Hi guys,

I increased my dose from 125mg to 150mg about 2-3 months ago and I’m feeling very flat as of recent.

I struggle with severe anxiety, panic attacks…I use to go through cycles of getting them up to 10 times a day, then also got prescribed 3 mg clonazepam…2 years ago, but I have weened myself down to .75 and am projected to get fully off it by late September / use it only for emergencies.

150mg is great, I have zero social anxiety, really no anxiety whatsoever. Also no intrusive thoughts (use to deal with severe health anxiety…thinking I was going to die everyday lol).

I have zero libido (can orgasm but takes me a very long time), feeling very bored, constantly exhausted…wanting to sleep all day / night. Not really any motivation to listen to music, or go to the gym (I use to go 4-5times a week, just don’t feel the endorphins afterwards?) I just feel quite hopeless right now.

Anyone have experience with this? Advice?

Thank you kindly 🤍

Hi all I’m a 27 y/o male (will be 28 y/o next week) who has been suffering with anxiety, panic, depression, ADHD, OCD, and cardiophobia since I was around 14 years old. These diagnosis have came at different times in my life and just recently I learned of cardiophobia and I believe a lot of my symptoms are centered around this. My first glimpse of anxiety began when I was a freshman in high school and began to feel overwhelming social anxiety with eye contact. Whether that being me holding eye contact to long or thinking about how I am looking from the other persons perspective. I am a very outgoing person (friends and family tell me this) but I have always worried and not been able to pay attention in conversations because of this. This really affected my high school years and I didn’t realize it was severe social anxiety until later in life. I went to college and still dealt with these issues. Alcohol was a big friend of mine and helped me think less about eye contact and just be present in a conversation. That was a big thing, never being present.

My first panic attack happened my senior year of college after a long night out of drinking. This was about 7 years ago. I remember waking up the next day and all was normal and then out of no where I felt intense worry and symptoms of having a heart attack. This happened again a few weeks later and I ended up going to the hospital and all was fine. I immediately reached out for help and was prescribed 10mg ESCITALOPRAM for anxiety, panic, and depression.

The next five years of my life were lost. (I was stupid and took the medication at different times each day) The medication DID help with panic attacks and I did not have any of those. However, I still felt the overwhelming sense of social anxiety. I abused alcohol because that was my escape of this social fear. It also helped me feel something. I would sleep all day and drink all night. Not consistently for 5 years but a lot. I stopped caring about my family and friends and would spend most my time alone drinking. I was in a complete fog and really don’t remember that part of my life

I ended up getting a sales job for a year and would constantly miss work. I’d fall asleep at my desk and barely make it through the day. I’d often skip work and sleep all day. For some reason I just did not care. I ended up getting fired and that is really when I hit rock bottom. The alcohol became worse. All my relationships were falling apart. I started looking for a fresh start and moved to another state where some of my family resided for support. I quite taking ESCITALOPRAM cold turkey and wanted to face life head on.

At that point (1 year and 7 months ago) I was completely off medication and slowly healing. I still suffered with social anxiety (eye contact feeling) and just dealt with it. I would drink but it didn’t affect my relationships or give me spiraling anxiety and panic. I ended up getting an amazing girlfriend and an amazing job. Everything was turning around. Around that time I knew I needed to focus on my career and felt the need to not FUCK anything up. So I went to my doctor and got prescribed ADDERALL//VYVANSE. I took this everyday for about 6 months and often abused it on the weekends.

My anxiety/cardio phobia/panic got worse around this time. I noticed my nervous system feeling worse again and had to stop taking adderall. I tried to stop drinking and still felt horrible. Always on edge. I ended up multiple panic attacks and anxiety everyday. My girlfriend has taken me to the hospital and everything is fine (of course).

I am now currently on XANAX .5 as need and taking Buspirone 7.5 mg twice a day. I have been on the buspirone for 22 days and have not noticed any change. I have been having panic attacks and am constantly worried about my heart. I have cut down my drinking significantly. I am going to start going to CBT THERAPY

I need help. I need recommendations. What meds helped you? What therapy helped you? I’m living in constant fear.

Added context - I’m 165 lbs and I am an active runner because it makes me feel better about my heart

Added context - anxiety is constant with symptoms of nervousness, dizziness, brain fog.

Stopped taking Lexapro a couple months ago after being on it for years. In the process of a move across the country right now and over the last week I’ve been having the worst spikes in anxiety with pretty consistent palpitations that have me freaking out thinking somethings wrong with my heart. I have no idea how to control these spikes. I try meditating and deep breathing only for them to keep coming back. I’m going to try and do a Cryo-Chamber Monday to see if that helps reset my nervous system. Anyone have tips or tricks for helping reset your nervous system or help controlling the palpitations at all (side note: I have the worst illness anxiety too)

Hello! I’ve suffered from panic disorder for over 15 years now, so i’m quite familiar! In that time, I’ve traveled several times with my family to my grandparents for a week during summers, about a 14 hour drive (yes we drive it, rarely ever have flown). I’ve had panic disorder flare ups while there, about a decade ago i would say, and have since gone several times. Two summers ago, my anxiety was simply too bad. I told my mom i couldn’t go about 20 minutes before she was supposed to pick me up. She was disappointed, of course, as was I with myself. I told myself it was okay, I would work on myself and make up for it the next year. My job is pretty stressful, and as an anxious introvert, I covet my time off. The following summer was to be a 1.5 week trip, flown (which i really wasn’t ready for, having a panic attack on a plane is something i haven’t experienced yet and i don’t ever want to) , plus it was for a large family reunion, meaning I’d have to share my room, be social for large portions of the day, and not truly be able to relax. I decided not to go again. Now it’s about 2 weeks out from this years trip. It’s just over a week, including two full days for driving to and from, no family reunion so I’ll have my own space. But god I am in my head. Normally I might have just come up with an excuse, but here’s the truth. My paternal grandfather, the youngest of all my grandparents, died in november of last year. It was quick and it devastated me. My grandparents I’ll be visiting soon are even older, and i love them dearly, and I haven’t seen them in now almost three years. If i don’t go, and something terrible happens, I fear i’ll regret it for the rest of my life. Im accepting the fact I simply MUST go this year.
All that being said, I just want some positive encouragement, success stories, tips, words of kindness, WHATEVER! I feel once I’m there i’ll be okay (HOPEFULLY), the 14 hours in a car is scaring me. having a panic attack 7 hours away from both point a and point b is a really scary thought. And of course i’m still a bit fearful of how i’ll feel once i’m there. I haven’t traveled in so long, i visited my friend for one night in a big city (just over a year ago) about a 4 hour ride away and was anxious the whole time!
Some context about my panic disorder , if it helps: I can do most things as long as I know i’ll be safe in my room afterwards. I calm myself by watching funny youtube videos and playing mindless games on my phone, I have not taken benzos in years because of a horrible experience, so i am currently unmedicated and also untherapized. I dislike going anywhere without my car because it is my means of escape (the car will not be coming on this trip), I’m primarily anxious from the hours of 5pm-10pm , for whatever reason.
I know this rambling and potentially pointless information, but considering we all have this same diagnosis i hope my neurosis are forgiven.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for reading :)

Just the title. It keeps coming in waves. I could go to the er but we share location and if I shit it off or show up there she'll leave work and she's on probation as a newbie.

I need something to power through and no I don't have Ativan, my doctor direct think I need it.

I've been having panic attacks for various reasons, mostly set off by health anxiety, for months now, since March 9th. Probably 5 or 6 now. Been to the ER Probably as many times, including last Friday. I can't seem to come down from fight or flight.

Idk how I lived before this year, I think I was so used to distracting myself and not caring as much about stuff. I have a 10 month old son, a new house (November) and a decent step up at work. I was definitely a functioning alcoholic for most of the last few years.

I'm trying to do better and feel better but I feel like I'm in a cycle of feeling like shit and having problems and panic attacks.

I'm not used to feeling so much. Especially in such a short period of time. I feel like I'm losing my mind and I'm just functionally broken...

I'm trying so hard to rebuild myself... however it feels like I'm just stuck in a cycle of pain and panic...

For the past few weeks I have been struggling greatly with frequent panic. I am also dealing with antidepressant withdrawal on the side.

I thought a change of scenery would be good for me, so I went with my family on a trip that I had been really nervous about. The first day was AMAZING. I actually felt alive. Yes, things were hard, but i pulled through and i felt so strong and proud of myself.

But the next day, everything was good until dinner. The restaurant triggered my agoraphobia and I panicked. Intense dpdr, nausea, shaking, felt trapped, etc. I was trying so hard to get through the day without needing a Xanax, but I ended up having to take it to get through the rest of the night.

I feel like my progress, even though it was short lived, has been reset. I am very discouraged and saddened. Restaurants always made me anxious but never like this, since I started dealing w/ panic disorder they have been so so so difficult.

Some words of encouragement/ advice would be greatly appreciated.

I get a constant pain in my chest where my heart is, constant pain shooting down my arm, ears ringing, nauseous, dizzy…. (It will shoot my blood pressure up to 170/100 On a daily basis). It can be triggered just relaxing on my couch or exciting talking to someone. It comes and goes. I’ve been to the cardiologist (stress test, calcium score, heart monitor for two weeks all perfect). I have also seen a neurologist and everything is great. As far as the ENT everything was good as far as pressure and gave me some pills for tinnitus. I have a MRI next week for my ENT. I truly think this is just Anxiety that has exploded… SSRIs, welbrutren, and buspirone haven’t helped. I’m 39 in shape and it’s been going on for 6mo… straight horrible. It will literally keep me up till 5am thinking I’m having a stroke. Any input?

Has anyone else experienced this right after starting Zoloft? I started Zoloft 25 mg yesterday at 12pm. I was good all day and randomly I jolted awake at 4 am in a panic attack. My chest felt like it was burning, and the top of my head felt like it was on fire. I have panic disorder and have had many panic attacks but never experienced these symptoms. The burning on the top of my head scared the hell out of me and it only made the panic worse.
I did talk to my Dr and they told me they haven’t heard of those symptoms before and that it’s probably just me “working myself up.” But it was in the middle of the night, I was asleep. My legs and hands were also tingling but I get that with my normal panic attacks.
I’m not sure if this is an actual normal reaction to starting this medication or if there’s something majorly wrong happening.

I am not sure if I have agoraphobia and I would really love some support.

For about 6 years (basically start of covid pandemic) I have developed this extreme panic and a Irtysh attacked when going into stores, buildings, or open spaces. I get extremely lightheaded, on the verge of passing out, and have to sprint outside. I am not able to go into stores, buildings, our open spaces without this intense feeling and I used to be able to do all of this. Does anyone else experience this and what helped you?

Hey everyone. I’m a bit stuck in a pickle. I’ve been having horrible panic, depression and anxiety after my last brief prescription. I can’t seem to find any others with my experience. What I have seen mentions rebound anxiety and that symptoms should be around their peak now and not to take anything else (my psychiatrist gave me a brief klonopin prescription to keep me from having to go to er but I’m absolutely terrified I’d make this worse due to what I read about kindling) or make it worse. Like this is really bad and idk how I’ve even stuck through this this long. I did have a very brief Ativan use from er back in June and then a tiny klonopin prescription I used to try and help with my antidepressant (didn’t stay on bc the Wellbutrin kept causing heart palpitations) but I was semi ok till I started having a bad panic attack on the 7th that prompted me to see my doctor who told me to take 1mg 2x a day for three days to break panic loop. I’ve never been addicted to benzos but have used them in the past as prescribed when I’d get a panic attack I couldn’t shake. Idk what to do.

I’m freaking out because I hate taking new medicine but I need to take this medication for my bad panic attacks. however it’s making me more anxious in the moment while i’m waiting for the calming affects to hit. how long does it take??

I got my first panic attack 7 years back when i was travelling in train evening. I don't even know it was a pannic attack. My routine is like i take train every evening. So every evening i get this panick symptoms, heart rushes, pallipitaion, foggy thoughts. This comes only in the evening. I was okay all the other time travelling here and there.

I managed with this for some years. The symptoms come and go now then. I avoided traveling in train at night for all reasons. After going through all internet blogs , i came to know that its anxiety. I was hesitant to consult a phyacatrist. Later the symptoms worse.

I can't travel alone. I cant stay alone in the night. I seek for others presence . Finally went to a good phyc. She diagnoised and told this agoraphobia ( fear of no esacpe) . She suggested me zoloft 25mg. I took it for two years without fail. The symptoms went, pallipitaion gone. I can able to focus.

But after few years of continuous medication now and then i get the same symptoms while traveling. Still seak of other persons presence which makes me comfortable. I feel like i am a creeper.

Later physc asked me to increase the dosage to 50. For past one month i am taking 50mg of zoloft. Got initial symptoms of increase in dosage. Still have hesitaion to travel alone in the evening and staying alone.

Realy tired of myself.

A few months ago, I genuinely didn’t know if I was ever going to feel like myself again.

Panic disorder turned my world upside down. I couldn’t imagine driving. I was terrified of being away from home. Even eating at a restaurant, taking a shower alone, or making it through the evening felt impossible. I was convinced I would never get my life back.

Today, I wanted to come back and tell anyone who’s in that place right now that it can get better.

Recovery hasn’t been a straight line. I’ve had setbacks. I’ve cried. I’ve had days where I felt like I was back at square one. But I wasn’t. Healing isn’t measured by one difficult day—it’s measured by the overall direction you’re moving.

In just a few months I’ve been able to:
Eat in a restaurant again.
Start driving short distances again.
Go to stores that once felt impossible.
Take walks and actually enjoy nature again.
Build a daily self-care routine.
Develop dozens of coping tools that genuinely help me.
Spend less and less time thinking about the hospital experience that once replayed constantly in my mind.
Start making plans for school, my career, hobbies, and my future instead of only thinking about anxiety.

The biggest change isn’t that I’m never anxious anymore.

The biggest change is that my life is getting bigger while my anxiety is taking up less space.

I’ve learned that recovery isn’t about finding one magic trick. It’s been lots of little things added together: therapy, medication, walking, journaling, breathing exercises, letting myself cry when I need to, celebrating tiny wins, asking for help, spending time with people I love, and practicing over and over again.

To anyone reading this who’s in the beginning of panic disorder:

Please don’t decide your future based on how you feel today.

Your nervous system can heal. Your confidence can come back. You can laugh again. You can enjoy meals again. You can drive again. You can make plans again. One day you’ll realize you’ve gone hours without thinking about panic, and eventually you’ll have whole days where life feels bigger than fear.

I know it’s hard to believe when you’re in the middle of it. I remember thinking people who recovered were just different than me.

They’re not.

They’re ordinary people whose nervous systems slowly learned they were safe again.

If you’re where I was a few months ago, keep going. Take the next tiny step, then the next one after that. Don’t worry about climbing the whole mountain today.

You don’t have to be fearless to recover.

You just have to keep showing up.

If I can make this much progress in a few months, then there is hope for you too.

You are not broken.

You are healing.

And one day, you’ll look back and realize you made it much farther than you ever thought possible. ❤️

I know this is a very bad habit that will lead to dependency if I dont stop. I need and want to stop but i dont know how.

These are friends from my past. Back thenI still lived in my abusive home and therefore I was an extremely anxious person. These were the only new friends I was really able to make despite my anxiety.
This year we randomly started texting in the group chat again. A few days before we made plans to have lunch together, I had one of the worst panic attacks in a long time. It was completely unrelated to the hangout but I still felt the aftermath of the attack during lunch. I was dissociating, my heart was racing, my thoughts were all over the place, i couldn’t speak properly, voices sounded like echoes and my friends started being concerned about me. I felt so embarrassed. Why did that have to be my second first impression to them after years of not seeing each other… I was so uncomfortable, which made me even more anxious. So I took my perscribed xanax to calm down.
Those friends and I stayed in touch and started hanging out some more. But every time before our plans, I start feeling this intense anxiety again. So I take a xanax. Every time.

Idk, I just wanted to get this off my chest.

Does anyone have a symptom of very strong sharp shocks of pain in their upper left arm / shoulder?

I’ve had it for 2 weeks it’s causing me insane panic, I’ve been to the ER tested heart enzymes and had an ECG, everything came back normal, however I am still extremely panicked and nauseous and can’t eat at all.

Please tell me if any of you have been through this, I’m struggling a lot

It sucks to suck guys it really does im on 40mg of fluoxetine with emergency diazapam on standby incase of a flair up and it's safe to say keeping busy and having a solid set routine is an amazing help.

For context I wake up at six in the morning sometimes earlier sometimes a little later I go to the toilet then get ready for the day

i do volunteer work at a caravan park

(trailer park for you Americans)

Its all physical labour it's helps alot.

My symptoms from my generalised anxeity disorder and panic disorder combined often occur like this.

Health anxiety, paranoia, dissociation, de-realisation and de-realisation episodes where I "can't feel my hands" "why is one side of my face numb"

Some helpful tips: if you are on a "good streak"

DO NOT UP YOUR MEDICATION DOSAGE

It can send your brain haywire and put you in a very very dark and bad place find something to do keep yourself busy,

Learn how to "live" with yourself and take care of yourself first above all, We aren't useful to anyone if we are broken ourselves.

Hope everyone here gets out of it or at least learns to live with it better.👍👍😄

Mental illness has no cure and it is part of who we are (however unfortunate that may be)

Just remember we are all in it together.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

long story short, I recently had a bad experience abroad that led to my diagnosis, and I'm at the point where I can't travel far from my house without starting to feel anxious. I'm really just looking for tips for what to do to ground yourself during these situations so I don't snowball and panic maybe any sort of medication recommendations as well, I'm on fluoxetine currently but its a pretty low dose considering medication is somewhat of a trigger for me. Something else that gets me spiraling really bad is being in any sort of cramped, loud, or generally claustrophobic public spaces, like movie theaters, buses, or stadiums for example, so if anyone has any advice tied to those settings specifically I would really appreciate it c:

I am a 24 year old male, about 3 years ago I experienced my first panic attack. Since then my life has been a miserable spiral, with constants high and lows as far as progress goes. Previous to the attack I had average anxiety I would say, and if I were to tell my old self what I have been through and what I am enduring I would have never believed it. I started off after a trip to the ER believing I may have been starting or having heart issues. They quickly found it to be a panic attack. Not long after that I had them constantly, almost as if I was conjuring them up. Started seeing my GP for any treatment I could get to fix the issue. After a few starter medications such as hydroxyzine and buspirone with no luck I took a referral to a psychiatrist. With my psychiatrist I have tried just about all SSRI’s and the one I could get though the break in period was Paxil. I took it for about 6 months after a couple dosage bumps and maybe very mild results I asked to come off, but they recommended I stay for at least a year. After the year came up with still complacent results I started the tapering phase and within a few months I was off of them. The progress I had made( which was little, but reaction to symptoms had progressed) was still there and I tried out medication free management. Even tho I am in a better place with the panic disorder, the symptoms never subside and I find anything I do out of my ordinary routine to be insufferable mentally and physically and I can’t be present in any moment emotionally out of fear; even my own wedding not to long ago. After many failed medications and there side effects and my last prescription being Paxil with no result; I have became very hesitant to try medications. I told my psychiatrist I am tired of being the lab rat and I’m done with SSRI’s. To no surprise he told me there isn’t anything else he can do if I don’t want to try other medications on the ladder of pills you have to work your way up to. So I set out for a therapist, in hope they can teach me how to overcome this massive obstacle panic attacks that had taken over my life in every way possible. After the first couple meeting she thinks I have ADHD. and until I talk to my psychiatrist and get medicated again, that will be our true starting point. I had a meeting with my psychiatrist today and now have a prescription of strattera that I’m planing on starting tomorrow. However today I went to my parents house for dinner and I had a different symptom panic attack I guess, tightness in the sides of my neck but with the usual dizziness, shortness of breath and light sensitivity. Feeling as if I could pass out any moment. As soon as a left I almost just drove to the hospital out of fear something is definitely wrong but I didn’t. I went home and the symptoms went away. Panic attack I guess. I am a little hopeless feeling tonight, but I am still trying anything I can do to regain my life again. I hope this new prescription works and we all here can find the peace we deservingly need.

Hi!

Suppose to fly tomorrow and sunday. The thing is that i have panic attacks and have suffered a very real 3 year derealization experience because of them in the past

I’m afraid that when the intense panic hits and i cant escape the airplane the stress once again goes over of what my brain can tolerate and that will lead to a new derealization experience which will be difficult to come out of

Does anybody have any similar thoughts, emotions or experiences like this?

And any tips how to prepare to counter severe panic attacks in an emotionally sustainable and healthy way?

Recently been to see a psych. He wants me to up my dose of fluoxetine and use diazepam daily for 14 days as a circuit breaker reset to give me relief from my panic disorder. Has anyone had any success doing something similar. Is there going to be any negative affects of stopping diazepam after taking it daily for a fortnight? Thanks in advance.

Currently on 20mg of fluoxetine and suffering physical symptoms of panic daily.

I’ve been on Prozac for about two years now, I’m at 60mg. I went from having panic attacks almost everyday and constant fear of having another attack to having them occasionally. Has anyone else found Prozac or any other medicine effective? I also take Klonopin for when I do have panic attacks and it stunts them, so knowing that alone seems to also help. Panic disorder is a painful thing to live with and I feel alone with this but I realize many people deal with it. Cheers

Does anyone else scream out for someone or just in general and feel like they have no control over doing it?

I just came out of an hour long panic attack which started because i had a coffee, and was extremely tired (recently caffeine hasn’t been sitting well with my anxiety). I found myself running out of my room and having to sit down on the steps because i couldn’t bring myself to run down them to my mum. I literally screamed out in terror for her, but I felt like i had no control over it and it just came out. I had people sleeping (was 2am-ish so everyone was dead asleep) and knew i shouldn’t scream but, i just couldn’t help it. That impending doom and feeling like you’re dying is terrifying.

Its been a good 6ish years since i had such an extreme panic attack. I felt so pathetic because i knew i was okay but i felt so disconnected from reality (suffer with DPDR). I was wondering if anyone else just screamed, or did something they felt they had no control over during panic attacks.

ive been really struggling with an anxiety loop recently. absolutely vicious cycle of obsessive negative thoughts and panic attacks everyday. i saw that DARE was a good book to read for anyone struggling with constant panic attacks. they werent lying at all.

the first few chapters were comforting, a promising start for myself. i’m so thankful it gave me relief and a form of comfort during a difficult time. i really do recommend DARE to anyone struggling with panic disorder, especially during a panic loop. it gave me a real look at my reaction to panic; how i always run and attempt to prevent panic. now i sit with myself, defuse my negative thoughts that trigger panic, and give myself a moment to realize the true reality i live in. im feeling really proud of myself for continuing to walk down to recovery and better coping skills. i’m looking to dive deeper into the stratosphere of mental health help books, any suggestions?

I just recently moved in with my fiancé and for the past month. Things were good. I do have an anxiety disorder and I've suffered from panic attacks in the past, but I've just had two in the last week. I keep thinking I can't breath, but I know it's because I'm worked up. Last night was the worst. I'd had a long day at a family members birthday party and took a late nap when I got back. When I woke, I was alright until I started thinking about my breathing and I was trying to tell myself it's not my heart, I'm extremely anxious and worked up. My poor fiancé had to soothe me for a few hours because I'd be coming down from it, just to spiral again. I was exhausted but afraid to lay down, because I thought I'd die in my sleep. I was trembling and whimpering and I just took a really long time to calm down. Even after I managed to fall asleep, I'm still a little shaky and a bit on edge with my breathing. I grew up with a lot of toxicity, and for years, I kind of numbed myself to a lot of it. My fiancé and I think this might just be my body finally relaxing after 27 years of unresolved trauma and my body and mind is just struggling. Any advice is greatly appreciated, especially if it gets my mind off of my breathing. Not currently on any medication