kristeen36

i first had panic attacks and generalized anxiety about 10 years ago, and i felt like a lot of people in here...no one knew what i was experiencing, i was really mentally ill, i was going to die, i had a terrible disease, or it was too much to cope with.

i got throught the first bout of anxiety with zoloft, then went off for 3 & 1/2 years, and got my next bout which was incredibly intolerable, but i still tried to do alternative meds is: st john's wort, dietary changes etc, but ended up taking prozac for 2 years. went off about a year ago, and have had it really easy since. i have had a few attacks, but very mild and anything more than mild i can talk myself out of.

i took an anxiety class at our local hospital, and it helped IMMENSELY, allowing me to get off meds, if for no other reason than i now know other people have the same symtoms and difficulties i had. some were really bad off and couldn't even attend the class, but did start to show some improvement by the end.

i just want to say, you will get through it, you can learn how to tame it, and you will survive it. learn relaxation techniques, re-train your automatic thoughts, and focus on the symptoms as they occur...not to examine them, but to slow your pulse, deepen your breathing, release your muscles and ease your mind.

everyone here is valuable, and i came here today because i started to get some symptoms back, and i needed to know i wasn't alone. i feel better knowing you're all here too, and that i'm not crazy or ill, cuz neither are you!

get a good anxiety workbook, attend a support group, or build friendships here...it will all work for the better, even if you can't see that far ahead!~

thank you everyone for being my invisible support!