GABA Making Anxiety Worse

[pineywoodrooter]

I’ve been throwing everything at my anxiety.

Recently I’ve noticed substances that increase GABA are making it worse, and also resulting in depression.

I don’t see how this is possible. Out of curiosity, I even tried a very low dose benzo. It had zero effect on the anxiety, and then made it much worse around a couple of hours later. I never take benzos, so this one surprised me the most.

What could cause substances that increase GABA to increase anxiety? Taurine, glycine, androsterone, l-theanine, benzos, etc all make it worse.

 

[ReSTART]

Do you want to cure your anxiety?

 

[InChristAlone]

Sounds like the anxiety is from something else then. Could be massive inflammation and adrenaline. Cyproheptadine can act like a reset, or give a break from the inflammation and chaos.

 

[pineywoodrooter]

Sounds like the anxiety is from something else then. Could be massive inflammation and adrenaline. Cyproheptadine can act like a reset, or give a break from the inflammation and chaos.

Haven’t tried the cypro yet. I will try it.

 

[Judd Crane]

Anxiety and depression are side effects of too much GABA.

Maybe give anti-adrenaline substances a go.

Inosine
Salt
Sugar
Progesterone
K2
D3
Calcium
Asprin

 

[Korven]

Anxiety and depression are side effects of too much GABA.

Maybe give anti-adrenaline substances a go.

Inosine
Salt
Sugar
Progesterone
K2
D3
Calcium
Asprin

+1

GABAegic substances can be hit-or-miss for anxiety.

@pineywoodrooter how do you feel after taking 500 mg aspirin with 2-3 g baking soda? That should really calm down any anxiety.

 

[pineywoodrooter]

I didn't know that about GABA.

For the past week I was taking between 325mg to 1g of Aspirin spread throughout the day with a vitamin K tablet twice a day. I was a lot a calmer, but it gave me constipation.

I think I'm going to order some progesterone to try from Haidut's rig. Does he sell a replacement for Cypro? A chemical that lowers serotonin on the same level but doesn't affect histamine?

I do think I might have high-ish serotonin. I've always had some asthma, and it appears to have ramped up in the past few months even though I don't have any allergies or explanations for it. I read that high serotonin can cause/make asthma worse.

Thanks for the help. I've been trying to alleviate this crap for over a year now. The doctor only tried to throw some Prozac at me.

 

[Judd Crane]

I think I'm going to order some progesterone to try from Haidut's rig. Does he sell a replacement for Cypro? A chemical that lowers serotonin on the same level but doesn't affect histamine?

Progesterone is very GABAergic though. But maybe not so much in smaller doses, like 1-2 drops of Progestene. Idealabs do sell cypro.

 

[HeyThere]

I’ve been throwing everything at my anxiety.

Recently I’ve noticed substances that increase GABA are making it worse, and also resulting in depression.

I don’t see how this is possible. Out of curiosity, I even tried a very low dose benzo. It had zero effect on the anxiety, and then made it much worse around a couple of hours later. I never take benzos, so this one surprised me the most.

What could cause substances that increase GABA to increase anxiety? Taurine, glycine, androsterone, l-theanine, benzos, etc all make it worse.

Same for me. So far from my research it sounds like we have too high levels of Glutamate in the brain (excitability). All those things affect Glutamate levels I believe.

 

[pineywoodrooter]

Same for me. So far from my research it sounds like we have too high levels of Glutamate in the brain (excitability). All those things affect Glutamate levels I believe.

Have you found anything that works?

 

[InChristAlone]

I should also mention that there is no off button to a hypervigilant nervous system. If you are pumping out the cortisol because your system thinks you are under an immense threat then nothing you take is going to convince your system it's safe. Because it's not solving the underlying problem. You have to convince your brain you ARE safe, there's nothing to worry about. I know easier said than done, but what works for me is to say 'so what' everytime an anxious thought or sensation comes up. It's teaching your brain that these things aren't threatening. That's just how our brain works. The more you tell your brain this is something dangerous the more it's going to be prepared to fight or flight and the more stress hormones will be pumped out in preparation. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable sensations and thoughts. Become indifferent to the constant check-ins by your amygdala. "What if you can't calm down?" "Oh well". "What if you are stuck with this anxiety forever?" "Oh well". Or so what or whatever. It disarms the alarm system. Now this doesn't work immediately when your system is feeling so unsafe but over time say a month or two you won't be having constant anxiety anymore. So I recommend to rely as little as possible on sedatives because that is only reinforcing that you are unsafe without a substance to calm you down. But they can be useful for day long panic attacks. General anxiety is just a very stressed system. Forums and health searches are the worst thing for anxiety.

 

[pineywoodrooter]

I should also mention that there is no off button to a hypervigilant nervous system. If you are pumping out the cortisol because your system thinks you are under an immense threat then nothing you take is going to convince your system it's safe. Because it's not solving the underlying problem. You have to convince your brain you ARE safe, there's nothing to worry about. I know easier said than done, but what works for me is to say 'so what' everytime an anxious thought or sensation comes up. It's teaching your brain that these things aren't threatening. That's just how our brain works. The more you tell your brain this is something dangerous the more it's going to be prepared to fight or flight and the more stress hormones will be pumped out in preparation. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable sensations and thoughts. Become indifferent to the constant check-ins by your amygdala. "What if you can't calm down?" "Oh well". "What if you are stuck with this anxiety forever?" "Oh well". Or so what or whatever. It disarms the alarm system. Now this doesn't work immediately when your system is feeling so unsafe but over time say a month or two you won't be having constant anxiety anymore. So I recommend to rely as little as possible on sedatives because that is only reinforcing that you are unsafe without a substance to calm you down. But they can be useful for day long panic attacks. General anxiety is just a very stressed system. Forums and health searches are the worst thing for anxiety.

I was leaning this way. The stress hormones came from anxiety. Sedating the stress hormones didn't cure the anxiety because the anxiety causing situation didn't resolve. I'm going to start trying this technique you mentioned.

My whole anxiety situation is pretty odd. I am pretty low inhibition with most things. I don't have anxiety in dangerous situations, and usually take quite a few risks. I think most of it is social, and the other part is from the crap that happened the past couple of years.

My first step is to probably disconnect from all news sources and online interaction.

 

[Korven]

I should also mention that there is no off button to a hypervigilant nervous system. If you are pumping out the cortisol because your system thinks you are under an immense threat then nothing you take is going to convince your system it's safe. Because it's not solving the underlying problem. You have to convince your brain you ARE safe, there's nothing to worry about. I know easier said than done, but what works for me is to say 'so what' everytime an anxious thought or sensation comes up. It's teaching your brain that these things aren't threatening. That's just how our brain works. The more you tell your brain this is something dangerous the more it's going to be prepared to fight or flight and the more stress hormones will be pumped out in preparation. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable sensations and thoughts. Become indifferent to the constant check-ins by your amygdala. "What if you can't calm down?" "Oh well". "What if you are stuck with this anxiety forever?" "Oh well". Or so what or whatever. It disarms the alarm system. Now this doesn't work immediately when your system is feeling so unsafe but over time say a month or two you won't be having constant anxiety anymore. So I recommend to rely as little as possible on sedatives because that is only reinforcing that you are unsafe without a substance to calm you down. But they can be useful for day long panic attacks. General anxiety is just a very stressed system. Forums and health searches are the worst thing for anxiety.

Well explained... it's difficult to comprehend just how debilitating severe anxiety is unless you have experienced it yourself. I "fixed" my anxiety and OCD the way you described it, not by taking take any pills, I just stopped being afraid of fearful thoughts and feelings. Turned out there was nothing to be afraid of in the first place.

Though still think aspirin and baking soda can be a very helpful crutch

I was leaning this way. The stress hormones came from anxiety. Sedating the stress hormones didn't cure the anxiety because the anxiety causing situation didn't resolve. I'm going to start trying this technique you mentioned.

My whole anxiety situation is pretty odd. I am pretty low inhibition with most things. I don't have anxiety in dangerous situations, and usually take quite a few risks. I think most of it is social, and the other part is from the crap that happened the past couple of years.

My first step is to probably disconnect from all news sources and online interaction.

Yeah I think your story is actually quite common. I was the same as you, very outgoing and low inhibition. It often starts with some life event or circumstance that triggers anxiety that you never had to deal with before. Now you have anxiety all the time and that is making you stressed out and anxious. And on goes the anxiety rollercoaster...

Stopping news/social media sounds like a really good idea.

 

[Astolfo]

Things that block a receptor or its downstream cause that thing to be released more actually. And GABA can be excitatory too. There is no such thing as ihibitory or excitatory neurotransmitter.

 

[pineywoodrooter]

Well explained... it's difficult to comprehend just how debilitating severe anxiety is unless you have experienced it yourself. I "fixed" my anxiety and OCD the way you described it, not by taking take any pills, I just stopped being afraid of fearful thoughts and feelings. Turned out there was nothing to be afraid of in the first place.

Though still think aspirin and baking soda can be a very helpful crutch



Yeah I think your story is actually quite common. I was the same as you, very outgoing and low inhibition. It often starts with some life event or circumstance that triggers anxiety that you never had to deal with before. Now you have anxiety all the time and that is making you stressed out and anxious. And on goes the anxiety rollercoaster...

Stopping news/social media sounds like a really good idea.

Bingo. The circumstance was the Covid lockdowns. I wasn't the least afraid of Covid, but my interactions with people turned overwhelmingly negative. Getting yelled at over masks, ridiculous rules just to go to the grocery store, forced to work remote and spending a lot of time alone as the old lady is an ER doc and always had to work.

Before the lockdowns I was the life of the party with tons of confidence. I gave up with it half way through, and looking back, I realize I spent way too much time reading about it on forums, news sites, and watching it on the TV. Life has thankfully returned to normal down here, but unfortunately my mind has not. I imagine this is some form of PTSD.

Appreciate all of you all's responses.

 

[shanny]

but unfortunately my mind has not. I imagine this is some form of PTSD.

I can totally relate to this. I've always been a very social, happy person. Not quite the life of the party, but definitely have always been a well-liked person at work and socially, have always made lots of friends easily. When I didn't follow the whole narrative, and when I pushed back a little and proposed things that made people "think" for a second, it was like I was a monster. I live in a VERY liberal small city with a lot of highly educated people, and pretty much everyone in my life turned on me. I feel like a totally different person now. It's like I don't even "bother" because the PTSD you speak of has me on the defensive and I just automatically assume that people aren't going to want to be around me because of my views/vax status. I feel scared of people, not because of covid at all, but because of how awful people were to me.

 

[HeyThere]

I can totally relate to this. I've always been a very social, happy person. Not quite the life of the party, but definitely have always been a well-liked person at work and socially, have always made lots of friends easily. When I didn't follow the whole narrative, and when I pushed back a little and proposed things that made people "think" for a second, it was like I was a monster. I live in a VERY liberal small city with a lot of highly educated people, and pretty much everyone in my life turned on me. I feel like a totally different person now. It's like I don't even "bother" because the PTSD you speak of has me on the defensive and I just automatically assume that people aren't going to want to be around me because of my views/vax status. I feel scared of people, not because of covid at all, but because of how awful people were to me.

I get it. I think what is freaking us out is we can't grasp we are about to live in a completely different world more than how different it is already, as well.

 

[shanny]

I get it. I think what is freaking us out is we can't grasp we are about to live in a completely different world more than how different it is already, as well.

Exactly. Yet I'm surrounded by people that literally have no idea what's going on and that anything is even going to change. They have no idea and are living life with their vax cards, concerts, traveling, etc. without a care in the world......sometimes I wonder if ignorant bliss is better?!

 

[HeyThere]

Exactly. Yet I'm surrounded by people that literally have no idea what's going on and that anything is even going to change. They have no idea and are living life with their vax cards, concerts, traveling, etc. without a care in the world......sometimes I wonder if ignorant bliss is better?!

I don't want to add to anyone's anxiety, but all of that was just the set up for the real changes to come

 

[shanny]

I don't want to add to anyone's anxiety, but all of that was just the set up for the real changes to come

Exactly. Unfortunately these robots think all is well now that they got poked and wore a mask for two years. That's why we are stressed....we are living with the burden of truth while most people have no idea and don't even try to understand.