Help! My life is falling apart because of my panic attacks!?

Question:

Hi. I'm 13 and about 3 weeks ago I started having panic attacks. I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't breathe! I've been to the hospital and everything is fine but I ALWAYS feel short of breath. It's making me so depressed; I looked on YouQA.com s and people say they've been having these for as much as 10 years! My doctor said they'd probably go away soon but I'm not so sure now! He prescribed Xanax and I've taken 1 and a half pills, but they don't help. I would try two at a time, but I'm afraid I'll get addicted! I'm going on vacation in five days but I'm so scared the altitude of the plane will make it harder for me to breathe. I'm scared about this and I've cried every day since they've started. I always wish I was dead because that's how bad they are. I feel like my life has become worthless and I'm a burden to my family. I miss my "old life," which is the time I refer to of before the panic attacks started. I need someone to help me out with this; I'm so scared!

Answers:
Panic attacks don't always just "go away". There are plenty of medications for anxiety. Xanax is just one of them and it may not be the right one for you. You should talk to your doctor about changing to a different anti-anxiety medication if the xanax does not work for you. You should not increase your dose without being told by your doctor to do so.

The altitude of the plane will have nothing to do with your panic attacks. Going on a plane (if it causes you anxiety) might cause one, but it has nothing to do with being at a different air altitude.

Many people do not realize how bad panic attacks are. Patients have told me it feels like the instant you think you are falling off a tall ladder backwards, but that it lasts for what seems like forever.

Often, anxiety and depression seem to go hand in hand. If you are crying everyday, you are probably depressed. The good news is that it can be fixed. There are a lot of different anti-depressants out there that your doctor can prescribe. It may take time to find the right one (you have to be on one for two weeks to see if it works for you), but once you do find one that works, your quality of life will improve a lot.

You mention a doctor, a pulmonologist, and a therapist. You did not mention a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist is the type of doctor you should see for panic attacks. Psychiatrists spend just as much time training in school as other doctors, but spend a lot more of that time learning about things like panic attacks and depression. Since you are 13, an adolescent psychiatrist would be best. You can ask your doctor to recommend one for you, or you can search for one close to where you live by using the AMA Website Doctor Finder at www.ama-assn.org
I'm sorry you are having panic attacks, and I hope this helps. Don't lose hope!

Help! My life is falling apart because of my panic attacks!?

Health Resources