Panic Disorder??? Anxiety?

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In the way of anxiety disorders I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder and OCPD.

I have some form of anxiety disorder, it's not really clear. Something in conection with a trauma:
PTSD, anxiety with traumatic symptoms or some anxiety-OCD-trauma-thing.
Well it's not that importand.

It got a lot better after understanding my fear and realicing that it's not that dangerous and that I can something against my fear. That I can addapt my behaviour to prevent that this is gonna happen again.

But also lithium, what I'm taking against my moodswings, helped me with my irritability in anxious situations and also the fact that my mood is now a lot more stable.

I forgot to mention that I was also diagnosed with OCPD & I heard PTSD mentioned a few times from psychs from being bullied. Almost none of them believed I had Aspergers thou because I communicated too well verbally & seemed too intelligent to have AS or anything else on the autism spectrum so they looked for other disorders to explain my different things. I'm pretty sure I have Aspergers instead of OCPD but I do have more OCPD characteristics than the average Aspie but I have lots more Aspie characteristics. Some of my OCPD problems have gotten a little better because of those 2 meds I'm on. Interesting side-note about OCPD; me & my mom both think my dad has OCPD because he has more of those characteristics than I do but he doesn't have the social issues or some of the other common Aspie characteristics thou he is also dyslexic & definitely shows ADD.
Getting to PTSD now; I'm very startled when I'm touched unexpectedly(like taped on the back) I'm sometimes startled by noises to. I know some of my anxiety stuff wouldn't of been as bad if I wasn't bullied & I also think I may not be quite as withdrawn. I know I do have some other PTSD characteristics but they are more integrated into me & I adapted to it more so I don't dwell on my possible PTSD.

I have to deal with both Panic Disorder and PTSD, both. I have a very good shrink, and he prescribes the medication I need to function. The next time I see him, I'll be asking him if he agrees with my very strong suspicion that I am an Aspie, as well. We haven't discussed that before; Asperger's is a new, suspected discovery for me, but, if confirmed, will explain a lot of things about my whole life.

Since becoming aware of my strong Asperger's-type characteristics, I have actually been able to better-control panic attacks and the (even worse) PTSD attacks, simply because I now understand myself better than before. PTSD attacks (usually extreme fury, in my case) do not respond well to benzodiazepines, as panic attacks do, but Prozac has been helpful for the PTSD. I've always known I was extremely different from others, but researching Asperger's, and learning about "Aspie" culture, is helping me a lot in dealing with these anxiety disorders. I don't intend to seek "treatment" for Asperger's, for I like being who I am, am able to function already, and don't see being an Aspie as a disease. I am only seeking more thorough self-understanding.

Medications for anxiety, if needed, are essential. However, it is also critical to use them only when you need them, and listen carefully to the advice of good doctors (if your doctor isn't good, find another). Xanax, and similar medications, have real risks, and should be respected.

I take what I need, and have legally prescribed, to (A) deal with anxiety, and the problems that come with it, and (B) avoid benzodiazepine withdrawal, which is quite dangerous, itself. Stopping "benzos" suddenly can give you life-threatening seizures. I don't EVER take meds for "fun." That would be stupid.

I'm also not a doctor -- let me make that clear. I can tell you this: it's a big mistake not to listen to, and be honest with, your doctors. Delaying seeking treatment for anxiety problems, as I did for years (for fear of the stigma), is also a mistake. Had I sought treatment years earlier, my med-dosages would be lower, and that would be a very good thing. However, I cannot change the past, but can only control myself in the present.

Understanding oneself helps with self-control, I am finding, more than nearly anything else.

Last edited by RobertLovesPi on 12 Aug 2012, 8:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Just got Xanax and it's helping my state of mind. I'm also on a different antipsychotic, Haldol, which is supposed to help with delirium.

I have general anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and OCPD. That's anxiety wise, I have a whole plethora of other problems.

Very severe spheksophobia, which is the fear of wasps. As soon as I see one I don't see anything else, I either can't breathe of totally forget to do it, I can't move, shake, get dizzy... just the entire thing. I'm also allergic to them so that's not helping either.
I'm also kind of claustrophobic. It takes very much for me to go into elevatoors or generally spaces that don't have windows by myself and I had a bit of a panic attack in a bunker a few years ago. But I'm gaining control about it, I can get myself to do somethin that terrifies me in that way today and get a lot braver with outer people around.

Diagnosed Panic Disorder, with self-diagnosed Social Anxiety -- although I now think it's AS.

My panic attacks started back in 2004 during a time of incredible personal stress for me. I ended up in the emergency room several times, and finally ended up with a good diagnosis and prescription for Effexor ER. Been taking it off and on for about 5 years now. I've tried to help myself without the drugs, but in as little as 2 days my attacks will start back up.

Definitely social anxiety disorder
I have many obsessive-compulsive traits too, like the urge to touch things a certain number of times until it feels right, the need to rewrite my papers so the words look just right, and intrusive thoughts.

i always had anxiety since i am a kid. and since november 2011, i started to have panic attack and even worse anxiety after taking a fake pill of mdma. so after, ive been months wondering what was happening to me, i even thought it was my heat the problem since i had palpitation. but no, it was anxiety and panic attack. i had this feeling i was about to faint or i would die while i sleep and stuff... not fun

then i went to a natural stores who have supplements and asked for something that would help my ADD and she gave me something called LTO3 that also helps with anxiety, depression and a lot of stuff up to even my PMS.

so since im taking this, everyday, i feel better. its all natural stuff and its really good. and chiropractic treatment since 4 weeks now, i feel even better. i almost had a panic attack the other day cos i did a mistake at my job, which is the chiropractic clinic in the software which we use to take the appointment but then, i concentrated in breathing and i found a way to fix the problem without letting myself go into the panic attack yay!

anyway. i think anxiety is a problem that comes with being aspie/autistic. since we have already problem coping with people around us and situations etc..

i think taking natural supplements and therapy is the best way to cope with that disorder. in my experience anyway.

Oh, definitely. Hell, I'm on two meds for it (Lexapro and Risperidone), and strongly considering taking another. I don't feel much anxiety when I'm doing things that are easy for me, or familiar, but if it's something new and exciting- even if it's good- my anxiety levels go way up.

If your taking those meds specially for anxiety; I would recommend talking to your doc/psych about getting off both of them & trying something else like Buspar. I was on Lexapro for a couple years on & off & it didn't help my anxiety at all. I tried Risperidone but quit shortly after because of bad physical side-effects. I felt more anxious that brief time I was on it. I read it can increase anxiety for some people.

I was put on Lexapro before I got on Effexor. It was one of the most horrible health experiences I've ever been through. My panic attacks increased astronomically when I was on it, I had horrific chest pains, and I started thinking of suicide -- something I've never really considered before. I was standing on the 5th floor of a parking garage waiting for a friend. I looked over the edge of the garage down to the ground and I thought "It would be so easy just to step off here and end all this." That was after only three days on Lexapro. I figured out what was causing my symptoms, and got off that stuff FAST. Thankfully Effexor is MUCH better at controlling my panic attacks, but right now I'm taking the generic form and it's just not as effective. But the cost difference is about three-fold. Without insurance that is a pretty big hit to the wallet. You take what you can get.