Will benzodiazepines help my anxiety and panic attacks?

Question

Hello doctor,

I currently suffer from anxiety attacks and panic attacks. It has been changing over the course of about four years, getting better and worse again. In everyday life it is manageable, but the attacks cause some unreasonable thoughts and ideas to form. I have heard about the use of Benzodiazepines for anxiety. Can they be taken to stop panic and anxiety attacks without needing consistent everyday dosages?

During panic or anxiety attacks, I usually feel very worthless and in some cases try to or think about hurting myself. Generally, my anxiety tends to do with social situations where I feel like I am not liked or if I said something wrong. I have visited a counselor in the past, very briefly. Ironically my anxiety was worsened with the guilt of therapy being very expensive so I stopped seeing her.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Anxiety and panic attacks are extremely common and 15 to 20 percent of people suffer from this issue at some point in their lives. Standard treatment for anxiety is the use of SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) type of medicines. They are usually given for two or four months and then stopped slowly by tapering it off. They take two weeks to usually start taking the effect. Till then low dose Benzodiazepines can be used.

I do not recommend the use of Benzodiazepines which you are considering since it just takes care of symptoms of anxiety and the intervals at which you will need to take it will reduce as you keep on using it and eventually it will lead to addiction. This is because withdrawal from Benzodiazepines will produce the same symptoms as that of anxiety.

Also, consider doing deep breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation along with medicines.