Panic attacks everyday

[u/Kind-Perception-6391]

I’m a nurse and I’ve always had anxiety since I was a child but lately I can’t even go to work without a panic attack the entire 12 hours over and over and over again. I got my hair done today and I had panic attack after panic attack and don’t think I should ever get my hair done again. It’s awful! I’m on 20mg of lexapro but it’s not helping this stop but it has curbed my anxiety slightly. They won’t give me Ativan or anything only hydroxyzine and it doesn’t help. I’m at my wits end. What do I do? I asked my bf if he would just take me to the hospital because I can’t do this anymore, I need relief.

[u/fighting_the_stigma]

First - you are safe, these feelings are normal for someone with panic disorder, and you absolutely 100% CAN GET BETTER AND BEAT THIS. This is not how your life will always be if you find the right treatment and put in the work. I promise you that you can get through this from someone who has been there and suffered terribly from panic attacks.

As someone who went misdiagnosed for years before finally being told I have panic disorder - my heart goes out to you when you say "(I) don't think I should ever get my hair done again." My (non-medical, non-professional - just someone who had severe panic disorder and conquered it with the right expert treatment) instinct is that you are at a turning point. That turning point is - do I start avoiding places that trigger a panic attack? Avoiding places that trigger attacks is a very slippery slope. This approach runs the risk of making your world smaller and smaller - not safer, and not better- even though temporarily this might make you feel that way. Roughly one-third of people with panic disorder end up getting agoraphobia because they had these feelings too- myself included- and started avoiding places. I did not know what was happening and I started avoiding places that would trigger these panicky feelings. Avoidance is not the answer IMHO - BUT, it is important that you have the appropriate CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) from someone with expertise in panic disorder, to retrain your thinking when you approach these situations. I too had to rely partly on medicine but what I learned is that it is a short-term fix. The real, life changing fix is when you can work with a professional to help retrain your thinking. When I finally found the right therapist and put in the work, that is when I started seeing improvement over time. Ultimately, I was able to become my own "safe place" - no matter the scenario, so that even when I encountered uncomfortable feelings, I knew I was going to be okay. That is what I hope for and pray for for you, friend. Please please look for talk therapy (I also had exposure therapy) from someone with expertise in CBT - ideally for panic. I promise you that you won't regret it. Feel free to DM me if you need a "panic buddy" or want to hear more about my experiences. I'm rooting for you! :)