maguro
07-12-13, 23:45
Hello-
I don't normally introduce myself in forums, just lurk for a bit and wander in and out. But I had a question I didn't know where to put.
I just started on 20mg of citalopram a week ago. I have read over and over here that getting over (learning to live with) panic disorder requires therapy, ideally CBT, and not just drugs alone. OK, I'm fine with that. I've been seeing a psychotherapist for months but not getting anything out of it for weeks and decided to stop and see someone who specializes (I wasn't really having major panic attacks when I started seeing him).
What I haven't read is when to start? "Whenever you feel you are ready" seems the obvious and easy answer but is there a better one, such as
...when you've been on your SSRI for 2/3/4 weeks
...when you no longer feel _________ and start to feel __________
...when your list of SSRI side effects is cut in half
..etc?
And hello! I'm a 40-ish guy in London who had general but controllable anxiety issues since childhood (one good disastrous panic attack per year) and very recently they escalated to three major leave-work-immediately-PA's in a month (and a few outside work) and constantly feeling like I was about to tip over into one. So here I am.
I don't normally introduce myself in forums, just lurk for a bit and wander in and out. But I had a question I didn't know where to put.
I just started on 20mg of citalopram a week ago. I have read over and over here that getting over (learning to live with) panic disorder requires therapy, ideally CBT, and not just drugs alone. OK, I'm fine with that. I've been seeing a psychotherapist for months but not getting anything out of it for weeks and decided to stop and see someone who specializes (I wasn't really having major panic attacks when I started seeing him).
What I haven't read is when to start? "Whenever you feel you are ready" seems the obvious and easy answer but is there a better one, such as
...when you've been on your SSRI for 2/3/4 weeks
...when you no longer feel _________ and start to feel __________
...when your list of SSRI side effects is cut in half
..etc?
And hello! I'm a 40-ish guy in London who had general but controllable anxiety issues since childhood (one good disastrous panic attack per year) and very recently they escalated to three major leave-work-immediately-PA's in a month (and a few outside work) and constantly feeling like I was about to tip over into one. So here I am.