Welcome to the room!  We are here to help each other as we deal with problems associated with panic and anxiety disorders.  Please feel comfortable to discuss any concerns you are having.

I have had problems with anxiety over the years.  I had experienced  panic attacks a few times, but it was noting worth mentioning, and happened when things seemed to get out of control, or I was faced with something very stressful.  Over a year ago, I began to experience constant panic attacks that seemed to be brought on by a variety of stressors, all occuring at once.  I finally went to the doc and went on FMLA from work and experienced the usual feelings, thoughts, and problems of going on meds, waiting for them to take effect, and dealing with side-effects.  I found myself in the therapists' office a couple of times, too.  Somehow, it all came back together, and things now seem to be somewhat under control.  I say this because as we all know, "It's always something!"

I hope you find the basic information you need to get some idea what anxiety disorders are about.  I tried to get the information right out of the references that are used by the American Psychiatric Association, so you have some of the best criteria to base your own symptoms and findings on.  I hope this will be helpful to you.  It cleared up a lot of misinformation for me.  If you have any questions, feel free to PM me!  I'll try to get back to you in a timely manner.

                                              Sincerely,  Jkm

Hi Jkm    :wave:

I took it as this is the place to make a brief introduction as to who we are, if that is wrong please delete this post.
I just wanted to give a general overview of who I am, and my experience with anxiety. I was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, in March of 2003. That was my primary diagnoses, but before my doctor went off on an indefinite leave of absence, I confessed to him that I had lied to him at our first visit, and that I indeed had been dealing with depression. I was on Paxil, for 8-9 months, quit meds for 3-4, started Effexor this last March, finished my months supply, and haven’t been able to make myself go to the new doc for a renewal. Med free again !  

Anxiety has been something I've been dealing with my whole life. I was always a 'shy kid', and had my first *remembered* panic attack in grade 5. That was 8 or 9 years ago. I don't know when the depression snuck up in me, if whether or not I had that first to begin with. But I know now, that my anxiety is getting worse. I've been ignoring it for so long, for a number of different reasons, that it's sneaking up on me at times when people aren't even around, when I'm not thinking about social obligations. Somedays it doesn't take much to set me off.

I'm not promising to be perfect, but if you ever need someone to talk to, to listen to you, I know what you are going through. Many people here do.

Goodluck on the road to recovery!

Hi All-

It's Alisia. I registered under a new member name this time 'round. I am glad to see familiar faces!

I have been a shy and sensitive person since a small child. I was always afraid of people not liking me. When I was 11 I had my first major panic attack, which lasted for hours. From there I got extremely depressed and unstable, eventually learning to avoid situations. This brought on social anxiety and generalized anxiety. I dealt with all of this throughout high school and into college (where I am now, and 19 years old!) I managed to get over my panic disorder and rarely have panic attacks. Now it is just very very bad social anxiety paired with generalized anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome. I am on Paxil CR 25 mg as well.

Hopefully we can all help each other through the rough times and cheer during the good times.

Alisia

I also wanted to mention that I am dealing with depression as well. It seems (for me at least) that anxiety and depression go hand in hand!

Alisia

Fading, Alisia.......Fading, Alisia!!!!!

Glad to see you made it over to the new forum.  Remember to update your info, too.  I need to, I need to get a new icon.  I need to do a lot of things.

How you like these new guys? Says is all for me!

Is your social anxiety any better on Paxil?  I took it a couple of years ago, and it helped.  I was on it for depression.

                                Welcome back!      Jkm

Alisia, I'm so glad to see you got over here.. i was wondering when you'd come over... :)

Who thinks I'll sleep tonight? Not me!!
Anyways, I agree... for me, the anxiety and depression seem to go hand in hand...

You just started paxil not too long ago, did you not? how is it going? Are you able to stay awake?   :sleepy:

Howdy! I have been dealing with anxiety for a few years now. It's been better recently but has come back to where it's a bother every day. I am in therapy now, again. Which is good, I like my T, she's just great! It's funny how I thought it was getting better but the past week or so it's been tapping me on the shoulder saying "hey i'm still here." :p

Welcome Here, Muggle!

I have GAD and my understanding is that this can be a long term problem.  I've always been a worrier, and people don't really know this till something happens, and I start talking.  My brain goes on overload, frequently, and I'm very aware that the things I fret over are silly, but nonethe less..  

If you get tired of worrying, I'll make an offer to do it for you!

I just love this guy.  He says it all for me.  I was getting by till I started having panic attacks.  I was also jumping about a foot off the ground when I heard loud noises...A lot of goofy stuff going through my mind.  Meds and therapy sure have helped me deal with this condition.  I can now 'throw' the obsessive worries out!

Is your therapist into any certain style?  I like Rational Emotive Therapy, myself.  I also deal with depression, but it's tolerable, too.  They go hand in hand with me.

                                                                Jkm

Jackie what the heck is Rational Emotive Therapy?

I have never heard that one before! Or does it go by another name as well?

Fill me in please and thank you....  I will be sitting here patiently waiting. :)

(coffee anyone?)

I've had anxiety for as long as I can remember. I too was always a very shy person. I'm thinking there may be some kind of connection there.
I remember being about 5 and I was going to spend the night at a friends house and during the middle of the night I woke up in a panic and had to go home. I did that almost anytime I slept anywhere. When I was 11 and going thru puberty I had one of my worst cases of anxiety and panic! Night time was the worst. As soon as the sun was starting to set I would panic and dread the night time. That lasted for about 4 months until I had my first monthy visitor, than I only went thru that a couple of days out of the months. Then at 16 it got real bad agian until I was 17 and got put on prozac.
I was on that for about 1 year and was fine until I was 21 and had my first baby and went thru the baby blues really bad and had panic and anxiety with THAT. I was put on serzone. Went off it, was fine for about 4 years than this recent bout hit me hard in August of 2001 and was put on celexa. It has helped so much with my anxiety and depression that I have decided the hard way (from trying to get off of it) that I will probably be on it for life. I almost never have anxiety now and when I do I take a very small dose of xanax and it passes.

My phobia causes panic attacks and high levels of anxiety.  Especially in social situations.  Worse if I have to sit down in company for any length of time, whether it be in a pub, cafe, a person's house ...... I haven't been to the theatre for 10 years  :( The phobia controls everything I do.

The depression is a separate issue and is helped by meds.  I have discussed the phobia with several counsellors and relaxation therapy helped me a great deal for a while.  Also listening to soothing music or a deep bubble bath can help.

I'm 50 and had my first panic attack at aged 3.  I would feel ill before going to school so truanted in primary grades.  Anticipation is the worst time for me, once I get on with something I can feel better.   Otherwise I have to quit and come home.

It's predictable in it's unpredictability  

I don't know too much about the different types of therapies out there, but my T does gestalt, expressive, energy therapies, cognitive-behavioral therapies. She is a believer of healing rather than just treating the symptoms. I just randomly picked her out of a list and I think I did good. She's really nice, good sense of humor and easy to talk to.

I worked with a gestalt therapist, and thought she did an excellent job in the 6wks. I saw her.

I guess RET is cognitive therapy, because it gets you to look at your responses and think through whether they are rational or irrational.  I guess I had a lot of irrational ideas floating around, and the result was having to deal with a load of depression and anxiety because I didn't like the way things were happening in my life.  I think I have a more realistic approach, now, but it is easy to react to everything......negatively when you are depressed.

                                                                Jkm

Hi, Iv been dealing with anxiety/depression ever since my first daughter was born.10 years ago. It took me a long while to figure out what was going on with me.over the years I have tried paxil,prozac elavil,welbutrin,lexapro and xanax.Right now Im fed up with all these meds and their side effects !! I am weaning off of prozac right now. Im going to try to just use the xanax when I need it.Wish me luck I kinda feel like I dont even know who am anymore on all this .This forum has been such a help to me.I love coming here every morning. :D  :;):                                        
                                               Cat   :;):

I noticed that the Lexapro has a way of blocking out the intense anxiety.  LOL!  I'm going with the fogged-out feeling for awhile.  It's helpful to me, as I have so many real stressors, that I surprise myself that I get up and go to work.

Another testimony to Lexapro.  Where is my check?  LOL!  Someday I may want to get off this, and I think I could go on a tranq to keep my anxiety down without it being a problem, but too many things are going on, and I don't want to get depressed again.

                                                       Jkm

Hi, im new to the boards and have been dealing with what i know now is panic/anxiety. Its been only but a long 2 years. I finially got a therapist that im working with and that i really like. My first one said i was doing it for attention. I take a small dose of xanax as needed which seems to be everyday lately and i am going to be going on some anti depressants soon as well. Im 22 years old and have put college on hold since i keep failing everything i took and have parents that are there for me and understand as my dad is going though the same thing. My relationship i feel is falling apart because im always feeling ill. He always tells me hes there for me put then gets angry when i dont drive to his house. We live 30 mins apart. He also gets upet i suppose when i dont spend enough time with him and his daughter. Its so frustrating to feel sick all the time and miss out on so many fun things. I feel like my life if falling apart and theres nothing i can to to stop it. I rarely feel happy most of the time i feel like such a failure. Just thought id introduse myself.  :help:

Hi there.

Just thought I'd