Panic disorder/Anxiety originated form social phobia - almost everyday

[anxiety12345]

Hi
I am a 27 year old man.
I started having anxiety (panic attacks) from beginning of high school (around age 14). I had anxiety and panic attacks during class, specially before presentations (social phobia symptoms).

My family doctor prescribed to me Effexor XR 35 (70mg for sometime) at the age of 17. I was on it for some time and I saw some results (less symptoms), but I decided to not take medication because of side effects and addiction to it. I tried Cognitive Behavioral therapy. It was useful to some extend, specially to see others like me. But I didn't see any promising result.

When I stopped taking Effexor XR, and due to many stressful presentations I gradually developed panic disorder (or I guess GAD). Sometime I panic (get minor or sometimes major panic attack) from random events. Events such as, when the phone rings or when a car pulled to my lane. Whatever that is tiny bit stressful causes me a lot of anxiety and an adrenaline rush.

I know that none of these anxieties are rational but I cant stop them. I cant stop my automatic thoughts and the attacks.
My family doctor and a psychologist give me breathing instructions which I use. I tried various natural medications such as Valerian, GABA, St. John Wort (currently taking), Passionflower, green tea, maca roots, and haven't been able to significantly reduce the anxiety attacks or get raid of it (I try to test one medication at a time to measure its effectiveness). I have also changed my diet, sleep more, workout and eat smaller portions of food. I take multivitamin which has B, Zinc, Magnesium and C vitamin. I have cut down on caffeine and sugary stuff too.
I have also tried acupuncture with not much result.

I did EEG and other tests on my heart, almost all was good. I found out I have a 1mm mitral valve syndrome. The doctor said its nothing serious and prescribed me beta blockers. I have read the solution to hearth palpitation caused by mitral valve syndrome is the same as reducing anxiety (less sugar and caffeine and breathing exercises).

Now whenever I have a presentation I have to take a Lorazepam / betablocker or drink before the presentation. But this only solves my presentation problem which gives me stress from a week in advance.
My bigger dilemma is now the everyday anxiety. I have recently found out about the Autonomic Nervous system and how it is divided into sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.
Maybe I have to find a systematic way of replenishing my parasympathetic nervous system or calm down my sympathetic nervous system..? I wish there was some natural medication that I could take for that to bring my body to a stable stage. This whole anxiety issue, not only its painful but it always make me stressed out, tired and a bit depressed, since I have had for the past 14 years and cant get raid of it.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank you,

[NixonRulz]

:op
Hi
I am a 27 year old man.
I started having anxiety (panic attacks) from beginning of high school (around age 14). I had anxiety and panic attacks during class, specially before presentations (social phobia symptoms).

My family doctor prescribed to me Effexor XR 35 (70mg for sometime) at the age of 17. I was on it for some time and I saw some results (less symptoms), but I decided to not take medication because of side effects and addiction to it. I tried Cognitive Behavioral therapy. It was useful to some extend, specially to see others like me. But I didn't see any promising result.

When I stopped taking Effexor XR, and due to many stressful presentations I gradually developed panic disorder (or I guess GAD). Sometime I panic (get minor or sometimes major panic attack) from random events. Events such as, when the phone rings or when a car pulled to my lane. Whatever that is tiny bit stressful causes me a lot of anxiety and an adrenaline rush.

I know that none of these anxieties are rational but I cant stop them. I cant stop my automatic thoughts and the attacks.
My family doctor and a psychologist give me breathing instructions which I use. I tried various natural medications such as Valerian, GABA, St. John Wort (currently taking), Passionflower, green tea, maca roots, and haven't been able to significantly reduce the anxiety attacks or get raid of it (I try to test one medication at a time to measure its effectiveness). I have also changed my diet, sleep more, workout and eat smaller portions of food. I take multivitamin which has B, Zinc, Magnesium and C vitamin. I have cut down on caffeine and sugary stuff too.
I have also tried acupuncture with not much result.

I did EEG and other tests on my heart, almost all was good. I found out I have a 1mm mitral valve syndrome. The doctor said its nothing serious and prescribed me beta blockers. I have read the solution to hearth palpitation caused by mitral valve syndrome is the same as reducing anxiety (less sugar and caffeine and breathing exercises).

Now whenever I have a presentation I have to take a Lorazepam / betablocker or drink before the presentation. But this only solves my presentation problem which gives me stress from a week in advance.
My bigger dilemma is now the everyday anxiety. I have recently found out about the Autonomic Nervous system and how it is divided into sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.
Maybe I have to find a systematic way of replenishing my parasympathetic nervous system or calm down my sympathetic nervous system..? I wish there was some natural medication that I could take for that to bring my body to a stable stage. This whole anxiety issue, not only its painful but it always make me stressed out, tired and a bit depressed, since I have had for the past 14 years and cant get raid of it.

Any help is appreciated.
Thank you,

Wow. I could have written this going on 20 years ago.

Your story hits home to me and the path I took for what seemed like an eternity

You are doing many good things to lessen the symptoms but I would suggest you spend more time focusing on the mind

I was also on Effexor after a few tries on other meds that didn't help as much

I also came off of it because I didn't want to be on meds forever

That was dumb of me since it was the first thing that helped so much and I chose to stop it

I went back on the Effexoer, started to feel much better again and then decided to end the20 years of hell

I went on a mission to learn about anxiety as what it is, how it affects me and how easy it is to stop

Knowledge was truly the power. It really is true that your thoughts and beliefs are your reality

And since I was thinking all the doom and gloom, no surprise I continued the same old pattern

Once you understand what anxiety and panic are, just something you have like others have poor vision, dandruff, high blood pressure....pick one

It just seems scary since it is a "mental" disorder so that freaks people out understandably and feel it is a stigma so they do whatever they can to "not have it"

Well you do and that is undeniable

But it's quite simple to be in control, whether you use meds or not. The meds help greatly, especially when you are in a very sensitive state such as you are

Once the meds have your brain balanced a bit, then you go after the cause. The Anxiey itself. Don't fight and treat the symptoms

Learn and understand it. I, to this day still get what used to start a panic cycle. The difference is I don't fear any of it anymore so it's merely a split second thought but my mind automatically dismisses it.

Much like it used to automatically send me in the other direction years ago

Good news to you is that as much as it is hard to believe, you will be anxiety free. I am not sure if you can actually be cured but others suggest you can.

I believe you just train your mind back to where you want to be

If you haven't ever seen the site, anxiety coach.com is a great website that really explains things that will make you feel empowered to feel like this is temporary

It's a very simple site to navigate and you will recognize so many things you are doing that he easily explains away

Go whip this things ass.

[Im-Suffering]

:op

Wow. I could have written this going on 20 years ago.

Your story hits home to me and the path I took for what seemed like an eternity

You are doing many good things to lessen the symptoms but I would suggest you spend more time focusing on the mind

I was also on Effexor after a few tries on other meds that didn't help as much

I also came off of it because I didn't want to be on meds forever

That was dumb of me since it was the first thing that helped so much and I chose to stop it

I went back on the Effexoer, started to feel much better again and then decided to end the20 years of hell

I went on a mission to learn about anxiety as what it is, how it affects me and how easy it is to stop

Knowledge was truly the power. It really is true that your thoughts and beliefs are your reality

And since I was thinking all the doom and gloom, no surprise I continued the same old pattern

Once you understand what anxiety and panic are, just something you have like others have poor vision, dandruff, high blood pressure....pick one

It just seems scary since it is a "mental" disorder so that freaks people out understandably and feel it is a stigma so they do whatever they can to "not have it"

Well you do and that is undeniable

But it's quite simple to be in control, whether you use meds or not. The meds help greatly, especially when you are in a very sensitive state such as you are

Once the meds have your brain balanced a bit, then you go after the cause. The Anxiey itself. Don't fight and treat the symptoms

Learn and understand it. I, to this day still get what used to start a panic cycle. The difference is I don't fear any of it anymore so it's merely a split second thought but my mind automatically dismisses it.

Much like it used to automatically send me in the other direction years ago

Good news to you is that as much as it is hard to believe, you will be anxiety free. I am not sure if you can actually be cured but others suggest you can.

I believe you just train your mind back to where you want to be

If you haven't ever seen the site, anxiety coach.com is a great website that really explains things that will make you feel empowered to feel like this is temporary

It's a very simple site to navigate and you will recognize so many things you are doing that he easily explains away

Go whip this things ass.

Beautiful post, not the words but the feeling-tone. I really feel your heart on this one.

[NixonRulz]

Every now and again, I suppose you see yourself in some threads

I thank you for the kind words