newby to the site

I have suffered anxiety / panic for many years. I have been dealing with it for 15 years. It first started when I was planning my wedding, I was in Sams club and I just felt weird. From there it progressed untreated. I did not want to go to a doctor and admit this insanity that I was feeling. I was a stay at home mom at the time and I totally isolated myself. For years I would not go to stores, out to eat or leave my home, my sanctuary. I then decided I needed help and went to a psychiatrist. I saw him for over 2 years. I understand that the anxiety is caused from an inbalance in chemicals in the brain. I was put on medication, and it seemed not to help very much then my meds were changed, and things were going better. I went to work, I am back in school and working , and raising three boys at home. I have since switched doctors to my GP who said he could give the medacine since my Psy was retiring.

Last month my GP decided it was time to give it a go and has been decreasing my medication (xanax). I know that this is a habbit forming med, but when I asked him about trying something else he said he did not want to use any other meds. I am now feeling the effect of the worrying about all these things. My old habbits are beginning to return. I feel myself slipping back into that dark world. I have lost 14 years of my life and my childrens life, by not going to school events ect. I do not want to be that person agian. I don't think that I can handel it.

I don't want to start all over agian with a new doctor. It is still very embarassing to me that I act like I do. I know that the behaviors that I do and have are a learned behavior from having panic attacks over and over and having no control over them. Just last night sitting and talking with my son, BOOM panic attack, I had to get up and leave the room. He may think that I am crazy as well I don't know.

I need some serious help and I don't know where to go from here.

HElp please.

I believe that anxiety is from our earlier experiences and how we grew up feeling insecure for various reasons. I have recovered from anxiety and I did this with therapy. I figured out why I was anxious and set about fixing many things. Yes, I agree that once we have dysfunctional personal habits, thoughts, and these affect our emotions and how we cope with our emotions then it affects our biochemicals. We can fix ourselves. No one has to continue living this way.

My anxiety increased dramatically when I had many life changes 15 years ago. (Maybe this is what happened with your wedding?) This set me on a path of finally recovering. Previous to all of these life changes that increased anxiety my life wasn't normal but it was certainly easier.

Hello pamover, it's nice to meet you, welcome to psych central.
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I would get a new Dr. If you have a regular medical Dr. they can give you the medicine you need. I've had to do that to get my medicine before. I go to a psychiatrist and she knows that I will not go without the medication. My life is so,so,so much better now before the medication. I don't take your medicine. I take an SSRI. Your medicine could be this, but I don't know. If you think that you need the medicine then get a new Dr. Hope this helps.

What Jerrymichele said. If you don't go find a psych doc, you won't get the meds you need. And it certainly sounds like you need your meds!