Anyone give meds to teens for anxiety or any adults use it?

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Hi,

My son (14) seems to have a lot of anxiety in social situations. He visibly looks awkward and uncomfortable. At home in in groups where he is comfortable he is much more himself. But in school, if he has to talk in front of the class or try to fit in, he has anxiety and speaks to softly and awkwardly. He also tends to get overwhelmed and anxious when he can't keep up with the class.

We have a differing opinion about whether he has AS or not. One psychologist says yes, another no. He definately has many of the traits and I have come to believe that even if it is not enough to diagnose, the same traits are causing difficulties for him. The Psych who says no to AS, suggests that we try sertraline for anxiety and see if that relaxes him and evens out his mood a bit.

We just started it (two weeks ago). We have noticed that he seems to be smiling more, but also a bit more stimming. Anyone have any experience with anxiety meds. I know that there are no meds for AS, but has anyone found these meds to help with the anxiety? Has it helped anyone feel more able to socialize and speak up in social and school settings?

Which meds, specifically?

Sertraline which is like zoloft.

I've taken Sertraline and I now take clomipramine (Anafranil) and it has helped with my anxiety issues.

There is no wa in hell I'd ever use meds for anxiety or give them to a teenager or child. Ever.

But that's just me.

i use but only ritalin

Methylphenidate cuts my anxiety, but I was dx'd with ADHD (technically it's not a separate diagnosis, b/c the symptoms are all explained by the ASD) so the anxiety is a pretty normal response to the way life feels.

Sertraline might brighten his mood, but its effectiveness as anti-anxiety is hit-or-miss.

The brand name version (Zoloft) worked really well for me (depression-wise) about ten years ago, so a few weeks ago I decided to try it again. Unfortunately I got the generic version and my reaction was HORRID anxiety, panic attacks.

Can you get your son sessions to learn self-hypnosis (it's not magical or esoteric, just deep relaxation)? He could probably learn it w/in a few sessions, but would have to practice it, so periodic follow-ups would be a good support. When I practice those techniques regularly, I can put myself into a really mellow state.

I was on buspar.

That's interesting that the stimulant helped some with anxiety.

My son was on a few different stimulants over the past 4 years. They seemed to stopped any stimming, but did not really help with concentration or focus or anxiety. Plus he seemed to get flat and withdrawn. He seemed more focused on internal thinking and less engaged. And he picked at his skin.

My teenage son also displays the behaviors you have described. The only attempt we have ever made with any medication was Adderall when he was first diagnosed, and that was only because we were essentially being blackmailed by the school. He protested the medication. Not only did he not like the way it made him feel,but it somehow invoked thoughts that there was something *wrong* with him. We respected his wishes and discontinued the pills. I was relieved that his doctor very much approved of this decision. Even if offered anti-anxiety medication, I think my son would decline them. So, I cannot offer you input on the meds, but I will wish you my best. I know these are tough decisions to make and how difficult is to watch your child struggle.

i did a test and seem to have anxiety to but where do you find medications?and do they realy help or not?

I would like to add that there is a lot of conflicting information out there about the link between teen suicide and antidepressants. Many anti-anxiety meds are also antidepressants. I do not know if your son suffers from depression, but I thought I needed to add this since it is a common factor with Aspergers.

I took Zoloft for quite a while. It caused tiredness, especially at higher doses, but was otherwise benign. It did not do much for either depression or anxiety.

If I were you, I would get your boy to rate his anxiety level on a ten-scale; at two weeks, the meds should just barely have begun to kick in. If you see a decrease in anxiety over time, you'll know that either the meds are working or there's a placebo effect strong enough to make it look that way. (Either one accomplishes your purpose, so it doesn't matter which.)

If I'd tracked my own emotions that way, I would have known that Zoloft did not work for me a lot earlier. It does work for some people, though, and has been known to help with anxiety.

Re. Teen suicide and antidepressants: While there have been no links between suicide and antidepressants, there have been links between suicidal ideation and antidepressants, especially in teenagers. The increase isn't much, but it's statistically significant.

One caution with medication for Asperger's: Many doctors will try to prescribe a neuroleptic to autistic people, especially Risperdal. These are drugs of last resort, with serious side effects; think very carefully before you try them.