Sometimes I'll use 2-3 tea bags of sleepy-time tea in milk with honey and it helps. Cathie

I've had panic / anxiety for 12 years now. Seven of those years, I was on Paxil and still had panic attacks even though I was taking the meds and getting the dosage upped throughout the years. I got tired of the meds and decided to do a lot of research and find an answer to this nightmare. Everything that I read, in many different sources, states that CBT is the most effective way of beating this. So, thank God, I found this website, which offers a free 12 week course on CBT and have been using it. I am on week six now (I started feeling better after a couple weeks and slacked off so I started it again so I wouldn't miss anything) and for the first time in 12 years I can honestly say that I feel in control of this thing and not controlled by it. I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel and feel hope of getting better. I still have anxiety and some panic, but I haven't finished the program yet. When I do have panic, it is nowhere near the same intensity it was and it is not even every day anymore. I actually have days without any anxiety. Use the CBT program! I promise you won't regret it!!

hello all - i have had 2 full blown panic attacks and after each one, i have the anxiety for a month or two before I start to feel normal again. I have tried all the meds and nothing works! lots of info I have read says that the meds really don't help the full problem. has anyone heard of "CBT" Has anyone tried it?

melody, Welcome to The Panic Center. We thank you for sharing your story with us today. This support group is full of supportive individuals who may be able to help you answer some questions regarding panic and anxiety. It is great to hear that you are making an appointment to see a doctor. In the meantime please feel free to roam the site at your own pace. If you look to the left of the screen under "TOOLS" you will find many supportive tests. These tests are not diagnostic tools and are not a replacement or substitute for a physicians advice. The purpose of these tests is to prepare you with information that you can present to your physician. When you're finished the test, you can either print your Final Report or email it directly to your doctor. We also have developed a Panic Program. This program is 12-weeks and involves the tools mentioned above. Each session is based on the previous session, so we strongly advise that you work slowly through the program and not jump ahead. If you have any questions or concerns with our "TOOLS" you can contact our support department at support@paniccenter.net. Take care and we hope to hear from you soon. Josie _______________________________ The Panic Center Support Team.

Hi everyone, I'm new and I'm so glad that I found out about this Program and Group! I feel like I've been dealing with this for so long, but it's been about 7 yrs. or so. It started when I was in middle school, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it is now. I hated going on the school bus and that was my only way of getting to school. I felt trapped and like if something were to happen, how would I get out and deal with it? I felt like, "what in the world is wrong with me?" So, a few yrs. later when I was in H.S., it became somewhat worse; still hated the bus, didn't like going on road trips, since I didn't like being away from home that long or that far away. So, about a yr. after that, that's when I hit rock bottom, or so I thought. I was a junior in H.S. and I would start having these attacks in class and it would hit me all of a sudden sometimes, and other times, it was like I'd feel anxious and then I would work myself up. It got to the point of me not being able to be in class at all. I would do whatever I could to get out of there; i.e. skip school all together, make up any excuse to the teacher, anything. So, needless to say, I skipped school so much do to my attacks that I was unable to graduate. :( I wanted to graduate so badly and I always did good in school, and enjoyed learning, etc. So, they kicked me out of school and I had to get a G.E.D. Not what I had wanted. So, a yr. after that, my mom was fired from where she worked and was about to have surgery, meaning I had to take care of her, plus do everything around the house. Cook, clean, etc. That's when I started up with my IBS problems, that I had had off and on through my childhood but it came to the point that I was having IBS problems all the time, plus I couldn't stand going far away from home because I was afraid of having an attack and I was afraid of getting sick. So, I would look up my symptoms, went to too many dr's, had so many tests done up. Nothing could be figured out. So, now I'm married and my husband is terrific. He really is and is completely supporting me with all of this. He's been with me now for most of the time when the panic attacks started so he knows the tough times. I'm trying to get into to see a therapist now, and I hope that my life can be a lot fuller now.

Shell - I saw your response in one of my threads, and wanted to return the favor. I am going to give you some advice I wish someone would have given me a few months ago: DO NOT research your symptoms on the Internet, or at least proceed with great caution and be prepared to come across some alarming information and be able to read right over it and not let it implant in your brain. Trust me - it will just cause you undue stress. I made the big mistake of googling symptom by symptom and now I am obsessed with neurolgical disorders. I can't shake it. I am just now starting the 12 week program here on the site. I can't wait to see if it helps. I am feeling very optimistic about it so far. What diseases did you hear about that scared you? It may help to get it off your chest and "out there" so someone can help you to see its just your overactive imagination at work thinking you are sick with the worst possible scenario. I am interested in what you ended up finding when you researched your symptoms because I would like to compare it to what I found. If its not too painful, please share. Hope this helps -- AP

Vickers try sleppy time tea. It is really relaxing. I try to drink it as much as possible. If I am really anxious it doesn't work as well.

Hang in there! I know it's hard sometimes. Sometimes it seems like it will never go away! I've been having a hard time today also. It's like I have a couple good days and then a few bad. -ARGH- I could not get to sleep last night for anything! I was having a really hard time sleeping last week so I went out and bought Tylenol Simply Sleep. I only took it one night and it worked really well. Then I slept the next three nights without it really well. I couldn't sleep last night for anything! Around midnight I got so frustrated I took another pill and fell asleep. I am so mad at myself this morning for not being able to sleep. I don't want to take sleeping pills and I absolutely do not want to get addicted to them. Last night was so bad that I decided to call in sick today. Probably wasn't a good idea because now I'm anxious about calling in sick on top of being anxious about the possibility of spending another night tossing and turning tonight. I have never had a problem with insomnia in my life! Sorry for rambling - I'm just very frustrated right now!

Thanks Vickers. Today was a really bad day. I long for the day when I don't have to deal with this. I am not very optimistic and I feel there will never be a light at the end of the tunnel. I have started the 12 week CBT. I hope it helps. I am trying to keep my head above water.

Hey Shell! I know how you feel! I always look on the internet for reasons for this physical sensation or that physical sensation. I always have to tell myself not to. It's hard though. I also feel a general all day anxiousness without panic. I panic, but when I don't, it's just an all day anxiousness regardless. I hope this website helps you out! There is a free 12 week program offered here that teaches Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), which, as I have read in many sources, is the most effective way of beating this. I am working on the program and it really does help. I still have bad days, but they're not as bad as before and not as often. For the first time in 12 years, I finally feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Anyways, just wanted to welcome you aboard and let you know you are not alone. The support group here is fabulous and very helpful. There is not a single person on here that doesn't know exactly how you feel every single day. - Even a thousand mile journey begins with a single step.