Effects - Kratom for anxiety

[dark12]

Hey everyone,
SWIM has not been using Kratom for a long time, but for over 2 years he has had problems with anxiety. SWIM has taken many tests and read many articles and is convinced he has a treatable case of general anxiety disorder.
Anyway, SWIM has found Kratom helps him open up and be more confident in social situations. SWIM would like to know if anyone else uses Kratom for this reason.
In light of the news that Kratom may follow the path of Salvia, SWIM has scheduled an appointment with his doctor to inquire about a Xanax prescription. SWIM is very sick of letting this problem ruin his school and work performance.
If anyone has any advice or comments on his issue he would greatly appreciate it.

[Negcreep]

SWIM has suffered with GAD for most of his adult life. Its treatable with antidepressants such as the SSRI's and tricyclics. SWIM found the SSRI citalopram to be the best for overall treatment, allowing him to live a mostly normal life. Kratom is also a potent anxiolytic but it only has a short lived effect, and the addictiveness of the drug will only cause more anxiety when you stop taking it. So its very difficult for SWIM to advice the use of kratom for long term treatment of anxiety. You also say your after a xanax script, xanax is only useful in the short term treatment of anxiety. Doctors here in the UK are very against prescibing any benzodiazpine for a period longer than two weeks. This is due the addiction and tolerance that can develop after a few weeks. Once this occurs, withdrawl symptoms are unpleasant causing rebound anxiety and can also be dangerous (causing seizures). Saying that, its not completly unheard of that doctors in other countries prescribe them for long term use....its just do you really want to risk all that? Antidepressants also have their side effects and although not addicting have a non-dangerous, unpleasant withdrawl symptoms. I suppose you have to ask yourself if your anxiety is bad enough to warrent treatment. If like SWIM, it is then go for an SSRI. Another option of course is Cognitive Behavoral Therapy if you can get it. Apparently often people find get the most benefit from treatment with drugs and therapy.
I hope you find the help you need.

Reputation Comments on this post:

solid response.

[dark12]

Thanks Negcreep,
I've been taking xanax since that post and it hasn't helped a noticeable amount. I need to take a large dose(2mg) to even feel the effects, and even then it just makes me sleepy. I would prefer to stay off an SSRI due to the side effects, but I will keep it in the back of my head.

[Negcreep]

Yeah SWIM has been given a few two week scripts of Diazapam (valium) and found the same thing with those. I forgot another option...if the anxiety is not that bad, SWIM used to be on beta blockers while at university. SWIM still takes one now (propanolol) at a 40mg dose as needed. They block the adrenaline reaching your heart during panic attacks so your heart beat stays constant. There are no real side effects to speak of with those.

[dark12]

SWIM's doc suggested beta-blockers for SWIM too, but at the time alprazolam seemed like a better choice.

[blackwolf]

In a swim with panic attacks, he has found that kratom( which he has had experience with for over 4 years now,Using between 1 and 90 times a month, yes he used it a few times a day for a a neurolgical condition between doctors buy thats another story) at times can cause anxiety and panic while "coming down" Basicly about 3-4 hours after consuming kratom he feels on edge, jumpy, and panicky. He does not use kratom on a regular basis anymore( at most 2 times a month). When he was using daily for pain, he did not get the kratom anxiety as often, but it still showed up every few days.

every swim is different , but this swim doesnt think it would be a great idea to use it for GAD.

[dark12]

Interesting. I am sure it has something to do with dosage too.
Usually when SWIM uses kratom he pretty much melts with relaxation. Though there have been many a time when he experiences the edginess that SWIy mention. Guess one must find the sweet spot for themselves.