DUers with anxiety & panic check in here.

[Beware the Beast Man]

I'm not trying to be a wank by copycatting the bipolar thread, I am just curious if anyone else here deals with generalized anxiety or panic attacks. How often? What are you doing to tame them? Will you be my friend???

[The empressof all]

1. I do

I suffer with GAD and have experienced panic attacks although infrequently. I have found using an SSRI very helpful supplemented with Ativan when needed. (For me only about 3 times in past 6 months)
I have significantly reduced external stressors (ie-job that provoked killer level stress) Thank goodness I am in a position that allowed me to walk away from that. I try to eat well, limit sugar and caffeine and I try to get some exercise though I am not always successful with that. I find that I do not discuss my condition with others very often since I do have a fairly comfortable life with great supports, I am frequently met with hostility. Folks just claim they do not understand what I need to be anxious about. When it does come up I try to educate as best I can. At this point I consider my condition well under control. But then again I know I am very lucky. I will be as helpful as I can to you if you need support.

[flamingyouth]

2. I have anxiety and post-traumatic stress

I try to control it through yoga and meditation, but lately I've been having a really hard time because I'm going through a divorce. So I've been relying on my family and friends. I will say that yoga really helps me, and that SSRIs made the problem worse. Each person is different, though.

I do have a prescription for Ativan that I can fill pretty much all the time, and I take that when I have a severe anxiety attack (which has been often, lately). Good luck to you. I know how hard it is. :hug:

[Apeplanet]

3. I do

I have been taking SSRIs for years now. I used to have really bad anxiety attacks. Runs in my family

[TrogL]

4. I'm having one right now - was about to post a separate thread

I've been looking for two things amongst a pile of papers and some source code on the computer.

I couldn't find the one thing so I started looking for the second.

Next thing I know I'm hyperventilating and ready to start screeaming- which might alarm cow-orkers.

[TrogL]

6. I really could use some help here

I literally am ready to punch out the monitor.

[NashVegas]

5. I Did, 10 Years Ago

Best thing for it was physical activity - give the steam an outlet to release itself, vs going off like a pressure cooker.

If an attack hit, I'd go outside and walk around the block, briskly (it gave me new insight to 60s TV shows where you'd see the father up and pacing in the middle of the night).

Later, I put yoga in my life and stress hasn't bothered me since.

[cedahlia]

7. Good Advice, Crisco

Definitely get those endorphins going by doing some physical activity. I have found that getting out in some fresh air and walking can help ease anxiety immensely.

Also, try eliminating caffeine and sugar when in the midst of a bad period of anxiety. I've pretty much eliminated caffeine from my diet for life (except for the small amounts I consume from chocolate--which I refuse to give up!--and the occasional iced tea.) I'm an admitted sweet tooth, but I have cut back a great deal on the sugar intake. Also, highly processed junk foods can aggravate anxiety as well, so try to steer clear of them.

I did all of these things following a very bad period of anxiety attacks a few years ago, and they seem to have done the trick. Behavioral therapy can also be a big help, and is worth checking out if that avenue hasn't been explored.

[flamingyouth]

9. Yes! Cutting down on caffeine and sugar is a big help

Good advice! But like you, I can't give up my occasional chocolate. And sometimes I drink green tea, although that is pretty low in caffeine.

[Cooley Hurd]

17. I agree... with the exception of the 2 cups of coffee I have...

...in the morning, I've eliminated caffeine from my daily intake (I used to drink diet soda to the tune of 2(!) 2-litre bottles, as well as 4 cups of coffee in the am). That, along with the 30 mg of Lexapro I take (per day), has completely eliminated my panic attacks!


I feel good!

[bleedingheart]

10. You are correct about exercise

I am very anxious about recent events with my hubby and I have been cleaning my house and taking care of things that needed to be done along with some small walks to help me cope with the stress.

Sitting in the hospital today, while comforting to Mr. B, was the worst time for me...I just kept having micro panic attacks about what the doctors might say.

[flamingyouth]

11. I've been thinking of you guys today, bleedingheart

:hug:

[bleedingheart]

12. Thanks!

we are hanging in there...I am still in a daze and can only sleep for two hour time periods until I wake up in a panic about it.
But so far the results are coming back good... but we must wait for the final report tomorrow.

Thanks for the hugs!!!

[cedahlia]

8. Just thought of something else...

This might sound very silly, but I'd like to share it in case it might help ease someone else's suffering. Two safe havens I have for dealing with bad periods of anxiety are:

Nick at Night reruns and my local oldies radio station.

Those who've experienced anxiety are probably familiar with feeling very fragile and unable to handle anything "bad." Well, I've found that the old comedy shows on N at N (Three's Company, the Munsters, etc.) can be very soothing because they are so silly and lighthearted. They're a great contrast to the doom and gloom of the news (which one absolutely should not watch when experiencing a bad bout of anxiety!!!) I don't know about anyone else, but my anxiety attacks would often wake me up at night, and as a remedy, I'd watch I Love Lucy or whatever was on and it really would calm me down.

The oldies music (The Monkees, Frankie Valli, etc.) is also usually very lighthearted and often silly, so it can be calming as well. Don't get me wrong, I love me some deep, depressing music (like Nine Inch Nails) but I could not handle listening to that kind of stuff during my worst anxiety. Almost immediately after listening to some oldies music, I'd start to feel better. Sometimes I'd even sing along to take my mind of my discomfort...sounds silly, but it really did work!

Again, I don't know if these ideas will work for you, but they sure did help me get through a rough spot or two. Good luck to you! :)

[Hell Hath No Fury]

14. "Input" is huge in anxiety!

Whether it's caffeine, noise, TV, people -- anything that enters your world can add or detract from your anxiety level.

During the first days of the invasion, I didn't watch TV -- I read newpaper reports and DU instead. Same with the Abu Ghraib stuff. I try to be very good about what I allow into my space and my body.

And I can really feel the difference when I stay on the right path.

Now that I am having night sweats and insomnia, I watch a lot of Nick at Night -- I seem to always catch the 3:00am showing of "Wings". :)

[NashVegas]

15. Oh God, Nine Inch Nails

The Downward Spiral came out right in the middle of my Xanax Winter. I could not tear myself away from it. Wanna talk about negative reinforcement?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

13. Panic disorder with agoraphobia...

I've had it for close to 15 years now.

One of the best things I ever did was take a class through Kaiser on panic/anxiety. Finally understanding just what was happening to my body during an attack and what triggered it was half the battle for me. When you know what is going on it becomes a lot less scary. I was also taught some great cognitive tehniques that I still use to this day.

I got almost symptom free for around six years, then perimenopause hit all hell broke loose again -- thankfully I learned in that Kaiser class that this was common for women with a history of panic.

I still have to take Xanax to fly, I still don't like taking public transportation all that much, and I do get a bit anxious about going to new places that are far away from home, but other wise I have a very high quality of life.

[Cooley Hurd]

16. Lexapro...

After trying Paxil, Wellbutrin and Zoloft (all of which had little-to-no effect on my anxiety disorder), my Dr put me on Lexapro about 17 months ago and I haven't had ONE episode since then!

I highly recommend Lexapro!