KellBo

Are you getting any help?

Well, it sounds like you are off to a good start.

nami.org says, Zoloft, which it says is also called Sertraline, is

"an antidepressant medication that works in the brain. It is approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder. It is also approved to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults, children and adolescents aged 6-17 years."

How long have you been on it? Wondering how long it might take to stop the panic attacks? Are you also positive about this situation?

mayoclinic.org says:
"Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed. You fear an actual or anticipated situation, such as using public transportation, being in open or enclosed spaces, standing in line, or being in a crowd.

"The anxiety is caused by fear that there's no easy way to escape or get help if the anxiety intensifies. Most people who have agoraphobia develop it after having one or more panic attacks, causing them to worry about having another attack and avoid the places where it may happen again."

That's not difficult to understand. I had some of that when I was put on an old style anti-psychotic, Stelizine, but it was so bad it has been used in torture. I'm bipolar, but I was basically undiagnosed.

It caused me to have anxiety attacks, and I was concerned I would have one in a difficult situation, so I have had some experience with that. Where did your anxiety and anxiety attacks come from?

Did your anxiety come from a parent or a grandparent? It can skip a generation, as my bipolar did, it came from my mother's mother.

You say, "I've been on Zoloft for nearly 20 years. I still have panic attacks, but not any where close to the volume and intensity when I was first diagnosed. I was borderline agoraphobic."

Wonder why the medicine wasn't increased or changed to one that might better be able to stop anxiety attacks?

Have any new medicines been tried, or an increase in dosage?

Welcome Kellbo!
For your voting The question Won't give You the answer that you're looking for.

Everyone is differentSo with that in mind skills will help people differently.

I have C-PTSD

I use so many skills depending on what I'm dealing with on a certain dayThat I really cannot list them all.

I suggest you talk to your doctor or therapist and ask about DBT AND CBT
Skills.

The following are my go to skills for anxiety and panic attacks.
I use breathing and ice to calm my panic attacks.
Mine get pretty bad.

Most times I have a small cooler in my car with a gel pack in it

Breathing:

In breath thru nose. gentle slow 1 2 3
Hold 1 2
Out breath thru mouth. gentle slow 1 2 3 4

4- 5 times in a row
Longer exhale naturally calms your entire system

Holding ice
I use gel packs. Anything frozen will work

ASK PRESCRIBING DOC. The best place to apply for you.

I use side of neck. Wrists. Chest. Hold in hands till pain shoots up forearms

For me this quickly brings me down so I can think rationally ..

At the beginning of the forum at top
There is a thread containing help for just about anything for depression.
6 pages I think

This link has lots of helpful stuff to get thru the mire and muck!!
https://mindful.org

Keep posting. Talking about your situation helps. You are not alone. We understand and empathize 🤗😷