Med suggestion for GAD/Depression

Submitted by smsbean Tue 10/25/2011

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34 year old female currently on Lexapro 20 mg daily and Wellbutrin 300 mg daily for GAD and depression. Over the past decade has tried Prozac, Zoloft, Buspar, and Effexor XR. Effexor was by far the best for controlling anxiety but was discontinued after several years due to hypertension. Recently lost a child due to illness. Anxiety and uncontrollable worrying has escalated.

Hi Smsbean, I am deeply sorry

Submitted by Dr. Lane on Tue, 10/25/2011 - 5:53pm.

Hi Smsbean,

I am deeply sorry for your recent loss - I can only imagine how devastating that must be for you.

As for your anxiety and depression, medication is never my primary recommendation for treating either. That being said, medication does have a place in some cases, but it is an inadequate treatment in and of itself.

My recommendation for you is therapy. The best therapy for both depression and anxiety, in my opinion, is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Uncontrollable worry (and anxiety in general, as well as depression) is primarily fueled by irrational thoughts and "thinking errors". CBT addresses these and helps people make changes in thinking patterns that keep them anxious and depressed.

I encourage you to find a therapist who is trained in CBT and has years of experience successfully treating both anxiety and depression using this type of therapy. You can try other types of therapy, but CBT is definitely one of the most effective approaches. Medication can be used as an adjunctive treatment, but will never treat the underlying cause of your anxiety or depression.

I hope this helps and I wish you the best!

—

Dr. Lane

For Treatment Options Call (877) 331-9311

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