Surviving Panic Disorder

Panic Disorders are characterized by sudden, inexplicable feelings of terror. People fear that they are going crazy, losing control or on the verge of death. Because panic attacks appear "out of the blue" they often produce a companion state of persistent worry about when the next attack might occur. Left untreated it it can become disabling and limits the enjoyment of life.

Stuart Shipko, M.D. is a board certified psychiatrist in private practice in Pasadena, CA who has treated thousands of patients with panic disorder. Dr. Shipko has published original research relating panic disorder to abnormalities of bile flow that cause associated heartburn and sinusitis. With his extensive experience dr. Shipko provides practical advice and effective treatment strategies.

I have been practicing psychiatry for over 40 years.

My interest in panic disorder stems from my experience as an emergency room physician, where I saw a lot of panic attacks that simulated heart attacks and other physical conditions. In the late 90's I started a website called the Panic Disorders Institute where I, and a group of informed patients with panic disorder, shared information. This multiplied my understanding and knowledge of panic disorder. The information in Surviving Panic Disorder is the information that people are seeking when seen for an initial consultation.

My interest in problems with stopping Xanax and my observation of the numerous side effects and withdrawal effects of the SSRI antidepressants prompted me to share my experiences in Xanax Withdrawal and Informed Consent for SSRI Antidepressants. Xanax withdrawal gives good general information about stopping the drug or other short term benzodiazepines such as Ativan and Klonopin. Anyone considering starting or stopping a SSRI should take the time to read the book on informed consent.

Standing Still and Looking Back: a Memoir is a labor of love. All memoir is, to some extent, psychotherapy. With the start of the pandemic I found myself with time on my hands. Initially it started out as a pandemic diary, but as I wrote I began to reflect on my long career, particularly experiences that I had early in my career in faith healing. Unlike my other books it is not a self help book. I hope you find it a good read!