darkbison5 said:I was on Zoloft for four years to deal with panic attacks. After discussing it with my psychiatrist, we decided to taper off since the actual attacks had stopped—but the "fear of the fear" remains, which effectively keeps me from living a normal life. My therapist suggested that in situations where I feel vulnerable—like being alone or traveling somewhere by myself, fearing a sudden onset—I should take a Generic. At this rate, it sounds like I’d need to take a pill almost every single day.
My takeaway is this: antidepressants seem to merely mask the symptoms of panic disorder rather than actually curing it. It implies one would have to stay on them indefinitely, and even then, it isn't a perfect fix—I never felt entirely liberated from that underlying dread even while I was medicated.
The most effective thing I've done for myself during those moments is to confront the fear head-on. I treat the anxiety like some obnoxious stranger trying to pick a fight—I basically tell it, "Alright, what are you waiting for? Come on then, attack me." Usually, it quietens down. Then I can say, "See? I'm the one in charge here; you can't touch me."
The catch, of course, is that maintaining such a bold stance isn't always possible. You really have to practice facing these triggers daily and simply refuse to back down. That’s been my approach, and I believe it's the way out since my panic is purely situational—it doesn't strike out of nowhere; it only appears when I'm in specific circumstances. In fact, it feels more like a phobia. When I'm with someone else, the whole thing seems ridiculous; I can't believe I lack the nerve to just hop in a car and drive more than ten miles by myself. For instance, if my husband is with me, I can drive to the coast without a second thought, knowing that even if something happens, I'm not alone. And believe me, that's the truth! If I could just be honest with everyone about my fear of panic, it would likely vanish completely. But how do you explain that to others? We live in a society that is quick to label anyone struggling as "crazy." So, I've been spinning my wheels in this frustrating loop for years, unsure of the exit. If I go back to my psychiatrist, they'll probably just put me right back on antidepressants, and we'll be right back where we started.
I really hope you see the contradictions in what you've shared here.
You aren't taking Zoloft anymore because you don't have panic attacks, yet you suggest you'd need to take a Generic every day because you DO have them—or rather, because of this "fear of the fear" you mentioned.
Your doctor gave you sound advice based on your own description: use the Generic as needed.
But then, what you’re telling me now feels like a completely different story altogether.
Zoloft, which is a standard AD and actually quite effective, should have helped manage your anxiety and the depression that stems from dealing with panic, all while helping balance those hormonal shifts typical of such episodes.
Beyond all that, shouldn't one also pursue psychotherapy? For panic disorders, therapy is the absolute foundation—changing thought patterns, facing oneself, confronting circumstances, and so on.
But honestly, hasn't this been written about a thousand times already?
That is the established treatment system.
Anxiolytics on an as-needed basis, ADs until your body "realizes" there is no legitimate reason to be afraid, and some form of psychotherapy, whether it's group sessions or individual ones.
The rest of your post is essentially about how to eventually break free from that vicious cycle—fear, panic, anxiety, depression—and how to improve the very quality of your life.