Baclofen and Anxiety

[Cassander]

Baclofen and Anxiety

bump for newbies and lurkers

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Wow. It's been a while! That surprises me.

Short version of a long story related to anxiety:

I was a pretty terrible student starting in 8th grade (~13yo, for non-US peeps.) This was pretty alarming for those around me. I always associated my repeated failures with my new-found and instantaneous love of booze. And boys.
My mother is a psychologist, and for that reason I was tested in many ways over many years looking for what was wrong with me. For several reasons I've unearthed some of that old information. (yikes!) Some of it was very insightful. Some of it makes me cringe at the complete ineptness related to trying to figure out this kind of thing. All of the tests missed the point in that they didn't take into account a very well established pattern. (Neither did I!)
I was always successful early on. As the coursework (or anything for that matter) became more stressful, I became less successful until I finally quit whatever I was trying to do. I drank more as the stress level increased.
Now I see the pattern as one that is related to the underlying anxiety and not the drinking. The anxiety first. The drinking was relief.

This is an important revelation for me, post-indifference. I'm not worried about drinking anymore. That's simply irrelevant as it's not an option. I am very worried about going down in a ball of flames, as per my well established pattern! Knowing that I have to continue to manage my anxiety, my reactions to stress, is going to be an integral part of my ability to do what needs to be done. Baclofen has leveled out much of the chemical imbalance, of that I have no doubt. But there's only so much a medication can do, especially long term.

I think there is pretty clear evidence that the people who are successful with baclofen are managing their anxiety in other ways as well: Exercise, therapy, meditation and nutrition. It's all been mentioned here repeatedly.

When I was looking for a way out I used to study, compare and contrast, the success stories and the not-so-successful stories. They didn't seem to have any real connection. Now I can see that the pattern is based on the anxiety link. People who found a way out long term (or even short term) were using lots of tools to make sure that they didn't need to continue to self-medicate. Even those that use medication to manage the anxiety, especially initially. I think maybe that is really important for those nearing the goal, and those who have just achieved it. Awareness of underlying anxiety, stress, triggers is difficult to see and much more difficult to manage in the moment, if one is unprepared. My own panic attacks, very much related to the side effects I experienced when titrating up on baclofen, were the most debilitating things I've ever experienced. I'm grateful that I made it through, but frankly it seems as though it was a miracle! I couldn't, and wouldn't have done it without MWO and the people who helped me manage that.
Thanks again, peeps!

[Bruunhilde]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Not to hijack the thread, but after reading about your experience Ne, which was really interesting - I wanted to share my own experience and perhaps explain why the anxiety link is not the starter for all of us. Yes anxiety is part of my drinking issue, and my school disfunction started in 3rd grade, that was the first time (that I recall) being told I'm not focusing, that I'm much too intelligent to be having these math issues, and I was kept after school for special help in math by an evil teacher and I was chased home by a bully/stalker who terrified me, then beat up at home by my brother because we were latchkey kids, ie, no parents at home, both working. That's when I recall the anxiety kicking in, on all fronts. In first grade, I recall being told I was talking too much with the little redheaded girl in class, so they had to split us up, so the focus was apparently always a problem. It didn't become a performance issue to my knowledge until math happened. Ugh.

But they always ask about your first experience with alcohol to determine which "type" you are physiologically. Seven Weeks asks that in the many quizzes to determine if you're allergic, addicted, other, a combo, etc. I'm allergic/addicted. My first experience was magical, I went from feeling bad mentally/emotionally/physically with terrible menstrual cramps to feeling happiness beyond compare, joy, physical exhaltation, if that's a term. Yes the alcohol would have helped with anxiety, but it was xmas and I was not feeling anxiety, I was excited, I was around 13yo.

So that's my experience with alcohol and anxiety. Baclofen helped with the ability to relax, the gabapentin helped with the hormonal depression, but I'm still drinking.

[Doggygirl]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Ne, interesting that you found old information that is helpful to just understanding what all has happened. It's always interesting to me that of all the people on MWO, and all the various methods people have implemented in order to stop drinking, certain things keep emerging that are actually part of the recommended My Way Out program - i.e. exercise in this case. And I would even add the hypnosis even though I'm sorely uneducated on that topic, other than to have listened to the MWO CD's a zillion times.

After reading both Ne and Brutus posts...

The whole issue of comorbid addiction and mental health issues ie. anxiety is facinating to me, and seems complex. Alcohol use can be a result of anxiety, and alcohol use can be a cause of anxiety. And I would imagine there are also times when both emerge but there is not causal relationship.

FWIW, the thinking of my Dual Disorders teacher (supported by the Integrated Treatment text) marks what I think is a change from days of old. I think there was a time when it was thought to be important to distinguish the primary and secondary disorders. The thinking was that if the primary disorder was successfully treated, the secondary one would disappear on its own. (I'm sure that must be an over simplification). A more current view seems to be that initially anyway, it doesn't matter which came first - a good treatment plan will address both issues concurrently. Of course reality is always more complex it seems than what is presented in the books/classes.

Interesting topic.

DG

[boosted_b16]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Just want to add my results to this thread in terms of baclofen efficacy for anxiety. This is actually the main reason for my baclofen use.

After 5 days of use, my overwhelming anxiety has subsided considerably to a much more managable level. I have been on many many meds for anxiety, and so far, baclofen has helped more than any other med I have taken. I will continue to post my experience on this thread as time continues in hopes of helping out others that seek anxiety relief from baclofen treatment.

[Cassander]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Weekend bump for newbies and lurkers and also for any regular posters who want to add to the discussion of baclofen and anxiety.

[spacebebe01]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Glad you bumped this up, thanks Cassandra

[bobsd]

Baclofen and Anxiety

To be honest, my anxiety level increased at first as I titrated up. But I was also dealing with my life coming crashing down on me, so the bac might have been helping me.

Not to worry... In the past week or so, I have experienced a marked decrease in my anxiety! It's like my lung capacity has been increased by 25%! I can breathe again!!

Yesterday, I was in the Whole Foods parking lot in Venice, CA (one of the most evil places in the world), and I was amazed at my reaction to everything... I was waving people by and smiling, where usually I would be honking and yelling! Something has changed in me. I am pretty sure it is "the switch".

My mom is reading Dr. A's book, and she was fascinated by the thought of anxiety being the underlying cause of addiction. She mentioned that her dad (a lifetime homeless alcoholic) probably drank for this reason. It was like part of her was forgiving him. It was beautiful!

[Bruunhilde]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Bob, that's awesome, what healing on all angles this is bringing. I'm reading Jason Vale's Stop the Drink Easily (or something) and one of the things he emphasizes is that alcohol causes anxiety rather than eases it. That it's "sold" as a relaxant and is a CNS depressant, but you don't actually ease anxiety with it, rather the reverse. That's a good book too.

[Australia]

Baclofen and Anxiety

cassander

i am 2 days af and before this now and all my life i have had terrible anxiety both social and situational. i would like to see a dr and get baclofen today but am in australia. what dose shall i ask for, like how much on day 1 and how to increase. thanks!:thanks:

[Cassander]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Hello Oz

Welcome. As you probably know by now, just looking around mwo, plenty of people who come here battle both anxiety and alcohol. And many have found considerable relief!

There are a number of posters from Australia and hopefully one will pop up and help you with the situation down under.

In the meantime, I recommend that you read as much as you can here on mwo about baclofen and other people's experience with bac. A good place to start is https://www.mywayout.org/community/f2...ead-50513.html.

You have come to a good place. There is plenty of help and support here.

Best,

Cassander

[Australia]

Baclofen and Anxiety

thank you Cassander

[Sprat]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Hello everyone, still here.

I've been thinking about this thread too. I've been on HDB for 6 months, and my anxiety is through the roof. Why? Everyone else here is saying, I was stressed before bac and drank alot, bac took that away and now i don't need to drink.

I've had some real success w/ bac but not switched yet. I'm not going to stop. But some say bac works for people who drink for anxiety, and if bac doesn't work for that then it won't work at all.

I exercise a lot, don't work too much, swallow my St. Johns, drink my chamomile tea, read my novels, but am stressed. I always feel I should be somewhere else. If I have free time and go to the beach, I should be studying and I can't enjoy it. If i go to the library to study, I should have stayed home to study, etc. If i go out i should be home, and if at home should be out. Just some examples. Feeling wrong, regret, anxious all the time. How can this be?

I know i should try more yoga. Anything else? Any other complementary meds? Any reason i'm on 250 mg of bac and feeling stressed all the time, especially over small things?

:thanks:
Jack

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Sprat;1215433 wrote: Any reason i'm on 250 mg of bac and feeling stressed all the time, especially over small things?

Hiya!!!

Yep. On HDB I felt increased anxiety. Greatly increased. I'll spare you the dime-store hypotheses and just say that I think the research will (eventually) back this conundrum up. HDB is a different animal than low dose bac.
I tried to remember that I was taking care of a big bad beastly disease, but it doesn't make it better in the moment, much. (btw, are you feeling a little obsessive about certain things, too? That was HUGE for me and some others I know.) I think it's dose dependent, but I kind of remember feeling a little OCD and anxious for a long time, so I can't be sure.

I suggest xanax (or whatever you can get over there. There is an internet source if you're comfortable sending cash to Pakistan. Really. :H) .25 twice a day, morning and evening. It's what Dr. L recommends and that's what Ed and another friend of mine took. Both stopped effortlessly and without much thought. I credit it for their almost complete lack of SEs. (though Ed did get a little OCD, too, I think. He denies it. But he brushed his teeth like a man possessed. And our floor, normally littered with a comforting amount of dog hair, was immaculate for months. I miss that.)

Nice to *see* you.
Ne
ps. try again!

[Sprat]

Baclofen and Anxiety

Thanks Ne, I'm glad i'm not the only one. So who in Pakistan should i send my cc number to?