[FlamesAddiction]

Does anyone here have personal experiences with anxiety or panic disorders?

I've had occasional panic attacks from about the time I was 12. They were very rare and usually only lasted a few minutes. Most people wouldn't even know I was having one because I'd usually get the urge to hide somewhere, so I'd just leave the room.

The last few years I have been getting more and for the past few days I have had acute anxiety symptoms to the point where I haven't eaten and can't concentrate on work. The anxiety is almost non-stop but is broken up by a few minutes here and there where I feel normal. They usually start because some random negative thought crosses my mind and then I OBSESS on it and my brain can't stop moving. I can't recall any particular traumatizing event that might have triggered this, so I think it might be some kind of chemical imbalance. Could therapy be an option if it's chemical?

Anyway, I finally broke down yesterday and went to the clinic and the doctor prescribed me clonazepam which seems to help, but they are only supposed to be used temporarily until something can be diagnosed (and the side-effects look scary). I took one yesterday and it really helped, but I am afraid of getting dependent on drugs. I have also heard that people don't feel happy after taking the stuff for a while.

I'm not really sure what my next step should be. Obviously these are things I should be asking a doctor and not a hockey board, but I guess I was hoping that someone might have some encouraging things to say.