I am 42 years old man having anxiety disorder since the last 15 years and my consultant advised me to take lonazep zepam etc which I can't stop till now. I can't get rest without these tabs. Should I continue these tablets for lifetime? What will be the side effects? Pliz help me doctor.

Dr. Saranya DevanathanPsychiatrist51yrs exp

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Dear Yaipha, For anxiety disorder, there are many non medical methods of treatment. For example, therapy, relaxation techniques, yoga, meditation, mindfulness, etc. Try to learn and practice one of them and then reduce clonazepam. Till then, it is better to continue with the SAME (NOT increased) dose of clonazepam for better quality of life. 

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Mr. Saul PereiraPsychologist51yrs exp

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All psychotropic drugs have side effects. If you focused instead on doing some therapy, you could well come out of the medication with little withdrawal symptoms. You must immediately seek help from a counselor. Your fear is creating an obsession and that will gradually lead to anxiety and compulsive behaviors. If the fear is of recent origin, you could perhaps identify it and deal with it. But if it is from the long past, then much work has to be done to sort that out. Sometimes this kind of nervousness could be genetic too. In the meantime you must do certain things to build your constitution physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Mental stability can be achieved by learning a few skills in handling emotions in an appropriate manner. Stress management skills, which have a lot to do with expressing emotions, will need to be a major part of your recovery program. Emotionally you need the help of a counselor and that will help you tremendously to move from anxiety to normal fear. Please persevere and cooperate through all the support you need and you will come through successfully. Develop your body?s health by physical fitness through exercise, good rest (sleep), and a proper diet. Any way what you need to focus on is to do vigorous exercise of the aerobic kind for the heart?s fitness; meditation for the brain?s fitness; sleep for a well rested mind and body; a sound spiritual well being for good confidence and stability; and a diet with lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Vigorous exercise, especially of the callisthenic kind, will make your heart, which is a muscle, grow larger; and then your heart will need to beat less often and you will respond to the anxiety with a calmer disposition. If your mind, constitution, and your emotions are in check and fit, you will never be disturbed again. 

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