Aussie,

I am very glad to see that you have already received lots of good advice. I am somewhat reluctant to offer much more - you know, something about too many cooks spoiling . . . but it seems like I just can't resist.

In the past, I often recommended seeing a professional therapist (I am a Clinical Psychologist by profession but not currently practicing) - not because anxiety is a "serious problem," but because psychotherapy was often useful. That is still true, however, I now am more likely to recommend something in the area of what is loosely called energy psychology (EP) or sometimes called mind-body work.

In short, a practitioner trained in such things (can be and often is a therapist) starts from the assumption that the mind and body (and usually spirit or soul) are not at all separate but really manifestations of a complex and interactive system in which the parts are inseparable from the whole. Techniques that are grounded in this belief involve some work with the body as well as the mind. Such bodywork does not necessarily involve touch at all.

I am not sure what is available in your area but here are examples of 2 commonly used methods. In my opinion, both are excellent, and importantly are extremely low risk (I would like to say no risk but am being very, very careful). The first is mindfulness meditation which I practice myself. While it can be learned from a book, I would strongly recommend some initial group instruction.

The other is called Somatic Experiencing (SE). This technique does use a practitioner. When a skilled practitioner is involved, very significant and sometimes dramatic changes are possible.

Also, SE and other EP techniques can teach you very quick things to do to help when anxiety flares up. Breathing and other simple actions are the core of these types of "band-aids."

Just a word about the Valium - since you report feeling very tired, Valium is not a good choice. I would be much more concerned about that effect than the danger of addiction (although that is also very real). If you need some temporary use of a medication, I hope you will discuss it further with your doc. BTW, folks are often unaware of how tiring it can be to go through recurring anxiety and/or panic attacks. It takes a lot of you. One of the huge benefits of the other techniques is that they promote increased energy rather than further depleting it.

good luck.

rfinney