Anyone else suffer from panick attacks/social anxiety disorder?

[on-ramp]

last night driving home from a party, shortness of breath, heavyness in the chest, a bit shaky (the "shakes")...

i've had other panick attacks similar to this, during the social, but more so afterwards. sometimes heart palpatations are present.

it's the most miserable feeling, i think like i'm dying and i can't control it.

so i finally got home and took some medicine, whcih made me feel somewhat better.

sometimes i freak out just doing normal everyday activities, like waiting in line at the post office, I get these physical symptoms. or just going to corporate meetings with many people around, that really frightens me to the point where i avoid the situation all together. I can see this becoming very debilitating if I don't do something to control it.


anyone else conqure social anxiety / panick attacks with no drugs or alcohol? i'm very anxious to hear your stories.

thanks for your help & advice.

(btw, pelican parts OT is the best therapy money can buy - it's free!)

[slodave]

I have not been able to control my anxieties without prescription drugs. I have tired everything. I took a test a few years ago and could not pass, tried taking Xanax and it did help a lot, but I can't live my life by taking Xanax every time this happens. I have had anxieties all of my life, it affected my grades, sports, et al. I do not like being with large groups of people nor do I like people standing right next to me.

Dave

[SlowToady]

Not personally, but I've had friends that do. Well, just 2 that I know of, and both girls. The one girl was heavily into blow, and I'm not sure if that developed/triggered later-occuring anxiety attacks, or just made them worse. We were great friends, I was there when she was recovering from a coke addiction and after a good, long drug-free summer I didn't see her for quite awhile. Rumor was she started the blow again, and heavily. One day I just showed up at her door, after not seeing her for months (I think she was getting clean again) and she started breathing heavily and crying. She was glad to see me, but I think the overwhelming suprise sensation trigged an attack. Very vivid memory.

Another friend drank too much here at college, and began having panic attacks while her boyfriend and I were outside trying to take care of her. I thought she got alcohol poisioning or something, and she was crying and asking for an ambulance. Tell you what, it scared the hell out of me. I can't remember ever being so scared. I finally convinced her boyfriend to call an ambulance. You wouldn't think he'd need convincing, right? Turned out later she was "just" having a panic attack.

Me, I don' have any anxiety disorders, I just don't care much for people.

Sorry if I ranted...

[Wrecked944]

Search OT and you'll find the topic has been discussed many times. So you are definitely not the only one here who has had panic attacks. You'll find lots of empathy here. I've been pretty open about my experiences with anxiety, panic, and depression. So feel free to PM me any time. I'll gladly share anything/everything I know.

[Aurel]

On ramp, I suffer from anxiety too, and I know it is something very difficut to control. There was a thread from Lubemaster77 on anxiety and depression not long ago. His doc put him on Lexapro. Since then, I have done the same. And I can confirm that this stuff is fantastic. It will totally lift all sensation of anxiety in the first days. Then, in my experience, you can much better deal with any stressfull situations, and create the conditions that will permanently remove anxiety out of your life. The first thing is to understand the link between anxiety and depression: both must be treated, as they are two faces of the same coin. So talk to your doctor about a good serotonin recapture inhibitor such as Lexapro.

Aurel

[legion]

Nope.

I did start feeling that way the week after I had my wisdom teeth pulled. (I'm normally a pretty even-keeled fellow.) I was having major anxiety about work. I was in a DB2 class that week, and at one point I very nearly ran from the class screaming. (Ironically, I'm trying to become a DBA now.)

I started thinking about what was different that week. And then it hit me: I was on DRUGS!!!

They had me on vicodin, an antibiotic, and an anti-inflammatory steroid. I had had vicodin and that specific antibiotic before. I quit taking the steroid immediately. I felt 100% better by the time I woke up the next morning.

...

I do occasionally experience shortness of breath. So much so that I go to the ER to get a shot of cortisone as I'm afraid I may asphyxiate. It is not accompanied by anxiety. I experienced it when I worked as a house painter and used a chemical additive to make the paint stick to aluminum. I also have experienced it when my wife uses Dryel, when eating red potatoes, and at a movie theater. I think I might be allergic to some industrial chemical used for cleaning, but I can't pinpoint what.

[Drdogface]

OR,

I have dealt with this since my early teens...maybe before...surely before anyone knew it was a specific syndrome and not just being whacko. You surely are not alone. I have been to meetings where NFL stars have spoken about their own trials with this. Seems to be chemical same as depression. Presently I'm on Effexor which is OK..no better. You may well find that some meds work for a while then you'll need to switch...not uncommon at all. I've been thru at least three over a six year period. Just the way it goes.

I also have Xanex just to 'put the fire out' should I get a serious attack... JUST HAVING IT available if I need it is calming in and of itself. You may find that folks who don't have these things and dunno what it is will look ascance. So be it. It is what it is. You are not Nuts...just get some help.