First Post

[Mic7679]

This is my first post. I am looking forward to hearing from many of you! I am on 125mg of Zoloft, just increase my dosage from 100mg. All of a sudden I started to experience random panic attacks after 7 years of being panic attack free. Has anyone else experienced something like this? I am looking into meditation or breathing exercises as I refuse to increase my dosage again.

[JJW-Mercury6]

This may not be the case with you, but I started having anxiety-like symptoms bad when my Zoloft was incensed to 100mg from 75. I thought, ok, that didn't work, so decreased it back quick! Decreasing it only made the new level of anxiety worse?!? I felt like the increase had actually caused more anxiety somehow! I had to take Lorazapam increasingly to deal with it.

Turns out It was actually a bad reaction to Zoloft itself, and the symptoms were so similar to anxiety/panic attacks, I thought it was a heightened anxiety. My Dr transitioned me over to Citalopram. From that very first transition day (1/2 dose Zoloft (50mg) and 1/2 'normal' dose Citalopram (10mg)), I never felt another physical 'fake' anxiety-like symptom. I'm completely changed over now and back to only feeling anxiety in the odd situations that are ACTUALLY anxiety related. ....may not be what you're experiencing, but potentially something to look into/consider.

[deborah27]

hi, wanted to be first to reply, can you share a little bit more about what was going on for you just prior to the re-start of high anxiety?

[20Voices]

I am not on that medication, but I have a number of breathing exercises that I use to help me and I am also building meditation into my daily life as well. I use music as well to help me relax and feel better. I have just found the album Arms by Slow Moving Mollie. It is just music, but I find it so relaxing and focusing for me.

I have taught some of the simpler breathing exercises I have learnt to adults and teenagers and it always amazes me how different everyone feels after following the same breathing exercise. The experience is definitely unique to each person.

If you need any help finding meditation or breathing exercises or scripts let me know I have a note of the ones I have tried.

I hope you get your panic attacks under control again.

[Jenmomof3 in reply to 20Voices]

I would love to try some of the breathing exercises. Could you how to do them?

[20Voices in reply to Jenmomof3]

There are lots that you can try, just search the internet for Deep breathing exercises. But here is 2 I do. I have written theses in my own words.

When starting to practice these exercises it is best if you can find a safe comfortable place where you are not going to be disturbed. Turn off your phone and make sure the room is warm and comfortable.

Sit in a comfortable position.

Exercise 1:

Take in a deep breath nice and slowly counting as follows "1 and 2 and 3".

Hold the breath for a count of 2 saying "1 and 2"

Breath out for a count of 3 saying "1 and 2 and 3"

Say the statements very slowly and make sure you are breathing in deeply. Fill the whole of your lungs.

If you need to you can add in extra numbers on the in and out breaths until you find a nice slow rhythm that suits you.

Take your time, focus on just breathing.

Start with doing this for one minute everyday and work up to 10 minutes.

If you find you have thoughts coming into your head about tasks you have to do, bills you have to pay, family or work issues. Acknowledge the thought. It is like letting it enter your mind and then exit your mind. Once you have acknowledge the thought go back and focus on your breathing again.

When you are ready to stop the exercise, just focus on your surroundings and how you feel. Slowly start to move your body, maybe stretch a little.

When you are fully focused on your surroundings notice how you feel.

Enjoy a glass of water when you are finished.

Exercise 2:

Sitting in a comfortable position.

Take in a deep breath slowly and exhale.

Do this 2 more times.

Now imagine there is a small ball of light just above your belly button and every time you breath in the ball expands as more light is added to it.

When you breath out imagine all the stress and worries and tension that you feel as leaving your body through your toes and your finger tips.

Breath in the good healthy, strong light making the ball grow bigger.

Breath out the anxiety, stress and tension.

Keep doing this at a breathing rate that feels good for you.

Keep imagining the ball expanding. As the ball gets bigger it starts to surround you with the wonderful healthy light. Keep going until there is a full ball of light surrounding you and a little space all round you.

Focus on this being your protective sphere and that in this sphere you feel clam and relaxed and good.

Once you are ready to stop. Just start focusing on what you can hear within the room, focus on feeling the chair you are sitting on, the smell of the room. Slowly open your eyes and start focusing on your surroundings.

When you are ready stand up and stretch.

Go have a glass of water and notice how you feel after the exercise.

You will find lots of exercises on the internet in written form, as video and audio files. Find one that works for you. We each have our own thoughts on the type of voice that is soothing to us, the way things are written can be relaxing to one person but not to another.

Have fun trying various exercises that you find.

I hope this helps you.

Note:

These are 2 exercises that work for me. I am only an ordinary person who suffers from anxiety and depression and I have just written these in the words that work for me. If you don't like them or just want to be critical about the way I have written them, please don't, however if you want to let us know of a place to get exercises that you find helpful then by all means please let us know. (Sorry for this note, but I have found in some places people only want to comment on what is wrong and put people down, rather than provide positive support by giving examples of what work for them. )