spork
Bluelight Crew
^Good post. I'm really liking that quote too. I'll have to keep that in the memory banks. 
-
The Dark Side 💕 Welcome Guest 💕
Posting Rules Bluelight Rules Notable Threads Urgent Hotlines Bereavement Mindfulness Suicide Support Anger Management -
TDS Moderators: AlphaMethylPhenyl | paranoid android
Mental Health Panic Attacks in Class
- Thread starter Jktm
- Start date
Tryptamine*Dreamer
Ex-Bluelighter
I would not talk to teachers or other students my first two years in class. I was terrified around other people. I was using opiates at the time and I think that helped me overcome the social phobia. I am not recommending that (and it sounds like you are already on opiates anyway).
Have you ever been on Seroquel? It helps to reduce anxiety.
Have you ever been on Seroquel? It helps to reduce anxiety.
Plenty of people on disability do not just "stay home and not work". Some people just need it. Are you letting political beliefs influence your decision? If so, then try not to. Many American's look at public assistance/aid as "bad". Its not.
Look at it this way, you will be a far bigger impact on society if you lose everything because at some point you are going to need help. Keeping yourself stable is better for all of us. We are all part of a big community. Receiving legitimate public assistance is not "abusing the system" by any stretch of the imagination.
Artificial Emotion
Bluelighter
Strangely enough, from what I've read the older MAOI drugs are more effective than the newer generation of SSRIs or SNRIs. Phenelzine in particular is considered to be the 'gold standard' social phobia pharmacotherapy. Unfortunately you will find it almost impossible to find a psychiatrist to prescribe this because it's so dangerous. The fact you're posting on Bluelight shows you are probably into drugs so this would make it an even poorer choice of drug.
I have been wanting to try this medication for years. The only other drug that shows such promise in treating social phobia is a hormone, oxytocin. There is some interesting research showing that it can enhance social interaction not just in people suffering for social anxiety disorder but also autism.
I have been wanting to try this medication for years. The only other drug that shows such promise in treating social phobia is a hormone, oxytocin. There is some interesting research showing that it can enhance social interaction not just in people suffering for social anxiety disorder but also autism.
Last edited:
RobotRipping
Bluelighter
the older MAOI drugs are more effective but have more side effects in general which is why SSRIs are popular (aside from making pharm companies shit loads of money). You also have to be careful of what you eat and which drugs you use.
For OP: Some people with ADD and anxiety get relief from a more smooth stimulant like dexedrine or even methamphetamine (not the street drug but the medication). For some people that sorts out the anxiety, especially social anxiety. Mixing stims and benzos will lead you down a terrible path possibly but if you really only use a therapeutic dose of a benzo as needed and are not dependent on it then i don't see an issue. In fact studies show that benzos maintain their efficacy as anxiolytics even long term if they are not abused. I don't think most people realize how crippling anxiety is, especially panic attacks. I've had many people tell me it's all in my head, it's not like i'm going to die and things like that. It's incredibly frustrating as i'd rather die than have a panic attack anyway.
I think it's important to develop social skills and to be well socialized and the only way to do that is to get out there and mix with people, interact, make mistakes, embarrass yourself, face your fears and always challenge yourself. You have to constantly push yourself out of your comfort zone and that is what therapy will teach you. Breathing techniques can only do so much for me, sometimes i have panic attacks that last days, especially since i am and have been a benzo addict for years now. Best advice i can give is to use a short acting benzo when you have a panic attack and to get therapy so that you can go to class without panicking. If all else fails there are still more options. I felt so hopeless last year when i detoxed from benzos and opiates. I ended up relapsing anyway but this time i went to therapy and dealt with a lot of things and along with using benzos as needed, i improved my life greatly.
Things aren't perfect now as i'm again stuck on etizolam instead of a reg. benzo which presents a different problem altogether but medication isn't necessarily the answer, definitely exhaust other options first, like exercise, diet, sleep hygiene, self-help, pushing yourself into uncomfortable situations.
The thing that actually made a difference for me was to embrace the anxiety, feel it, take it in, see it for what it is, ask yourself, "why am i feeling anxious?" you may not have an answer but there's an answer to that question if you dig for it. Basically what i am describing is mindfulness, which is the only thing that actually helped my anxiety. Look into it and see how it has helped others. I am a relatively social creature now and still deal with anxiety of all sorts but i can say i'm in better shape than i was a few years ago.
I also wouldn't try seroquel for anxiety; it's terrible for anxiety, it causes anxiety and dysphoria. I am prescribed seroquel for anxiety and only take it for come downs, and it's still a terrible drug for anxiety. The only reason it is prescribed for anxiety is for money. I have never seen a single study showing the efficacy of seroquel as an anxiolytic. It may be a great medication for schizophrenia but it will make you into a zombie if you're treating anxiety.
For OP: Some people with ADD and anxiety get relief from a more smooth stimulant like dexedrine or even methamphetamine (not the street drug but the medication). For some people that sorts out the anxiety, especially social anxiety. Mixing stims and benzos will lead you down a terrible path possibly but if you really only use a therapeutic dose of a benzo as needed and are not dependent on it then i don't see an issue. In fact studies show that benzos maintain their efficacy as anxiolytics even long term if they are not abused. I don't think most people realize how crippling anxiety is, especially panic attacks. I've had many people tell me it's all in my head, it's not like i'm going to die and things like that. It's incredibly frustrating as i'd rather die than have a panic attack anyway.
I think it's important to develop social skills and to be well socialized and the only way to do that is to get out there and mix with people, interact, make mistakes, embarrass yourself, face your fears and always challenge yourself. You have to constantly push yourself out of your comfort zone and that is what therapy will teach you. Breathing techniques can only do so much for me, sometimes i have panic attacks that last days, especially since i am and have been a benzo addict for years now. Best advice i can give is to use a short acting benzo when you have a panic attack and to get therapy so that you can go to class without panicking. If all else fails there are still more options. I felt so hopeless last year when i detoxed from benzos and opiates. I ended up relapsing anyway but this time i went to therapy and dealt with a lot of things and along with using benzos as needed, i improved my life greatly.
Things aren't perfect now as i'm again stuck on etizolam instead of a reg. benzo which presents a different problem altogether but medication isn't necessarily the answer, definitely exhaust other options first, like exercise, diet, sleep hygiene, self-help, pushing yourself into uncomfortable situations.
The thing that actually made a difference for me was to embrace the anxiety, feel it, take it in, see it for what it is, ask yourself, "why am i feeling anxious?" you may not have an answer but there's an answer to that question if you dig for it. Basically what i am describing is mindfulness, which is the only thing that actually helped my anxiety. Look into it and see how it has helped others. I am a relatively social creature now and still deal with anxiety of all sorts but i can say i'm in better shape than i was a few years ago.
I also wouldn't try seroquel for anxiety; it's terrible for anxiety, it causes anxiety and dysphoria. I am prescribed seroquel for anxiety and only take it for come downs, and it's still a terrible drug for anxiety. The only reason it is prescribed for anxiety is for money. I have never seen a single study showing the efficacy of seroquel as an anxiolytic. It may be a great medication for schizophrenia but it will make you into a zombie if you're treating anxiety.
Lolli
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 49
I recommend taking up a Qi Gong or Tai Chi practice. It's amazing for mental strength and energy and has cured me of virtually all of the dire social phobia I used to experience on a daily basis.
I practice Falun Dafa ( www.falundafa.org ) which is all free to download, highly recommended. Hope it helps.
I practice Falun Dafa ( www.falundafa.org ) which is all free to download, highly recommended. Hope it helps.
Tryptamine*Dreamer
Ex-Bluelighter
I was speaking from my own experience with Seroquel. Perhaps I am just a rare example of someone who does get something out of it. Definitely not great for anxiety, but it is better than nothing for me.
I do not take it daily though. I just use it as one option so that I don't develop a tolerance to the more effective meds I use to treat my anxiety.
Phenibut is helpful and it is not controlled in any way. It is usually sold as a supplement and is easy to get. Inexpensive too.
You can't use it daily for too long as it does cause a tolerance.
Kava is another option that has been of use to me before.
You do actually have to start talking and interacting with people before it gets any better. I could not do it without drugs in the beginning but I slowly began to lose the anxiety around people and decreased the dose I took when I did so. I eventually became able to do it without drugs - it was hard at first and I was really awkward. Other people could see that. It did continue to get easier as time went by, and now I have no problem speaking one on one or with a very small group. It is still very uncomfortable if several people have their attention focused on me, and I still have to take something for anxiety if I have to make any kind of speech or do any kind of presentation.
I find it very hard or impossible to talk about my feelings or express emotion to anyone I do not know well. The only place I feel comfortable discussing things like that is online or with just a couple of relatives, one friend, and one counselor. There was a time when I could barely send an email to people on eBay, and that was just questions about paying for things or answering questions about things I was selling.
I have only one friend now, and he is going back to China later this year. I had one other friend since I have been an adult and he is gone now too. Prior to that, I had a friend when I was 14 but he was always making fun of me and talking bad about me when he did not think I was around to hear it.
I had maybe five friends before I was 14. Most of my life, I have had no friends at all.
I did make a few friends when I was in the mental institution, but those were very brief. I intended to keep in touch with some of them, but I lost the contact info I had for two of them and they never got back in touch with me. There were five people during my two stays that I got to know, but only two had contact info.
It is possible the employees took it away. I saw them take an unopened bottle I had in my drawer and they threw it away - they told me I was not allowed to have a drink in my room.
I had written notes with employee names on it with a list of things they did to me that I considered wrong and a list of things I saw them do to other patients that I thought was wrong as well as bad things I heard them saying about other patients and the discussion two employees had about how gays went to Hell. The list also had the good things some employees did that they did not have to do and their names. Someone took that away when I was not around - I will assume it was an employee. That is why I say one of the employees might have taken the contact info I gave to those people and/or from me.
I do not take it daily though. I just use it as one option so that I don't develop a tolerance to the more effective meds I use to treat my anxiety.
Phenibut is helpful and it is not controlled in any way. It is usually sold as a supplement and is easy to get. Inexpensive too.
You can't use it daily for too long as it does cause a tolerance.
Kava is another option that has been of use to me before.
You do actually have to start talking and interacting with people before it gets any better. I could not do it without drugs in the beginning but I slowly began to lose the anxiety around people and decreased the dose I took when I did so. I eventually became able to do it without drugs - it was hard at first and I was really awkward. Other people could see that. It did continue to get easier as time went by, and now I have no problem speaking one on one or with a very small group. It is still very uncomfortable if several people have their attention focused on me, and I still have to take something for anxiety if I have to make any kind of speech or do any kind of presentation.
I find it very hard or impossible to talk about my feelings or express emotion to anyone I do not know well. The only place I feel comfortable discussing things like that is online or with just a couple of relatives, one friend, and one counselor. There was a time when I could barely send an email to people on eBay, and that was just questions about paying for things or answering questions about things I was selling.
I have only one friend now, and he is going back to China later this year. I had one other friend since I have been an adult and he is gone now too. Prior to that, I had a friend when I was 14 but he was always making fun of me and talking bad about me when he did not think I was around to hear it.
I had maybe five friends before I was 14. Most of my life, I have had no friends at all.
I did make a few friends when I was in the mental institution, but those were very brief. I intended to keep in touch with some of them, but I lost the contact info I had for two of them and they never got back in touch with me. There were five people during my two stays that I got to know, but only two had contact info.
It is possible the employees took it away. I saw them take an unopened bottle I had in my drawer and they threw it away - they told me I was not allowed to have a drink in my room.
I had written notes with employee names on it with a list of things they did to me that I considered wrong and a list of things I saw them do to other patients that I thought was wrong as well as bad things I heard them saying about other patients and the discussion two employees had about how gays went to Hell. The list also had the good things some employees did that they did not have to do and their names. Someone took that away when I was not around - I will assume it was an employee. That is why I say one of the employees might have taken the contact info I gave to those people and/or from me.
I used to get panic attacks all the time. just breath through your mouth, hold it for 5 secs and blow it out you nose. This will stop you from hyperventalating.
If you don't want to do that in class just go the washroom. This works trust me. i was skeptical at first but it really does work.
If you don't want to do that in class just go the washroom. This works trust me. i was skeptical at first but it really does work.
I would agree with this. Breathing is the key to it. Breathe in slowly through your nose and then out slowly through your mouth, making the out breath longer (that's the most important part).
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy really helped me with my panic attacks, it helps you to understand the thought process that kicks off a panic attack and to catch the thought and stop it in its tracks before it has the chance to manifest as a panic attack.
Also, it is very important that you don't let the panic attacks stop you from going outside, or from doing things that you would normally otherwise do. Once you get into a pattern of avoidance it is tough to break it.