Can Vyvanse cause anxiety attacks?

This blog answers: Can Vyvanse cause anxiety attacks? What are the symptoms of the Vyvanse crash? What are the steps to deal with anxiety caused by the Vyvanse crash? What are some other ways to manage anxiety caused by Vyvanse? What are the therapy options for anxiety caused by Vyvanse?

Can Vyvanse cause anxiety attacks?

Vyvanse can cause anxiety attacks as a result of its wear-off. Vyvanse is a stimulant that doctors prescribe to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or binge eating disorder. Vyvanse being a stimulant helps individuals to concentrate.

Anxiety is usually caused due to Vyvanse when it starts leaving an individual system and causing an imbalance in the brain. As Vyvanse is a stimulant when it leaves the body individuals to experience the opposite effects of stimulation such as stress, irritability, and fatigue.

When Vyvanse wears off person starts to feel tired, experiences a low mood which is also known as a Vyvanse crash. Those individuals who take Vyvanse during the morning might experience crash midday. This Vyvanse crash may be very difficult for individuals to manage.

Though there are other symptoms of Vyvanse such as a craving for Vyvanse, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, feeling of irritability or low mood, mood swings, and shakiness anxiety is one such symptom that might stay around for longer and might build into an anxiety attack.

Apart from anxiety individuals might also experience difficulty sleeping, mood swings, and poor energy levels as one of the long-lasting effects of the use of Vyvanse.

What are the symptoms of the Vyvanse crash?

Symptoms of the Vyvanse crash are:

• Increase dependence on Vyvanse
• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• Fatigue
• Feelings of irritability or low mole
• Extreme mood swings
• Trembling or shaking
• Anxiety or panic

Many of the symptoms mentioned above might cease within seven days however certain symptoms that might stay for long and also be called post-acute withdrawal symptoms of Vyvanse are:

• Anxiety
• Difficulty sleeping
• Mood swings
• Poor energy levels

What are the steps to deal with anxiety caused by the Vyvanse crash?

Some steps that can help to deal with anxiety caused by the Vyvanse crash are:

Avoid other stimulants

To manage anxiety caused by Vyvanse individuals must avoid taking other forms of stimulants such as coffee or cigarettes. These can interfere with the quality of individuals’ sleep making individuals even more tired and stressed.

Eat well

Keeping the body hydrated and supplying good nutrients to the body with a wide range of vitamins and nutrients can help enhance individuals’ moods overall. It also helps in maintaining the blood sugar levels which are necessary for optimal functioning and a positive mood.

Sleep well

Create healthy bedtime routines and also maintain bedtime hygiene to get good sleep. A person who gets a sufficient amount of sleep can function optimally throughout the day on the other hand when individuals do not get proper sleep they are irritated and grumpy throughout making it difficult for them to make it through the day and also increasing their levels of stress.

Schedule some downtime

It is best to avoid planning too many activities for a day such that an individual is completely busy with stressful commitments when they are aware of the Vyvanse crash. Keeping oneself relatively free and comfortable helps to reduce the amount of stress and anxiety individuals experience as a result of the Vyvanse crash.

Stress relief

People can actively adopt strategies to relieve their stress either in the short run or a long run. This might include meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, or even speaking to a friend or a family member. Some soothing music can also help calm down individuals’ nerves when they are experiencing anxiety as a result of Vyvanse.

Avoid depressants

Individuals must also avoid using other drugs that depress their nervous systems such as alcohol as these substances may further create problems in a person sleep and extend the Vyvanse crash symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of anxiety? 

Anxiety is characterized by a set of signs and symptoms such as:

 

• Sweating
• Difficulty in breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Sense of choking
• Complaints of chest pain
• Shaking or trembling
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness or Lightheadedness
• Fear of losing control over oneself and their environment
• Fear of impending doom
• Hot or cold flashes
• Tingling or numbness
• Increased heart rate

What are some other ways to manage anxiety?

Relaxation techniques

 

Even though anxiety can be bought under an individual’s control it cannot be predicted. In such situations, it is necessary that an individual actively carries out relaxation techniques.

These might include meditation, yoga, and deep breathing which helps to reduce the intensity of anxiety within a short period.

Socialization

 

A key to reducing the frequency and intensity of anxiety attacks could be spending time with close family and friends.

The kind of emotional and practical support provided by these social and personal groups help the person feel connected and aid in distracting one’s mind from negative and recurring thoughts that lead to anxiety.

Apart from friends and families, individuals can also consider speaking to groups of people that are experiencing similar problems.

Set realistic goals

When an individual is feeling overwhelmed, setting goals and targets keeping in mind priorities can help resolve overwhelming feelings of fear or panic.

Setting goals provides structure and routine to an individual’s life reducing space for uncertainty which can be a major trigger for anxiety in many cases.

Take up new challenges

Apart from doing activities that an individual is usually fond of and has expertise in, trying new and challenging activities that put an individual outside their comfort zone in a healthy manner may help reduce the stress and anger temporarily.

Signing up for new activities also provides a path to meeting people with similar stories and concerns.

Lifestyle changes

An individual’s lifestyle plays a major role in their experience of anxiety. An unhealthy and busy lifestyle usually leads to unhealthy eating, lack of exercise, lack of adequate sleep.

A combination of a well-set diet, exercise, and sleep can help to regulate an individual’s mood and equip them with a favorable coping mechanism.

These coping mechanisms in turn help to get control over once anxiety concerns in a more adaptable manner.

lack of proper diet, sleep, and exercise can make an individual sluggish, dependent, moody and vulnerable to anxiety attacks.

Making journal entries

Last but not least having a journal to write down how a person is feeling and thinking when they are anxious helps them to reflect upon their thoughts and feelings.

Putting down one’s thoughts and feelings onto a paper helps to provide a sense of temporary relief.

In the case of journal entry, a person does not even have to fear being judged by another person regarding their thoughts and feelings.

What are the therapy options for anxiety caused by vyvanse?

Cognitive-behavioural therapy

Cognitive-behavioural therapy helps an individual to control their anxiety by using strategies like relaxation and breathing. It works on the principles of replacing negative thoughts with positive ones.

Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is a kind of therapy in which an individual is exposed to a particular stimulus that they usually fear or are anxious about in a graded order.

As and when the individual gets comfortable with the situation or stimulus introduced or exposed to them with each session, individuals get more comfortable with a real-life situation that might have otherwise been a source for triggering anxiety.

Group therapy

 

It is based on the principle that when an individual interacts with other people who are suffering from the same fears they might not feel left alone or isolated. Group therapy usually involves a group of individuals who are experiencing similar symptoms and problems.

Medication

Anxiety can also be treated with the help of medication prescribed by a health care professional.

Though medication alone cannot help in reducing persistent anxiety it can help in restoring a sense of control and bring temporary relief. 

Online therapy  

In cases where reaching out physically to a professional is impossible or discomforting an individual can opt to seek help through the online medium. 

In this, the therapy sessions are carried out one-to-one over a video or audio call. Some individuals also prefer interacting with the therapist through text as well due to various reasons. One of the most common is the fear of being judged by the therapist or some personal hesitation. 

Online therapy can help individuals to regulate some aspects of their anxiety that aids individuals in carrying out a stress-free life over time

Conclusion 

While taking stimulants like Vyvanse it is best to consult your doctor to avoid negative effects of the drug. Anxiety caused by the drug can also be managed by other self-help strategies. 

Frequently asked questions: Can Vyvanse cause anxiety attacks?

How quickly does Vyvanse begin to work, and how long does it last?

For ADD/ADHD: Clinical trials have indicated that Vyvanse improves attention in adults for up to 14 hours after taking a dose

Vyvanse was demonstrated to start acting within 1.5 hours and up to 13 hours after the morning dose in youngsters aged 6 to 12. It can take up to 12 weeks for patients with binge eating disorders to show a significant reduction in the number of binge days per week.

Is it safe to use Vyvanse if you’re trying to get pregnant?

Vyvanse does not have a pharmacological interaction with any form of birth control, according to the manufacturer’s product labelling. 

However, before starting any new medication, check with your pharmacist or doctor to see if there are any potential drug interactions that could reduce the effectiveness of your birth control.

Is there a difference between Vyvanse and Adderall?

Both medications are amphetamine derivatives. The distinction between the two medicines is that Adderall contains amphetamine salts amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, whereas Vyvanse contains lisdexamfetamine, a “prodrug” that the body converts to dextroamphetamine before it becomes active.

Citations 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321489#how-to-cope-b

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