Does anyone have severe anxiety and panic attacks?

Hope you have followed some of the suggestions because they are very good. I had throughout my working life anxiety attacks that would come up at work or other places. I got help from my doctor and medical people who cared about my condition. I hit people and cried and was ready to drive off a cliff but I didn’t because I love my kids and family and I couldn’t hurt them by doing a selfish thing. I hope you have found a path to peace.

I need to see a psychiatrist do to my meds not working on my severe anxiety disorder I believe I got from my mom. I'm sure he will prescribe benzodiazepines. I'm frightened to make the appointment. Does anyone have a suggestion for me?

I have used them for years and I tried to find so called better options, at the end of the day they still work best for my symptoms. I’m currently still struggling with side effects caused by antidepressants that I stopped almost six months ago, I feel that medication is a individual choice and whatever it is that makes you feel better, trying to compare with others is not going to help because it’s always different for everyone, as for benzodiazepines causing dependency, all drugs can cause dependency because if they do the job for you then you’re going to be dependent on them.

@tresemae
What exactly are you frightened of?
Addiction? Dependence?
Side effects?
I have taken benzodiazepines for over 30 years and I am certainly dependent on them although I do frequently go down on the dose without any problems and I have not increased the dose in 20 years.
I may have some cognitive issues (short term memory loss) but that could also be from my age and the large amount of other substances that I have ingested over the years, including 50 years of smoking cigarettes.
I would say that they have saved my life. I too have severe anxiety, also inherited, and also can’t sleep due to the anxiety and chronic pain.
Take it one step at a time. Ask to be prescribed just 5 pills. That way you can see what happens and not be in any danger.
Let me know how it goes.

@frouke Thank you for answering my question. You are right.

@meryw Frightened of just making the appointment, talking to the Dr, my anxiety is also social anxiety. My pcp just keeps trying different meds on me 3 different medications, told me if i go back on that stuff benzo's I would have to find a new dr. He won't even prescribe my Lyrica I take for my fibromyalgia.

@meingan medications and supplements can be body specific, in that what works on one body does not work on another. Deep belly breathing on the other hand (babies are born with this ability although sadly they can lose this ability as they experience life and living), not only works on every body but has no side effects. It even works for people on medications or supplements because there are no interactions. Just my opinion, having tried and benefited from it. 🤷🏼‍♀️

@tresemae find a new doctor. Any doctor that tries to bully you (and bullying is what this doctor is doing) into taking any medication by cutting off another you rely on, is not looking after your best interest - sounds more like he has a vested interest in prescribing certain drugs.

Having said that, thankfully my primary doctor does not push any medication I am reluctant to take and works with me to find a solution because in Canada it is not easy to find a new family doctor, much less a specialist so if my current doctor had been difficult I would not have had much luck finding someone else. If you are living in the States or elsewhere you probably have a better chance of switching to a new doctor.

@tresemae I take .5 mg xanax as needed. No side affects. First time users might feel a little sleepy at first. They work very quickly. I believe I inherited this from my mother.

@livotimarilyn65 Do you suppose he will take ne off of the lexapro if he prescribes benzo?