Coping when people close to you don't seem to understand can be one of the hardest things to deal with when you suffer from an anxiety or panic disorder. I know how you feel! Maybe try learning as much about it as possible and then try and sit your family down ad explain it to them too?
I don't think panic disorder is something that can be grown out of. If your life circumstances change during life this may help but just growing older I don't think will help. What sort of treatments/therapies have you tried?
All the best
Tony
panicrelief.co.uk

My first panic attack was the worst thing I ever had. The problem was I didn't understand it. Of course nobody else did. All I knew it was terrible. I hid from others and was really scared. There always will be people who are not believing it can happen. I still have trouble understanding. In the old days when someone would have a seizure
people thought all kinds of things like possessed, crazy.

I've gone to therapy and I'm on lexapro right now, but the lexapro isn't working like it used to.

My family isas supportive as they can be, but they really don't understand it because no one has ever dealt with anxiety disorder, or no one will admit to it. I guess it's just something no one ever talked about or it got called something else.

I know what your going through as family will never get it. It is really a disorder. I go through the same with my family. I know here on ds you will find understanding Hope you feel better soon..

sadly its normal for family and psychiatrists to not understand
shrinks often think panic attacks are to gain attention from others

It is hard to understand when you never had a panic attack yourself.Even know I realize why I have them,sometimes i think to myself im just being silly.when I know Im not.If I sometimes think this than I cant blame others when they dont understand them.You should talk this over with your therapist.She might be able to help you help your dad understand better.Plus drinking and driving is in my book a good reason to get upset.And I was a bartender for years.

sadly most therapists and shrinks have never actually had a panic attack and tend to think we panic attack sufferers exagerate they effect they have on us

I'm with you.....I actually just became a member because today I was out with my fiance doing last minute shopping.....we went to lunch and I had a massive panic attack. Needless to say we got my food to go and she handled the bill while I was in the bathroom stall trying to calm down.
Point I'm getting at is my fiance doesn't understand the attacks.....her first reaction is "it's all in your head"......I'm sorry I hate that line....because when you feel like you're ready to pass out....when you are dizzy and can't walk straight and everyone around you thinks your drunk.....I'm not cured......I get them daily if not twice a day. My doctor (primary) is helping....just telling me to take pills

I'm really sorry to hear that your family is not supportive. It's really hard for people to understand what you're going through. And, you're right, you won't grow out of it. You can try and manage it the best you can and bring the attacks to a minimum but that's about it. The best thing you can do is talk with your therapist, be open and strong and just keep your head up all the time. I have started to not even talk to most family and friends about my disorder, they are sick of hearing it, or I think they are anyway. If anything, support groups like this can be your family when it comes to needing someone else to talk to! Hang in there.

Sweetie, I know exactly how you feel. I'm 24 and moved back in with my parents after college. My senior year in college is when I started having these panic attacks. It has ruined a lot of my life and especially my family life.

My family says the exact things:
"You need to grow out of this sh*t"
"You're just asking for attention."
"You're trying to make us feel bad."
"You're over reacting."

I cry and cry about the fact my only support system, isn't a support system. It is nice to be on message boards like these. Maybe ask your doctor to explain to them? I was thinking of doing that myself. My parents think I am totally nuts even though I stopped having attacks for over a year. They recently came back and still they don't get it. My doc even gave me a blood pressure machine and they see my BP soar to 155/100 and still, they don't care. They don't believe it.

STAY STRONG. Really, try to get your doctor to explain or print things out on the computer. I hope this helps!

PS. They may never get it and that is just when you have to just find friends that can be your extended family.

Family...yeah...they wont understand. (Don't tell that to my mom because she tries sooooo damn hard) I can't break her heart and tell her it's no use.

Mine tend to happen during fights too. One night, I was fighting with my mom and dad. My friend and I just had my car pulled out of a major snowbank and I came home to my rents, but, without even knowing about the snowbank, they were yelling at me for something. I tried to walk away, but then my father used to make fun of me. "Just walk away. It's all you're good at!" like he wanted me to fight back. Anytime he used to say that, I'd freak out and head towards any sharp object. I stood there in my kitchen with a knife to my wrist, holding it up in the air, dragging it across my skin while they yelled, not even looking at me. Tears were streaming down my face and my friend started yelling at me too to put down the knife, but my parents were too busy being mad at me to notice from a few yards away. They just wouldn't look at me but continued yelling. I finally gave in, put the knife down and practically collapsed into my friend's arms. I don't remember the rest of that night.

But yes. Even though it's been years since that incident and my family and I are closer than ever, they'll still never understand. Don't worry too hard though, you have us and we will try to help get you any help you need.

Here's what I say to people now. It doesn't work most of the time but sometimes it is effective. "You wouldn't ask a man without legs to walk, or a blind man to see. You understand their disability because you can see it, but mine is invisible. That doesn't mean it isn't real or isn't there. So do not ask a person with Panic Disorder to just stop doing it or to calm down or knock it off, because just like the blond man it isn't possible during an attack" No granted we do know sometimes it can be stopped but not in the way that a person can command it out of you.

I agree with everyone that if a person has not experienced it themselves, they will never understand. My best friend of 11 years suffers anxiety and panic. I always thought she was over reacting, and told her it was all in her mind. Now that I've endured it, and lately the anxiety is haunting me daily, hourly, nonstop. I feel horrible for never understanding.

Perhaps you should educate your family, have them talk to your therapist. Possibly kick them in the arse for just not understanding. Recently I had to leave work because I felt an episode coming on. The fear of everyone there looking at me funny, or not understand, and accusations of overreacting only make it worse.

Just know that you have a group of wonderful supportive people here for you, and we understand.

I am so sorry about the situation that youare in but its so great that you are seeking out therapy again for some help. i know the feeling when poeple on the outside just dont get it and the may never understand but you will find others that do. there are serveral poeple on here that you can get support from and there are also support groups that may be held in your local area. hang in there and be strong