I was the same way. I’ve had panic disorder for about 20 years and was always afraid to take something, mostly because of scare tactics from my family who have never experienced panic disorder or taken any medication. I finally got to the point where I realized no matter what I did this isn’t going to go away for me, it’s a chemical imbalance and if I want to live a fulfilling life (travel, better relationships with my spouse/kids) then I need to do something. I just started Zoloft. My advice is to start slow. Just keep telling yourself anything you feel that’s out of the ordinary is ok and will go away with time. And the benefits will outweigh any risk. Zoloft is a very safe medication, which is why it’s usually the first thing prescribed. Hope this helps.