Jilli, the absolutely most effective thing for me is Ativan. I realize that's not an optimal solution for a lot of people (and in fact I don't use it that much), but it cuts right through that loop and lets me focus in on what's necessary.

That's actually what I'm going to to talk to my doc about. Because when I hit the near-panic stage, there doesn't seem to be anything that will get me out of that loop.

I like Xanax. But I rarely have it, so I am extremely lucky to have a couch in my reading area. During plan, I turn the light off, tape a piece of paper over the window in the door, take off my shoes and lay down for 15 minutes. I don't do it very often, but when I do, it helps.

But mostly I just sublimate until I snap and become an uberbitch. I'm not the poster girl for Good Mental Health.

that might be the single biggest understatement I have EVER made, btw.

Jilli, I make sure to (a) take lunch and (b) do something soothing over lunch--get a pedicure, go to barnes and noble and read a hardback for an hour, sit in the sunshine, whatever (clearly, these may not be your choices of "soothing").

Sadly, none of those were an option over last week, because we were in deadline crash mode. Plus, I don't drive and am trapped on a corporate campus in the middle of a suburban-ish area. So getting away for a little bit is kinda tricky.

But mostly I just sublimate until I snap and become an uberbitch. I'm not the poster girl for Good Mental Health.

If I could even just figure out how to become an uberbitch when I snap, that would be an improvement. But no, I become Hysterically Crying Woman, now with streaky eyeliner.

Plus, I don't drive and am trapped on a corporate campus in the middle of a suburban-ish area. So getting away for a little bit is kinda tricky.

You know where my office is. Just IM me with "ESCAPE!!!!!!!!! GARGH!!!" and I'll make you go look at the koi pond or something.

My way of dealing with overwhelmed by everything that has to be done now:

first I give into it for 15 to 30 minutes, run around like a chicken with my head cut off, gather stuff , rearrange stuff, complain about stuff, cry if need be.

then I work - in the order that things need to be done. and since an interruption kills me - no email, no phone, no talk. except at planned intervals.

by giving into the panic, I can keep from doing it again - because it would be redoing it. If this is a long period of stress - everymorning might start with the panic dance -

I am also a list person - long list ( about a week long) with the only dates being the absolute dates. just keep crossing things off.

also - food - crunchy stuff like carrots and crackers. soothing stuff like chocolate pudding and cream of wheat . stuff to drink without caffine. one good and good for you meal a day.

Oh! Something that my mom (and other therapists; well, my mom's not a therapist, just the Queen of PA's) have said that helps stave off a panic attack; lemon juice. Seriously. Keep a couple of those lemon packets with you, and when I feel a panic attacky feeling, suck one down.

Unless you're a lemon eating freak like me, the sour shock kind of makes the panic...stutter or soemthing, and you can redirect.

I also try to deal with the overwhelming by focusing on What Needs to Be Done, one thing at a time.

But I also try to build stress relievers into the everyday. Having SAD means I need daylight (preferably sun, but the weather doesn't always provide). I get outside at lunchtime. We have a deck on the roof, where I go to do general informational reading that doesn't require my fullest attention.

Unfortunately, I don't have any backups when I get too busy to go outside.

Speaking of panic: how much do I hate sending an email that is scary to send, and then having to WAIT for someone to answer it, and not knowing if they got it at all, because heck maybe it went into spam, or if they just haven't checked their mail for some reason (but why wouldn't they have checked their mail ALL DAY??) or if they read it and just don't want to write back to you??? HATE.

If I'm in the panic / deadline mode, I can't really sit back at lunch. so dinner is the mode change signal.

Unless you deadlines are completely unplanned - plan for them . go shopping for food - make sure your laundry is done , the house is clean enough. Send out an email saying that your availability will be limited during week x due to deadlines. plan.plan plan.

I've never take n any anti anxiety drugs, but it seems to me that if panic attacks are interfering it isworth having in your arsenal. Having Ambien around seems to have helped me break a lot of my sleepless loops. Just knowing it is there for tomorrow night seems to break the loop 85% of the time