It is hard to talk about anxiety attacks to people who have never had them. I posted above, about how I had them when I lost my job. I experienced them again this summer, and the causes were totally external. Got diagnosed with colon cancer, my best friend died, and then my grand daughter at 2 days old developed some very serious respiratory problems. After 3 days of it, I went to the the doctor. Took a low dose of Valium for a month, and spent some time with a good friend and ex band mate, who is also a therapist. The result by the end of the month, was, my cancer was a very early diagnosis, and very easy to treat, (though i will have to be checked the rest of my life), my friend dieing is something i cannot control, and though i will miss him, that kind of grief is something that happens, and my grand daughter responded to anti biotics and is thriving. You know, life happens. This all happened in the space of about 2 weeks with me. Probably the cancer diagnosis caused more, because, it takes time, to find out where you are. That and the baby being so sick, and with the other stuff, the feeling of helplessness just escalates. The difference between now and then, once it started this time, I was at the docs, and telling him everything. Back in 2006-7 when everything went down, I tried to be a tough guy, and not go. That is the wrong thing to do. That is the worst part of anxiety and depression, is, there is so much help out there, but people wont go for help. The first time it happened to me, I delayed. Ya know, there is not any of us who are superman, (Though I liked to think I was when I was in my 20s). So, I hope people learn this lesson easier than I did the first time. The second time, I knew what to do. And the bottom line, is it affects a persons physical health. It can kill you.
Hope everyone who posted here in this thread has found some relief. There is nothing trivial about it.