My only advise is to not touch ANY Benzodiazepine that a doctor may subscribe you. I went through 8 years of hell due to that that evil drug.
Excellent advice. I am a pharmacist who specializes in psychiatric medicine. There is a lot of controversy over psych medicine and I can tell you much of what you hear is flakey research or myth. The majority of medications out there are very safe and typically those crazy stories have other circumstances in play. Benzodiazepines are one class of drugs where the stories you hear should be listened to. Benzos should be used as a last chance effort.
Benzodiazepines have their use in a limited number of cases but should never be taken as a long term solution. Anxiety, in a case like yours, is not going to disappear on its own and is something you will have to deal with for the rest of your life to one extent or another. Only by modifying the way you think/process emotion will you be able to achieve long term reduction.
Benzodiazepines will lose their efficacy if taken regularly after just a couple weeks aka tolerance. Some people say they've taken them for 5 years and haven't changed their dose. There are some rare people who don't form tolerance, but the placebo effect in medication, especially psychiatric, is incredible. These medications are also highly addictive and abusable. I have seen many people's lives destroyed by taking these medications through addiction. I've had patients who went from business executives, doctors, and lawyers to being literally broke and homeless. Other patients report just "not caring" about anything and letting their work and social lives fall apart. Many GP's will prescribe these like candy. More responsible, savvy psychiatrists limit how often they give them out. There are much safer methods available that should be utilized before using Benzos.
Also related to Benzodiazepines are hypnotics like Ambien. Both Ambien and your other Benzos are often prescribed for sleep (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, etc). The stories about people doing crazy stuff in their sleep is also true with Ambien. If you have depression/anxiety related insomnia there are much more effective and safer options available. The stories about people doing crazy stuff in their sleep is rare, but does happen.
The major antidepressants like used today like SSRI's, SNRI's, NDRI's, and tricyclics are all very safe for the majority of patients. If you choose to take medication a good psychiatrist will consider your needs and other conditions (if any) and find something that he thinks will work best. The first choice doesn't always work out, or the second, but you have a lot of options. Many of the drugs do take a while to take effect, but the more you stick with it the less waiting time there will be if you switch medications.
As I mentioned in my private message to you, medication can only take you so far. They are an aid. The true work should be done with a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist to help figure out what is going on and to help you through your problems. I am a big fan of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). Medications can help reduce symptoms to help you get back on your feet. They do not solve the problem though.
It's too often we look for the solution in a pill. The drugs may be part of the solution, but with everything in life, nothing is free and you have to put in some level of work to get a result.
The first thing you have to do though is meet with a mental health professional and start from there. It's not an easy thing to ask for help with, it's not easy to live with it, but you can achieve recovery and it will be worth it for sure.
