Just curious as to what any of you have done to combat and anxiety and anxiety attacks? I recently went to see the Dr. due to having anxiety attacks and what to me felt like jitters, shakes,sweats and lethargy. He and my mother thing I may have diabetes 2 or be close to it since there is a family history of it. I am not sure as to what to think being that I’ve had bouts with anxiety for the past 6 years, it’s just that this time around it’s got some other things mixed in.
So, what are some good ways to reduce anxiety as well as techniques to try in order to reduce the effects of the panic attacks?
Be extremely careful if you chose to go on medication. Typically, two general classes of medication are prescribed for panic attacks and panic-like symptoms: typical anti-depressants, and benzodiazepines. The data on benzos are great initially, and downright awful in the longrun. Relapse rates approach 80-90%. I don’t consider them to really be a worthwhile treatment for most people. Antidepressants have a less risk of relapse but aren’t as initially effective. They do tend to be moderately effective for some people.
If you have good health insurance, I’d really recommend seeking out a cognitive-behavioral therapist if you can find a good one in your area. Treatment is typically very short, and has much better data attesting to longterm effects than medication.
Benzos are good for stopping anxiety until you find another drug that works - which can be a bit of a process. They also get you used to the feeling of being anxiety free. It is very difficult to learn to be relaxed if you do not know what it feels like. If your doctor or psychiatrist does prescribe benzos, make sure they have a long term plan, but don’t reject them just because some people have had difficulties with them.
When I went to see my dr. He put me back on Zoloft which I use to take during my last bout with anxiety issues a few years ago. The only downside is like you mentioned it takes a little while for it to start taking a effect. Just irritating because this morning I actually woke up into a panic attack…which really starts the day off wrong.
Deep breathing exercises work well, as does meditation.
I also find journaling to be helpful. Just getting your thoughts out of your head and onto paper can be a freeing process.
Therapy sessions are also beneficial. Look for someone that specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It’ll help you get to the root cause of your anxiety and give you some strategies to combat anxiety if it strikes at any moment.
As for medication, Xanax works great in the short-term and like someone mentioned, it helps you understand what your body feels like when it’s relaxed. I was on-and-off Xanax for 2 years and after a cycling off period, have been off it for close to 3 weeks now.
Here’s a thread I started a couple of years ago when I was going through my anxiety issues:
Thanks for all the help everyone. I’ve dealt with this for a few years now…normally I have my bout with it…then it goes away after a month or two. And don’t really suffer too many attacks through out the rest of the year. The Dr. did prescribe me Xanax to take for a short while, does Xanax make you sleepy? About an hour or more after taking it I got really crazy sleepy and drowsy. So, either it was just the stress getting to me or the pills.
