Posted by sooshi on August 13, 2004, at 21:18:16
In reply to I Really need some Help or Advice?, posted by BRC on August 13, 2004, at 17:32:44
Hi BRC,
I was in the exact same boat as you when I was in my 20's. I was having daily (if not hourly) panic attacks, and eventually became agoraphobic, not leaving my home for 2 years. I have been hospitalized numerous times.
I can honestly tell you, that the only thing that helped get my thoughts under control was Cognitive Behavior Therapy. After starting on meds (I think at the time it was Xanax and a tricyclic, which DID help to some degree), I went to many a therapist, and got very little relief, except on megadoses of the Xanax. Luckily in my city at the time (Dallas) there was a place called "Phobia Centers of the Southwest" (I don't know if it still exists), which I found by desperately looking through the yellow pages for some place to get help. It was the best call I ever made. It was a center run by agoraphobics, panic-attackers, etc., from the receptionist to the doctors. They used CBT and Biofeedback, and through a lot of hard work learning the techniques, I became panic and anxiety free within a relatively short period of time (with the help of my meds, too, I might add).
I know this sort of excellent response to CBT doesn't happen to everyone, but I just wanted to give you my experience, since your story sounded so similar to mine. If you haven't given CBT a try, you might want to consider it? Also, David Burn's "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy" is a great book to start with.
For now, I deal with my BPII, but have not had a "full-blown" panic attack in years. I just know it could be this way for you too!
Good luck to you, and let me know if you have any more questions,
Sooshi
poster:sooshi
thread:377338
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040811/msgs/377407.html