What's the best tranquillizer to use to stop a panic attack?

@BlueVeins In the last school I worked in (I'm a retired teacher), there was another teacher on the faculty who took zoloft. One day he and I were walking down the hall in the hospital (the school was located inside the state mental hospital) and he suddenly reached down and unzipped his fly. He wasn't fully exposed but the students were staring at him. As I mentally searched for the words to say to him, he zipped it back up. Later, back in a classroom, I asked him about it and he said, with no apparent embarrassment, "I must've thought I was in the restroom."⁹ Makes me wary of taking zoloft.

@greenmountaingal Eh, I wouldn't chalk that up to the medication. I don't know everything about it, but the side effects tend to be relatively mild. It might make you stop caring about anything, but SSRIs in general tend to do that, unfortunately. I've never had any kind of delusions in the months I've been taking it.

@Graylight I've already been told to take deep breaths. Doesn't work. My last panic attack lasted 6 days during which time I was unable to sleep or eat.

@greenmountaingal Yes, but skills are varied and different in their complexities and they take practice and repitition.

Best a pill can do is begin to calm your senses after 20-25 minutes. Additionally, if you're working with your primary care physician, don't. He's not a therapist or psychologist. Find a therapist that understands a panic attack does not last 6 days. They last five to 20 minutes and what you're experiencing is something different. There's a lot to be gained through therapy. One only needs to watch prescription medication ads to understand how healthy they are. Good luck.

@Pinkstarburst True panic attacks happen when people are relaxing because the person was stressed earlier that week and their muscles were tight and their nervous system is confused; and for 10 minutes the central nervous system is in fight and flight mode when the person can't control the attack. So if we relax when we are stressed every day we will not experience another panic attack! Anti anxiety meds will increase anxiety and even do damage to the nervous system, and can increase dementia and addiction. Seratonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI meds are great though for depression and anxiety but take 6 weeks usually to kick in and can be very helpful.

@Carazaa What I need is a pill I can take when the panic attack is starting that will stop it and allow me to sleep. I have an average of one panic attack every year or so.

@greenmountaingal ok, sorry to hear that.

@littlepuppywantanewlife Daily meditation is very helpful, yes!

@SW-User That will increase anxiety, bring other bad side effects, addiction, and obesity!

@Carazaa If I get any fatter, they're going to pass an obesity law and put me in prison.

@JohnnyNoir I've tried it. Doesn't help me.

@SW-User ??? Please explain.

@Azlotto visatril! That’s what I said too 😌

Not habit forming either