Panic attacks

[Amb6040]

Ugh!! I have struggled with anxiety for years now but I've always been able to control it. About a month ago, I was grocery shopping and I had a full blown panic attack while waiting in line. It was so bad that I left my cart full of groceries and ran out of the store. Ever since this panic attack my anxiety has turned into panic disorder. I now don't want to leave the house because I am fearful of having another panic attack. This is starting to ruin my life and cause serious depression. My anxiety is so awful right now that I think I'd have a full blown panic attack even trying to talk to the doctor. I do have a script of lexapro here 10mg, again my anxiety is so bad that I am afraid that I will have a full blown panic attack taking the medication. This is awful! I've never been this down before in my life!

[Dahila]

welcome to the forum, there is not such thing as panic disorder
you have anxiety, one of the symptoms is panic attack. It will not kill you. I am dealing with that *** for 50 years

[gypsylee]

Hi and welcome :)

It really is a horrible thing and when you're in the middle of a bad episode it can be terrifying. But just trust that you won't always feel so awful. Lexapro (and all the SSRIs) can help a lot but they tend to intensify the anxiety at first :( I've been on and off them for 20+ years and now I just stay on it (Prozac). I'm also on Mogadon atm which is a benzodiazepine - one of the most controversial things in the anxiety world but I've been dealing with some pretty full-on s*** and it's safer than alcohol for me.

Anyway, I hope you find some help here. It's great to be able to talk about how you're feeling with people who understand.

All the best,
Gypsy x

[BlessedBackyard]

All of that sucks, and I know what you mean. I had a panic attack while working in my garden. It came out of nowhere, and that was the start of my fear of panic attacks...which led to me being afraid to leave my home for the last year. I'm taking small steps to overcome it and get back out into the "real world," but the first few months were a constant state of panic and depression. I can only say what has helped me, but maybe something will click with you, too. Here's what I've done or am doing:

Get outside, particularly first thing in the morning when the sun is coming up. Do slow, deep breathing -- when you inhale, your stomach should rise rather than your chest (I used to hold my stomach in and breathe with my chest. It was shallow breathing that didn't help the anxiety).

Drink herbal teas. Passionflower, chamomile, lemon balm, and kava are some of the common ones for anxiety. Balancing your body will help it deal with anxiety better, so herbal teas that support the liver, kidneys, or digestive system are helpful, too.

Take time to rest and recover. Do daily meditation, yoga, stretching, visualization exercises, massages, or anything else that helps you relax. (Winding down in front of the TV doesn't count). Focus on getting good sleep by turning off the computer and TV at least an hour before bed. If using a smartphone or ereader, turn on the night shade when the sun goes down. All of that blue light can interfere with sleep. If sleep is really a problem, there are amber-colored glasses to wear before bed that will block blue light.

Clean up your diet, removing caffeine, excess sugar, alcohol, and highly processed foods. Add more leafy green vegetables (unless you're on blood thinners).
Move more. If you sit for more than an hour at a time, set a timer to get up and walk for a few minutes. Basically, any healthy changes you make for your body will also help with the anxiety. You'll be better able to handle the stress of it, and any imbalances that contribute to the anxiety may begin reversing.

There are also many threads on this forum about supplements and other lifestyle changes. Maybe some of them will help calm the anxiety enough that you can talk to your doctor.