Hi everyone. I haven't talked much about it, but I used to suffer from dissociative panic attacks when I was kid for about 1.5 years. It started with a terrible nervous breakdown in 8th grade and ended in 10th grade. In my case, the panic disorder was brought about by a comorbid, overwhelming General Anxiety Disorder. Basically, the anxiety was too much to bear and whenever the scale surpassed a certain degree I had an episode. When I finaly told my mother I was afraid of her dying from cancer, the anxiety was released and the panic attacks stopped. Since then ive had only a handful of episodes, most of them mild.
My theory on this, having my own experience, speaking with others, and form the literature, is that panic is a defense mechanism that protects us from over-whelming anxiety. The problem therefore, is not the "panic", it's the underlying anxiety. I suspect that for many of you, the panic might be aleviated if the anxiety you constantly feel were reduced. I wanted to suggest that this release-valve treatment might be effective, for those of you not already trying it. Perhaps using CBT could have the desired effects.
My theory on this, having my own experience, speaking with others, and form the literature, is that panic is a defense mechanism that protects us from over-whelming anxiety. The problem therefore, is not the "panic", it's the underlying anxiety. I suspect that for many of you, the panic might be aleviated if the anxiety you constantly feel were reduced. I wanted to suggest that this release-valve treatment might be effective, for those of you not already trying it. Perhaps using CBT could have the desired effects.
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