Anxiety & Panic Attacks! Can Benadryl cure or relieve panic attacks and anxiety?
I have been doing research about what over the counter medications I could use for anxiety. And I have been coming across quite a few sites that mention benadryl to relieve anxiety and panic attacks, which I know are brought on by anxiety. I also called a local pharmacy, and the lead pharmacist's also mentioned that many people use benadryl for anxiety and insomnia. I am unable to get out and go see a doctor, and doctors here are unwilling to come to my home and help me with this anxiety. Which I think is bs.
But anyway, so I was just wanting input on what people on yahoo have to say about using benadryl for anxiety.
p.s. The pharmacist also mentioned trying Chlor-Trimeton.
Any thoughts, opinions and answers are welcome, especially from people who are taking benadryl for anxiety and/or panic attacks.
It may help you as people are so very different. A non over the counter medication like propanolol, an adrenalin blocker, may be more effective.
If you take a beta blocker, say 30 minutes before giving a speech, it will help block off receptor sites that would normally accept adrenalin and cause your heart to race, get you in that fight or flight mode.
In all honesty, I have found little to no research on any OTC medications to help panic attacks. I do know pracitce or "walking though fears" is the most effective remedy
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12 Responses to “Anxiety & Panic Attacks! Can Benadryl cure or relieve panic attacks and anxiety?”
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January 7th, 2009 9:29 am
I take benadryl for insomnia and the active ingredient in Bendadryl causes drowsiness and therefor if taken as a routing will make you drowsy and less likely to be excitable and anxious. Good Luck….
References :
January 7th, 2009 9:51 am
It may help you as people are so very different. A non over the counter medication like propanolol, an adrenalin blocker, may be more effective.
If you take a beta blocker, say 30 minutes before giving a speech, it will help block off receptor sites that would normally accept adrenalin and cause your heart to race, get you in that fight or flight mode.
In all honesty, I have found little to no research on any OTC medications to help panic attacks. I do know pracitce or "walking though fears" is the most effective remedy
References :
January 7th, 2009 10:15 am
Hi:
As mentioned in the other answer, Benadryl can make to tired and there for causing a calmness to come over you. But also it can have the reverse effects and increase your anxiety. It all depends on how it reacts to your body chemistry.
Why are you unable to go to the docs? a doc is the only one who can diagnose and treat anxiety. With out the proper treatment your anxiety can become worse. The appointment will only take 15 minutes or so at the docs. maybe takinging a benadryl before you have to leave for the appointment as long as you are no the one driving.
Self medicating is never a good idea for any over the counter or perscription meds, it can be dangerous.
Be safe and be well
References :
my opionions
January 7th, 2009 10:27 am
insomnia…..yes anxiety……no
References :
lil old me. Pharmacist for 18 years
January 20th, 2009 1:10 pm
hi so does benadryl work with the panic attacks? because i have a simliar situation where where i work at some men were trying to rob the place n also got into my car thank God i had the doors locked n nothing happen just like the cops also never found them but ever since that i cant stop the crying and being afraid n now i have to go back to work n im there by myself n when it starts to get dark i start like feeling afraid or panicking n start crying but i try not to show anyone that im going through this does benadryl actually work i dont have a primary doctor n have no insurance if this med works im willing to buy it
April 23rd, 2009 3:19 pm
I wonder how a happy person can suddenly start getting panic attacks regularly, every day. It is a physical thing and not at all mental with me. There is also a feeling of pressure in my chest too. The doctor put me on high blood pressure med Toprol XL 50. The panic attacks continue anyway. Xanax will stop them, but since I go to clinics because we are not rich, it is not always possible to find a doctor that will prescribe Xanax. I need to find some other alternative too to stop them. Should I start drinking alcohol? Taking Benadryl? I am not not not not mental or depressed in any way. I am a very happy person when this weird physical thing is not happening to me.
July 21st, 2009 4:23 pm
I felt depressed and anxious all day..took a benadryl and it stopped…I mean stopped. I’m happy, calm. I took it with fish oil..did the trick..is it safe? I don’t know but I was in a really bad place and have come out of it
October 12th, 2009 8:36 pm
i take benedryl every night my doctor told me it works for anxiety i also have stronger stuff but prefer to take the benedryl its safer and it works i started having anxiety 2 years ago when my mother died at only 43 and i was having panic attacks so it really does work but you have to get help me seeing my doctor and talking with him also really helped anxiety and panic attacks are a mind disease and without the proper help it will not go away so please see a doctor.
November 23rd, 2009 10:26 am
Anxiety is our normal reaction to stress. It is a way to for us to cope. It helps us deal with tense situations at work, study harder for school exams, and keep focused on performing for an important speech. It enables us to adjust and gauge our natural reactions to stimulus. But when anxiety becomes uncontrollable, excessive, irrational fear of everyday situations, it has become a disabling anxiety disorder.
December 18th, 2009 12:12 pm
Benedryl does work for my anxiety but I think because of a specific reason. When I get anxious I don’t sleep well, which makes me more tense and over tired and then less able to cope. A single dose of benedryl just before bed lets me get a good nights sleep which breaks the cycle. The fish oil mentioned above also helps, as our brains need essential fats to function well. I would not recommend taking doses all day long as you would be fighting drowsiness and maybe masking symptoms of a deeper issue. If your symptoms are related to a tramatic event, please see a councilor, and also panic attacks can be a symptom of a heart problem since the heart is wired directly to the brain so please see a doctor.
January 7th, 2010 8:52 am
I have been taking benedryl every night for about 15 years. I used to suffer immensely from tachcardia (fast heart rate) which my doctors called panic attacks. I was taken to the ER many times, and had to be checked for a heart attack every time, until I learned to control these attacks with benedryl.
I hate the term anxiety or panic attack because I was never in a panic or never had anxiety or depression, just a fast heart rate that came on for no reason. When your heart starts racing you don’t breathe right and pretty soon you are exhaling too much C02. Breathing into a paper bag and rebreathing the CO2 you just exhaled is supposed to help, but it never helped me all that much.
Anxiety, panic attacks, or whatever you want to call them are generally an adrenaline response which can become unbearable when you don’t need to be having an adrenaline response. And they can mimic a heart attack and they are painful.
I take two benedryl tablets (25) every night and it works to prevent the attacks from ever happening. Yes I am groggy in the morning but you do get used to it and it beats the alternative. And it has never not worked. If for some reason my heart begins to race during the day, I will take one, but that rarely happens anymore.
Chlortrimeton works just as well as benedryl.
Benedryl is both very safe and very cheap. It is one of the five drugs pregnant women are told they can take without seeing a doctor. Been around for a long long time.
January 22nd, 2010 9:51 pm
I am happy there is more information about anxiety now as I have has it for a while. I have bookmarked you to see what else there is for him. Thanks to you for your help