Anxiety disorder treatment

[blewatt]

Hi
I've had anxiety and panic attacks for about 5 years now. I've taken paxil and lexapro. Lexapro gave me night terrors and when i started paxil it made me gain weight, become REALLY anti-social, and took my sex drive completely away. I stopped taking medication thinking I could beat my anxiety myself, which worked for awhile but about 3 months ago I started getting those terrible and horrifying panic attacks again. At work, while driving, at home alone, and so on. I went to the doctor about it and he prescribed a small dosage of xanx. It works but it makes me really tired. Lately i've been having this wierd mixture of sensations of dryness in my throat with a lump feeling and tightness. I dont know if this is from stress or if there is something wrong. Of course me being me the more i tink about it the more i worry and the worse it feels. But even when im not stressed its still there. I just want to feel better. I know this is a lot but what do you think i should do?

[doma]

Anxiety disorders are treatable, and the vast majority of people with an anxiety disorder can be helped with professional care.

Success of treatment varies. Some may respond to treatment after a few months, while others may need more than a year. Treatment may be complicated if people have more than one anxiety disorder or if they suffer from depression, substance abuse, or other co-existing conditions. This is why treatment must be tailored specifically for each individual.

Although treatment is individualized, several standard approaches have proved effective. Your health care professional will use one or a combination of these treatments:

* Therapy
* Medication
* Complementary and alternative treatment