New here! wondering if someone has any much needed advise

[Mattymo]

I am 23 years old. I Have had on going anxiety for almost two years now ever since i had my first panic attack. I started taking xanax .25mg shortly after my first panic attack sparingly only when i was was feeling irritable on occasions. Around 8 months later i started having muscle aches tightness and pain in my neck, shoulders and pressure in the back of my head.I also experience dizziness from the symptoms. Went to doctors got MRIs all were negative, went to a chiropractor that didnt seem to work either. i figured that it was all anxiety related so I started taking my xanax more frequently now up to three or 4 doses of .25mg a day. It is the only thing that seems to ease the symptoms other then frequent massages that seem to help temporarily for a day or so. My problem is that i am feeling more and more dependent on xanax if i dont take a pill my muscles in my shoulders and neck start to tense up so bad that i cant even move from the couch with out feeling like im going to fall over from being dizzy. I dont want to be dependent on this drug just to get me through the day especially since it doesnt even relieve the symptoms 100% it really just eases them to the point where i can be functional through daily activities like going to class. has anyone had symptoms like this from anxiety and are there any other cures besides taking habit forming meds?

[forwells]

Hi matt

I think you problem is that you are stil scared of that first panic attack and living in fear of it coming back

I also think that if you have been on the benzos for a long time this is also part of the problem . Are you talking them every day and for how long .

There is many things you can do and talk to get past anxiety but the first is to understand how it works

cheers kev :D

[palow]

Yes Matt, the cure is cognitive behavioural therapy. CBT is the only thing that will do it, because anxiety is not a mental illness but a behavioural problem. If you had bipolar disorder you will need meds. But not anxiety.

Anxiety is caused by a vicious nasty thought pattern that was formed after some initial trauma or long term stress. CBT will give you new positive beliefs and behaviours that will eventually replace the old toxic ones. Be patient and give it some time. Panic attacks can be instantly halted using the right techniques but the underlying anxiety is programming that you need to remove from your subconscious. The amount of time that takes varies from person to person.

For CBT to work, you must wean yourself off the drugs with the help of your doctor. The CB therapist can help you there as well. Look for a CB therapist that specialises in anxiety. Avoid CB therapists who want to combine CBT with psychoanalysis. That will take forever.

Patrick

[lunalady]

Yes indeed, I weaned off Klonopin and Proac and Xanax after being on them for 20 years. I worked with my doctor and we devised a withdrawal schedule that I did very slowly.

For my panic attacks and general anxiety, I use a great program. You can read about it here: http://panicfreeme.com/361

Good luck to you,
Jill

ps. Be careful with the Xanax, and try your best not to increase the dose any further..