Question:
I have been having anxiety attacks for over 3 years now. They started after
having stress in my life now they are controlling my life. My doctor just
put me on .05mg Xanax 3 times a day but would prefer not to be on drugs. Was
wondering if anyone knows of any other means of preventing them.
Answer:
Sue doesn't understand that real panic attacks are totally biologically-based,
like diabetes.
She believes that if one puts their mind to it, even a person suffering from
diabetes can defeat the symptoms without insulin.
One needs to merely replenish the chemicals that the body of a person suffering
from panic disorder does not produce.
No videos, books, mediation, etc will replenish the needed nutrients/chemicals
that a normal body produces that prevents panic attacks. Just like insulin.
If you really suffer from real panic disorder, you must provide your body with
the needed chemcials that a "normal" person already produces. You can't WILL
your body to do this, just like a person with diabetes can not will their body
to produce more insulin.
You must provide those chemicals that your body can not produce via medicine...
herbal medicine can give you a tiny bit of what you need, but it simply can not
offer the amount of needed chemical your body will not produce.
If your doctor is a specialist in biologically caused panic disorder, he or she
will offer you the latest products that merely replenish your body's sorely
needed chemicals, because our body is made up of chemicals, and chemicals run
our bodies, like it or not.
If you REALLY want to stop panic disorder, and your panic dsorder is
biologically-caused, you will run to your nearest DR understands panic
disorder.
Ones that claim that their mind, or herbal products cure panic disorder do not
have panic disorder.
At this point, I think that I understand panic attacks and anxiety. I have
read more books, done plenty of research etc.... If you have, you must know
that there are varying opinions on this subject. Hence, why I worded my
posting as I did.
You say "If you suffer from real panic disorder....." What a crock !
I have had panic disorder and a great deal of trouble with anxiety. What took
it away was never a pill. The pills never took away a panic attack in
progress, the pills didn't avert them, the pills don't get rid of the
generalized anxiety.
Have I tried pills? yup. Have I gone off them because they didn't work well?
yup. Have I tried the things that I mentioned in my posting? Yup. Has it
worked? Definately !!!!!!!!!!!!
I know personally several other people who have suffered thru periods of
anxiety and panic attacks and have come thru on the other side and are not
plagued any longer. They did it thru a varioety of techniques including CBT,
relaxation etc.....NOT MEDICATION
Two books I can think of off hand, one by Claire Weeks and the other From Panic
to Power, both state that while medication is a great tool in calming one down
so that they can learn coping techniques, the person is ultimately responsible
for getting well. (hence thought control, relaxation, exposure etc.....) The
medication is a band-aid that does not cure, it merely supresses the symptoms.
But I suppose that you know more than the experts about this?
I do apologize for being cruddy in this posting. But the type of thread that
you wrote bothers me. It was disrespectful to say the least. I at least
acknowledge that their is a different opionion and do not call either right or
wrong, no matter what I believe personally. I thought after reading the FAQ
for this group that it was a more self help type of group, not a you need pills
type of place.
I also find it horrible to tell someone that they have to have medication to
get over this. If one truly wants to recover without using any they can.
I don't wish to get into an arguement type situation here. I basically wanted
to state that the one thing I have found with anxiety and panic is that there
are varying opionions and treatments which work for different people. What
works for one, may not work for another. You have to find what works for you!
the newsgroup was originally formed to discuss alternatives to
medications, without "banning" discussion of them. while some people
have meds as their major method of handling pd/ad, many find a
combination works well, while others, like me, have learned to manage
panic/anxiety without the use of any meds.
when someone says that i can do without meds because i don't _really_
have panic disorder, it sets me off, too. at my worst, i was on
disability, a college drop-out living with my parents, unable to leave
my room without massive anxiety reactions, and seriously considering
killing myself. today my life is completely different -- and i
couldn't have become the person i am now without having gone through
the panic and learning to manage it.
I have suffered from panic attacks and anxiety for years, although I have not had a
panic attack for about 8 years until recently when my doctor increased my prozac
dosage to 40 mgs. per day. I woke up in the middle of the night with a panic attack
and thought I was going crazy. I have since decreased the medication and wish
people to know also that medication is not the cure, I had to really mentally
utilize all of my resources to overcome having another panic attack. Those of us
whom have had panic attacks know that it's not the end of the world but awful
scary. When looking at the situation I realized that subconsciously I had repressed
many of my feelings over the stress in my life lately instead of dealing with them.
There always seems to be an underlying cause to the attacks. Thankfully, I have
recovered from that night and am on the road to lowering my anxiety once again by
limiting my commitments, getting enough sleep, using relaxing techniques, and
utilizing prayer, and accepting support from my husband. Remember, prozac is not
the total answer.
