My adult son is having severe anxiety episodes

@meingan - since you were talking about severe anxiety and other members were also talking about this condition, I decided to move your post here:

- severe anxiety episodes
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/severe-anxiety-episodes/
Hoping you can connect with members in this discussion such as @scottwag32 @michaelhall @scottrl and others. Hoping they can share if they have tried buspirone (BuSpar) or sertraline (Zoloft) for severe anxiety disorder - or if they have something else they want to share that has helped them.

Have you been prescribed either of these medications yet, meingan? If so, were they helpful to you?

@lisalucier For the record, I have never taken any medication for anxiety or depression.

My success at overcoming recurring anxiety/panic episodes has been through such means as mindfulness practice, prayer, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) -- which helped a lot, and continues to do so -- and what I call Direct Confrontation.

By that I mean I talk to my anxiety and say, "Bring it on. If you're going to kill me, let's get on with it. Otherwise, get lost."

I'm still alive, you'll notice.

@scottrl I’ve was a depressed person most of my life but it was never so bad that I felt I needed medical attention. I was able to talk myself out of it. But the anxiety came suddenly with a vengeance in my sleep! Its physical symptoms are absolutely unbearable! Wound up like a spring all day long, weak muscles, tremors, feeling ill, no appetite, no motivation, no energy…like the walking dead. This has been going on for 9 months with virtually no reprieve. It’s hard for me to talk myself into feeling good. I pray a lot though. I’m currently tapering off clonazepam and it’s killing me. I’m on 20mg Escitalopram for 10 weeks now and it’s doing nothing for me.

@meingan I had a similar experience.
I ended up in the emergency room one day; the ER doc suggested I have a sleep study.
It turned out I had severe sleep apnea.
Once I got that treated, I felt much better.

@scottrl
I have discovered a new technique a Meditation Mantra "May I Be At Ease"

I have a few different ailments other than depression and anxiety. I have suffered with depression for most of my life and anxiety for the last few years. I’m not sure how to control my anxiety because it is out of control and has been for a long time. It just comes out of nowhere no rhyme no reason no understanding enough of anything. I feel as though I’m going to die every time I have an anxiety attack. I feel as though I can’t take much more. The anxiety seems to be getting worse, and the depression follows behind it. I have been on several medication’s and was in remission for a number of years, but with stress of work and the treatment that I receive there, I have gone into a deep depression and the anxiety keeps coming. What do I do for anxiety? Can anyone offer me non-medical advice or if I have to take a different medication that is fine also, I just want to take one that finally works.

@saskatchewanlady I have a severe anxiety that also came on suddenly. Mine lasts all day long. It’s been going on for 9 months. One thing that you might look into, being a woman, is your hormones. Perimenopause , menopause hormonal changes can trigger anxiety. I am having some hormone replacement therapy (cremes) right now but it hasn’t solved my problem yet. I need to do better follow up with my doctor. I’m doing a zillion things it seems and nothing has improved. The standard allopathic medical system just throws many different drugs at you until something works. I’m getting some comprehensive testing done that includes the thyroid, sex hormones, cortisol, adrenal glands. Hopefully this gives a better picture of what’s going on in the body that may have led to the anxiety.
Sorry I can’t offer you a solution…I feel like I’m dying a lot too.

You first need to see a psychiatrist for an evaluation and recommendations. Then he needs to go for counseling with a psychologist. The meds should help to make therapy a little easier. There is no pill that will fix this. You can call the hospital for recommendations or your family doctor.

The standard advice for mental health problems such as anxiety and depression is Cognitive Behavior Therapy. One can look up any reliable source such as an association of psychologists or large universities Health Depts. or government websites.
But this is essentially about thinking things though, tho the name is to explain that it is meant to do the thinking/Cognitive work) of WHY am I depressed or anxious. Once you have dug into it you may find out that the reaction of being anxious or losing hope/getting depressed are probably not the right response.
In my case when I had an anxiety attack I jumped out of bed in early dawn unable to breathe -- those few seconds felt like confusing hell until I spewed out some phlegm and my breathing resumed. Later, I went to emergency -- surely I did not want another night like that. The doctor said what u r telling me is anxiety attack. I said, 'I am retired, what anxiety?' She sensed I wanted to be overnight under watch. Of course i slept well. Later I went to my family doc and she said the same: I asked is there something I can pop in if my breathing did stop? She gave me some pills that would do the trick. I kept pills at arm's reach -- but never had to. She has also offered professional CBT, to which I said I know what it is and can do myself. When she she it's not the same, I said let me try First.

I had to sit myself and ask What are you fretting about? I had to face up that my five full-time years of research and writing is what No One wants to care about, as not a single agent even even bothered to respond to my queries. It still bothers me as I see obesity and diabetes rates are only going UP. I say all this because I have found that our health is often not a matter of fixing ONE issue, it needs fixing ALL parts of us: balanced diet, adequate physical exertion, attending to our mental, spiritual and emotional needs, and healthy sexuality.
It seems to have worked in my 82 y.o. life that has had no need to even see my doctor for over ten years now -- with no medications, special diets, no tests (avoided colonoscopy). Yes, I've some infirmities but able to live each day fully planned ensuring it is the Best Use of my time-on-earth. A purposeful life, one YOU want.

I'd love to see YOU overcome Yourself your mental health challenges -- it'll give You a sense of self-efficacy -- and pride. GOOD LUCK Folks!