...don't panic (Take 2)

A year and a half ago, I published my first post on my new blog. Titled "...don't panic", I took the opportunity to discuss my experiences with panic attacks, with the hopes that maybe I'd reach other people who were experiencing some of the same feelings. It was liberating to write about it, in fact it was the first time I ever had. So what have I learned since then?

I've discovered that living with "the fear" has definately not been easy. Some days have been "panic free" while there are other days where I feel like I'm fighting an uphill battle (and loosing quickly). I thought I had them (the panic attacks) under control, but just recently I've started having them again. With the increasing pressures of life, the episodes (both large and small) have become more frequent.

There was a time when talking to myself (telling myself that everything was going to be okay...you've been through this before, you'll get through it again) was all I needed to do to stop it dead in its track...but now this "technique" doesn't seem to work anymore.

Through stress therapy, I've managed to channel the "stressers" in my life and have been slowly working toward finding ways to "deal" with them more effectively. Unfortunately, I've needed some "extra help" and I'm now taking anti-anxiety medication. While I used to pride myself in being able to "do it on my own", now I'm relying on the medication to "stop the attacks for good." Is this the best solution? Am I avoiding the real problem?

Whatever the case, it's working, for now....