Stress and medication (I need advice) (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 9/13/2026 6:16:19 AM EDT
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While I function pretty well in life I constantly walk that fine line with stress and anxiety. Recently its started to catch up with me In 2018 I had a health scare caused by extreme stress. For the most part I generally get through it day to day just fine but recently it's been tougher to keep it in check. It's not one thing over another it's a giant shit sandwich unfortunately. Its only recently that I've started to lose the battle. I used to take medication to help with it but I hated the side effects (I was diagnosed ADD at a very early age ) I'm looking at all the options but the idea of going back on pills scares me a bit. I know this is GD not a doctor's office but any advice I'd appreciate. I know medication has helped a lot of people but I also know what happens when its mis -prescribed |
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I've had a few anxiety attacks, and stress related heart palpitations. The people at the hospital were super nice about it while I was in there with literally nothing wrong with me. My business was growing, and money was tight (money is still tight, but at least manageable now) This was mostly in my mid 30's. What helped me the most out of everything, is learning to stop giving a fuck. I know it sounds stupid, but really. Things are going to happen, deadlines are going to be tight, and money may get lost. No big deal, we'll get it on the next one. As long as everyone gets home safe every day, it doesn't matter how bad the day went, we can fix it tomorrow. Just this week I loaned out a trailer to a friend, and he got into an accident while towing it (not his fault, the lady that hit him got a bunch of tickets). No big deal, we'll get it fixed, insurance will pay for it (or they won't) and we'll keep moving. Nobody got hurt, so whatever. |
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You’re in good company, OP. At times I feel like I should seek help, but don’t want to deal with the negative side of it. I keep thinking if I start the medication route, where will/could it end? Strangely, there’s comfort in knowing that no matter how bad things are in my life, there are millions of people that would love to trade places with me. For now I’m hanging on and relying on God more than ever. |
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Op, I totally get it and have struggled with anxiety for many years, and it's hard to explain it to someone that has never had it, and they can't understand why you have anxiety for sometimes no reason at all. I'm the guy that everyone comes to when something is wrong because I have my crap together, but it does wear on you. Recently a neighbor said they take a supplement called Cortisol Manager by Integrative therapeutics, and it has helped me a lot with a full night's rest, and much longer fuse during the day with less anxiety. They're not super cheap, but if it helps, it's worth it, and it's not another pill from the doctor that will mess with your mind. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you find something that helps you. |
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"America is at that awkward stage; it's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards."
"America is at that awkward stage; it's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards."
Man, that's tough. I use exercise a lot to clear my head. I was in a really bad spot during covid, because work was so crazy, and my sleep had gotten really screwed up, waking between 2-3 every night and not being able to go back to sleep. It didn't help my sleep, really, but at some point I decided if I was going to be awake I could at least get in a workout. It gave me enough clear thought time that I got to the point I knew I needed to quit that job and go do something else  .Also, turn off the politics. Trying to "keep up with what's going on" with it is a constant reminder of how out of control your life is. Tighten your circle of control some so you can focus on what you can control. |
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Originally Posted By sitdwnandhngon: What helped me the most out of everything, is learning to stop giving a fuck. I know it sounds stupid, but really. Things are going to happen, deadlines are going to be tight, and money may get lost. No big deal, we'll get it on the next one. As long as everyone gets home safe every day, it doesn't matter how bad the day went, we can fix it tomorrow. Just this week I loaned out a trailer to a friend, and he got into an accident while towing it (not his fault, the lady that hit him got a bunch of tickets). No big deal, we'll get it fixed, insurance will pay for it (or they won't) and we'll keep moving. Nobody got hurt, so whatever. This is my problem, I can’t figure out how to stop caring. Additionally, I can manage to turn the simplest issues in life into major issues in my head. |
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Originally Posted By BornIn1776: This is my problem, I can’t figure out how to stop caring. Additionally, I can manage to turn the simplest issues in life into major issues in my head. Originally Posted By BornIn1776: Originally Posted By sitdwnandhngon: What helped me the most out of everything, is learning to stop giving a fuck. I know it sounds stupid, but really. Things are going to happen, deadlines are going to be tight, and money may get lost. No big deal, we'll get it on the next one. As long as everyone gets home safe every day, it doesn't matter how bad the day went, we can fix it tomorrow. Just this week I loaned out a trailer to a friend, and he got into an accident while towing it (not his fault, the lady that hit him got a bunch of tickets). No big deal, we'll get it fixed, insurance will pay for it (or they won't) and we'll keep moving. Nobody got hurt, so whatever. This is my problem, I can’t figure out how to stop caring. Additionally, I can manage to turn the simplest issues in life into major issues in my head. Yeah, it's tough. It was a complete paradigm shift for me. I think what helped the most is the realization that things would be pretty much the same without me. I'm just on earth for the ride for a little while. Work hard, make some money, build something cool, and then die. Might as well do it without being stressed about it. |
If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it.
| My 2 cents, always had stress and anxiety, but an event happened in Aug, that I felt was pushing me to an edge of something, off the charts anxiety. My head was spinning, finally went to docs and he gave me Xanax, it does help. I always used to roll my eyes at people(not to their face) who talked about anxiety attacks. Now I know |
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Originally Posted By 1975: What happened in 2018? Doctor said my immune system crashed due to stress. It felt like someone was jabbing me in the neck with a cattle prod. |
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Originally Posted By zukguy: Op, I totally get it and have struggled with anxiety for many years, and it's hard to explain it to someone that has never had it, and they can't understand why you have anxiety for sometimes no reason at all. I'm the guy that everyone comes to when something is wrong because I have my crap together, but it does wear on you. Recently a neighbor said they take a supplement called Cortisol Manager by Integrative therapeutics, and it has helped me a lot with a full night's rest, and much longer fuse during the day with less anxiety. They're not super cheap, but if it helps, it's worth it, and it's not another pill from the doctor that will mess with your mind. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you find something that helps you. |
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Originally Posted By sitdwnandhngon: I've had a few anxiety attacks, and stress related heart palpitations. The people at the hospital were super nice about it while I was in there with literally nothing wrong with me. My business was growing, and money was tight (money is still tight, but at least manageable now) This was mostly in my mid 30's. What helped me the most out of everything, is learning to stop giving a fuck. I know it sounds stupid, but really. Things are going to happen, deadlines are going to be tight, and money may get lost. No big deal, we'll get it on the next one. As long as everyone gets home safe every day, it doesn't matter how bad the day went, we can fix it tomorrow. Just this week I loaned out a trailer to a friend, and he got into an accident while towing it (not his fault, the lady that hit him got a bunch of tickets). No big deal, we'll get it fixed, insurance will pay for it (or they won't) and we'll keep moving. Nobody got hurt, so whatever. Easier said than done for a lot of us, but this is the way.  |
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Originally Posted By tommyg52: My 2 cents, always had stress and anxiety, but an event happened in Aug, that I felt was pushing me to an edge of something, off the charts anxiety. My head was spinning, finally went to docs and he gave me Xanax, it does help. I always used to roll my eyes at people(not to their face) who talked about anxiety attacks. Now I know |
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Life changes can help. Hormones can cause issues. Stress, diet, and exercise affect hormone levels. If needed, take the least amount of meds needed to get you through the day. If you start medications take them regularly and be aware of the risks of stopping them cold turkey. Sometimes, some people, just need proper medication. Sincerely, I wish you luck. |
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Originally Posted By dbb1776: Life changes can help. If needed, take the least amount of meds needed to get you through the day. If you start medications take them regularly and be aware of the risks of stopping them cold turkey. Sometimes, some people, just need proper medication. Sincerely, I wish you luck. I eliminated one big part of the stress which was my debt. That has helped massively. |
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Originally Posted By saigamanTX: Thank you. I eliminated one big part of the stress which was my debt. That has helped massively. Originally Posted By saigamanTX: Originally Posted By dbb1776: Life changes can help. If needed, take the least amount of meds needed to get you through the day. If you start medications take them regularly and be aware of the risks of stopping them cold turkey. Sometimes, some people, just need proper medication. Sincerely, I wish you luck. I eliminated one big part of the stress which was my debt. That has helped massively. Getting out from under debt is a huge stress relief. Walking outside in the sunshine is a great for stress relief. |
Glock Derangement Syndrome > Trump Derangement Syndrome.
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I love my little pro gun Viking wife.
She has the world's bluest eyes.
Plastic Fantastic Fanatic.
I love my little pro gun Viking wife.
She has the world's bluest eyes.
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I've basically come to the conclusion that anxiety is the number one barrier to success. When I became head cheese I about crashed out, my whole being was telling me to just run away from the whole thing to go live in the woods Meds helped me get through a really bad month but they're definitely not a long term solution imo. Rarely I still take what's basically Benadryl on steroids to help me sleep when things are really chaotic but that's it. What helped me was the development of faith in myself. You need to trust that things will work out and that you are where you are for good reason. Faith in God is huge too if you're the saved type. Even if I fail there's always a way out, I've screwed up thing a thousand times and always got through, why would the next time be different? Delegate if you have staff. Have faith that your employees will get it done without you. Eat healthy. Meat, veggies and water. Ditch sugar and processed crap. Definitely ditch alcohol. Just recently I quit caffeine and this made a surprisingly huge difference. Remember that steel is forged in fire.  |
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I found that a huge part of feeling stressed is your mindset, I wish I would have learned that decades ago. Probably would have saved me from the first heart attack. You eventually have to tell yourself that you can only handle so much and not worry about shit you can't control. I eventually reached peak NGAF about the things that are not as important as I used to think that they were. |
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If you don't mind my asking, what medication did you take prior that seemed to help? If it's bad anxiety that's the problem, how's your BP? Assuming anxiety is the core issue, medication like propranolol or clonidine can certainly help (without the serious dependency risks of benzodiazepines and stuff like gabapentin). |
"Oh no! I know what you want! You coveteth my ice cream bar!"
"If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?"
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional.”
"If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?"
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional.”
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Originally Posted By peanutman: I have hd two strokes. The damage to my brain revels itself psychologically. Do a little checking to insure that it is psychological not physical. Excellent advice. |
"Oh no! I know what you want! You coveteth my ice cream bar!"
"If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?"
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional.”
"If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?"
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional.”
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Originally Posted By packingXDs: I'd rather be on the bottle than the pharm. At least one of them has been know to man for a millennia. Neither is good for you. At least I know which is more predictable. This is supremely stupid take. Alcohol has been proven to be beneficial in no way in what op is dealing with. Questionable methods of action of medication still beats the ONLY detrimental effects of alcohol and I’m not even advocating for pharmaceuticals. My doctor gave me the recommendation of working out harder. If stress was keeping me up at night I wasn’t working out hard enough. Naturally jacks your dopamine levels all day makes you sleep harder that helps regulate mood even more. It’s really what works but it’s hard to stick to for me, for everyone. He was the bike 50 miles a day type. CBT therapy has really helped for acute anxiety. Thought challenging exercises help break my thought cycles and let me get on with my day. Not helped my long standing underlying issues but beat spiraling in your own mind. Edit: Forgot and some else mentioned. Quit caffeine. It’s hard and I haven’t beaten it but it really helps. |
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Originally Posted By packingXDs: I'd rather be on the bottle than the pharm. At least one of them has been know to man for a millennia. Neither is good for you. At least I know which is more predictable. The only predictable thing about choosing the bottle is an early, miserable death. |
"Oh no! I know what you want! You coveteth my ice cream bar!"
"If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?"
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional.”
"If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?"
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional.”
|
Originally Posted By BornIn1776: This is my problem, I can’t figure out how to stop caring. Additionally, I can manage to turn the simplest issues in life into major issues in my head. Tom Petty had a line in his song "Crawling back to You"; "most things I worry about never happen anyway". I've found this to be mostly true. Worrying about shit that you can't control or change, or worrying about outcomes that never happen is energy wasted. Alcohol consumption, even in small amounts can depress the nervous system and lead to anxiety. Eliminate booze and try exercising a moderate amount every day can help tremendously. |
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| Oddly enough, aniexty/panic attacks, can come from inflammation occurring in the body. Sounds bizarre, then you get Crohns disease and your guts inflamed and out of nowhere, with zero mental health issues, they present themselves for zero reason. I strongly believe inflammation/immune issues can be a major major driver; many times with very little symptoms or evidence. Body seems fine, but mentally something is warning us of an internal fault. |
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Originally Posted By sitdwnandhngon: I've had a few anxiety attacks, and stress related heart palpitations. The people at the hospital were super nice about it while I was in there with literally nothing wrong with me. My business was growing, and money was tight (money is still tight, but at least manageable now) This was mostly in my mid 30's. What helped me the most out of everything, is learning to stop giving a fuck. I know it sounds stupid, but really. Things are going to happen, deadlines are going to be tight, and money may get lost. No big deal, we'll get it on the next one. As long as everyone gets home safe every day, it doesn't matter how bad the day went, we can fix it tomorrow. Just this week I loaned out a trailer to a friend, and he got into an accident while towing it (not his fault, the lady that hit him got a bunch of tickets). No big deal, we'll get it fixed, insurance will pay for it (or they won't) and we'll keep moving. Nobody got hurt, so whatever. This  Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) - "It Is Not A Shit Assignment and I Don't Give A Fuck" :) - Best Part 5 #fun |
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Originally Posted By Anastasios: How much of a physical threat to you are the things that cause your anxiety? Think of action as like launching a missile. But unlike a missile there is no self destruct button if you act irrationally. You choose poorly there is no going back. Dad's fight with ptsd as a Vietnam vet helped train me on how to handle things. I tend to retreat inwardly and recenter. People in life will always piss us off. I think i just need to realize that I need to focus on myself rather than being a problem solver for others. |
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Originally Posted By saigamanTX: Want to thank everyone for the responses.   You're welcome. Fwiw if you talk with a dr. Please dont jump into benzos. Maybe something like vistaril, clonidine, or buspirone. The whole "dont give a fuck" shtick really works. It doesn't mean you dont care. Its just that you accept stuff you have no control over. |
Do Good
Be Dangerous
Live Free
Be Dangerous
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Originally Posted By 03RN: You're welcome. Fwiw if you talk with a dr. Please dont jump into benzos. Maybe something like vistaril, clonidine, or buspirone. The whole "dont give a fuck" shtick really works. It doesn't mean you dont care. Its just that you accept stuff you have no control over. Being an only child and having to put off life to help my mom through divorce it instilled a "Get shit done" mindset. I just have to realize that there are things I cant control. I can present solutions but if those in charge don't want to act? Just step back. |
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Originally Posted By saigamanTX: That's been my war for a long time. Being an only child and having to put off life to help my mom through divorce it instilled a "Get shit done" mindset. I just have to realize that there are things I cant control. I can present solutions but if those in charge don't want to act? Just step back. Originally Posted By saigamanTX: Originally Posted By 03RN: You're welcome. Fwiw if you talk with a dr. Please dont jump into benzos. Maybe something like vistaril, clonidine, or buspirone. The whole "dont give a fuck" shtick really works. It doesn't mean you dont care. Its just that you accept stuff you have no control over. Being an only child and having to put off life to help my mom through divorce it instilled a "Get shit done" mindset. I just have to realize that there are things I cant control. I can present solutions but if those in charge don't want to act? Just step back. Its not an either or kinda thing. Its not nialism either. You can still get shit done. Shit happens so you swerve and adapt. I actually think it's a more effective way to get shit done because you dont get bogged down with negative stress. A little stress can be good. |
Do Good
Be Dangerous
Live Free
Be Dangerous
Live Free
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@saigamanTX You should get a sleep study done. You may need a CPAC. You could be losing a lot of sleep which causes stress. |
Glock Derangement Syndrome > Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Plastic Fantastic Fanatic.
I love my little pro gun Viking wife.
She has the world's bluest eyes.
Plastic Fantastic Fanatic.
I love my little pro gun Viking wife.
She has the world's bluest eyes.
|
Originally Posted By saigamanTX: Being an only child and having to put off life to help my mom through divorce it instilled a "Get shit done" mindset. I just have to realize that there are things I cant control. I can present solutions but if those in charge don't want to act? Just step back. This has a lot to do with anxiety. You might see yourself unable to share responsibilities with others and so everything falls on you. You may have a lot on your plate and failure is not an option. I’m sort of going through this, though I have an older sister. There’s not a day I don’t wake up thinking about a problem that needs solving. It’s exhausting. |
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Originally Posted By PanzerOfDoom: First take a serious look at what’s creating the stress in your life, see if you can get some of that resolved and go from there. This. I changed jobs and it made a huge difference. I knownthat isn't always an option, but if you can reduce your stress levels then you may find you can manage without medication. |
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Originally Posted By PanzerOfDoom: First take a serious look at what’s creating the stress in your life, see if you can get some of that resolved and go from there. You can't take pills to fix someone else's problems If your stress is coming from another person, kick them to the fucking curb From a discussion i had with the late Dr. J. Howard, peace be upon him, when he offered me pills for my wife's menopausal insanity You CAN die from someone else's mental illness |
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My cortisol levels are off chart high, I feel fine, mostly. My adrenal goes crazy if I am amp'd up or just bumming around without a care in the world. Its been causing my pancreas to do some wild things. Sucks, but c'est le vie. Tired of doctors and specialists and everyone telling me to "breath and try to relax". |
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Originally Posted By PanzerOfDoom: First take a serious look at what’s creating the stress in your life, see if you can get some of that resolved and go from there. This for sure. I think a lot of us are in similar boats as you OP. Dont want to hijack your thread, but, for me: Get a regular exercise program in place and dont neglect it. Eat right. Get quality (non-medicated) sleep if at all possible. Again , set a schedule and dont deviate from it even on weekends. Go back to doing something that you really enjoyed in your younger days: Play a sport, learn the piano, fix up an old car, etc. Donr left life overshadow you living |
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When I would get frustrated I used to try harder, work longer, work harder, not give up, double down and push harder and bang my head into the wall as hard as I could. I think it came from having a job that I had to solve problems and had limited time to fix things when they went wrong or really bad stuff would happen. I was basically trying to fix it for the rest of my life, how ever short that was about to be. Now when I get frustrated I drop what ever it is that I am doing and walk away. If it doesn't get done, oh well it also wasn't getting done before I started trying. I go play the guitar instead or take the dogs for a walk. Do this approach before your first heart attack, I was a slow learner. |
Mach
Nobody is coming to save us.
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Nobody is coming to save us.
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Lots of great posts/advice. If you do not already believe, having faith (belief) in God can help many who are overwhelmed by stress. It can help you cope by providing comfort, strength and spiritual peace during troubling times. Some people find that telling yourself "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is helpful when facing difficult situations. If not already doing, studying your Bible (start with the New Testament) and believing the Gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-4) can, over time, help put things in perspective and impact your overall well-being. Using Google to identify uplifting scriptures can also have a positive influence on your outlook. You are not alone. Attending a church that offers support and encouragement may also be helpful. Good luck OP. |
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Originally Posted By sitdwnandhngon: Yeah, it's tough. It was a complete paradigm shift for me. I think what helped the most is the realization that things would be pretty much the same without me. I'm just on earth for the ride for a little while. Work hard, make some money, build something cool, and then die. Might as well do it without being stressed about it. This is what helped me. Like mentioned, it was a complete paradigm shift for me. A 180. Now, when I stress about not be able to pay a bill or something, I realize I'll get it done even if late. And the shift in my case was pretty absolute. I think what's the worst, my houe? Jail? Meh, I'm getting old and whatever happens. |
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Originally Posted By Emeoba69: This is supremely stupid take. Alcohol has been proven to be beneficial in no way in what op is dealing with. Questionable methods of action of medication still beats the ONLY detrimental effects of alcohol and I'm not even advocating for pharmaceuticals. My doctor gave me the recommendation of working out harder. If stress was keeping me up at night I wasn't working out hard enough. Naturally jacks your dopamine levels all day makes you sleep harder that helps regulate mood even more. It's really what works but it's hard to stick to for me, for everyone. He was the bike 50 miles a day type. CBT therapy has really helped for acute anxiety. Thought challenging exercises help break my thought cycles and let me get on with my day. Not helped my long standing underlying issues but beat spiraling in your own mind. Edit: Forgot and some else mentioned. Quit caffeine. It's hard and I haven't beaten it but it really helps. |
Live your life as you would wish to have lived, when you come to die. Confucius
When words lose their meaning, a people can move neither hand nor foot. Confucius
When words lose their meaning, a people can move neither hand nor foot. Confucius
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Originally Posted By PanzerOfDoom: First take a serious look at what’s creating the stress in your life, see if you can get some of that resolved and go from there. My blood pressure had a step change in January this year. All of the doctors, my wife, my parents all told me the same thing - you need to start cutting things out that stress you out. And my answer to everyone was “I hear you, but I can’t just quit my job and abandon my family.” So now I’m on blood pressure meds and daily exercise. |
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Hey OP. Hope you’re doing well. I’m not normally into self help type books but I truly believe this has helped me and might help you too. Don’t dismiss it. At least read a summary. The art of letting go by Nick Trenton, specifically. It’s super easy almost too easy of a read. Talks about the dichotomy of control, self distancing and excellent-ism vs perfectionism among many other things. The book title is common. I’m only speaking about Trenton’s. Good luck man. |