I have been taking a low-dose antidepressant for 20 years, with no therapy. Mine truly does seem to be a chemical imbalance, and this prescription has been miraculous for me.
But mine is for depression, not anxiety, and I was 29 when I started it. I have had several different doctors over the years. I don’t know if this would be typical with anxiety, though?
Good on you
@Marmlet for not ignoring your symptoms and so happy you found something that works with your personal chemistry.
With the exception of the COVID-19 years, I've traveled frequently for my work for 20+ years across the country/time zones. After a negative experience with Ambien (sleep Rx), it was replaced with Alprazolam, a class of benzodiazepines.
Also used to treat anxiety disorders and panic disorder, Alprazolam works by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain. For my purpose, when taken about an hour before one intends to sleep, it helps and works as intended.
At my annual physical, I'll get an Rx for about 20 tablets (.25mg), and depending on my travel schedule, I typically have 8-10 pills left at the end of the year that I discard when I receive the new Rx. (Noting the discard date on the bottle by the pharmacy is typically 364 days from the Rx date).
While I don't have anxiety disorders, the Rx product insert provides "Physical dependence may develop after 2 or more weeks of daily use" which makes me think physicians would not prescribe for a patient that suffers from chronic/daily anxiety but event-provoking anxiety to take as needed.
From the testimony, it appears to me that LS was prescribed Rx Lorazopam (class of benzodiazepines) for episodic anxiety or "as needed." JMO