<p>“if it means a long term odyssey of meds and side effects, and withdrawals, then that is more troubling. But, if she is going to end up with meds, I would rather she get that figured out now, than wait until she is trying to deal with college.”</p>
<p>She certainly should get it figured out now, not only because of the stresses of college, but because the usual course of panic disorder is to get worse over time (with a cycle of two steps forward, three back). It is best treated aggressively when it has not yet become paralyzing.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by withdrawals. If you are just talking about tapering on and off of a medication, that is standard for most psychiatric meds. If you are talking about withdrawal symptoms like opiate users get, some medications for anxiety, including antidepressants used to treat panic, are not habit-forming and can be tapered on and off with no experience of withdrawal. Others (benzodiazepines like xanax and ativan) can be habit-forming and have to be withdrawn with more care after daily use. dg44 is right that some trial and error is often necessary. It is essential to find a psychiatrist who has experience with adolescents as well as the ability to make you feel comfortable. </p>
<p>I think it’s worth asking yourself if you would be equally reluctant to try medication if your daughter had a condition like endometriosis or arthritis. Would you have this much concern about the possibility that she might need medication in the long term? Or would you just be happy to find a medicine that works well with minimal side effects?</p>
<p>Good luck to you and your daughter. I’ve been there and (eventually) out the other side.</p>