Anyone with panic attacks ever get depressed afterwards?

[Jmerrick22]

So if anyone has been following my posts I started Zoloft last week 25 mg. First two days I had panic attacks , since then I feel depressed. One minute I don't care if I die, then I'll panic and freak out and be afraid of dying. This makes no sense . Today he uped the dose to 50mg. Please tell me this isn't something that sticks with you. I'm scared I hate being alone . It's almost like I don't even trust myself anymore .like I'm obsessing about death and dying , I know I wouldn't hurt myself , but the fact I even thought about this crap creeps me out . I told the dr too, he seems to think it's normal as the medicine adjusts. Has anyone else had this experience ??

[lady_peaseblossom]

I've felt the same way while my body was adjusting to the meds. I would cycle between freaking out over every little health-related scare and being ambivalent about not being alive anymore. Your doctor's got it right-- your body's trying its best to adjust to the medication right now, so mood swings like that are normal. Your moods will probably be in a tailspin for a while, so just allow them to run their course and make sure to call the doctor immediately if they get too extreme (i.e., you actually start forming a plan to end your life).

As long as your thoughts on death don't go any further than "I'd be okay with dying", then you'll be okay. That's actually a relatively common mentality among people who are depressed (I've had thoughts like that too), and as long as it doesn't turn into an actual desire to end it all yourself, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Jmerrick22 in reply to lady_peaseblossom]

It's just scary lol it had me crying before , so I took an Ativan so it should help me alittle . This is the first medicine that ever made me feel this way. I was on Prozac before and it didn't make me think this way or even cymbalta but cymbalta landed me in the er .

[lady_peaseblossom in reply to Jmerrick22]

I know, it's really scary to not be in control of your own emotions. They're just trying to find stability right now, don't worry. It might be hell for a couple of days or even weeks, but it's definitely worth it and it does get better. Even the bout of anxiety I felt yesterday was nothing compared to how paralyzed with fear I was a month or so ago. You'll get there too, I know it.

[Jeff1943]

Jmerrick22, I searched your post in vain for some news of what you are doing to bring about your recovery, something positive. Alas, it's just another list of symptoms and your obsession about death. Did you actually read my reply to you yesterday explaining why you have this exaggerated fear of death? Have you explored what self help books there are that can help you to recover? Have you given a moment's thought to applying the remedy of Acceptance to your own fears and situation? I see no evidence of it in this posting. Repeatedly listing your bad feelings is not going to exorcise them from your mind.

Have you given any thought to what stresses have caused your illness and worked out ways to neutralise those stresses? Meds may take the edge offthe bad feelings and even give a welcome break but sooner or later you must take control of your recovery yourself. This is tough love, jmerrick22, it had to be said.

[Jmerrick22 in reply to Jeff1943]

Yeah my sexuality I guess I haven't fully accepted it and I need help but I don't know why it's causing all this