Posted by nicky847 on December 16, 2003, at 9:51:09
In reply to been on it for a month - good but is there more?, posted by PennyLane on December 16, 2003, at 0:46:39
Penny-
From reading your post I can empathize with you b/c I suffer from panic attacks as well which bring on depression..(I started taking Lexapro about 2 1/2 weeks ago). There is alot of great info on panic attacks out on the web to help you deal with them..if you go to google and type in "tapir" it will take you to a great site with tips on dealing with panic attacks..the most important thing to know is that they are extremely unsettling but NOT dangerous...you can't die or go crazy or lose control from a panic attack..you just have to ride it out...the less you fear them the less frequent and intense they become...if you find you are having a panic attack try taking slow deep breaths through your nose, and exhaling through your mouth with pursed lips..making sure to exhale longer than usual..when you have a panic attack you are forgetting to exhale and there is too much oxygen in your system..which causes the giddiness and unreality feelings so remember to BREATHE OUT!there is also alot of literature available as well...a book that really helped me is "From Panic to Power" by Lucinda Bassett..she suffered from panic attacks as well and the book is written in a way that makes you feel not so freakish for having these...
I'm glad the meds are helping you! I do recommend educating yourself on panic attacks too..that will help you lose the fear of relapsing..
Take Care!
Nick
poster:nicky847
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031213/msgs/290468.html