I think it is probably just coincidental and you may just be looking for a connection as panic is caused by your thoughts and it is natural to look for things when you are stuck in that mode. I'm going into the 11th week of my 12-week cbt group and weaning off drugs and feeling great. The two books we are using in my group are really good and I would recommend them both highly: been there, done that? Do this! By sam obitz and mastery of your anxiety and panic-third edition by michelle craske and david barlow. Cbt is amazing and the best cure for panic disorder.

Thanks haley, I think you're right. I do think my mood becomes slightly more depressed when i'm on the pill, which generates my panic attacks. I just saw a new therapist the other day and we're going to work with the anxiety and phobia workbook and cognitive behavior therapy. I've been doing tons of research because i've tried the pills, etc. But nothing works permanently. This seems to be the best route so i'm glad to hear that it's really working for other people! I've also just begun meditating (which is difficult) but i'm gonna keep giving it a try. Thanks!

hi sora-
good for you getting involved in cbt :d it changed my life after years of struggling with meds and therapists in a remarkably short period of time and my life just keeps getting better and better. I didn't use the workbook haley mentioned but I have heard it is good and I loved the obitz book and recommend it to people all the time as it really breaks cbt down and gets you motivated. Remeber the more you apply yourself to the tools the faster and deeper the relief you will achieve with cbt! I still do the tea form exercise several times a week to this day

take care!

Q

Thank you. Do you have any helpful tips for me to use? I've just seen my new therapist that i'm going to work with this week but I need some sort of self-saving exercise to get through the week. I'm only 22 and am graduating from college in two months. All of a sudden my attacks have come back in full force and I need to get through school first. Thanks for your help!

Hi sora, i'm glad you are trying cbt, yea! If you work at the tools you will be glad you did. Did you read the sam obitz book yet? I would focus on the tools in the middle section of it and on trying to catch the thinking errors you are making and then putting them in a tea form and trying to counter them. Even if you can just begin to catch the thoughts and identify the errors that would be really good at this point

You may want to look into changing birth control pills. The hormonal levels in the pill you are currently taking could be causing or worsening your anxiety. It would be worth a shot.

you're welcome :d as for helpful hints. Be on the lookout for thinking errors you are making the more you catch the more you can counter and the quicker you will achieve your desired results. The tea form was the most important exercise for me in my recovery and I still do it several times a week to this day and whenever I am stressing about anything. It is an exercise that all you need to do it are a piece of paper and a pen. You draw two lines down the middle of the page and label the one on the left thoughts, the one in the middle errors and the final column answer. Then you write the thoughts that you catch that are keeping you down in the first column, identify the thinking errors you are making in the second column and then answer them with a more objective thought in the final column. It's not easy at first but you'll get it and it will pay didvidends for the rest of your life once you do
let me know if I can be of any further help?

Q