OT: Zoloft and anxiety/panic attacks

[ethios4]

That's it, I'm changing my production name to Fontanelle!

[clarknova]

Sorry, I haven't read all the way through the thread, so maybe somebody mentioned this. But, anyway...

I checked out this guy called Joe Barry after googling "anxiety attacks" and at first it seemed bogus, like just another moneyscheme. But after reading his book, this dude is really helping me out with my anxiety attacks. He's got a method and I have to say, it's working wonders.

Check it out here (I know, I know, it seems like a scam):

www.panicaway.com

Clark

[Emissary]

Your story is almost identical to mine. In 2003 I was dating a girl for just a couple months but was head over heals. Then one day she ended it for no apparent reason. Within days panic attacks started. They were TERRIBLE. My doctor put me on Lexapro and 2-3 weeks later the panic attacks stopped. But my mind continued to loop over and over again about the breakup. I tried to understand why she broke up with me but there was no answer. Over time I got over her.

After a few years on the Lexapro I didn't feel like myself anymore. My doctor switched me to Wellbutrin and things were back to normal. A couple more years passed and I continued to feel like I didn't need it. I have a great job, great family, great friends, etc. So 3-4 months ago I went off the Wellbutrin and for a while all was well.

Just recently I started dating a girl that I'm again head over heals for. She a catch -- attractive, successful, extremely bright, and we have amazing physical chemistry. She clearly likes me but she's very independent and wasn't looking for a relationship. After a month of hanging out everything was great. Then she suddenly started pulling away at times saying she felt like it was too much too soon. It brought those same feelings of anxiety back -- and then I had another mild panic attack so I new I had to take action. 3 weeks ago I went back on the Wellbutrin.

Now that I'm on Wellbutrin again I'm able to chill out and give her the space she needs. I don't hang on every little word she says and worry in an endless loop. And I'm happy to say that things between us are going very well again. I'm so thankful I went back on the Wellbutrin.

My honest advice is to not give a damn what other people thing about you. You are you. I feel no shame about my problems and you shouldn't either. None of us a perfect. And those that would belittle you because you are taking charge of a legitimate and serious metal heath issue have their own issues -- trust me.

Will I be on Wellbutrin for the rest of my life??? Probably not. If I am will it be the end of the World? Nope.

this reads like a spam email from wellbutrin.

[pulsoc]

Sorry, I haven't read all the way through the thread, so maybe somebody mentioned this. But, anyway...

I checked out this guy called Joe Barry after googling "anxiety attacks" and at first it seemed bogus, like just another moneyscheme. But after reading his book, this dude is really helping me out with my anxiety attacks. He's got a method and I have to say, it's working wonders.

Check it out here (I know, I know, it seems like a scam):

http://www.panicaway.com

Clark

Can you give us a gist of the method? How long have you been using it?

[clarknova]

It's kinda weird, but it seems to work for me. Only been trying it for a few days, though.

The gist of it is that when you feel a panic attack coming on, you tell it to BRING ON ALL THAT IT'S GOT. And when it's at it's worse, you DEMAND MORE. The trick is to change your attitude towards the fear. When you try to ignore the attack and just stand there scared shitless and wait for it to pass, you're fueling the attack with your fear. And the fear of having another one, fuels the next one and the spiral continues downwards.

This feels more like riding the fear like that guy riding the bomb at the end of Dr. Strangelove. Already after a few days I'm feeling more confident and less worried about another attack. Quite the opposite, a part of me is looking forward to my next chance to beat the fear. And the spiral continues upwards...

We'll see if it's one of those things I'm completely stoked on for a week and then it passes, or if it's actually sustainable. I'll report back in a few weeks, I guess.

Clark

[ethios4]

I like that! That's pretty much how I've handled any 'bad' trips I've had....when I look in the mirror any see my own rotting corpse I say 'Yes! I'm dead, and everything is dying! Give me more!' Very quickly it works itself out.

[DrXparaMental]

I like that! That's pretty much how I've handled any 'bad' trips I've had....when I look in the mirror any see my own rotting corpse I say 'Yes! I'm dead, and everything is dying! Give me more!' Very quickly it works itself out.

Believe it or not, this is the exact technique I used as a young person (10-12 years old) to get over fear of the dark at night. I used to really like watching horror movies as a kid and remember as i watched them I could tell myself that i knew this was just a movie, yada, yada, but when night came and i lay there by my lonesome, AAaahhghgggghggghhh!! One day I went and slept over at a friends house and at night he had his bedroom door completely shut and had dark curtains so the room at night was pitch black. I literally couldn't see my hand in front of my face. All of a sudden it just clicked and made sense to me. I welcomed and even decisively enjoyed the absolute darkness and any imagined subsequent terror faded away before it really enveloped me. From that moment on I enjoyed being in the dark to the effect that I would even intentionally trip to visual imagined sequences when I was really tired LONG before I ever did any drugs. I have never slept in anything but absolute dark since.

[clarknova]

Wow, that's really uplifting to hear, guys. Seems I'm on the right track here. Feels like it anyway.

Persistence is fertile!

Clark

[nuxnamon]

kind of a update.. I switched from Zoloft to Celexa which had worse side effects (couldn't get up mr happy).. went back to zoloft and started weening myself from it.. i went from taking it once a day to now every 10 days.. I'll keep stretching it out and I probably don't even need to take it anymore as it;s out of my system after the 3rd day or so.. but I'll keep weening myself off till once every 14 days and then i'll just stop.. so no anxiety or panic attacks so that's the great news and just wanted to share with everyone that's dealing with it.. I'm sure everyone is different and has different circumstances so if your still having a hard time, hang in there and know that's it's possible and not be dependent on the meds anymore.. it's taken me 2.5 years to get to this point, so it's a definitely a journey and not a overnight thing.. good luck!

[channelite]

I took prozac for 3 months back in 1997. It got me out of a bad funk and I have not needed chemicals in me since then. Though as I stated before, living a spiritual life is what has sustained my mind.

[nuxnamon]

Though as I stated before, living a spiritual life is what has sustained my mind.

+1000

and a little bit of weed on occasion..

[macmurphy]

kind of a update.. I switched from Zoloft to Celexa which had worse side effects (couldn't get up mr happy).. went back to zoloft and started weening myself from it.. i went from taking it once a day to now every 10 days.. I'll keep stretching it out and I probably don't even need to take it anymore as it;s out of my system after the 3rd day or so.. but I'll keep weening myself off till once every 14 days and then i'll just stop.. so no anxiety or panic attacks so that's the great news and just wanted to share with everyone that's dealing with it.. I'm sure everyone is different and has different circumstances so if your still having a hard time, hang in there and know that's it's possible and not be dependent on the meds anymore.. it's taken me 2.5 years to get to this point, so it's a definitely a journey and not a overnight thing.. good luck!

I'm glad to hear things are working out, mate

For me, i have to take two fistfulls of pills every day to stop my manic depression spiralling out of control. Makes life interesting though, the bi-polarity.
Unlike panic attacks which are just hideous...

So good luck to you too, nuxnamon!

[anachroschism]

Medical marijuana.