My son is 15 and a sophmore in high school.  While he is more introverted and timid, he's never had extreme anxiety above what kids normally experience growing up.  This year he has had 7-10 days long anxiety attacks (not panic attacks) that happen every 5-6 weeks.  In between episodes, he's fine and says he doesn't have any anxiety.  The attacks come on gradually and he says he can feel it coming on.  It starts with him not being able to go to sleep at night, then after a couple of days it balloons into a full anxiety attack that stays for several. days then tapers down.  Then he's "normal" and functioning again.  During the full blown portion of the attacks he can't function or go to school or concentrate - and sometimes can't even urinate.  We started counseling and finally got in to see a psychiatrist (but only got 90 minutes).  He started an antidepressant several months ago.  It helped his mood, but the anxiety attacks have still reoccurred every 6 weeks like clockwork.  This last attack happened 2 days after the therapist was ready to step back seeing him every other week or whenever we needed it.  She thought he was doing just fine.  Then it just came back out of the blue.  Can anxiety attacks (not panic attacks) occur cyclically?  In someone who is normally fine, then come on for a week then off again? ... View more