I have had panic disorder for 16 years. I have found that I cause my panic attacks by the way I am thinking (negatively). It took a long time to come to this conclusion. I was prescribed Xanax initially, along with therapy. The therapy has been the most helpful (talking, journaling, etc.). When I feel overwhelmed, the anti-anxiety meds help. I watch what I think and what I say. I have taken words like "worst," "horrible," etc., out of my vocabulary so that I can talk myself down. For example, "This may not feel very good, but it will go away." My panic attacks now last a few seconds at most. I grew up in an abusive home and discovered that the little girl in me needs to be loved and accepted. I try to make time for me every day: taking a bath, journaling, walking, working out, etc. These things help immensely with my self-esteem. I am still working on my agoraphobia now. I keep pushing the edge because I want to be totally free. The last thing I have to conquer is flying and driving alone. It's hard, but it feels so liberating when I succeed!

I am a 48-year-old female. I remember my first panic attack at age 14 when my 15-month-old brother died. I was in school at the time. I never wanted to go back. My mom gave me a tiny bit of her Valium, and I kept it in my back pocket, just in case. My mom really didn't know what was going on with me, even though she suffered from the same thing. I guess I didn't explain it well. I started having them again at age 25. I didn't want to leave the house. I had to have a couple of beers to get the courage. My family doctor finally sent me to a psychiatrist. He diagnosed me with depression and panic disorder. He tried several anxiety medications (Xanax made me spacey) and several antidepressants. Finally, I found clonazepam and imipramine. The two doses together have helped me tremendously. I still get depressed, but it's not as bad as it was. I still get sudden feelings of panic, but I take a clonazepam, and that helps. It is hereditary in my family with my grandmother, mom and brothers. I hope this helps. Plus, I have read many books about panic. People just don't understand it until it happens to them.

I am 38 year old RN student and I developed a panic disorder when my mom, then sister died at age 25. The world feels unsafe and I terrorize myself with "what if's" that never happen. I too have panic attacks that come on suddenly with no correlation to what's going on in my life at the time. The first symptom I get is light-headedness, then I get very hot, racing heart, tingling finger and toes, shortness of breath. I then have a dire need to escape so as not to embarrass myself in public. I have even passed out for about 2 minutes at a nightclub before. That was embarrassing. They thought I was drunk, but I had just gotten there and had only had 1 bottle of water! What calms me down is a cool shower with the lights off and a couple candles. The extra oxygen from the water seems to help a lot. When that doesn't work, I take Klonopin 1mg tablets. They work great. I also take Zoloft daily and Ambien as needed. I go to therapy every two weeks too. So far, so good.

I love that I just found this site. You are all going through the same exact thing as I am and I thought I was so alone. I have had depression now for 20 years. It hit me after my first child and I was hospitalized in a psychiatric ward at methodist hospital in Indianapolis for 4 months I have seen my son once. I did ok then had my daughter 2 years later and did ok and then my son 4 years later and the past 5 years have been panic/anxiety, but the last 2 years have been a living hell since November. I have now had 9 count them 9 EKGS I am so embarrassed, broke, ashamed, I've lost my husband and my kids want nothing to do with me right now. I am seeking therapy and have for over 7yrs. and I have switched doctors during this time also. I can't keep a job I am on medication Zoloft and Xanax and nothing seems to be working, I am a good person and have so much to offer and I have a heart of gold, but no one wants to hear the OMG I'm dying. It was bad my family doctor sent me to a cardiologist and he did an EKG laughed and said call me in 50 years when you need a heart doctor no wait I'll be dead call one of my associates. I had a sleep study the other night so I am waiting to hear from it, I don't drink or smoke, I am very over weight, but have lost 34 pounds since July 9th so I'm working on that. I feel as if there is no end to my misery.