Posted by brynb on August 1, 2012, at 15:10:37
In reply to Re: ssri treatment that allows complex mental work?, posted by CaffeinePoet on August 1, 2012, at 8:20:10
congrats on the new position cp!
i've found celexa to be super helpful in this department (and lexapro, which i currently take). i used to take benzos habitually (actually, a lot more than habitually!) but only do so now infrequently, if i'm having a panic attack or if i'm too wound up. that said, being off of them actually made my anxiety better, and i definitely think that lexapro deserves some credit here. though i'm not currently employed, i work as a teacher and writer, and i'm able to concentrate and get work done while on lexapro (as long as my mood is controlled, i'm fine). perhaps you could try a low dose of celexa (or whichever sri) so that you don't get the cognitive side effects, but where you do get the anxiolytic benefits.
as an aside, i'm also a 30-something woman and i too see my mom and sister daily (we all live in the same apartment building). my mom only lives here part-time (she and my stepdad have another house), but i suspect her presence plays a big role in the anxiety/threat bias!
as for taking benzos, they certainly are second to none for acute anxiety, but unfortunately, they are definitely depressants on a regular basis. i found xanax to work well as a prn, with less depressive side effects.
good luck...
-b
poster:brynb
thread:1022547
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120718/msgs/1022569.html