Q: how do I help my husband through panic attacks and the fight or flight response
Hi,
More questions I'm afraid.
1. What are the situations or circumstances in which the panic attacks occur?
2. What safety behaviors (things he does to avoid or deal with panic) does he use?
3. Is any medication being taken?
4. How long has the situation been going on for?
5. Has he received any psychotherapy or talking therapy in the past for this?
Thanks,
The situation is more complex than first meets the eye - i.e. from your original sharepost. If I've understood this correctly it strikes me as very unusual for someone to panic at home and then go to a friend's house. Usually home is the one place that people who experience panic feel safest. However, I see he is already in therapy so it may muddy the water for me say very much (not that much can really be said via a message board).
The correct medication should certainly help to stabilize his mood. Hopefully his face-to-face sessions with the psychiatrist will help resolve other issues. Unfortunately these things can sometimes take a long time to work through.
I would find a good psychiatrist in your area to go to. I would ask if maybe counseling would help along with an anti-anxiety drug. There are some great medicines out there for anxiety that are also very good for panic attacks. I take clonazepam and it works great, and I think it is one of the most common used for panic attacks. I also am bipolar and have depression, and the meds I'm on for those do not interact at all with the clonazepam. I don't know if this really answered your question about what you personally could do, but I think you both might feel a lot better going to a doctor.
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Hi there thanx for your response.. here are the answers to your questions:
1. the panic attacks /anxiety hit between 4-5 every nite last for about 4 hours when he stays at home if he bolts and goes to a friends house they disapate quickly because he leaves the situation, however every morning after he has fleed he comes bac and asks for forgiveness and love.
2. He doesn't have any coping mechanisms in place except for alcohol use he says he wants to get loaded to make it go away. He states he feels crazy,confused conflicted and cant wratp his ahead around his own life.
3.He is currently on Lithium 600 2x a day was tried on cymbalta this last wee felt the negative effects within a couple of days I saw them as well. Pristiq is what got him to this state to begin with he was 5 weeks into getting it out of his system (he went cold turkey after going manic) when the doc decided to try this- not good .
4 currently seeeing a psych 1 x per week for 1 hour sessions focus has been from my understanding about his conflict with saying with an affair partner (met during his mania) or coming home which he has done several times but doesn't stay.
this is very scary for my children and me as we know that this is not him that it is the illness and his lack ability to deal with situations that he has created this mess hes in right now and doesn't kknow how to fix it the right way.