Baclofen and Anxiety: What Users Say

• gsf...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2019

For Alcohol Withdrawal "After several trips to rehab and AA over 18 years, I discovered Baclofen for alcohol withdrawal and it works - it's changed my life. I had some success through traditional means but I always fell back because I never stopped craving alcohol. Thinking about drinking still made my brain 'tickle' and anxiety kick in. After a short time taking baclofen I can say that it changed my brain, and I now have ZERO reaction to alcohol stimuli. I'm a free man, thanks to baclofen and my doctor being willing to give it a chance!"

• San...
• February 26, 2018

For Alcohol Withdrawal "I binge drank every night for 10 years. After 3 years of obsessive research into something that would help me in sobriety, and trying to convince doctors that baclofen would work for me (I was at one point prescribed a small dose) - I had all but given up. I finally met a psychiatrist that specializes in addiction. Without me even mentioning anything, he told me he could cure me and wrote me a prescription for Baclofen and B1 shots. Needless to say, here I am a month and a half without a drink, and I feel enjoyment in things again. My anxiety is gone, my senses are back to normal, my circulation is normal, and my constant 'fight or flight' mechanism that I've had my entire life is turned off. I can hold a conversation with people without feeling the need to run away. I'm friendlier and more patient, happier and calmer. To call Baclofen a miracle drug would be an understatement. I am currently on 100mg taken throughout the day."

• ray...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 8, 2023

For Muscle Spasm "Stay away from this drug. It is highly addictive. I never had issues with narcotics or alcohol, but I started this medication and realized it was an instant cure for any depression, gave me energy, took away all anxiety, made me happy. The withdrawal is absolutely horrible. The most extreme anxiety you'll ever feel, and it can be deadly as well, since the withdrawal is similar to the withdrawal of benzos and alcohol. It does completely change your brain. After taking this drug, you'll be very depressed and unmotivated."

• Cou...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 17, 2020

For Alcohol Withdrawal "Severe alcoholism for over a decade. Tried everything to stop. Started to take this in the morning instead of the first drink. Reduced w/d symptoms: sweating, anxiety, obsessive thoughts about drinking, tachycardia. It took a year or so of using baclofen while working hard to reduce drinking, but when I was ready, it gave me the ability to stop. It treated a host of related problems: panic, tremors from drinking for so long and the embarrassment that comes from that, balancing mood since it helped calm the mind, neuropathy from likely nerve damage, spasms, PTSD. Very dangerous to mix this with alcohol, so if you are not able to control yourself from mixing them to get an exaggerated alcohol effect, don't use it. I think the desire to quit or reduce was essential to its effectiveness. It worked for me the way naltrexone is supposed to. But without the anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure in normally pleasurable activities). I still get anhedonia occasionally, but on naltrexone, it was constant."

• bac...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 25, 2015

For Alcohol Withdrawal "I am a 38-year-old woman who has abused alcohol since 2004. I've been taking Baclofen (90 mg/day) for one year, and it has been a huge game changer in my struggles with alcohol. It has decreased cravings, general anxiety, and overall alcohol consumption. I have not upped the dose to hit 'the switch' that, for many, results in total indifference to alcohol. Along with my psychiatrist, I am uncomfortable exceeding the FDA recommended dosage by so much. But even so, this drug has really helped improve my life."

• kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2016

For Alcohol Withdrawal "I had been abusing alcohol for around 3 years when I landed myself in the hospital ED, and the ED doctor prescribed me baclofen. I started on 40 mg per day, and this was not enough as I relapsed several times. I am now on 150 mg a day, which is my perfect dose. I no longer crave alcohol like I used to, and my anxiety feels more under control. I have gone back to study and started to rebuild broken relationships. Baclofen has been my miracle drug!"

• Ben...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 4, 2019

For Alcohol Withdrawal "Baclofen is amazing for benzo withdrawal. It simply removes all the anxiety and depression that comes with any benzo withdrawals. You need to get to at least 30-60 mg, though. Baclofen should revolutionize the benzo withdrawal or recovery treatment. Ask your doctor for some and free yourself from this nasty disease. I just fear the withdrawals now from baclofen, but I’ve heard they are nowhere near as severe as coming off benzos."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 25, 2019

For Muscle Spasm "I used baclofen for headaches due to injuries from a car accident. I was doing well on 10 mg once a day. A month later, my doctor bumped it up to 20 mg 4 times a day! That caused dizziness. I also missed a day, and oh boy! Withdrawal was miserable! It truly was the worst! Anxiety and heart palpitations throughout the night kept me up and I couldn’t sleep, felt like I had to go to the ER. I felt like this for days even though I was taking it like normal (20 mg 4 times a day). It did not help with sleep even when I didn’t have the withdrawal problems. Definitely would not recommend this drug if you don’t have severe muscle spasms!"

• Law...
• October 13, 2017

For Muscle Spasm "Unless you have MS or are in dire need of spasticity reduction, I would recommend no one take this stuff. It is a nasty, nasty, nasty drug, made me feel out of it, slurred speech. It also caused me to develop sleep apnea, and it also increased my anxiety. It also makes it hard to breathe when laying down. Weaning off of it was awful, wave after wave of anxiety and then aggression. I'd rather have back spasms than feel the way it did. I weaned totally off it 48 hours ago and I've had hiccups for 14 hours and some agitation."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 20, 2025

"Prescribed by psychiatrist for CPTSD. Started with 10 mg at night to improve sleep in conjunction with 3 mg Prazosin (Minipress) for nightmares. Then increased to 10 mg three times a day to clear fuzzy head, reduce paralyzing depression, restore work function, reduce incidence of anxiety attacks, and reduce hostility in session."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2021

For Muscle Spasm "Baclofen has made a real difference, both in pain levels and how I perceive it. I have had near-constant thoracic pain and radiculopathy for years, since being treated for spinal TB. I lost a disc before I was properly diagnosed and treated in India. US doctors missed it for years, so I'm lucky to be alive and walking. I now have bone spurs and relentless pain, along with degenerative disc disease. I've been taking Baclofen for only about 3 weeks, but it made a difference at once. The pain is reduced, I sleep better, and while the burning and aching never entirely subside, I don't notice it nearly as much. It has also reduced my anxiety and my appetite. That may sound good, but I'm a person who doesn't eat when I'm in pain or otherwise distressed."