AgoroJocelyn

Close Anxiety

I've been trapped in a small town my whole life, due to panic attacks. My entire life is ruled by fear. I want to travel again, go to grad school, find love, etc......

Treatments

Breathing Exercises Working / Worked

See Breathwork

Breathwork Working / Worked

Slow, deep breathing seems to help like nothing else. If I force myself to do it, it slows down my sympathetic nervous system. Your body basically has no choice but to relax when you breath slowly and deeply long enough.

Hypnotherapy Working / Worked

I did this for 3 months in 2001. I was traumatized by a severe panic attack I had in 1997 while on the freeway. I ended up in the emergency room. Ever since, I've been terrified it'll happen again. A hypnotist and I went over the experience like a "tape" and she said she was helping me re program my brain to not reach this level of anxiety again. I haven't had a panic attack that bad since then, but I'm always worried that I will, even though I've acquired more relaxation skills since then.

Paxil Working / Worked

It seemed to be pretty effective. I was on it for 11 years, but I switched to Effexor last Fall b/c of depression issues. It made me really really hungry all the time.

Positive Thinking Working / Worked

These thoughts are what help bring me back to reality and a sense of stasis when I'm freaking out, combined with slow, controlled breathing.

Trazodone Working / Worked

Took this in high school for anxiety/depression. It made me extremely, uncontrollably sleepy at night. I don't remember how it worked.

Valium Working / Worked

I don't take this very often, but I sure like it. Sometimes it takes the edge off when I'm super nervous. Other times, it just plain out stones me, which is also very nice.

Xanax Working / Worked

I was on a Xanax when i had my huge, terrifying attack twelve years ago. It didn't really work that day. I think it was because I didn't respond to the attack in the appropriate way; didn't immediately go into my slow, deep breathing and soothing self-talk, etc.

Effexor Working / Worked

I started this last October. Ive been weaning myself off Paxil down from 60 mg to 10 mg. I just went up to 150 mg yesterday and will probably be completely off the Paxil within a couple months.