Counsellor
Hi, I'm sorry to hear of your difficulties. I guess I'm asking myself, "what have you been doing to understand and address the cause of your panic attacks? Unfortunately many people see medication as a magic bullet but it doesn't solve the initial problem, it makes them more manageable so you can then address and get on top of the problem.
I'd suggest you keep in contact with your GP but also see a Psychologist/Counsellor who specialises in Panic Attacks. It generally takes a bit of time but it is worth getting sorted so you can get on with your life. Good luck.
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to your account or now (it's free).Counselling Psychologist, Counsellor, Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Sport Psychologist
As a general rule of thumb, medications that treat panic attacks have addictive qualities. As a consequence the body can build resilience to them thus requiring a larger dose for the same effect.
Medications for panic attacks should not be long term. They should be used to offer some relief while broader psychotherapy takes place to deal more effectively with the primary origins or reasons behind the panic.
Psychotherapy can also help significantly in strategies to abate such attacks. Relaxation and breathing are some fundamental examples of very practical things that can help.
Addressing the secondary loop – or the panic over the panic – is another component of psychotherapeutic treatment that is vital to work through.
These are just a few quick ideas for you to consider. Feel free to email if you need a little more clarity on some things.
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Health Professional
I think that all of the clinical professionals have offered you good ideas.
Adding to what Clive wrote about the importance of breathing:
I am not meaning to invalidate your experience of panic attacks but often they have a physiological cause - breathing shallowly so the CO2 levels in the blood get abnormally high.
My clinical psychologist taught me this breathing exercise:
(1) Sit in a chair, eyes closed, hands around your navel, fingers just touching.
(2) Breathe in deeply so your stomach expands and your fingers move apart.
(3) Count to five.
(4) Breathe out so your stomach contracts and your fingers touch again.
(5) Count to five.
(6) Repeat (2) - (5) for about ten minutes.
This “deep breathing” exercise works for me (it brings blood CO2 levels back to normal) and I hope that it will work for you as well.
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