How I 'cured' my panic

[panicface]

I've suffered from Anxiety, health anxiety, panic attacks, panic disorder, agoraphobia, palpitations and outright psychosis since early teens (40 now).

Been paranoid about death, going crazy, strokes, heart attack, going blind, cancer and whatever else Google tosses my way.

The one lesson I think I've learned is that I don't have to suffer. If I start having palps - I take a Xanax. If I start freaking out - I take a Xanax. I recently went through a hellish 3 months (worst ever) and I just Xanaxed my way through it.. 0.25 twice a day, sometimes 3x.

I know it's not recommended, but I had few problems coming off of it (a week of rebound anxiety that I tried to sleep through). But can you imagine the damage done to your body from panic attacks, cortisol release, and stress hormones? At 20 it was no big deal - at 40, it is.

My method now is simply when shit happens (panic strikes) I pop the pink pill and take a nap. Problem is gone. If I palpitate - I give myself 5 freebies - the sixth one gets a pill. There is rarely a 7th one.

Yes, lifestyle, food, exercise, good thoughts, rainbows, unicorns, they all help. But at the end of the day - nothing takes the terror away like a pill. I'm NOT advocating taking it longer than needed, or when you just want to rest, or to take a 'time out' - only as the single best alternative to suffering. At least for me I can single handedly 'cure' my anxiety in 20 min.

I will admit - after 3 months on it - my rate of typos were through the roof. Likewise I kept repeating the same words in letters - so it dumbs you down but good. All of the effects have vanished after 45 days off of the meds.

Pray for pills.

[Jull]

It's great to read your success story!
but I'm just afraid if you're overdosing..

[Benjammin69]

Hi, sorry to be ignorant but how is this a success story of beating your panic? When you feel a panic comes on you take an addictive anti anxiety med and it disappears? What do you expect? I'm not one to say we don't need meds in our lives, but as your panic evolves in to the beast that cannot be tamed by your current dose of xanax you will only need to increase your xanax? Whilst benzo's are beneficial in masking the panic I don't think they beat it... also benzo usage can exacerbate depression and suicidal thoughts... so it may reduce your anxiety but it may cause it's bigger meaner brother to rear it's ugly head..

Good luck to ya tho