Xanax causing depression?

[Ms BW]

I think my low dose Xanax 0.25 mg is causing me to have depression.  Is this possible?  Has anyone else experienced this?

[wendydee]

I came on this site to find out a solution to my problem, only to remind myself that I already know. I had thyroid cancer, so I am kept hyperthyroid which leads to anxiety. I started taking .25 mg of xanax to sleep. I am up to 2 mg to sleep and I am so anxious during the day I can't stand it. I think it might be because I take the xanax at night and my body wants it during the day too.

My solution to everyone is God, or some higher power, whoever or whatever you want to believe in. Meditation is an excellent way to relax. The problem is it takes time. People don't want to take time, they want a quick fix - me included. It's so much easier to pop a pill, then to sit and pray or meditate for a 1/2 hour or an hour. Let me tell you, it is difficult work, but much safer than xanax. Also, once you start doing it, it gets easier. You learn to clear your head of all of your thoughts (this can take up to three months of practice or more). I'm glad I read all these posts. I am going to begin my meditation and stretching yoga again. I was so much happier and peaceful when I did this. I am just being lazy. My excuse: I don't have any time. We all know that is just an excuse. There's time for whatever we want to make time.

I hope any of you reading this will try meditation. Retrain your brain. You can do it! Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. We all have blessings that we forget we have because we are so focused on the negative. When you get a negative thought oppose it, think the opposite. For instance, if you think I'm so sad, I have nothing to live for, immediately replace that with the blessings you have (and we all have them). Go volunteer somewhere. Get your mind off yourself. Volunteering not only helps someone, but reminds you how blessed you are.

Good luck to all of you...I'm going to begin my meditation and wean myself off of xanax. This is a good website that gives you dosages to get off xanax: http://www.non-benzodiazepines.org.uk/alprazolam.html

[mmiamor]

Hi:
I took Xanax for three consecutive days & I felt relax & less hungry.  I was calm  it was great until I decided to stop because it is supposed to be taken supposedly only as needed.
Now, I feel extremely depressed & super tired. So, in my opinion, Xanax makes depression worst.
Thanks.

[Karmube]

Try acupuncture treatment for relaxation. It has worked for me in the past, along with herbal medicine (chinese medicine).

[netg]

mantra999, I really loved your response.

The only reason I got on xanax (I'm also on prozac and melarill) was because cannabis is illegal and my job randomly tests.  In my state medicinal cannabis is also illegal.  My prozac was supposed to be for treating my depression but it really only helps with my anger (which comes from being depressed), the melarill seems to be helping but I worry it's just placebo (only been on it a few days).

I am seriously considering moving to another state (though cannabis isn't approved for depression yet) because when I use cannabis I can use JUST enough (not to get high even) and I'm happy, I'm motivated...none of these other drugs works.

I just wanted to say I loved your reply and I wish we were "allowed" to use "medicines" that are not only MORE effective than ANYTHING but...natural too!  Thanks again for your reply!
NetG

[JGF25]

You have most certainly not diminished your intellectual function and your ability to experience joy!   This is my take on it.   A hightened anxiety state for any length of time really can lead to depression.  Sometimes it is OCD that leads to the anxiety and to depression.  What you have to do is treat the problem.  If the primary cause is OCD then you treat the OCD and the rest will follow.  If it is generalized anxiety, then you treat that and the rest will follow.  What I don't see here is you treating the anxiety or depression with a medication that is made specifically to do that such as the SSRIs, SNRIs, or medications that work on other neurotransmitters in the brain.  In my mind the Xanax is a bandaid until the other medications are built up in your system and working well.  

Here is my story in brief.  My OCD flared up in May.  I went on Wellbutrin and one of the side effects is anxiety.  So I struggled with feeling jittery, etc. for about 4 weeks.  During that time I took klonopin in varying doses as needed during the day.  Once the wellbutrin started working, I no longer needed the klonopin.  The wellbutrin is what is controlling my OCD/anxiety/depression.  

So my advice to you is to discuss with your doctor, GP, psychologist, or whatever about getting on a long-term medication that will help with your anxiety.  You can supplement with the xanax as needed or switch to klonopin.  Whatever your doctor thinks is best.

BTW, I feel great and OCD/anxiety/depression no longer rule my life.  It can be this way for you too.  

[wisernow11]

This is precisely how I feel.  Two years ago I had a very difficult period in my life that involved a loved one that I had no control over and I was unable to sleep and the Xanax definitely took care of that problem and helped me focus at work and with other areas of my life and keep the worry out of my mind.  But it gradually caused me to feel depressed, although I was no longer anxious or full of worry.  Prior to any use of Xanax I had felt a zest for life which I can no longer seem to find and feel full of doom and gloom which is not like me as I had previously always dealt well with life's ups and downs and always felt that "tomorrow was a new day" and was always able to enjoy and embrace the dawn.  But now I have been experiencing dark thoughts and a sense that there is no hope and no purpose.  So even though I have only taken a very low dose 0.25mg and sometimes even broke the pill in half to take at bedtime I think it has built up in my system although I have only took it continually for one year and intermittently for the last 6 months.   I think I must stop completely, and hope that this will enable my brain chemistry to return to normal; with healthy thoughts and the lucidity I use to enjoy.  I am afraid I may have permanently diminished my intellectual function and my ability to experience joy.