Suggest Treatment For Panic Attacks And Anxiety

Question: I have been suffering from a mental health condition beginning the XXXXXXX 2013, which causes panic attacks and anxiety. Throughout the summer of 2013, I endured varying degrees of difficulty with everyday functions of work and life. My first documented and known panic attack occurred on XXXXXXX 24, 2013; while I was at work. As a result of this attack, I immediately went to my vehicle and drove away from work and consulted a doctor, telephonically. I did not notify my employer that I was leaving and had no concrete explanation for not doing so. The next day, I spoke to a counselor and was advised to seek help from mental health professionals. I was usually not able to go out in public places and had been placed on short-term disability leave from my place of employment. On October 7, 2013, I was scheduled to return to work and attempted to do so; unsuccessfully. Again, I drove away from work and did not consult with my employer. I felt that it was due to severe anxiety about returning to work and was fearful that if I could not work, then I would not have the right to leave and escape my panic. I ultimately sought further treatment from an inpatient/outpatient mental health program; however, I was fearful about explaining my status to my employer, my friends and my family. In November 2013, I was discharged from employment for failure to provide notification about my whereabouts and communicate with them about my status. I did speak to representatives from my employer within a week of being terminated and tried explaining the situation - I had experienced a bad panic attack and sought to flee. This explanation was not sufficient. Here is my query: My behaviors displayed on XXXXXXX 24, 2013 as a result of a panic attack (which I can document that I suffered from at my place of employment), was quite similar; if not identical to, such behavior which existed on October 7, 2013. If I were able to drive away to the doctor (or home) and not immediately contact my employer on the first known date of my mental health issues; then it should be sufficient to believe that I was also able to do so on October 7, 2013. Is it in your opinion that my mental health disorder could, in fact; have had a substantial role in influencing such behavior? Could it be a safe assumption that most sufferers of panic attacks have feelings of detachment and unreality and that their thoughts and actions are not always that of most "reasonable" people?

Hi Dr. XXXXXXX I appreciate your response, greatly. Thank you so much! In response to your questions: 1. What was the exact diagnosis that was labelled for you in your discharge summary? -I'm not certain that I understand what your are asking. My discharge reason was given the term of misconduct. I failed to properly notify my employer of my absense from workon 10/7/2013. I spoke to them the following week and advised the case worker of my previous panic attack which prevented me from being able to work or function normally. I had been diagnosed as major depression (one episode) with panic. 2. The place where you work. Is it a private firm? -Yes, the place where I worked was a privately-owned company. 3. What was the response of your clarifications to your employer? -I responded that I had submitted documentation of my whereabouts and that I had suffered a severe episode of panic. I went to see my physician and he immediately prescribed Valium for me. Previous to 10/7/2013, I had only been taking Citalopram, buspar and Remeron/Tramadol for sleep. I did not sleep for concurrent days in the early onset of my panic symptoms. This also was the case during the week of 10/7/2013. Please let me know if there are any other details or information you need. Again, my most sincere thanks, XXXX

Dr. XXXXXXX I appreciate your kind words of wisdom regarding my issues. How could I possibly obtain a medical opinion about my specific case; i.e., the panic disorder and anxiety, along with my using Valium to treat it being a contributing factor in my behavior and disassociation of reality? Thanks and regards, XXXX

Dr. XXXXXXX If I am unable to make contact with my treating psychiatrist, then what would you suggest? She seemed to primarily have views that only medication could help me and that I probably should not have even been on a leave of absence from work in the first place. Thanks and regards, XXXX

I have done an initial consultation with employment legal staff and they are first working on looking at it from a possible wrongful termination case. On the other hand, I am still searching since 3 months time looking for any opportunity that I can to get myself back working. In filing for unemployment insurance benefits, I was denied. The reasoning for the termination was not properly communicating with and providing sufficient documentation on my leave status. In my state, that is considered misconduct; which is not eligible to receive benefits. I have appealed their decision and spoke frankly about this with legal advisor. He stated that if basically, I would need to bring forth more evidence - in the form of expert testimony or a psychological opinion statement. This would likely be the only chance at possibly being granted eligibility for unemployment benefits. Here is how the statutes form my state are listed: Subd. 5.Discharge defined. (a) A discharge from employment occurs when any words or actions by an employer would lead a reasonable employee to believe that the employer will no longer allow the employee to work for the employer in any capacity. A layoff because of lack of work is considered a discharge. A suspension from employment without pay of more than 30 calendar days is considered a discharge. (b) An employee who gives notice of intention to quit the employment and is not allowed by the employer to work the entire notice period is considered discharged from the employment as of the date the employer will no longer allow the employee to work. If the discharge occurs within 30 calendar days before the intended date of quitting, then, as of the intended date of quitting, the separation from employment is considered a quit from employment subject to subdivision 1. (c) The end of a job assignment with the client of a staffing service is considered a discharge from employment with the staffing service unless section 268.095, subdivision 2, paragraph (d), applies. Subd. 6.Employment misconduct defined. (a) Employment misconduct means any intentional, negligent, or indifferent conduct, on the job or off the job that displays clearly: (1) a serious violation of the standards of behavior the employer has the right to reasonably expect of the employee; or (2) a substantial lack of concern for the employment. (b) Regardless of paragraph (a), the following is not employment misconduct: (1) conduct that was a consequence of the applicant's mental illness or impairment; (2) conduct that was a consequence of the applicant's inefficiency or inadvertence; (3) simple unsatisfactory conduct; (4) conduct an average reasonable employee would have engaged in under the circumstances; (5) conduct that was a consequence of the applicant's inability or incapacity; (6) good faith errors in judgment if judgment was required; (7) absence because of illness or injury of the applicant, with proper notice to the employer; (8) absence, with proper notice to the employer, in order to provide necessary care because of the illness, injury, or disability of an immediate family member of the applicant; (9) conduct that was a consequence of the applicant's chemical dependency, unless the applicant was previously diagnosed chemically dependent or had treatment for chemical dependency, and since that diagnosis or treatment has failed to make consistent efforts to control the chemical dependency; or (10) conduct that was a consequence of the applicant, or an immediate family member of the applicant, being a victim of domestic abuse as defined under section 518B.01. Domestic abuse must be shown as provided for in subdivision 1, clause (9). (c) Regardless of paragraph (b), clause (9), conduct in violation of sections 169A.20, 169A.31, or 169A.50 to 169A.53 that interferes with or adversely affects the employment is employment misconduct. (d) If the conduct for which the applicant was discharged involved only a single incident, that is an important fact that must be considered in deciding whether the conduct rises to the level of employment misconduct under paragraph (a). This paragraph does not require that a determination under section 268.101 or decision under section 268.105 contain a specific acknowledgment or explanation that this paragraph was considered. (e) The definition of employment misconduct provided by this subdivision is exclusive and no other definition applies.

Dr. XXXXXXX Hello and thanks again for your response and great concern for me. Do you think it would be possible for you to summarize your opinion so that I may take it to psychiatry specialist here in the U.S. in order to help them to understand what message I am trying to relay? Thanks and regards, XXXX