Clonidine (Catapres) For Anxiety Video Explanation

Clonidine or Catapres is used off-script as an Anxiety medication, even though it's made for blood pressure, ADHD and controlling tics. This video will help you understand how Clonidine works for anxiety, and if there are any side-effects as well as natural alternatives

Clonidine or Catapres is used off-script as a treatment for anxiety symptoms and disorders, particularly within psychiatry! In this video we look at how and why Clonidine works for anxiety, and finally determine if it is effective to use Clonidine for anxiety.

Full Video Transcript

Narrator (00:00):
Are you considering using clonidine to help with your anxiety symptoms, whether it's generalized anxiety, performance anxiety, or social anxiety? In this video, we're going to investigate the blood pressure, ADHD and verbal tick medication clonidine. We'll try to understand how and why it's used off script for anxiety purposes and see if clonidine really is a good option if you've been struggling with anxiety.
What is clonidine? Clonidine, which is available over the counter under the name Catapres In the US, is a prescription drug that's primarily used to lower blood pressure for children and adolescents. Clonidine is often used for treatment of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD and tic disorders such as Tourette syndrome.
How does clonidine stop anxiety and is it effective? Clonidine works by inhibiting or stopping the release of a brain chemical or neurotransmitter called norepinephrine, which is sometimes referred to as noradrenaline.

(01:09):
Norepinephrine heavily influences blood pressure and heart rate within the body, and it also affects attention and arousal. Inhibiting the release of the norepinephrine neurotransmitter leads to lowered blood pressure and oftentimes a feeling of calm and relaxation. This in turn, improves symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, sleep difficulties, nicotine withdrawal, and tick disorders. Clonidine has been shown in several studies to decrease anxiety attacks among study participants, and this makes sense if you consider it's essentially reducing or slowing down blood pressure. A slower, more controlled heart rate is going to have a calming effect on the central nervous system, which should have a mentally calming effect too. When considering if clonidine is better than other anxiety medications and solutions, let's first look at the major upsides:
Clonidine is non-addictive. Unlike benzodiazepines like Xanax and Klonopin, which we cover in other videos on the channel, Clonidine doesn't have dependency or addiction risks associated with it and doesn't lead to neurodegeneration when used over extended periods of time.

(02:22):
Clonidine is fast acting. A lot of anxiety medications can take extended periods of testing to see if it works for you, and even if it does, you may have to adjust dosage to try and maximize effectiveness. With clonidine, effects are noticeable within days, usually anywhere between two to seven days, and effectiveness is easy to measure and feel. If you want dosage and usage information, speak to your doctor or healthcare professional as these should be tailored to your specific situation.
Clonidine downsides and side effects. As with any medication, clonidine can cause certain side effects, especially when taken in combination with other medications. Reported common side effects of clonidine include drowsiness. To prevent this, you should try taking a clonidine dose at bedtime. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. If daytime clonidine doses make you drowsy, talk with your doctor.

(03:23):
Dry mouth. You can try chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard sugar-free candies, ice chips or popsicles to combat this.
Dry eyes. You can try using artificial tears, eyedrops for this.
Dizziness or lightheadedness. For this, you should only get up slowly from sitting or lying down positions. If it becomes severe, for example, you end up falling or fainting, seek medical help immediately.
Headaches. Try using a pain reliever like acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol. If your headache comes on suddenly and is extremely intense, seek emergency help immediately.
Constipation. For this, you can drink more fluids, introduce some exercising, or try increasing the amount of fiber in your diet.
Stomach upset, nausea and vomiting. For these, you can try taking clonidine, following a meal.
More serious, but less common side effects of clonidine occurring in less than 5% of patients include the following. Contact your doctor immediately if you have any of these potentially serious side effects.

(04:31):
Skin rash with swelling and itching or trouble breathing.
Worsened depression, which may feel like prolonged sadness or other unusual changes in mood, irregular heartbeat, increased agitation, restlessness or irritability, sudden onset of high blood pressure, fast heartbeat, agitation, headache, stomach upset, sweating, nausea or vomiting. This may happen if clonidine treatment is stopped suddenly. If these effects occur, seek emergency help immediately.
The best natural clonidine alternative for anxiety: PerformZen. If these side effects put you off the idea of clonidine, but you need a solution to your anxiety issues, specifically performance anxiety and social anxiety, then you should take a look at our all-natural anxiety supplement PerformZen. It's an all-natural supplement designed to help you perform better under pressure. PerformZen will help you quickly bring on a state of calmness, as well as giving you a slight mental edge and sharpness that can really come in handy when performing in high anxiety situations. To find out all about PerformZen, check out our website using the link in the description or Google PerformZen and we are the first result. And if you want to learn about more strategies and solutions for overcoming anxiety, click that subscribe button to make sure you see all of the new videos we will be releasing in the next few weeks. You can also check out these other videos on our channel. Good luck fighting Anxiety, and we'll see you in the next video.

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