Panic attack

The strangest thing just happened to me.  I had not been able to drive for a long time and since I have been tapering and getting better, I have been able to drive short distances by myself, like 2-3 miles to the grocery store.  This morning I went to the Food Lion by myself and I do not know what happened but I had a panic attack.  I was so scared I would not get home.  We sold my car last year because I could not drive anymore due to panic and the dose of Xanax I was on so there was no way my husband could have come to get me.  I did make it home ok but my husband could tell right away I was NOT ok.  He had me sit down and try to calm down.  I had to take half of my 1:00 dose of Xanax to calm down.

The only thing I can think of that would bring this on is that I have not seen my therapist in 3 months and have an appointment with him in the morning.  I do not want to see him but my psychiatrist said he wanted me to keep seeing the therapist right now and I am afraid if I don't, he will stop writing my prescriptions and I need them to do my taper.  I blame the therapist for my getting on such a high dose of the Xanax because he kept saying i needed to increase the dose and I did what I was told to do.  When I wanted to get off the Xanax the therapist asked me why- he said he had taken it many different times and when he stopped taking it he had no problem and that he felt that I needed it for my anxiety and panic attacks.  Its strange that I had not had one since I started tapering and had not been seeing him.  Now I have to see him tomorrow and have had a MAJOR panic attack today. 

 

Anyway - I am trying to calm down and stop crying and shaking.

 

I am slowing getting better now.  I think writing this is helping.

 

Thanks for being there.

 

Julia

 

It's crazy what the mind will do to you.

Panic attacks are triggered. I think you spotted yours-)))

Doesn’t mean it going to be downhill from here !,

Dick

Thanks fortylongyears - I agree - I am not going to let that situation get to me again.  I am going to keep going as I am ..... 

Anyway

Look back, you didn’t die and it wore off.

Adrenaline surges only last twenty minutes.

Congratulate yourself for putting it in perspective!!

Dick

You are right!!

Thanks Dick  :)

Hello folks.

 

As you taper down your body “wakes up” you are experiencing everything for the first time. Or so your body believes. You are fine. It’s so common for us to be highly sensitive to everything when tapering and just off the benzo. When I did therapy to prepare myself. The therapist used a technique called PE or prolonged exposure. If it’s not TRULY dangerous. Do it if you can.  We need to push through as much as possible. Crying is ok too.

 

Kristin

Bnzoh8trforever - thanks for the insight and for the information about  technique called PE or prolonged exposure  I am going to look into that.  I also have an extreme anxiety to riding in a car.  Been this way long before benzo hell.  Started in the early 1990's when I was almost in an accident.  The PE may be something that can help with that too.

 

How are you doing since you jumped?  I see that you had a fairly fast taper at .25 mg tapers.  I started out that way but have had some issues with the last cut so have decided to not go down by .25 mg at this point.

 

Glad you come back and check on everyone.

 

Take care.

 

Julia