should I take the medication my psychologist has suggested?
I'm in the "It's worth a try" camp. A psychiatrist would probably try an antidepressant. You do have to take it for a while before you know whether it's going to help you, but the worst that happens is you get bad side effects and you have to stop taking it.
You could develop a tolerance, but that's not the same thing as an addiction. If somebody gets addicted to (for example) cigarettes, it's not the physical tolerance that causes the big problem; it's the habit, the way they've grown dependent on it. Antidepressants, on the other hand, don't give you a high or create that kind of addiction. If you did develop a tolerance, all you would have to do is slowly decrease the dose rather than stopping quickly. It wouldn't be like stopping smoking--it is much easier than that. I had a tolerance to an antidepressant, and while I did have to taper off very slowly to avoid the dizziness I got if I missed more than one dose, I had no problems tapering off, and no addiction to worry about. It was simply physical tolerance, my body having gotten used to the antidepressant and having to readjust to its absence.
There are some short-term anti-anxiety medications, but they often have a sedative effect--they'd make you tired. The benzodiazepines, like Valium, can be habit-forming and can stop working in the long run, so they are used for things like phobias--helping someone who's afraid of flying get through a plane flight, for example. They aren't very good for long-term, so a doctor is unlikely to prescribe them in your situation.
Antipsychotics are sometimes used as sedatives, but I don't think they'd move straight to them. If they do, get a second opinion, because that's just overkill.
You could also try non-medication options. There are relaxation techniques you can learn, both religious and not; some are traditional, some are modern; they all work pretty much the same way--they let you control your body's stress response. Give those a shot, whether you also try meds or not. More than once I have avoided a meltdown thanks to some of those relaxation tricks that can help a person keep hold of their wits when things get stressful.
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yeah but gaba in itself doesn't explain the tests I took. I would have to know Eric Braverman's theory.
You could develop a tolerance, but that's not the same thing as an addiction. If somebody gets addicted to (for example) cigarettes, it's not the physical tolerance that causes the big problem; it's the habit, the way they've grown dependent on it. Antidepressants, on the other hand, don't give you a high or create that kind of addiction. If you did develop a tolerance, all you would have to do is slowly decrease the dose rather than stopping quickly. It wouldn't be like stopping smoking--it is much easier than that. I had a tolerance to an antidepressant, and while I did have to taper off very slowly to avoid the dizziness I got if I missed more than one dose, I had no problems tapering off, and no addiction to worry about. It was simply physical tolerance, my body having gotten used to the antidepressant and having to readjust to its absence.
There are some short-term anti-anxiety medications, but they often have a sedative effect--they'd make you tired. The benzodiazepines, like Valium, can be habit-forming and can stop working in the long run, so they are used for things like phobias--helping someone who's afraid of flying get through a plane flight, for example. They aren't very good for long-term, so a doctor is unlikely to prescribe them in your situation.
Antipsychotics are sometimes used as sedatives, but I don't think they'd move straight to them. If they do, get a second opinion, because that's just overkill.
You could also try non-medication options. There are relaxation techniques you can learn, both religious and not; some are traditional, some are modern; they all work pretty much the same way--they let you control your body's stress response. Give those a shot, whether you also try meds or not. More than once I have avoided a meltdown thanks to some of those relaxation tricks that can help a person keep hold of their wits when things get stressful.
Thanks!
based on all answers I guess I am going to try it. If it doesn't help much or give me side effects I can stop. I still have some days to think about it but I guess this is the best decision for now.