so i've been diagnosed with a panic disorde exactly 2 months ago when i had my 1st panic attack and i've only had 2 since then. Now i've been giving mayb 2 options.
1st option is to do what im doing now that is to take Alprazolam (Xanax) only when im feeling anxiety or if i'm going somewhere in the car that would take long trips or going on freeway, or if im going to do something that triggers my anxiety or anything. And i barely take it. maybe once or twice a week when i need it.
2nd option to go on SSRI's like prozac or zoloft or something my psychiatrist said. He said i would need to be on it non stop for 6-9 months.

Now i denied the 2nd option becos i don't know that much about the SSRI's or Serotonin, mayb i should of asked more questions, but it looks like a very scary thing. I've seen people on these forums that use these for 10 YEARS! i'm only 19 and i had my panic attack 2 months ago. i really don't want to be on these kind of drugs that could have mayb side effects or being dependent on it. i'd much rather do it naturally but then again. i want to do something that would clear up my anxiety quickly so i can finish school and start working again and go out and have fun with my friends like i used to. Any thoughts or experiences?

Did a doctor diagnose you with panic disorder after only one panic attack? Are you constantly feeling terrified, scared, unable to do things you used to do? Or is it just an occasional thing?
It's possible you're just going through a stressful time right now and will recover with only using Xanax occasionally. If you feel ok without SSRI's and are only feeling you need Xanax a couple times a week then maybe you will make it through this without starting SSRI's. There's alot of side effects that go along with SSRI's but for a lot of people they are absolute life savers. I was very hesitant before I started them earlier this year (and I had previously been on Zoloft for 5 years). Now I've gained weight (and quite a bit) and I feel hungry all the time and crave sugars and carbs so I have reduced my dose to 25 mg a day. I want to get off of it completely but will take my time.
If you feel you can manage without starting antidepressants then give it a try. If I could have survived my anxiety naturally or with only an occasional Klonopin I definitely would have done it. The problem is that anxiety and panic can get so out of hand that you lose all control over your life and become terrified of everything. Zoloft gave me my life back (but I made the trade off with some weight gain). Don't suffer just because you don't want to take SSRI's. They do work and a lot of times are worth the side effects.

I would agree with the post above. If you feel like you can make it through with just occasional use of benzos, then that's great. Hopefully the panic attacks will go away fairly quickly. If they persist, however, or get worse, SSRIs are definitely a viable option. There are some downsides, of course, and everyone responds to them a little differently, but for those of us who need them, thank god we live in a time where they exist! Don't be afraid of trying them if it becomes necessary. Many, many people get good results from SSRIs.

If I read your post right you have had 3 panic attacks in 2 months....If you do not want to take an SSRI, then you need to do alternative things to get your serotonin levels right. I could not tolerate SSRIs so I took the same sedative as you for several years--alprazolam--.25mg. Started out as needed and then every day and then 3 times a day because I kept having panic attacks. Instead of SSRIs, I did low impact aeorobics three to four times a week, went to counseling, journaled, avoided caffeine, scary movies, tv, and books--anything suspenseful. I avoided stressful situations as much as possible to give my mind some rest. I tried cognitive behavior therapy and self-help tapes. All of these may work for you. They work for many people. However, I had also had an emotional breakdown and my thinking was all screwed up. I finally found rest and healing in the Bible. After going to a Bible study, Believing God, my thought life began to be more positive. I began to see hope and the possibility that I could change and get better. And that is what happened. I continued doing Bible studies, and a year later, stopped having panic attacks. Eventually, I was able to stop taking alprazolam on a daily basis.

So it is important to be proactive in your recovery, whether you take medication or not. Your mind controls your brain chemistry. I renewed my mind and my brain chemistry balanced out. Thank you, God!

I think that the need for medications really all depends on the individual and their own situation...For me, I tried to overcome my panic without medication..And this method was not working for me..Basically I became housebound and unable to function..so medication became a necessity and not an option..the medication enabled me to get out of the dark, and go on with my life..That's me...If you are able to cope with your life without medication, then AWESOME...

thanks for the replies! ,Yeah when i went to see a doctor they said i had a panic disorder after a month from my 1st panic attack. for now i probably won't consider ssri's just yet since im not in fear 24/7. occasionally i can go around the park near my house or goto pool and sometimes goto the gym but not work out as much i could do. sometimes if im relaxed im able to go into a car with my cousin and drive to go get something to eat or do something, trying to overcome the freeway anxiety too, but it will take sometime. My psychologist was talking to my dad the other day since my dad wanted to figure out more of what a panic disorder is since i guess not many people know what it is. and she told him that ssri's would be a last resort since my anxiety isn't as bad since there are somethings i can do. but time will tell and in the mean time i'm trying to eat more healthier and exercise.