MaizeNblue81: Tapering Zoloft during severe acute Xanax WD

[virgo43]

Brother Maize.

U are able to eat and sleep a bit and are able to think.

U can do these things. U are able to write long messages. 

I am really praying for u.

U are way better than me u so please please calm down.

The moderators are the world's top experts and this is all they can provide that is it.

For u ans me..there js not much they can do.

I have the same habit. Read my posts u can see thar I am in a vicious circle begging for help. Heeeelp hello there help. Help. 

Brother there is not much they can do. Did u try going to addiction clinics. I went and they refused me. They didn't believe me.

Zoloft or xanax? 

Go to clinic first. ..

[virgo43]

U will not be able to convince drs that SSRI s caused damage but the doctors they know about xanax addiction. So maybe they can tackle that first. So maybe within a year u are left only with ssri issue. Please discuss with amazing moderators here. While I am writing this my limbs are hurting there are needles. All I took was zoloft 25mg and it was beginning of the end.

So brother discuss and think. Think you can. I can't mosr of the time. 

[ChessieCat]

A regular taper is 10% of the previous dose every 4 weeks.

 

A micro taper is doing less than 10% of the previous dose.  See my previous post for the smaller dose percentages.

[maizeNblue81]

Ms Cat is it even safe for me to taper the Zoloft right now with the Benzo symptoms being so severe? But then again is it safe to keep taking it? I'm so confused and this is so scary and literally hell on earth that I would not wish on my worst enemy! 

[virgo43]

Brother maize.

Right short sentences please

Same like u I also repeat the same damn things same sentences.

Parrot like behaviour. It is out of our control? 

Be positive

U can eat

U can sleep a little if not how could u survive for so long

U can function mentally

So u are doing stable. 

Right at this moment I wish to be next to u trying to calm u down.

Brother please u are not alone.

Ok we understand the symptoms.  

What are the questions? 

U get no relief and keep asking. Same with me. No relief. No end.

[ChessieCat]

I can understand your indecision and that you probably want somebody to make the decision for you, but we can't.  All we can do is give you the information.

 

"We don't know what will happen if you make a reduction in the Zoloft dose.  We also don't know when is the "right" time for you to make a reduction.  It is your decision if you want to make a reduction, we can't make that decision for you.  If you make a reduction you might feel the same, you might feel a bit better or you might feel worse.  Nobody can predict what will happen.  But this is the reason, if you decide to reduce, it is better for you to try a small reduction (eg about 2.5% or 5% reduction) rather than a 10% reduction.

 

Using the graduated cylinder and measuring 100ml of water with a 100mg tablet these are the dose calculations so that they are round numbers to make it easier for you to measure.

 

It takes about 4 days for the dose change to get to steady state in the blood and longer for it to register in the brain.

 

A full 10% reduction is 78.75mg.

 

NB:  all % reductions are approximate

 

          DOSE      REDUCTION     TO GET DOSE

 

          86mg  =  1.725%               remove 14ml   

             

          85mg  =  2.85%                 remove 15ml"

[ChessieCat]

How many times did you practice the concentrated deep breathing?

[ChessieCat]

This might sound absolutely stupid by might be worth a try.

 

Toss a coin to decide if you will taper.  Now just wait a minute before you say yes, that is a really stupid idea.

 

The next thing is to see how you feel with the result of the coin toss.  Did it come up Taper?  How did you feel about that?  Scared, glad.  Did it come up Hold?  How did you feel about that?  Relieved, disappointed.

[maizeNblue81]

I had a really bad spell this afterburners had to do it while I was severe driving to the store to keep calm enough to make it back home and thank you for all your help MS Cat I really don't know what to do I'm this situation even if you look at the Ashton Manuel she recommends holding on the AD until at least a year off benzos but I was out on one after the fact and it could be making me worse so my situation doesn't even follow any guidelines here and I was taking off Xanex the wrong way and then they made it worse by putting me on another drug so I'm confused as to what the best course of action is here. 

[ChessieCat]

So you don't even make a comment about my idea?

 

If you want to follow Ashton's suggestion to hold for a year, then hold for a year.  Accept that you won't make a decision about tapering until after the year.

 

If you get to one year off and then still don't know, set a date 1 month later and then revisit the idea of tapering.

 

At least if you do that you will have one less thing to worry about.

[ChessieCat]

2 hours ago, maizeNblue81 said:

you've at least tried to talk to me

 

Yes I have, but I'm not getting any response from you other than your unanswerable questions and your long and detailed description of your symptoms.

 

It's very one sided.  Put the boot on the other foot.  If you were reading your posts as if they were from somebody else, and you were the one responding and making suggestions and getting no feedback how would you feel and what would you do.

 

If you start posting about what non drug things you are trying and what you think of them then other members might be more willing to interact with you.

 

Members here want to support the members who are going through a tough time, especially because they understand, but when all they get are your continually negative posts and lack of response to their post then it's no wonder that they aren't coming back to support you.

 

I mean, I'm even telling you how to post so members support you.  I care but I can only do so much.  You have to do your part.

[maizeNblue81]

Ms cat I am very thankful for all your support and all you do and I'm not trying to be negative at all here I'm just scared and I'm beginning to realize none of this was done right and the doctors and these evil drugs have put me in a really bad situation and I don't know what to do? 

 

I feel like im literally fighting for my life everyday and it's sad when you can't turn to the doctors or go to the hospital because they are part of the problem and have no idea of really what to do or what I'm going through and it's horrific to know I've suffered for over a year and hear I am still suffering and the last few weeks has been the worst wave I have ever experienced so I come here not to annoy anyone but to get help and trying not to make the wrong move here and make this worse! 

 

If you didnt notice I even did some reading on my own today and have tried to gather some information for myself and I was actually willing to go to the ER it's been so bad but unfortunately my mom couldn't take me tonight cause she is not felling well either and she has to be up early for work tomorrow so I'm gonna at least try and get ahold of my PCP tomorrow and see if she can do her ck up on me and refer me to a neurologist as suggested so I am trying but this is so bad I don't want to make anymore mistakes with this cause I feel like I more wrong move and I want make it! 

 

So im sorry if I sound negative I'm not trying too I'm just trying to survive this horrific nightmare and not do anything to make it worse because it's already so bad I can't handle worse. 

[ChessieCat]

I'm not suggesting that when you post everything has to be positive.

 

However, your posts are continually full of negative things and NO positives.

 

How about posting 1 positive thing each day.  Even posting "I managed to take a shower today".  That is something positive.

[maizeNblue81]

Ok I do have another question I know some people that are experiencing severe Benzo WD and protracted symptoms that are similar to mine that aren't even on any other meds and I know some of these symptoms besides the head pressure can be caused by both like DP/DR anxiety agitation, SU/HM ideation can be caused in both situations so how do you really know what to do? 

 

Also besides the increase in my normal symptoms one thing I've noticed is a deep rooted depression and big uptick in the intrusive thoughts and feeling like I'm going crazy can't even watch a movie or anything without my mind going to a dark place so what could be causing this both? 

[ChessieCat]

Same question/s, different wrapping, same answer, nobody knows.

[bubble]

13 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

How many times did you practice the concentrated deep breathing?

 

I had a very bad day yesterday Chessie. I was horribly stressed out and was struggling badly trying not to get overwhelmed completely.

 

When I read your suggestion to Maize here I did as you advised: set up my alarm every hour and did deep breathing. I survived and managed to bring my stress under control!

 

So thank you very much!

[maizeNblue81]

Thank you Ms Cat for all you do and have done I appreciate very much I'm just so confused and these symptoms are so severe and my journey doesn't follow any guidelines or the Ashton Manuel or anything. My care has been so messed up and these doctors and crazy drugs have completely destroyed my life and I'm just trying to get answers and how to move forward not knowing what to do here? 

 

Ok I'm sorry to bother everyone and before I start this is long but my story and current situation the best I can describe! 

These symptoms are so severe both the extreme head pressure and physical symptoms in my brain and the severe emotional symptoms are so unbearable and just getting worse everyday! 

I'm sorry to keep bothering you but I'm at a loss and I don't want to go back to the hospital because I know they will make it worse but it's getting so bad i don't know if I'm gonna survive this and can't keep going like this much longer! 

The head pressure burning numbness tightness and extreme pain in my head is so unbearable I can't stand up or function in anyway all I can do is lay in my bed holding on for dear life! Extreme nausea light headed and dizzy just physically sick and can't move restlessness agitated crawling out of my own skin it's so bad and the last few weeks has been the worst wave of symptoms since before going into the hospital last October! 

The emotional symptoms are really starting to scare me as week severe DP/DR confusion I don't even recognize my own face in the mirror just this deep dark depression And these horrific evil intrusive thoughts all the time now including SU/HM ideation it's horrible and just getting worse! I can't breath I'm just so physically and emotionally sick it's really scaring me how bad this is getting I feel like I'm dying and on the verge of going completely psychotic or losing my mind at any moment or just falling over dead this is horrible and the last 2-3 weeks these symptoms have just been climbing and rising to the point I don't know how much more I can endure it's so bad! 

I know none of the has been done right at all! After 6 months on Xanex I know I was in severe tolerance WD and had probably kindled from previous but brief use before and then I was CT off at the hospital from .75mg and then to make matters worse they put me on another evil drug Zoloft that after 10 months has put me in a really desperate position here and so much worse than before! 

I know it is common to have massive huge horrific waves between 6-12 months off and most people don't start to see any relief or improvement till somewhere between 12-18 months out and so it seems my symptoms started to hit me right at the beginning of month 7 and is just now peaking out in month 9-10 and I'm telling you this is the worst it's ever been both physically and emotionally so so bad even worse than before I went into the hospital and I feel like I'm right back where I was a year ago just worse because now I have another drug to deal with Zoloft which I've never really even been able to tell what it was even doing to me or for me because the Benzo symptoms have always been consistent and severe! 

As far as the Zoloft I'm really at a loss and don't know what to do about this? My symptoms are quite severe and I don't know how much is massive Benzo Wave and what the Zoloft is contributing to all this and it's really scaring me! I know there is a good chance especially with my history with previous AD use that I could have built up tolerance to it already and it may not be helping anymore of it ever did and I know and have read enough about Zoloft to know it's not so great coming off of either even if it may not be as brutal as Benzo WD it isn't pleasant for sure and I've already been on it for 10 months and have been holding at around 87.5mg since month 4 when I switched over to the liquid to help taper but these symptoms have been so bad I've been scared to change anything else and I know the longer you take these drugs and the higher the dose the harder it is to get off of plus I have the cumulative effect of being poly drugged and previous use and now the nightmare of adding AD WD to Benzo WD and I really don't know what to do? 

These crazy doctors have put me in a really bad position and just made me worse and didn't handle any of my care nor educated on any of this and I've had to learn the hard way about these drugs and I don't know what to do now? 

So I'm in a massive Benzo wave worst I've ever experienced after 10 months off and I have this other drug setting here not knowing what it's doing to me or adding to my condition so I don't know what to do or where to go with any of this and both the physical and emotional symptoms are getting worse everyday! 

If you follow the Ashton Manuel she recommends waiting a full year off Benzos before trying to taper any other drugs but first mine is not a normal situation because I was in severe tolerance WD and had kindled before the hospital then I was CT and put on another drug after that so my situation doesn't follow the rules here so what do I do?

[brassmonkey]

We can not and will not tell you what to do.  We have patiently given you an incredible amount of information.  YOU have to go through that information and YOU have to make a decision as to what YOU are going to do.  YOU are in charge of what happens with your body, not SA, not the Doctors, and not the Ashton Manual. As you are finding out this is the scariest most painful thing you will ever go through in your life, but it is up to you to decide to do something that might help or just suffer. 

[ChessieCat]

Thank you bubble.  I appreciate you letting me know that you found my suggestion helpful and benefited from it.  It amazing that something so simple can make a difference.

[maizeNblue81]

Ok so I called my PCP and she can't get me in till next Tuesday and I don't know what to do? 

I'm really really scared and my symptoms both the severe head pressure and physical pain in my brain and the horrific evil intrusive thoughts including severe SU/HM ideation and severe DP/DR is so bad I feel like I'm having a psychotic breakdown and losing my mind! 

I don't want to turn myself back over to the psych wars they made me worse when I went in for Detox and have no clue and I know what will happen if I go I'll come out worse than when I went in like last time but this is really getting bad! 

I don't know if this is a massive severe wave of Benzo WD after 10 months or the Zoloft or both but I'm really feeling like I'm going over the edge here and I feel like I'm in really bad shape both physically and emotionally This is the worst it has ever been the last two weeks my symptoms have tripled and become much more severe and I've been holding on the Zoloft now for 5 months so no major changes there so I'm at a loss cause with the Benzo WD being so bad and not really in a position to taper another drug right now but not knowing what the Zoloft is really adding to this I'm really confused and feel like I'm dying and having a complete psychological breakdown!

 

im very sorry to keep bothering everyone trust me I would much rather be enjoying life working and spending time with my kids than going through this but I really am confused and don't kmow what to do? 

 

Ive been doing a lot of research and talking to a lot of people who have had similar experiences and the Benzo WD would have been enough to overcome much less having to deal with the Zoloft too! 

 

This just feels so hopelss and im so scared whatever choice is the wrong choice cause none of this has been handled right from the start and doctors are partly to blame here so I feel like there is no way out of this madness 

[bubble]

Breathe as Chessie described, put your legs up the wall, listen to grounding and calming meditations and music... find anything else like that from all the suggestions you have been given

 

it doesn't have to make you feel better. just keep doing it.

 

even if distracting doesn't work, continue distracting. the only way out of hell is through...

 

focus on surviving one minute after the other.

 

that's what people do to survive this.

 

there are no other answers.

 

as long as you can write so articulately you are not so bad

[maizeNblue81]

I'm trying I really am but these symptoms have tripled in the last few weeks and last night I didn't sleep a wink at all severe anxiety panic attack so much pressure and pain in my head o could t get still or breath just completely restless and feeling like I'm crawling out of my own skin so mucb pain pressure and burning in my back and in my chest and the emotional symptoms are horrific severe confusion DP/DR just feeling like I'm losing complete touch with reality and severe SU/HM ideation to the point I hope up this morning haven't been able to get out of bed when I tried to go make me a cup of decaf I literally couldn't get my brain to work well enough to do it and the found myself standing in the kitchen just completely confused and looking at a knife on the counter this is scaring me really bad and I'm not exaggerating or trying to annoy anyone I'm really that scared and this is really getting that bad to the point I'm almost ready to give up and may be forced to go back to the hospital when I know they will just make me worse but it's that bad! 

 

Im sorry I'm really scared and desperate here and I don't know how much of this is Benzo WD wave or related or what the Zoloft is adding to this but this is my dilemma and why o don't know what to do here and should have never been put on Zoloft after Detox in the first place. 

 

Pleas help me i I don't know what too do? 

[BAT]

I'm so sorry you are going through this.  It's very hard. I have a lot of the same symptoms. What is really hard is I developed agoraphobia from the panic and can't have people over.  I haven't been anywhere in 7 months. I pray this goes away.  It also seems like I made my bedroom like the safe place which I want to get out of that. I just avoid doing anything that might make the symptoms worse. I wasn't like this prior to medicines. Sometimes I wonder if I made myself Worse because I try to avoid getting worse.

 

That's great that your able to get out to the doctor or go to the ER if you had to. I can't even get to a doctor.

 

I do try and do relaxation breathing, meditation and stretching like 2-3 times a day. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't but I do it anyways and sometimes I just do it for distraction, something to do.  Even if it doesn't help the first week two, keep trying maybe eventually it will. Even if it's for a few minutes.

 

I know it's hard not to get freaked out about these symptoms. I have done it so many times, still do.  I know you want someone to tell you the right thing to do, so do I, but you are the one that has to make the decision that is right for you.  

For instance the doctors tell me that i need to go back on medicine, sometimes I think my sister and brother in law think I need to go back on medicine but I'm choosing to go with what I feel in my heart and try to stay off. Even though I could be wrong?? Especially as time goes on and I'm not seeing improvements or healed, it is getting hard to believe in what I feel did this, the medicines.. So, then it's like maybe their right and I need to go back on medicine and I'm imaginating that these medicines did all this or maybe something serious is wrong with me..  Going back and forth like that makes me want to scream!! I'm sure all that backband forth makes you want to scream also.

 

Do you feel a certain way in your heart lime.you should hold on the zoloft or start to do a micro taper? Maybe figure something out like if you feel like holding on zoloft is the right thing to do, then tell yourself ok I'm going to hold for another 1 or 2 weeks and then revisit your decision.   Or if you decide to do a micro taper, do the smallest cut you can possibly do then hold then for a week or two and revisit your decision then. Going back and forth everyday is so exhausting..

 

I pray for fast healing for everyone!

[maizeNblue81]

Thank you 

 

I'm sorry I know I'm probably annoying everyone but this is so bad! 

2nd day in a row that my symptoms both the physical and emotional torture has been so severe I've literally had a complete breakdown and been of the verge of completely giving up! 

I'm under so much suffering and it just keeps getting worse I really feel like if God doesn't move soon I'm not gonna make it! 

I don't know if this is a Benzo wave or WD or the Zoloft but this is the worst most severe level of torture I have ever experienced and I don't know what to do? 

The physical pain and symptoms are getting worse so much pain and pressure in my head the highs level anxiety feeling like I'm crawling out of my own skin extremely aggravating and aggressive I feel like I'm completely losing my mind! 

The emotional symptoms are horrific and the worst they have ever been and I can't help my mind or control it just completely in a dark dark place severe DP/DR losing all touch with reality can't control my thoughts or actions and severe I mean severe SU/HM ideation! I'm so scared and don't know how much more I can endure?

[maizeNblue81]

thank you but the last three weeks has been the worst most severe wave of both the physical and emotional symptoms I have ever experienced and I literally the last few days have been on the verge of a psychotic breakdown feeling like I'm completely losing touch and losing my mind and just so physically sick I can't not function or breath at all! 

The last two days have been the worst and on top of the usual symptoms getting worse I've felt extreme anxiety to the point of panic attacks and not being able to breath or set still or lay down nothing eases it and severe nausea burning in my back and chest light headed dizzy feeling like I'm gonna pass out and the pressure and physical pain in my head has reached new levels and so much worse it unbearable and the emotional symptoms are really scaring me severe SU/HM ideation confusion DP/DR horrible evil thoughts about everything this is the most intense most severe last few weeks and even the last two days that it's scaring me to death and again I don't know what to do cause if I go back to the hospital they are just gonna make me worse and if I continue like this or this level increases anymore I don't know if I'm gonna make it? This wave of Benzo WD or the Zoloft or whatever it is is pushing me to the edge of my limits of what I can handle both physically and emotionally and I'm really scared!

 

 

i really don't know what to do some say to hold on the Zoloft that this is a Benzo Wave or WD and to not try to take on addIng anymore to this right now but some say to slowly taper the Zoloft cause it really could be making this much worse so I don't know I really need help and I don't know what to do? 

[brassmonkey]

It all comes down to three choices. 

1. Do nothing and live with it.

2. Make a decision based on the 24 pages of information we have given you and live with it.

3. Go the the hospital, get their treatment and live with it.

 

Pick a number between one and three. The decision is up to you.

[maizeNblue81]

I'm so sorry I'm really bad off and this is getting  so much worse I don't want to go back to the hospital they are the reason I'm here no me feeling like I've gone back to where I was last year just worse before I went in and not only do I have to daunting task of trying to survive Benzo WD being CT after I had hit severe tolerance and probably kindled but now I have to deal with another drug on top of it and the cumulative effect of all the drugs before and everything I've read on how these situations should be handled nothing about my care has be done properly but if this keeps getting worse I'll have no choice but to turn myself back over to crazy doctors who don't have a clue so I'm so sorry for bothering everyone and I'm thankful for all the support but I'm at a loss and really don't know what the right move is 

[ChessieCat]

If you are feeling suicidal/homicidal you need to seek local support.  The volunteer staff of SA are not trained to provide support for members who feel suicidal/homicidal.

 

Here are a couple of links providing information:

 

http://www.suicide.org/hotlines/tennessee-suicide-hotlines.html

 

For those who are feeling desperate or suicidal

[maizeNblue81]

Ty Ms cat I just sat out on the porch rocking back and forth in so much physical and emotional pain this is the worst I have ever been and so bad I just woke my mom up at 2am in the morning to pray for me! 

 

I know everyone here things im annoying or ok not trying but it really is getting that bad and taking a turn to so much worse than ever before even worse than before I went into the hospital last year 

[mammaP]

We are not trained to give you the help you are needing Maize. You need to go to the hospital if you are feeling suicidal. I know you are scared but can it be any worse?  

You can't do that to your mom and kids, they don't deserve to lose you that way.  We have done everything we possibly can and can't do any more. Your posts are distressing people and we will have to hide them if they carry on this way.  You can still write but no one will be able to read them. You need more than we can offer. Please get help as soon as possible. 

[JS11]

Hi maizeNblue81,

I a new member of this site and locked myself out of my account or I would have replied sooner.  In the past few months I have felt a hell from withdrawal that I haven't experienced in ages.  I also felt so very, very alone.  When I got the courage up to finally call someone.  I apologized profusely to the psychiatrist, intern, nurse, or wonderful friend as I just didn't want to "bother" them with more tears and despondency.  Why is it so hard to reach out when we are suffering--at least it is for me--as if we do not feel we are worth saving?.  Sadly, I have felt this way all too often and have truly suffered in silence.  I know that when someone recently answered my frantic posts, he not only provided answers but eased that pain and got me through the next couple hours.  So, I don't know you but I know what it is like to be in such pain.  I will say a prayer for you and send good thoughts. Sometimes it helps to know there is one other person out there thinking about you. I know what a difference it meant to me.

Please take care

[nz11]

Wishing you strength Maize.

 

[Martina23]

Maize, you will not lose touch with the reality, it is withdrawal speaking, most probably from benzos. I had the same symptoms. You have only anxiety heightened therefore you have suicidal/homicidal intrusive thoughts. I am sure that your inner you is still intact as you know you dont want to carry out the thoughts. It will carry you through the withdrawal and wouldnt let you go psychotic. Please relax and let the things work out. You will see that the level of your anxiety will fall down after some time. You have only to wait until then. Please stop worrying. Everything will be ok.

[maizeNblue81]

 

I'm not doing well at all! This is horrible and the nightmare continues! And no I don't want to hurt myself I want to live just the thoughts that scare me.

 

 

I didn't get to sleep till after 6am this morning and I haven't done that since coming out of the hospital and the first few months out! I really feel like I'm all the way back at the beginning of not worse cause now not only do I have the evil that Xanex did to me but another drug on top of that and I'm really beginning to wander if the Zoloft has just stopped working or I've built up tolerance to it at this point and now I have that on top of this massive wave of Benzo WD it's horrific and I don't know what to do?

 

 

It was so bad last night I sat out on my porch just crying and rocking back and forth and couldn't breath has to wake my mom up to pray for me in the middle of the night this is horrible and after 10 months to be this bad especially with another drug in the mix is very scary! 

 

 

There is so much pressure burning numbness and physical pain in my head it feels like me head is gonna explode and is on fire! Still get the major pressure in my forehead above and behind my eyes top of my head but recently it's moved in majority to the sides of my head too the whole right side of my face is numb and on fire and my left ear is completely clogged and you add in the buzzing in my head any time I move and it's the most excruciating physically sick I've ever been! 

 

 

Extreme nausea light headed and dizzy the last two days has added burning and pain in my lower back and my chest I can't breath and the anxiety is through the roof I feel like I'm dying! 

The worst is the emotional symptoms they are jus my as bad now as before I went into the hospital severe confusion DP/DR losing touch with reality going insane brain fog and these horrible evil intrusive thoughts scare me it's like I'm going psychotic and completely losing control of my mind! 

 

 

I'm sorry I really appreciate all of you checking on me and I'm very thankful you take the time to talk to me cause I really don't know what to do and how much of this is Benzo WD and how much the Zoloft is contributing to my current state but this is horrible I feel like I'm right back in crisis mode where I was last august after the lexapro nightmare and when I started realizing what Xanex was doing to me! 

 

 

I do have a question if this is a major Benzo wave and that horrible monster horrific uptick in symptoms between 6-12 months like everyone talks about and say the Zoloft I've reached tolerance with that and it's no longer helping me if it ever did which is still hard to say cause the Benzo symptoms are always been consistent and the worst what do I do here? 

 

 

I don't want to go back to the hospital they put me in this situation to begin with and I don't want anymore drugs that's the problem now and I don't think it's a good idea to ever take another Benzo ever again which I refuse too and I don't think it's such a great idea to go switching drugs and playing anymore Russian roulette with my brain so what do I do?

[brassmonkey]

1. Do nothing and live with it.

2. Make a decision based on the 24 pages of information we have given you and live with it.

3. Go the the hospital, get their treatment and live with it.

 

Okay, so you've eliminated option number three. Now pick a number between one and two.

[ChessieCat]

This is the last suggestion I am going to make.  One of the other mods (thank you mod) has just posted this in one of the SA topics and it is excellent.

 

Part of what you are experiencing is fear because you are scared.  Fear leads to panic and anxiety attacks.  Some of what you are experiencing is a result of the fear and not anything to do with Zoloft or the benzo.

 

As previously said only you can do something about it.  Your mum can't do it for you, the mods can't do it for you, the other members of SA can't do it for you.  Only you can.  It's up to you to learn and keep using techniques, not just read about them and think oh that's not going to do anything.  You will see that I have highlighted a few thoughts in Part 3 that you have expressed in your posts.  You have to start somewhere and I think that doing this course would be a very good place to start.  You have to do the work if you want to start feeling a bit of relief.  If you do it and it doesn't work then you won't have lost anything.  However, unless you do it you will not know if it is going to work.  And if you do it and you start to feel a bit better you will have gained something.  And LOOK, Part 4 is about breathing!!!

 

Are you willing to do the work that you need to do for something that might make a difference?

 

From:  Panic Attacks Online Course

Part 1: What is a panic attack?

• The Fight or Flight Response (or Panic Attack!)
• The Panic Attack : Faster Than the Speed of Thought
• What happens during a panic attack?

Part 2: Why do we have panic attacks?

• Panic Attacks and their Place in the Modern World
• The 'Trip-wire' of Panic
• The Unconscious Mind is a Quick Learner
• Deconditioning Panic
• Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks
• Calming Things Down

Part 3: The Core Beliefs that Fuel Anxiety and Panic Attack

• Panic Thought 1: I might die from a heart attack
• Panic Thought 2: I might die from suffocation
• Panic Thought 3: I'm having a stroke
• Panic Thought 4: I'm going to faint
• Panic Thought 5: I'm having a nervous breakdown, or going 'crazy'
• Panic Thought 6: Losing control
• Panic Thought 7: Feeling so weak that you cannot move or might fall down
• Panic Thought 8: Believing that you are going to be embarrassed or humiliated.

Part 4: Panic attack symptoms - Hyperventilation (over-breathing)

• Some symptoms of hyperventilation and panic
• Getting Rid of Hyperventilation
• The 7:11 Breathing Pattern - the opposite of hyperventilating

Part 5: The Brain and Panic Attacks: 'Emotional Hijacking'

When you have a panic attack, or become very anxious your emotional response can actually bypass your ‘thinking brain’. The red dot in the diagram is the amygdala, which is involved with creating a ‘faster than thought’ panic attack. It is very difficult, or impossible, to think clearly when highly emotional because the part of the brain you think with is inhibited.

Part 6: Other Techniques for Getting Rid of Panic Attacks

• Scaling Panic Attacks Down
• Be AWARE of Panic Attacks
• The Next Step

Part 7: Summary of Panic Attacks Program

• Skills, Tips and Techniques for Getting Rid of Panic Attacks

 

 

Edited September 1, 2017 by ChessieCat
reworded