Posted by steve999 on August 31, 2001, at 21:28:04
In reply to Re: I think I am DYING... Please HelP!!!, posted by sl on July 30, 2001, at 21:42:08
Cynthia -
I've had panic attacks since I was 8 years old and suffered a traumatic injury. I am now 27 and only beginning to unravel the complex issues behind the years of suffering. I'm certain that your panic seems beyond the imagination of anyone else, but I assure, you, it isn't. You are going through what hundreds of thousands of people have gone through and recovered from. Once you begin to believe that, to believe that you won't die, you will begin to feel better.
It sounds like you've been through a scary thing. When you've been careless with your life and nearly lose it, you can drive yourself into deep bouts of anxiety and guilt.
Step one should be finding a good therapist, even if you only talk to them over the phone. It helps to hear from someone who is educated and knowledgeable, and is on your side. You shouldn't have your regular doctor handle your prescriptions for medications for your panic attacks. Many times they are well-meaning, but they go by the book and do not prescibe properly. Find a good, skilled psychiatrist with experience with patients who have anxiety disorders. They will help tailor your approach to medications.
Medication is nothing to be afraid of. I have had bad experiences myself with drugs like Paxil, but *millions* of people take these drugs. By and far, they are extremely SAFE. You will not die from trying new medications. Some may make you feel more anxious at first, others won't. Many people take Valium or other benzo's when they begin SSRI's to help ease the transition. That is okay. Nothing bad will happen by using them together -- the dosages you'll be prescribed by your therapist are very, very small.
You can beleive me, because I speak from experience. 20 years of panic attacks that have been bad enough to make me feel that no one on Earth has suffered as I have. But of course that's not true. We are all in the same boat, and it's great that we have these kinds of message boards to communicate.
You wil be okay. Find a good shrink, get some good meds, and give yourself a break. When your panic attacks hit, FORCE yourself to take deep, slow breaths. They will be like a signal to your brain to just slow down. It works.
Steve
> > Thanks for all the responses... Can somebody please teach me some breathing techniques? Or relxation tips? Its almost impossible for me to relax anymore. I take sleeping pills that make my anxiety worse for about an hour and then i pass out! Wake up and start the same routine over and over every day! Any advice would be helpful. I drink chamomile tea and linden tea. Anything else help calm a person down? ~*Cynthia*~
poster:steve999
thread:72425
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010828/msgs/77177.html