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Anatta
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Chat Mar 09, 2019 at 02:05 PM
  #1
At 16, I was put on Xanax three times a day - every day - at a dosage of 6mg. Four years later, I am now detoxing.

Today is the last day I take a benzodiazepine after four years of daily usage.

The detox is coinciding with returning to college and relationship issues.

I am wondering how you all cope with the inevitable stressors of life.

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Default Mar 09, 2019 at 03:32 PM
  #2
Thank you so much for making this thread, Anatta! Dealing with stress is certainly not easy. I usually just try to dedicate as much time for myself as I can. For some people it's better to be alone, for others it's better to be with their friends or families. Whathever works for you. It's important to find something in our daily lives that keep us going. Try to find as many distractions and hobbies as you can. They can help a lot. Therapy can also teach us some coping skills that we can use. Remember that we're here for you if you need it. Feel free to PM me anytime. Let me know if I can do something to help you. Wish you good luck! Let us know how it goes. Sending many hugs to you
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Default Mar 09, 2019 at 06:16 PM
  #3
I guess the short answer is to try all the things you hear about and see which ones seem to help you. Everyone is a little different.

Out of desperation, I eventually tried some things I didn't have much interest in or didn't think would work. Some of them did. So I'd recommend to try various things for a bit.

I suffer from social anxiety, anxiety, self-esteem issues, rumination, and depression. Personally, for stress, I tend to use:

* exercise classes (I never get it done at home)
* eating well and sleeping well (doing both consistently)
* hobbies (piano & music, computers & tech, astronomy)
* activities (a little volunteer work, running errands, generally getting things done)
* talking to people (despite the social anxiety, safe people)
* simple breathing meditation (kind of lapsed on this one)
* focus on the present (don't ignore the past and future obviously, but when the stress and/or anxiety gets bad, break things down into steps and just deal mentally with what you need to do right now)
* try to be gentle with yourself and treat yourself the way you would treat someone you cared about
* noting positive things daily (a minimalist journaling practice)
* monitor your moods and mental outlook, don't let it sneak up on you

I pulled out my list for this. I have a list for when I'm really feeling overwhelmed and need the grounding and reminders.

I'm sure others will have things to add.

Good luck with college!
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Default Mar 09, 2019 at 09:38 PM
  #4
Yes, some of the things mentioned previously and also I noticed your name stems from Buddhist teachings. So perhaps look into the practise of mindfulness as well. It's widely suggested by the mental health and self help communities and comes from the Buddha himself. I struggle regularly with my mental health but mindfulness really does help me to, a] restore calm, b] destress, and c] keep me on track as well - focus.

You can carry it with you 24/7.

I first started using it before I discovered it was suggested in mental health so perhaps just go straight to the original source and internet search "Right Mindfulness 8 Fold Path." Many search results.

Good on you coming off your meds and all the best in your return to college.

Namaste.
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Default Mar 10, 2019 at 07:38 AM
  #5
They put 16 year old on highly addictive meds at a high dose THREE times a day??? Who prescribed that? 6mg is a very high dose and typically isn’t even prescribed to anyone younger than 18. This is unbelievable

Please don’t attempt to wean yourself off without doctors supervusion. Withdrawal from such high dose at such young age will cause physical problems. It needs to be done under medical supervision. Not by the same doctor please. Whoever was that wacko
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Default Mar 10, 2019 at 08:06 AM
  #6
Because you were ‘treated for stress’ so young makes me suspicious about those in charge; your care givers and doctors.

All children experience stresses. Sure, some of us go through extremely stressful situations.

Is it possible someone thought, instead of allowing you to feel stress and learn how to handle stress, that you needed to be extremely medicated?

I suggest you discuss this with a good therapist. What you described has triggered Red Flag warnings in a lot of us here, for sure.

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Default Mar 10, 2019 at 08:28 AM
  #7
Even if you needed meds for panic attacks, it’s not 6mg of highly addictive meds for a young teen. Are you in the US? I’d demand to see my records
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Default Mar 10, 2019 at 08:35 AM
  #8
Hi there! I went through a brief period of being dependent on a benzo (Ativan). I was started at 1mg as needed. By the end I was taking 3mg daily and relied on it to get through the day. I decided to taper off and have not touched a benzo since. They help some individuals but it is also a risky medication to be on. I am sad to hear that you were prescribed so much at such a young age, that is incredibly inappropriate on the part of the professional who did so.

My replacement coping strategies for the benzo were: self-education on where anxiety comes from in the brain, which helped me to realize it would eventually pass, and deep breathing. Deep breathing is huge for me and has helped to prevent potential panic attacks (or make them less severe).

I also find that doing something I enjoy, such as playing video games, helps me to focus on something 100% and not focus on my worries. For you it may be something different, such as exercise, reading a book or writing in a journal.

I wish you all the best with returning to college!
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Default Mar 10, 2019 at 12:53 PM
  #9
Lots of good answears!
I wish I could help me, but I am still looking for the same.
Music and singing help me for sure, those are hobbies, which help to empty the mind. I tried mindfulness, it helped for a bit, but I haven't the time to practice.
And I am trying CBT too, I have a lot of changes in my life right now either. Stress is my current and actual middle name.
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Default Mar 10, 2019 at 02:57 PM
  #10
I practice daily mindfulness and meditation. I wish you peace and a bright future!
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Default Mar 10, 2019 at 03:07 PM
  #11
It’s a figure of speech that we ‘handle’ stress; like it’s some kind of hot potato we need to use mits to move from one place to another.

I remember early experiences of stress that was pleasant; like nervous excitement. My body felt jittery, but good. Then when the enjoyable activity I was stressed about was happening, the stress sensation went away.

Then, I remember unpleasant stress; like when I was a store manager and had to go up against an irate customer. My hands were shaking beyond my control, but I firmly dealt with him professionally as best as a manager could.

The physical reactions in my body that must be from stress became bad now, after going through a very traumatic experience. Why didn’t I run away and avoid what I knew was making me physically sick? IDK...

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Default Mar 10, 2019 at 06:37 PM
  #12
Fight, flight or freeze. Fear and anxiety have a big learned part.
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