I was walking down Broadway you know and there was this incredible looking swedish girl havin a cappucino across the street from Lincoln Center....

Didn't mean to kill the thread.

What's your favorite 80s video?

Which leads me to a kinda-odd question: what do people do when they're in the middle of deadlines at work and feel overwhelmed enough to snap? I really did spend most of last week trying to fend off panic attacks, and I want to figure out how to not have it happen again.

Jilli, definitely talk to your doctor, as you mention. If you have panic attacks in other situations, the doctor might want to put you on an SSRI (which is an antidepressant, but it also works on panic by increasing the serotonin available to your brain). If this is only an occasional thing, they might just want to give you some kind of benzodiazepene to take when needed, like Ativan or Xanax.

I have Ativan. It's a 0.5mg dosage. You don't feel anything (no sort of high, or buzz, nothing even comparable to having a glass of wine), but it completely stomps out my panic, and I have full blown panic attacks. It's really given me my life back. It's fast acting (I swear mine kicks in within 20 minutes), and although my script says I can take three a day when needed (one every 8 hours, not three at a time), I don't think I've ever needed more than one in a given day, and I don't take it most days. 30 pills might last me three months.

t /pusher

I'm pathetic on the subject of 80s videos. I blame it on not getting cable until I was already in my pointlessly angry middle-class suburban punk phase. Thanks a lot, mom and dad!!! Thanks a whole fuckin' lot!!!!

(In other news, have just discovered OMG SO GOOD THAI FOOD so much closer than any other her decent Thai food in the area. And OMG SO MUCH BETTER TOO.)

What's your favorite 80s video?

Y'know, I have no idea. I think I'm overwhelmed by choice & hindered by a crappy memory.

Off the top of my head, I always loved 'Dominion' by The Sisters of Mercy. Andrew Eldritch + white sword + sword cane + never before seen on film portions of Jordan (?) = Trés Cool.

Though Visage's 'Fade to Gray' was a landmark piece that has always stuck in my mind.

It's fast acting (I swear mine kicks in within 20 minutes)

IIRC, that's what it's designed to do. I know that's why my doc gave me that *and* a Valium scrip - one if I need to cut the loop now, and one if I'm not in a full attack but I'll need to stop thinking for a bit soon.

Jilli, I hope you can figure out a way to stave off the panicking and the upset. I think the Ativan/Xanax advice is very good. Also, what about a promised treat? When I'm in horrible kill-me-now deadline mode and being eaten alive by stress, I have to one thing to look forward to, the proverbial carrot, even if it's nothing more than my favorite ice cream or a good new fic to read.

So many 80s videos to love and choose from! I'm going to say, shameful as it is, one of mine has to be "Come On, Eileen." I would say "November Rain," but I think that's 90s.

I think Jilli's only recourse is a pharmaceutical one, because any other bribe or rationale just isn't up to the task of breaking the cycle of panic she can descend into.

I'm going to say, shameful as it is, one of mine has to be "Come On, Eileen."

You have a thing for hairy armpits aimed directly into camera? Weird.

Whoops.