PANIC/ANXIETY ATTACKS ! I HATE IT ! *PRAYER REQUEST

[morelcabin]

I had huge panic attacks for years...and last year finally lerned how to effectively deal with them! This is going to sound really scary, but instead of trying to HIDE from them, you have to hit it head on. Rush into IT instead of letting it sideswipe you. Seriously it works like a charm. When you feel it coming, instead of being afraid of it and letting your body go throught the 'flight' of trying to run from the feelings, just get yourself angry at it and tell it this BRING IT ON!! It really works. I was so afraid to do this the first time, and the next few times, but it goes away instantly when you hit it head on.

 

[Ol'FashionHen]

So, the doctors are attributing it to "subconscious" anxiety.

Mine do come on suddenly too, I don't feel like I'm worrying too much, but DH says I do. I am currently trying to relieve some of my duties to help. My doc says Lexapro is non-dependant and I can take it when I need it just to start slow and go off slow.

 

[skeeter9]

Panic/anxiety attacks can be so scarey! I've had them for years, but have learned to control them for the most part. I have to take a very low dose of meds every day, but I've tried to go off of them and eventually I always start losing control. . . Yuk. Believe me, I understand how crummy this is for you. Morel's advice is very good - if you don't "hide" from the attacks, they don't take over. When you feel one coming on, even if you don't catch it right away, let God stand against it with you - that should help you feel stronger!!!

 

[HennyPennies2007]

My first panic attack was in kindergarden...I also have chronic insomnia that started when I was about the same age. I grew up with alcoholic parents and was sexually molested by my dad's best friend. I am an outgoing and social person and dropped out of school in the 8th grade because of the attacks. I tried to commit suicide 3 times because of the pressure they put on me. By 1996 I was going crazy and got a great doc. He put me on Paxil and the stuff is amazing. I think it is highly over-prescribed. There is a difference between clinical depression and anxiety and situational. I have an overproduction of cortisol and adrenaline. I am a Christian and have people tell me that I don't have enough faith etc. That's garbage...some people need medicine and I hate it when people lay that faith garbage on someone who is really struggling. You put God in a box when you tell people He will only do this or that... God heals in a myriad of ways...sometimes through doctors and medicine. Don't give up... keep searching... you will find the answer that works for you... Just keep praying and trusting God to lead you....

 

[mmtillman]

You have your Faith and that is what will see you thru. Hugs and prayers sent your way, ok??

 

[mmtillman]

Quote:
YOU are so right. God created doctors who created medication for those of us , ....who have a PHYSICAL chemical imbalance and yes...Paxil and Zoloft are a miracle drug.
Used responsibly, these medications can make a persons life normal , where chaos once was.
I too, am a Christian and it doesnt bother me one bit that I take Zoloft. I know God lead me to the DR who knew I needed something and Zoloft worked for me...been taking the minimum dose for 20 years and cant say enough about how great it is. I agree 100% ! Keep praying and trust God and this too shall pass...............

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm on Zoloft after 30+ years of Depression...I was finally diagnosed after I had post partum depression with my son...
Hugs and Prayers, Ol.

 

[chickenzoo]

Metal illness runs in my family as well as panic attacks etc. I swore for years I would never be like my family, I would never be on meds etc.,......... until I had a nervous break down. I always kept busy, always helping others, engrossed in my job, my animals, about my work, my plans, my worries and because I was creative I thought it was normal to always be in thought about these things. Family problems, deaths, hubby becoming disabled and back to civilian life and a lot of things to heal over finally caught up with me, and I went into a bad depression. Everything I tried to avoid with my own family started to scare me and show it's ugly head. I went on some meds to help me sleep with out dreaming and planning all the time. I wasn't so emotionally tried all the time. It helped let my body rest, helped with the depression and anxiety. I found that I could do my job with out constant thinking and worrying about it.It was the first time I did not dream, and it was nice. I could say NO, which was always hard for me before. I became more relaxed and less stressed over the little things that I thought were part of my personality before. It helps a lot. It still needs tweaking now and then but it has helped staying on it. Best wishes to you, and you are certainly not alone.

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

I just read something in my friend's AP Psychology book yesterday about this. Even though the doctor never said it, I diagnosed my problem yesterday (going by the book) as panic disorder, which is having often and sometimes unexplained panic attacks and worrying, and also avoiding doing things because of a constant fear of another panic attack occuring.

I've realized this year that my panic attacks are almost gone. My first panic attack was when I was about 10 or 11. I dealt with it before finally going to the doctor. The attacks scared me so bad, and I was afraid to do certain things that I felt would bring on another panic attack. So of course I had panic attacks from fear of having panic attacks

It took me a while, but I made mental notes of what things where going on when the attacks occured. I soon figured out what some of those things were, and I was able to avoid, and face those 'fears'. Then it was a matter of getting rid of those random attacks that seemed to pop up for no reason. Most of the time, the only thing that would happen when I had those, was my left hand would get sort of numb...almost like after your hand recovers from going to sleep. Sometimes it would be the right, or even both, but usually it was my left hand. That scared me for a while because having your left arm go numb does NOT sound healthy.
The doctors told me a lot of people across the world grow into these panic attacks, and just as quickly as they grow into it, they grow out of it. But there's always those few that don't shed the 'condition', and it follows them the rest of their life.
For the past few years my doctor has had me on a low dose of Zoloft. It's worked wonders for me. Helps keep the stress from getting to me and causing me headaches, laziness, and panic attacks. Without it, I feel like crap and I'm more likely to panic.
Anyways, I'm almost 16 now, so like the doctor predicted, I think I'm growing out of my panic disorder. But she does plan to keep me on Zoloft until I finish college, since that's a really stressful time (plus I'm scared to go off on my own to a college 3 hours away

)

Just know you aren't alone and you CAN overcome this. It just takes some time and will power. You gotta look it in the face and yell "YOU AREN'T THE BOSS OF ME!"