Doctor Referral for Anxiety Disorder

Bless you, J.!
I can relate to may of the things you said. I first experienced a panic attack at age 24-but didn't know what it was. Now at 50, with a 21 year old daughter and 12 year old son, I still get them occasionally, but now know how to manage them. Ironically I am a therapist who works very well with children experiencing anxiety.
You are definitely on the right track looking for someone who specializes in anxiety.
I have some more suggestions that I hope are helpful...
First, know that when you are feeling anxious you are in your head, in other words, either ruminating about something in the past, or perseverating about somethng in the future. Getting back into the present moment and grounded in your body can be helpful..breathing deeply, listening to calming music,etc. I have a sound machine that plays ocean waves. There are CDs that play sounds in from nature that you can buy. Also, I have found that exercise and being outside is essential for my well being. Take a walk during your lunch at work, if you can.
I also agree with you about "the change" thing. In my late 30's the anxiety came back from time to time. Hormones can play a role. I went back to a therapist to process some things. You may not need to see a medical doctor (they give me anxiety, also and my dad was a physician :-). There are psychologists and social workers in Austin who are wonderful.
A few more suggestions...if you can afford acupuncture or a massage, these can help also.
Cut out caffeine! Get plenty of sleep. Know that many people share this with you (including me). It's even helping me to write this to you, knowing that I am not alone with the anxiety thing. Our society has become so hustle bustle that our brains are frequently on overload. We're producing too much cortisol and then we feel jittery.
OK, sorry to ramble on. I hope it gets better for you. I'm sure it will. Good luck!
D.

Hey, J.,

We go to a great doctor for anxiety here in Austin: Dr. Robert Dobyns. He specializes in kids, but I'm sure will consult with anyone who needs help! Believe me, we understand what you're going through - but rest assured, you will not have to go through this very much longer if you call him! ###-###-####. {hugs!} Jen

When people start to post answers for you, I want to find someone also. I know how you feel. Everything in my life is good too, nothing to get upset about, especially compared to others. I've never been a drama queen, and I definitely don't want to start now :o(. I've been married 11 years, and we have a 7 year old daughter. I work part time nights, so that I can be a housewife during the week. My biggest problem has been that I was diagnosed with a potentially fatal blood/bone marrow disorder last year, and wasn't sure if I was going to live or not. I visited a specialist in Maryland (I live close to Austin too), and he told me that I could stay this way for 90 years, or that somewhere along the line I could get worse. This is the elephant in the room, but I am trying to live & be grateful for what I have, not dwell on things that aren't there (yet). Exercising 2-3 times a week, helps increase serotonin in your body, makes you happier, so maybe you could do this while your kids are in school. We also are weekend warriors (when I have occasional weekends off) and that helps too!! I am 39 by the way. Have you tried writing things down, in a journal? If you see your worries on paper, maybe they won't seem like such a big deal, it has helped me in the past. Hope this helps and hope you find someone if not. My husband needs to see someone too. Thanks, L.

Hi J. C-

I am in my early 40's and have struggled with anxiety, specifically OCD for the past 10 years or so. At this time, I feel like I am doing great and have it "in check". There is a wonderful psychologist in Austin by the name of Dr. Bruce Mansbridge. He has a practice off of Bee Caves Rd in West Austin. I went to him for ~6-8 months and he helped me significantly!! You can look him up online-I forgot the name of the practice. Also, go to the OCD Foundation website for more information. Dr. Mansbridge is one of the "experts" on the website. My guess is you have been able to hide this from a lot of people for a long time. That's what we are all good at! But I do know from experience that it is miserable to not feel that control over your body and your thoughts, and it is very exhausting. I'm getting tired just thinking about how I would used to feel!

Knowledge about your disorder is definitely power. And you must know that you are not alone. There are so many out there that struggle with this and are embarrassed, or feel shame, or just feel like they are weak people. None of this is what's really happening. Your brain is now so conditioned to this panic response that it is second nature.

Any good psychologist treating OCD/anxiety disorders would do exposure thearpy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with you to help you get past these stumbling blocks. Medication (anti-depressants) can help to calm the symptoms down, but they don't treat the thought processes, which is so very important to do.

Please take that first step and call his office. It will be worth any money you have to pay because as you get better you will feel so much more light and free--a burden really will be lifted off of you.

Good luck and feel free to write back and ask more questions.

Hi J.,

I too suffer from anxiety and I know first hand your fear of another panic attack just going into the dr., but you have to do it as soon as possible. Think of it this way: If you have a panic attack at the doctor's office, so what? There will be doctors and/or nurses there to help you, what better place to have an attack than there? Nothing bad will happen, and telling someone else about it will probably help immensely and immediately. Nothing is going to make you feel better than DOING SOMETHING about it and taking steps to take care of yourself. Call ARC or whomever you go to and ask if they have a doctor or PA that specializes in anxiety/depression. Request lab work to make sure it's not physical. In addition: See a Counselor! There are counselors who specialize in Anxiety/Depression, they're listed on the web. Also, exercise every day, releasing adrenaline helps a lot because that's what panic attacks are, increased adrenaline in your body for no apparent reason.

Good luck. You can get it under control.

J., well first off, good for you for taking this step in admitting your anxiety and asking people to help. My husband suffers from anxiety... He takes an anti anxiety pill everyday. Unfortunately, my husband does not believe in therapist, and does not want to try and fix his anxiety, he thinks taking his pill takes care of everything. My suggestion to you, is you will first need to talk to your primary care physician, and tell them you need to see a psychiatrist for anxiety.. I think the whole system is messed up, my husband sees a psychiatrist every 2 months just so that he can get a refill, the psychiatrist really doesn't "talk" to him. I would also have your doctor or the psychiatrist they refer you to, see if they can refer you to a psychologist. The psychologist can help you figure out what triggers the anxiety to kick in and then help you work your way through it, so that maybe someday you won't have to take medication. But definitely get started on an anti anxiety med so you can get your brain and emotions back on line and then go from there. Don't feel embarrassed talking to your doctors about it, they see this stuff everyday.. it is so common. My sister is a psychologist and she sees it all the time. Congratulations on wanting to help yourself. Write me with concerns you may have. Take a deep breath...

Hi J.,
Jill Stewart is a psychotherapist here in austin. She is AWESOME and she can do an evaluation and work with your regular medical doctor on the best steps to take next.
Hang in there.
T.

Hi J.,
Rest assured you are not alone. I am going through this same dillema as you've described: the horrible thoughts, the cold sweat, worried about everything. Sometimes I am nervous cooking because I have to use knives, or go gardening because I have to use some sharp tools. I see Linda Kirk at the Austin Biofeedback Center. She gives me techniques in how to alleviate my anxiety and panic attacks without medications, and it is helping. Here is here webpage: http://www.austin-biofeedback.com/

Take care of yourself and hang in there.

R.

Hi J.,

I also see Dr. Robert Dobyns. He is fabulous for anxiety and depression, and he does see adults! He helped me through a nasty bout of post partum depression. Dr. Dobyns is a psychiatrist, meaning he can prescribe meds (if needed) as well as provide therapy. If you would like to talk about this further, please feel free to contact me. I am also going through early menopause, so I am familiar with some of the issues you are facing! Hang in there! What you are going through is tough, but there is help out there.

Dr. Marilyn Vache is a very good psychiatrist I have worked with personally and referred clients to her as I am a counselor. Her office is on 38th street. She is not on any insurance panels, but if you can pay out of pocket and get reimbursed from a PPO plan (or if you can afofrd to just pay), she is worth it. She is kind and very astute. I struggle with anxiety,too. It is an awful, awful malady and you deserve to get the help you need. I would recommend on the side a book called The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook and its second companion volume- full of great ideas about addressing anxiety disorders fom a whole-person perspective. Best of luck to you on healing your nervous system and remember, you are not your anxiety, but a person worthy of relief and healing.

Hi J.~

I had a terrible bout with panic attacks after the birth of my second child. I never had anything like that before and it came on very strong and was very debilitating. Many doctors wanted to put me on all sorts of meds and I was against that. I knew that sooner or later I would have to deal with the root issue causing my panic attacks and I figured the sooner the better. I found an amazing man named Dr. William Dubin. He is wonderful!
I worked with him for about six months and my attacks began to be less and further apart. After the 6 months of treatment I didn't have any more panic attacks; they were completely gone! I have not had one since and it has been almost 9 years. We worked with exposure therapy and I learned to control the panicky feelings and work through them.

Call him~ ###-###-#### (that's the number I have from 9 years ago).

YOU CAN BEAT THIS!