Often, people who stop getting benefit from their medications or who find that the drugs they have been prescribed will simply stop taking them or adjust dosages themselves. There is a great deal of evidence to support the fact that medication is not the best way to treat an anxiety disorder, but if you are taking medication, it is important to take it as directed and to ask your prescribing doctor how to taper off of the medication or how to stop if you no longer want to take it.
Many of the medications prescribed for anxiety are addictive, and suddenly stopping their use can create withdrawal symptoms that can make you sick or that can trigger severe anxiety and panic. Tapering off of these drugs is often crucial. This increased anxiety and dependency serves to show why these drugs should never be used long term in the treatment of anxiety disorders and why they can be dangerous even in the short term.
Even if the drug you are on is not addictive, it is important that you never increase, decrease, or stop the dosage and frequency with which you take your medication without consulting a physician. The dosages of psychiatric medicines have been well researched and studied, and taking more of a medication than prescribed will typically not offer greater benefit. In fact, with many patients, it is found that lowering the dosage can be a better way to see improved benefit with many drugs.
The bottom line on this is that it is never safe to adjust your own medications. While a single missed dose is usually not harmful, you should never stop taking medication completely without telling your physician, and you should absolutely never increase your dosage. It is also important that you never take medication that has not been prescribed to you, as the risk of adverse effects is simply too great.
Buying Medication Online
buy online
While buying medication online generally falls into the idea of adjusting your own meds, enough people ask about this question on a regular basis that it merits some discussion. There are sites all across the Internet that offer a variety of psychiatric meds for sale, including numerous drugs used in the treatment of anxiety. Buying meds in this manner is dangerous, and in many states, illegal. Even if you are looking to purchase meds in the same dosage that your doctor prescribes in an effort to save money, this is never the right course of action to take.
Many of the companies that sell medications online are scams and will not offer you the right medications. These drugs are often produced in illegal facilities or in countries where production is not regulated by the FDA. There is no guarantee that what you are buying is what you are actually going to receive, and there is no guarantee of efficacy, safety, or even proper dosage. You may end up buying a placebo, dangerous substances, or simply the wrong dosage of your medication. You may also be at risk of being arrested for purchasing illegal substances online. The medications you take, if any, should always be prescribed by a doctor you have met with in person and who knows your history and filled by a pharmacy that is regulated by the US government.
Summary
Self-medicating is incredibly dangerous behavior that is, unfortunately, increasingly common. While it is only natural to seek relief for your symptoms, it is very important for you to realize that the best way to do this is through therapy and other approved methods. Self-medicating often leads to greatly worsened symptoms and is extremely dangerous. If your symptoms have become intolerable, speak with your physician or your therapist. There are many things that can be done to help alleviate even the worst symptoms of anxiety in far safer and more beneficial ways than using substances to temporarily provide relief.