it.

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There has been allot of speculation online, and off, regarding the best way to quit taking Paxil. I have used Paxil for my choice of anti-anxiety medication throughout my adult life. I’m very familiar with the side effects of Paxil, how to start using it, and how to stop using it. In this post I will describe the BEST WAY TO COME OFF PAXIL and go on Paxil.

Before you start or stop taking Paxil, PLEASE read this article because this medication is only PART of your recovery. When you are done using Paxil, you will be on your way to LIFE CHANGING internal and eternal events. Panic attacks will never happen again, and your life will be full and amazing.

Starting Paxil

When you start using Paxil it’s important to not be freaked out about possible side effects. Just know that within a few weeks of taking Paxil you will begin to sleep better, feel better, and your panic attacks and foggy anxiety will stop.

What Not To Consume When Going On Paxil

It’s very important to be disciplined when taking your Paxil medication as prescribed by your doctor. Avoid any alcoholic drinks and avoid any kind of mind altering drugs such as marijuana (or any other illegal drug). Avoid hopping yourself up on cigarettes and coffee too. If you are a smoker and a coffee drinker don’t stop drinking coffee and don’t stop smoking right now – just be as moderate as possible.

I can’t stress the importance of staying away from drinking over 2 alcoholic beverages in one sitting. As a matter of fact, if you truly want your stress to come under control and have a stress free life, then try to NOT drink ANY alcohol at all. If you are a heavy drinker, or perhaps an alcoholic, back off or quit all together. I know that sounds impossible, but it’s not. At the very least, slow down your drinking and smoking AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Why? You don’t want anything to interfere with the Paxil that is slowly entering your blood stream. You want the medication to have it’s full effect.

What Time of the Day to Take Paxil

As a few doctors have told me, Paxil is a morning medication. Don’t bother trying other times of the day to take your pill(s). I’ve tried every time of day possible, and the morning is the best time to take your Paxil medication.

Try very hard to take your Paxil medication at the same time every morning. 8 o’clock AM is my best time to take it. I try to be spot on 8 o’clock in the morning, every morning. I’ve seen a huge difference when I’m late or early, such as taking it at 10 or 11 in the morning, or taking it early at 6 or 7 in the morning. For some reason, I’m much calmer, steadier, and more relaxed when I take my medication like clock work.

If you are suffering from extreme anxiety and panic attacks try not to worry. Within 2 weeks of taking your Paxil all that will begin to go away. Like I said, don’t worry about the side effects because they’re really not a big deal at all. Try not to take the horror stories on the Internet about Paxil users “freaking out” too seriously. Most of those case involved people using other illegal and legal drugs in access, and in some cases these people quit Paxil cold turkey coming off of a LARGE dosage. Never stop taking Paxil cold turkey.

Don’t confuse any of body pains, or symptoms of your present anxiety as Paxil side effects. It’s not the Paxil that’s causing this. It’s just your hyper sensitivity and anxiety in action as you try to imagine the worst. Just stick to the program and you’ll be fine. Always let your doctor know about your experiences as you go through this process.

Your doctor may prescribe an instant anxiety medication such as Ativan to help you through those first few weeks while the Paxil is building up in your system. That’s fine. Use medications like Ativan to get sleep, and to minimize your panic attacks when you have them. I keep a prescription of Ativan just in case. It gives you confidence that if you have some extreme anxiety or a panic attack you have some instant relief on hand.

Like I said, after a few weeks, and even better a few months, the Paxil will take affect and you will feel MUCH better. You won’t have panic attacks and you will be sleeping well again. You won’t need any meds like Ativan. Just keep what is left of your Ativan in a safe place for peace-of-mind.

How to Ween Yourself Off and Quit Paxil

This is very important. DON’T EVER STOP TAKING PAXIL COLD TURKEY. Do not stop taking Paxil suddenly. I’ve made that mistake once and will never make that mistake again. You’ll get through it, but it’s hell, and you don’t want to go there. You don’t need to ever go there. This is why you have heard people claim online that Paxil is poison etc, and cite all of these extreme cases where people “freaked out” because of Paxil. Usually these people were too young to be taking it, or they quit suddenly from a large daily dosage routine, or they consumed allot of other strong drugs (legal or illegal)

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ: The weening down process I have below is ASSUMING YOU ARE DOWN TO 20MGs PER DAY ALREADY. If you are above 20mg you can use the same idea as below in increments until you get to 20mg a day. When you are at 20mg a day comfortably, then start the process below. MAKE SURE you consult your doctor before beginning a weening process, and feel free to print off this page to get his or her approval. He or she will be fine with this process, but you should let them know, because every patient has a unique medical history.

Stop using Paxil very slowly. Start by cutting down to 3/4 of your present dosage. You can use a razor blade to cut your pills. Some doctors tell you to take your Paxil dosage every second day when coming off of it. I don’t recommend this. You need to come down slower than that, or you will get the infamous “brain swooshes“, and it can be discomforting. You don’t need ANY feelings of discomfort my friend.

After you have dropped to 3/4 of your dosage for three weeks, then bring it down to 1/2 the dosage for three weeks. Then once you have gone at half the dosage for 3 weeks, ask yourself how you feel. Do you still feel ok? Do you feel like you are maintaining good sleep and a positive outlook on your life and the lives of those around you? This is when you could be on your way to quitting Paxil.

If all the answers to the above questions are yes, then you are ready to take the weening process to the next step. The next step is to take your dosage to half the dose one day and and a quarter of the dose the next day. Keep going by alternating half the dose for one day and a quarter the dose the next day. Do this for 2 weeks.

Then you are ready to go to a quarter of the dose every day. Make sure you steer clear of any other drugs (if you can) during this time. Avoid alcohol as much as possible, eat light, and make sure to get your rest. See how you feel after time. If you are doing fine, then you can go to a quarter dose every second day.

Do a quarter does every second day for two weeks. Then go 1/8 of the dose every second day. If you can drop to 1/16 of the dose every second day do it depending on if you have a good razor blade to cut the pills with. One of my biggest beefs with Paxil is that it should be sold in tiny increment pills for this weening down process.

After a few weeks of the 1/16 dosage every second day, assess your moods and sleep patterns. Assess your food intake, your patience level, etc. If all is well then it’s time to say goodbye to your friend Paxil. It’s very possible that at this very light dosage of Paxil you are not really doing anything anymore and it’s a placebo level, but all of us are different. Just see how YOU feel.

Make sure you consult your doctor periodically through your weening off process to keep them informed and “in the loop” as you successfully come down off of Paxil.

When You Have Paxil Out of Your System

Now you are “el natural” with your default blood and serotonin levels. See how you feel and make a strong effort to read some good books on maintaining an even keel. I cannot stress enough the importance of reading material that helps you really understand how your mind and ego works, because it is your mind and ego that are causing your stress. Try Eckhart Tolle’s book, “A New Earth”, and try Wayne Dyer’s book, “The Power of Intention” – these are life changing books that, in combination can free you from the thought processes that have caused all your anxiety in the first place.

Remember that you don’t have to be afraid of stress, and you should have learned by now how useless anxiety and worry is in your life. Try to avoid anything that upsets you and for God’s sake be grateful and thankful for all the people in your life and the life you have.

Maintaining an even keel emotionally these days is very important. Try and make your life as simple as possible, and make sure you avoid angry and uptight people as much as possible. Be aware if you begin slipping back into self medicating with alcohol or marijuana. That is a sure sign that you are not dealing with daily stresses properly. Try meditation. Try a good religion. Try exercise. Try taking long walks. Try changing jobs, spouses, houses – whatever it takes to find YOUR happy place.

If you for some reason fall into severe panic attacks and out of control anxiety, then don’t be afraid to return to a small dose of Paxil to even things out. Some folks stay on light antidepressants their entire life without any problems at all.

Best of luck,

Love Jacob

Most people suffering from anxiety disorders consider medication at one time or another. If your anxiety seems unmanageable and you’ve had weeks in a row with very little sleep, feelings of depression and hopelessness, then you should see a doctor and at least try medication.

All anti-anxiety medications such as Paxil or Effexor XR which are serotonin re-uptake inhibitors require routine. You need to take your prescribed dosage every day as the doctor and pharmacist instruct you. No missing your pill, and no stopping your pills. You must avoid any other drugs that may conflict with your anti-anxiety medication as well.

You must give it an honest effort and after a few weeks you will start to feel some relief from your anxiety symptoms. If you don’t feel any improvement, then get back to your doctor to try a different medication. Why? Different medications work for different people. A medication that works for me might not work for you and vice versa.

Don’t be afraid of trying medication because it does work, and it’s not addictive. Short term anti-anxiety drugs such as Ativan are addictive if taken or abused for an extended period of time, but if you take 3 Ativan a day for a few weeks while your Paxil or Effexor kicks in then so be it. It won’t kill you to do that and you won’t become addicted with a short term solution. Besides, your doctor won’t likely give you enough of a prescription to allow your body to become dependant.

If you can still sleep and you can manage your life fairly well then you likely don’t need any anti-anxiety medication. Just feeling bored or blue doesn’t mean you need to take medication so don’t just take medication off hand. Only try anxiety medication if you can’t manage your life anymore and you have symptoms of extreme anxiety.