Posted by Viridis on March 28, 2004, at 1:16:39
In reply to Re: False Panic Attacks?, posted by noa on March 27, 2004, at 10:31:48
Panic disorder is very real, and I doubt that anyone who's had a genuine panic attack would accept the idea that this can be an "imagined" or "false" condition. A panic attack is a serious, uncontrollable response even if the stimulus might seem trivial to some people.
I've done pretty well with meds (benzos are effective; SSRIs etc. were awful). I've had panic attacks and anxiety for as long as I can remember (back to at least 6 years old). My mother, brother, sister, one grandfather, and both grandmothers experience/experienced similar conditions, which suggests a strong genetic component. I should add that I come from a normal, well-adjusted, supportive family with no major traumas or strife, and had a happy childhood (except for the repeated episodes of anxiety/panic).
Even without meds, I do pretty well much of the time. But (until I started the right meds) 3-4 times a year the anxiety took over and it changed my entire personality. I tried various SSRIs etc. and just got worse. The panic attacks stopped about three years ago, when I started taking Klonopin and Xanax. Things aren't perfect ( and subsequently I've added Adderall for ADD, plus Lamictal for mood stabilization), but now I can actually function predictably.
Meds aren't necessarily the only answer. I tried various kinds of therapy with only temporary relief, but my mother (in her 60s) has improved tremendously with cognitive behavioral therapy. She's terrified of meds but the improvement with therapy is dramatic, and seems to last.
My psychiatrist is very open and we talk extensively. He's an intelligent, interesting, compassionate (but very professional) guy who has experienced severe anxiety and depression, has taken many of these meds himself, and tells me so. Like most of the therapists I've seen, he feels that most of my problems really stem from a poor fit of my personality type to my career, which can be extremely stressful.
This doesn't explain why I've had these problems for years (or maybe it does -- I've always pushed myself beyond my limits), but I do see how a life change could make me feel better. In the meantime, my pdoc medicates me for my condition because that's all he can do, even though he and I really believe that I could function without medication (or at least less medication) if I achieved a more balanced life.
I rarely ramble here, but I've just done so. I guess my main points are that panic, anxiety, and depression are very real, probably have a major biological basis, and can be treated with the right meds. Yet, like so many medical conditions, there's also a strong "environmental" component that many of us have to examine more closely. By environment, I mean lifestyle, work habits, drive, induced competition, relationships, and so on.
I'm totally pro-med, but also am starting to see that lifestyle changes may reduce the need for pharmaceutical treatment for some of us. However, if a person is experiencing panic attacks, immediate intervention with meds is crucial, and behavioral changes through therapy etc. may be a more gradual solution.
poster:Viridis
thread:327777
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040325/msgs/329343.html