Hi,
I’m moving to Japan later this year (language school). Right now I take edibles for anxiety/insomnia, which is obviously a huge no-go in Japan.
From searching on this sub, it seems anxiety medications are widely available and prescribed in Japan (as opposed to, e.g., ADHD meds).
Would it be pretty easy to get a prescription as a foreigner, or would it be prudent to get a prescription from an American psychiatrist for anxiety medications first and bring that over somehow? (My anxiety isn’t bad enough that I would consider cancelling the move, but it would be extremely useful to have a prescription for something.)
Thank you!
7 comments
Not only is it easy to get anxiety/depression medicine here, they are open to hearing what medication you prefer (ofc if the doctor thinks it would be helpful). They also tend to overprescribe here.
If you’re into therapy and such, don’t expect that to be cheap like getting medication is.
「精神安定剤」
They will offer you benzodiazapines but do NOT take them.
r/benzorecovery
CBD with no THC content is legal in Japan. Available at health stores and online. Might be helpful!
I’m on sertraline (Zoloft) and I’m bringing over a 90-day supply (there is a special form to complete for this) in order to allow for time to find a doctor in Japan. From my research it seems that this should be fine… if anyone can confirm or deny based on firsthand experience, that would be awesome 😬😁 I arrive next month.
Stimulants are a no go.
I’m on Strattera for ADHD-I and Lexapro for Anxiety/Depression. Prozac is not prescribed her and idky. Doctors hand out pills like candy, it’s finding the right one that’s the trouble.
When I had anxiety 5 years ago, I went to a Japanese Clinic that can speak English and our native language. After checking some vital stats like bp to check if there’s some underlying condition, he then prescribed me Meilax which is a calming pill (benzo derivative) for 2 weeks to help my sleep. But obviously it didn’t work since the source of my stress came from Work and my Workmates.