I'm new here....Please Help!

[Lee222]

Hello my fellow anxiety sufferers. I really need some urgent advise from those who know. I started suffering debilitating anxiety and panic attacks about 2 years ago after going through an extremely difficult time of moving to a new place and subsequently losing my job which was already causing me so much stress. My doctor diagnosed me as suffering with severe depression and that in turn brought on the panic attacks. I was put on 10mg of cipralex dailyqhich I remained on for 2 years and them from the advise of my doctor started weaning off. I have now been off medication now for about 4 months and have been doing perfectly fine up until last week when my dad passed away after a long illness. For the past 2 months I had spent every single day at his bedside until he passed and it was an extremely stressful time. Its been a week since he passed and all those familiar overwhelming feelings are starting to come back. Last night I almost had a full blown panic attack but I managed to talk myself out of it and calm myself down. Still feeling very sensitive and fragile today and don't know what to do. How do I deal with this now. I don't want to go back to the state and frame of mind I was in 2 years ago. PLEASE HELP!!!!

[fduop]

Lee 222

First, let me say sorry for your loss, I lost my dad some twenty years ago and still miss him. By no means am I a medical professional, but I have suffered with panic and anxiety since 1999. Like you I have been treated with meds and have successfully lived with this without meds.

I guess the only thing I can say from experience is don't get mad at yourself for having a panic attack after not having one for a while. I lived well without meds for a number of years until about 2 years ago. For whatever reason the anxiety and panic returned forcing me to go back on meds. It has been a struggle but at the moment the combination I am currently taken are doing their job without too many side effects.

Are things perfect? God no! Even now my stress levels are up due to work, school, and a truck that wants to quit. But I try and maintain an open attitude and realize I can not control the world. Another thing that has worked for me is realizing that when I practice meditation and mindfulness (living in the moment) I function much better. It allows me to focus on what is going on in the moment and not what happened before or what hasn't happened yet.

Lee 222, I wish you well on your journey and continue continue using this wonderful resource.

[ratty]

Hi Lee, sorry about your dad, no wonder you are feeling anxious most people would under the circumstances. I understand that fear of not wanting to 'go back to the state and frame of mind I was in 2 years ago'. You can get through this, you are grieving and sounds like you could do with someone to talk to?

Telling people how I really feel releases anxiety for me. When I feel bad (anxiety and feelings of unreality), I just tell myself this will pass and it does. Fighting it doesn't help me. I then busy myself with something else.

Hope I have helped.