Hi anxietyman. I did CBT and it helped a lot. I had trouble even identifying any thoughts that were going through my head before and during a panic attack. My anxiety manifested itself in such a physical way. I wouldn't feel it coming... couldn't identify any thoughts or feeling associated with it. I would just get physical symptoms. Bam! Suddenly, I would be nauseous, shaking, unable to swallow and the only thought I could identify was "run away! run away!"

So, I was afraid CBT wouldn't work for me. It did, though. I never got to a point where I could talk myself out of panic attacks -- because they hit so quickly and were so severe. They seemed to be completely physical. The deep breathing that I learned in CBT (and through my yoga practice) were helpful, though. My therapist gave me lists of tasks to work on that helped me challenge myself and get used to being in some of the situations where I usually had my worst attacks. I think of myself as a very logical person, so I need to understand why things happen and how they happen. I got a better understanding of my anxiety, what triggered it and why my body reacted in the way it did. My therapist talked to me very logically and I felt like we were working on solving a problem together.

I took Celexa and Clonazepam to alleviate my agoraphobia and panic attacks enough so that I was calmed down enough to leave my flat and go to therapy. I don't think I would have made such huge improvements (and so quickly) if I hadn't done CBT too.

I'm no longer agoraphobic and I rarely have panic attacks now. I'm living a full live again and anxiety is just a minor obstacle that I challenge and keep working on every day.

Good luck. I hope therapy works as well for you as it did for me!