Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Agoraphobia. I once refused to leave my room for 3 months.

I don't know if this will help you guys...or even if this is the right thing to do to deal with the fears an event can causes...but a friend of mine, each time she feels fear of driving in unknown areas / of rejection when meeting new people / of things not going as planned.....she closes her eyes, make fits with her hands and tells herself (as many times as needed) that she can drive anywhere / whoever rejects her is an idiot / everything will be ok... she breaths deep and exhale loud and goes in her merry way. ...it works for her.

NOTE: She used to became hysteric whenever she had to face these things. Not anymore. No medications.

People say CBD oil gives relief from anxiety, depression, seizures, and many other serious problems.

Link: Cannabidiol is a compound derived from cannabis plants. It often helps people with anxiety reduce their symptoms with few or no side effects.

[medicalnewstoday.com]

I take Buspar for generalized anxiety disorder and some PTSD. Regular exercise and meditation help tremendously. Exercise fills you with endorphins and gives feelings of happiness and wellbeing.

Hiking is a transcendent, uplifting experience for me. I feel deeply centered and grounded high in the mountains.

"In one early study, Yoshifumi Miyazaki, a forest-therapy expert and researcher at Chiba University in Japan, found that people who spent 40 minutes walking in a cedar forest had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is involved in blood pressure and immune system function, compared with when they spent 40 minutes walking in a lab. "I was surprised," Miyazaki recalls. "Spending time in the forest induces a state of physiologic relaxation."

"Another researcher, Dr. Quig Li, a professor at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, found that trees and plants emit aromatic compounds called phytoncides that, when inhaled, can spur healthy biological changes. In his studies, Li has shown they often exhibit changes in the blood that are associated with protection against cancer, better immunity and lower blood pressure.

"Recent studies have also linked nature to symptom relief for health issues like heart disease, depression, cancer, anxiety and attention disorders.

"The quiet atmosphere, beautiful scenery, good smells and fresh, clean air in forests all contribute to the effects," says Li."

From "The Healing Power of Nature" by Alexandra Sifferlin, Time Magazine, July 25, 2016.

Yes. Totally. It rules my life, more than I realise sometimes.

The drug baclofen might help (it's used to treat some alcoholics whose alcoholism is caused by anxiety) and other medications might help too.

Meditation and high intensity interval training (HIIT) are also known to be effective. The exercise helps me, even though I hate doing it.

The theory behind the exercise method comes from Dr Steve Illardi in his book 'The Depression Cure', who posits anxiety as being like a fight or flight engine left running in the background. Brief bursts of intense exercise send a signal to the brain. In essence, the brain interprets the exertion as fleeing from a threat.

The effects last a few days, so doing the exercises three times a week is enough.

There is also a possibility of neurological complications being caused by celiac disease. I've noticed diet playing a role in my own life.

There may be several other factors contributing to the anxiety.

For me, little things like green tea, having dark chocolate and lavender oil all help. There is some scientific research backing their efficacy. They offer mild relief without side effects.

I used to, but not as bad as your son apparently does. It was bad for a few years, but the medication I take, plus the life I lead now, keeps it down.

Yep, though I'm very thankful not to suffer from it to anything like the same degree as your son. Thank science for the medication that permits him to function.

I carry Valium with me whereever I go, just in case. I never know when things are going to get crazy. I've had almost every test on my heart that they have, to show that it's not the heart, but when things go crazy, they go crazy. That they have medicine for it now is such great news. I can't imagine what life would be like if they didn't have anything.

I had some attacks of it some years ago. It was horrendous and I put up with it for some time but then I understood that I could not live like that with all the anxiety so I did some research. I found out how to get over it or to minimize it and after some time it disappeared.

How old is your son and when did you first realize he was anxious?

I know a few people who have it. As for myself, I have night terrors and panic attacks, mostly as a result of my depression. I can't imagine what it would be like to have full anxiety all the time. Medication helps. I just hope he has a good support group he can rely on.

I would recommend taking a look at this.

Anxiety is different for everyone. So is the path to better mental health.
For me it's been overwhelming at times, and a dull buzz at others. After 13 years and plenty of damage along the way, I finally found the right combination of people and medicine to give me real hope, and real control over it.
You're right that anxiety is insidious. It can make a person feel powerless, and then the vicious cycle is set in motion.
TheAstroChuck offers good advice for both you and your son - keep trying, and have a support network.
Anxiety is not anyone's fault, and conquering it is not possible any one either. It takes time, and it takes help. One of the hardest things for a person with severe anxiety to do is to ask for help. The very thought of deciding to do that can be too much to take. It can be paralyzing. Perhaps helping to make those decisions and others for him can relieve some of the stress of treatment.
You're son is not alone. He may benefit from the reassurance of an empathetic and loving dad, and the knowledge that there's many of us who didn't think we ever get better... until we did.
I hope you both find peace.
Jumbo

I have suffered since my early 20`s and its been and is a real burden though you to a degree can learn to live with it but it takes time and it never goes away completely. I had a panic attack today and it instantly makes me feel like I'm going to die