a fairly large dose of Xanax is needed to stop a severe panic attack
panic attacks , also
called anxiety attacks are a false triggering of the fight or flight response,
google fight or flight response for all the possible effects of it. panic
attacks often are inherited. they cant harm anyone so should not be feared. when
feeling stressed or panicky simply relax and breathe deep and slow. dont tense
up or fight back against it. do disolve any mid range valium type pill under
tongue for fastest help, google sublingually. agoraphobia is avoiding or
fearing places or situations likely to cause a panic attack. Ive found that the
best advice in overcoming both is in cheap self help books from internet
bookstores, order a few to be delivered to you by mail. therapists, especially
psychiatrists often give little advice and consider the panic attacks as
unimportant. they waste time and are often expensive, also their advice is hard
to remember as most patients are very nervous. valium type meds are still
the best for reducing or stopping a panic attack, if taken to hospital, the
usual treatment is an injection of valium. antidepressant meds help some a lot
but sufferers can have severe early side effects so start at much less than the
min dose range and slowly work dose up, google the antidepressant dose range for
guidance. valium reduces early side effects. antidepressants take from 2 to 6
weeks to start working and occasionally never help. the prozac or SSRI type are
popular but other types also help and so can be tried. older sedating
antihistamines calm some. valium type must be used sensibly but its been my long
experience that few sufferers have addictive type personalitys,t he main problem
being to get them to take a large enough dose rather than stopping them from
taking too high a dose the fight or flight response can become a strong
addiction, people activate it with dangerous sports, downhill skiing, bungee
jumping, parachute jumping, etc so some panic attack sufferers refuse to make
any attempt to recover or to take helpful meds. panic attack and agoraphobia
sufferers dont usually lead very stressfull lives. they become expert at seeming
calm and relaxed whan actually panicky I had panic attacks and severe
agoraphobia for 20 years before diagnosing myself and am now completely recovered

Panic attacks always have a cause. There is something in your mind, an unresolved matter, and it can take a long time to unlock it.

A step back in time is often needed to pinpoint the causes.

A panic 'attack' is just the body's way of removing unused stress chemicals (eg adrenaline). The body has only one method of doing this and that is to purge the system to return you back to a baseline level of calm. This method is what people refer to as a panic attack. It is a safe and beneficial mechanism . Which is why the advice to "accept it and let it run it's course" is the best advice. By accepting the 'panic' you are in reality the accepting the calm afterwards. Of course when we react with fear, that in turn builds up additional adrenaline which of course needs to be removed in the same way. That is why panic is a cycle. To break the cycle you can just sit back and just invite the safe sensations in. Thet them loose to burn themselves out. This can take practice, because you have been used to reacting with fear and this will nornally leave you with some extra adrenaline to burn off in the future with another panic 'attack'. But each time you let it happen, let it flow, float through it, accept it, you become better at not fearing this normal and beneficial mechanism. It cant hurt you, it cant kill you, it cant do anything to you. It is just you being afraid of a healthy body doing a healthy thing. Kind Regards. Chris

Guitarmurph,

I'm so sorry you are struggling so much with panic attacks. I can definitely relate. I am currently in a situation where I sort of when about 4 or 5 years without really severe panic attacks, then they suddenly reared their ugly head.

When you are in the throes of these attacks, and even before, can you pinpoint certain thoughts or feelings that seem to set you off? Are you taking care of yourself- getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy, exercise? Do your panic attacks come out randomly or at certain times? The more information you know about what you're thinking and feeling when you're in the throes of an attack, the better.

I would definitely recommend seeing a psychologist to help you work through these attacks, preferably one that is sort of an "expert" in the field of panic. I don't think that we ever actually get rid of panic attacks for life- I think they sort of go away and then come back again in times of transition. Do you think maybe all the new changes in your life have contributed to it?

Just make sure that you are taking care of yourself as best as you possibly can. It DOES get better, and you asking for help on here is definitely a step in the right direction to gaining control over your panic.

Cheers. x

Remember, it WILL NOT last forever. Everytime I have a panic attack my body starts to freak out and think " I'm going to be stuck like this forever". Don't believe that lie. You will make it through it, and make it through this time. I had a time just like this, I lost ALOT of weight I didn't need to lose. I couldn't leave the house. Now, years later, I am able to even preach on sundays in front of lots of people, have a full time job, and deal with my attacks as they come. Have you looked at Propranolol LA? It is the one panic attack medicine I have found that helps prevent it. Look into it, I tried 15 medicines before finding the right one

Hello. I don't post here much but want to respond to your question. I have panic disorder. Some people have had a few panic attacks in their lives triggered by something stressful and others have them randomly. I'm in the second group. I've had this disorder for many years. There is a lot of mental illness in my family: OCD, Panic disorder, depression, etc.; so, it is safe to assume I inherited mine.

The way my therapist explained it to me and from what I have since read, there is one big difference between anxiety attacks and panic attacks. When you have a panic attack your mind is telling you that you are dying. Not so with anxiety attacks although you might thing you're having a heart attack. So are you suffering from anxiety attacks or panic attacks? Also, did your doctor put you on Paxil or other antidepressant? Paxil has been approved as treatment for panic disorder and has helped me tremendously. And I will be on it for the rest of my life. (Yes, we've tried getting me off of it and the panic disorder immediately acts up). I rarely have a severe attack now. I also began dealing with panic disorder by practicing relaxing meditation at least once every day for 10-15 minutes while repeating mentally to myself a word that would relax me. My "magic" word is CALM. My therapist did this with me at first until I got comfortable with it. I continue to practice this meditation often. When feeling panicky, I can now keep thinking to myself "CALM" or a family member will tell me to remember to think CALM. It works like self-hypnosis and my entire body will totally relax. Sometimes, a panic attack will sneak up and slam me full force! For those I have Xanax handy, I keep a paper bag nearby for relief from hyperventilating, and concentrate on my breathing exercises. And, there have been attacks when, thinking I was dying, I had my hubby walk me in the yard. Because I figured if I was dying, the exercise would just kill me and get it over with.

I think everyone has ways they cope. A lot depends on how your therapist has taught you to cope and how well your friends and family have been made aware of how to help you if you panic. My hubby and sister could even help me by telephone if I was alone and having an attack.

So sorry you are struggling with this. It took me about 3 years to be able to live around my disorder. You can do it.

Hugs!
Jo