About 1.5 years ago I went to a walk-in emergency clinic. I'd been under extreme stress situations in all facets of my life - interpersonally, intrapersonally, family, social, work... I'd been fighting off anxiety attacks for the better part of 2 weeks. One day at work I was breaking down and I didn't think I could make the drive home. I thought I'd try but it was just a risk to myself and everyone because my focus was zero.

I went to the clinic instead of calling my psychiatrist because 1) he wouldn't have been in at that hour 2) my only option would've been emergency treatment 3) that's extreme because I didn't need committed

Despite breaking down in the waiting room, and telling the nurse exactly my diagnoses and why I was there, I knew they were skeptical to Rx anything because it could seem like I was trying trying to get the meds and then sell them. It's sad, but people do this. Regardless of the fact I mentioned that, it didn't seem to make them trust me any more.

I left with 25mg Vistiril. I'd never had it before. (When I was in college and a similar thing happened due to a death in the family, the MD gave me Xanax and I figured that [or Valium] was the typical response.) When I looked it up I figured this happened because there's almost 0 "street value" for Vistiril.

I took and NOTHING happened. ...for hours. I looked up the drug and realized it's basically not an immediate treatment for anxiety and panic. I somehow managed the next few hours and the next thing I remember was waking up 18 hours later! I still felt like a zombie. Almost like nothing was real - kind of a foggy, dream state. This lasted majority of the day.

I have 10mg Ambien that can leave me with a similar "hangover" affect when I'm already short on sleep. But this was something altogether different. Needless to say I didn't take it again after that 1. (But I still kept the bottle just in case.)

I have a friend who went through several months of severe panic attacks from PTSD and he had the same experience on Vistiril.

So I guess.... for me: Vistirl would be QUITE the sleep aid, but I'll stick to Ambien when I need it. It did nothing else and was worthless for anxiety and panic.

EDIT: Although, I guess the argument could be made it was fantastic at alleviating the anxiety and panic..... by knocking me the **** out LOL