i suffer from panic disorder & was placed on lorazepam for the anxiety & panic attacks, but its not helping at all. I am not depressed, so the psychiatrist decided not to put me on any antidepressant. i have a very weak systems against drugs & cant handle them wel, and this drug is absolutely draining me. My anxiety causes me be lightheaded/drowzy & even with this drug i am actually more nervous & dizzy. Does anyone know good alternatives, I AM DESPERATE PLEASE….

Lemon balm teas were traditionally administered to calm the mind. For ages, people have relied on its extracts to treat the symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders; and infusions of the herb were prepared to treat headaches and nervousness. Its bioactive compounds – flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, and triterpenes contain antioxidant and anti-hemorrhoidal properties that are relevant in healing nervine conditions. The herb induces relaxation by curtailing modes of anxiety and irritability.

Lavender on the other hand is regarded as the ultimate relaxation herb. It contains linalool and lavandulyl acetate-active constituents that help ease nervous tension. Linalyl Acetate, an anti-inflammatory substance known to effectively ease nervine pain, is also present in its extracts. Lavender extracts are traditionally used to relieve stress, headaches and fatigue. As a tonic, it reinforces the nervous system against episodes of exhaustion. Meanwhile in aromatherapy, the herb is used to clear moods of depression while inducing sleep.

Passion Flower is yet another herb that contains a boost of flavonoids known for its anti-anxiety effects. Traditionally administered to ease nervous restlessness, the herb has been observed to lower blood pressure as a way of promoting relaxation to the body. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, the herb can help relieve neuralgia and as an antispasmodic, the Passion Flower eases the tremors and nervous shaking associated with Panic Attacks.

In line with its natural constituents, the body easily adapts to the active compounds of herbal remedies and therefore promotes healing without ensuing negative physiological consequences. Today, herbalists have come up with standardized herbal supplements for anxiety and panic attacks, such as PureCalm, which have been formulated from the expert combination of lemon balm, lavender, and passion flower extracts, and prepared in a concentrated tincture format to holistically promote the routine functions of a healthy nervous system. Using herbal supplements such as PureCalm to calm nervous tensions during the day will give you that perfect peace of mind you have been yearning for all along.

Thanks for stopping by,
this could be kinda long but it’s important and I put detail into it..

Just incase you don’t already know?:

EFFEXOR XR is a prescription antidepressant and is indicated for major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

CLONAZEPAM/KLONOPIN is a prescription used for :
Controlling certain types of seizures in the treatment of epilepsy and for the treatment of panic disorders. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine. It works by increasing the activity of a naturally occurring chemical in the brain.

(I’m a {}male
{}20 years old)

- Diagnosis:
{}Panic Disorder
{}Clinical Depression
{}Social Anxiety

- Medicines I’ve tried
{}Lexapro
{}Celexa
{}Paxil
{}Abilify
{}Buspar
{}Ativan
(And of coarse {}Effexor XR & {}Clonazepam (Klonopin)

- Went to Doctor, then community mental health clinic,
now I’m at a much better place then the mental health clinic
Seeing a psychologist and waiting to see the psychiatrist

Until I can see the psychiatrist at the new place I’m going
I went to a different doctor (who accepts Medicaid)
and explained this all to him

- I was on effexor xr 75 mg for about a year+
(which my doc told me is an ineffective dose,
the therapeutic dosage for Effexor XR is at least 150-300)

-And also on Klonopin (Clonazepam) .5 mg 2x daily

- I was on both (Klonopin& effexor xr) for about a year up until December of 2008
-I no longer had insurance and decided to try going without any medicine for awhile, and there wasn’t a way to "taper off" without insurance, so i stopped both cold turkey
(please no comments on how that’s not good.. i know)
However I made it through getting off of these medications and it wasn’t as bad as everyone said.

- Since going off of these medications my panic/anxiety & depression has peaked
- So like I said I went to a doctor until i can see the psychiatrist

-He suggested I try going back on effexor only at a therapeutic dose

Below is the treatment plan for now read and discuss after:

Effexor XR 37.5 mg
(they want to ease you up so they give you 30 pills at 37.5 mg each and say:
take 1 for 5 days
(37.5 mg/day)
take 2 for 5 days
(75 mg/day)
then take 3 for 5 days
(112.5 mg/ day)
Then I can get a script filled for 150 mg Effexor XR
The 150 mg should start to help the panic, social anxiety, gad, & my depression

In combination with the Effexor XR; I will start back on *Clonazepam* 1 mg 2 times per day
*(PS: I know clonazepam is a controversial drug and may
have withdrawl effects but for the benefits of functioning
way outweigh the risks. So no comments on that please)*

The 1 mg Clonazepam twice a day should help control my anxiety and panic

In addition to those medications I’m already seeing a psychologist,
I believe talk-therapy alone isn’t the cure but I’m hoping medicine and
the talk therapy will be beneficial together.

In your answers you can leave advice comments etc,
just no lectures or anything like that thanks.
Also If you do take these medications (esp. together)
leave you experience/progress

Any advice on what time you take
Effexor XR (currently taking it in the morning)
Clonazepam/Klonopin (currently taking not specific times, but twice a day)

answers(/anything you have to add) I receive is appreciated

wow, i’m speechless ……… go and get yourself fully assessed by a naturopath or other wholistic healer ……. get them to do testing for food allergies/intolerances and chemical sensitivities …….what you ingest and absorb through your skin and breath can have a vast impact on the way you think, the way you feel and your overall health and vitality ……. seriously, you can live a pain free drug free life if only you know precisely what chemicals and foods are upsetting your system …. it could be something as simple as lactose intolerance or an intolerance to processed sugar or wheat …… disorders from which people suffer due to intolerances to food or chemicals in their diets can cover almost the whole spectrum of physical and mental illnesses ….. an extraordinary concept but mind blowingly true……. do yourself a favor and go and get allergy tested.

in the meantime, try to eat as much whole fresh foods that you prepare yourself that includes a wide range of leafy and green vegies, some low sugar fresh fruits like watermelon, cantalope, pears and strawberries, some lean meats and fishes, brown rice, organic nuts and seeds like almonds, brazil nuts and sunflower seeds and lots of fresh filtered water ………. ditch the sodas, pop and soft drinks, consumption of foods containing processed sugar and junky and take away highly processed foods …… ** and that includes alcohol** ……. not immediately of course or the detox would be too nasty …… slowly …… and feed your body from God’s table and wean yourself off the highly processed, packagedsludge that has little to no nutritional value anyway.

i was diagnosed with "Bipolar/Schizophrenia" 7 years ago and was pumped to the eyeballs with a selection of very heavy antipsychotis and large amounts of Effexor daily (600mg) ……. by taking all their nasty meds i ended up an insomniac, with achy bones, nasty sweating, headaches and migraines, terrible mood swings, permanent constipation, constant sweating ……… until i got reassessed by a naturopath and was diagnosed coeliac, lactose intolerant, intolerant to soy and processed sugar and a plethora of other preservatives and other nasty chemicals they use to preserve our foods……… it wasn’t a mental illness at all with me …. it was all food and chemical intolerances … i detoxed off the meds and cleaned up my diet and finally got me the bounce and vitality back that i’m entitled to ……. that we’re all entitled to.

EDIT:

sorry, i should clarify that i’m speechless at the fact that physicians are so ready to simply continue to prescribe such meds on a never ending basis when they clearly aren’t resolving the problem …… perhaps your health issues need to be resolved from the source mate, not bandaided with toxicmeds.

peace baby
♥

How "exposure" treatment might be helpful for treating each of these disorders. How does learning contribute to a person developing each disorder?
Of the three types of anxiety disorders which do you think would cause the most disruption in the way a person lived?

are you that lazy that you won’t take 10 minutes to look in a book and figure it out yourself?? you DO realize that 90% of people who answer on this site have no clue what they are talking about right?

do yourself and favor, do your own homework – if you are a psych major, this is stuff you are going to need to know to get into grad school – and trust me, grad school is a must unless you’d like to use your bachelors degree to wipe old peoples asses the rest of your life – because with today’s job market, that’s about all you can get without a master’s or higher.

Edit -

No-one – great cut and paste, how about citing the material instead of taking credit for someone elses work.

My Father is 58. he is an alcoholic and has had depression for quite some time. In the last few weeks he has been experiencing extreme Panic Attacks. He said he would go to the Doctor but is now refusing. I think he is becoming agoraphobic as well. As far as I can tell he will refuse treatment. I have talked to him about cognitive and behavioral therapy, but he treats me like I am 12(I am 30)and just dismisses my information. My Mom has bought him the light for light therapy, and I am againts anti-depressants(and anti anxiety) because of his extreme alcoholism. We will pay for a treatment center if we think he will go. Any suggestions for us to help him would be appreciated.
Thanks Paula we are thinking about doing an intervention, but I feel like my Mom thinks she would just be shipping him away, and she has to be willing to change her life to, I am not sure if she is willing. Unfortunately I can not be around him. I suffer from a mental illness as well and I spent the majority of my life having to deal with my Fathers alcoholism and listening to himsaying the meanest things tome, I will not willingly put myself in that situation. I just want him to get help, but right now it seems he would rather wallow in it. I guess I just need some assurance that I am doing all I can to help. I have been researching, and I found a place for him but it is in Quebec and would be 3-6 months. My MOm is the one who has to say it is time, even though I think the time is now. Thank you Paula

your dad needs to take one problem at a time, and unfortunately it will be up to him to make real change. You however can put resources in front of him and be as supportive as possible should he ask for or be willing to take help. You might also try intervention. It is my understanding that a health professional, and family members as a group confront the individual, being prepared to tell the truth as they see it, and state the benefits of changing and the consequences of continuing the current behaviors. as an example, if you continue to drink, you will no longer be allowed to see the grandchildren at your home. or whatever. If he gets the drinking out of the picture, perhaps some of the rest will end as well… Good Luck to you.

I have SEVERE social anxiety/GAD w/agoraphobia and am currently on Lexapro 30mg, Ativan 6mg (yes… 2mg tid) with as-needed Tranxene for Panic Attacks. I have always had trouble focusing and concentrating on tasks. I think it is affecting my ability to function at my best in both college and work.

My question is, can ADHD meds such as Adderall or Ritalin be taken concurrently with benzos for anxiety and is there any obvious benefit or risk? I’ve heard they are combined a good bit in certain patients, but I wasn;t sure for what indications. Would a stimulant most likely worsen my anxiety or would it do the opposite and work WITH the benzo to address both problems?

Of course I’m going to ask my psychiatrist and let her make the medical decision, but wanted to know a little more about this problem before I went in. If I truly have ADHD, I want it treated, but don’t want to worsen my anxiety disorder at the same time.

maybe you should stay inside more or just talk with someone such as a psychiatrist or someone you trust to get the help you need.

I have panic disease, but since I know that this is the reason for my attacks, I am not afraid of it. I still feel these attacks, but they do not schock me as much, and I feel ok afterwards.
If there is any way to avoid the anti – depressant and tranquilizer medicines, I would like to.
Not to mention that I am not depressed at all. I only feel the physical sympthoms of this panic disorder.
If you could tell me any tips of how to get healthy again without taking medicines, I would be very thankful.

Bach Flower Rescue Remedy can be a great aid in overcoming an attack. Take a few drops under the tongue at the onset.

Homeopathic Aconite (aconitum napellus) 1M, six pellets per dose, two times a day, until you go for 10 days without an attack.

In the meantime, meditation will also help not only the Panic Attacks, but overall health and well-being, as well. If you’re new to meditation, I would suggest a book and CD by Wayne Dyer called "Getting in the Gap". It’s a wonderful beginner set.

If meditation doesn’t sound like something you’d like to try, please consider some type of yoga or Tai Chi. Either of those would help you, as well.

I am so tired of feeling like a disabled person because of my panic disorder and the depression-like symptoms, and I WANT TO seek treatment, but everytime I call a mental health center, hospital or doctor, they are booked for at least a month. What do I do? I have a job, a life, and I need treatment ASAP. Emergency Rooms are not for treatment!

Go to the Emergency Room, they can & will give you meds right away untill, you can get in to see your DR.

MY doc perscribed me celexa and I am ambililent about taking it because first I started taking zoloft for post partum panic disorder and it exacerbated my panic so I quit it, my anxiety and panic is becoming crippling and I need something I am currently going back and forth between klonolin and ativan but I don’t want to be doped up all the time, has anyone had experience with celexa or any experience with this topic, any and all opinions and thoughts would be helpful. Thanks
I appreciate everyones opinions but I have a chemical imbalance I am not worried about things consciously and trust me I have thrown myself in God, but I need a liitle boost to get me out of this slump, I am truly suffering from hormonal issues,

exersize, don’t take everything so seriously, life really is short… at the end of your long life you do not want to look back and see a life filled with worry, panic, and isolation…. other peoples opinions just don’t matter, and you could be having a good time with all the money your having to spend of therapy….. get rid of all your cd’s that sing of bad relationships and hard times… stick in some beach boys, bobby mcferren "don’t worry, be happy", some celtic women…. I too have suffered from such crippling and dibillatating disorders… I litterally cried eight years of my life away… now I have ghost disorders that no one can find what is wrong… they call it fibromyalgia… pain all over… I have diabetes… its just not worth it… you only live once… and you’ll never please everyone all the time… if your pleasing one person you absolutly respect… then someone else you absolutly respect is concurrently displeased…. stop trying to please everyone.

pray. God is the only one you really need to please.

\

How do doctors diagnois this and what is the treatment for this disorder? Sorry, if the spelling is off.

Most panic disorders are easy to spot, I used to get them a lot and hardly left my home for 2-1/2 years. Mostly you get a feeling of dread, your heart starts to pound and you think your having a heart attack, your palms sweat and you want to just run. This is called flight or fight and its instilled in us.
Its all over in a minute or 2 and you wonder what brought it on, it could have been a red light, too much out in the open, too many people that you feel confined… too many triggers to name here.
I limit my personal space but I can go to the store and drive locally; if I have to go anywhere else I have someone drive me. You can get on medication I know Paxil works for some people, they can drive and don’t have those feelings of dread but I don’t like taking pills.

im 30 years old i have all these, ive been sent for psychotherapy, but my symptoms are really impairing my ability to function, just leave my apartment….my psychiatrist wont perscribe meds because he said there addictive.

so im wondering what i should do?
is psychotherapy enough?
what is the correct care, treatment & support i should be recieving?

i dont feel my mental health teams doing enough to help, but at the same time, im not sure what kind of treatment or support i should be asking them for..

ive had these problems since 16, the system has failed me and ive never gotten the right help up until recently, when they assigned me a mental health team.

borderline personality disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, obsessive comulsive disorder, depression, panic disorder, and aggrophobia i all have symptoms of.
wow…..riptide, what an answer, thankyou!
and thankyou to the rest to

Hey. ok….

First: Find a new shrink. Medications can help the symptoms of your illnesses. For example, anti-aniexty medications can help with your feelings of fear and nervousness. Medications can’t solve the problems, but they can reduce symptomology.

Second: Try getting into INTENSIVE therapy with someone who will see you at least 2 times a week. If you can not get someone who will do intensive pyschodynamic or interpersonal therapy, look for someone who does DBT. DBT is specifically for Borderline Personality Disorder and consists of intensive individual therapy and group therapy.

Third: Read some books on the illnesses you have. Get all the information you can to help you identify your symptoms and behaviors.

It is VERY hard. I have some of the same illnesses and it is a struggle every day. Just know there are others out there that have similar troubles, so you are not alone.

Good luck.