Panic Disorder and Anxiety Treatment: How To Encourage Your Family Member

Panic Disorder therapy and anxiety treatment might be essential for your family member who has been a long time sufferer. But, how do you encourage them to seek help?

This can be a touchy subject. For one, your family member might be highly defensive around admitting there is a severe problem. Or even if they acknowledge their anxiety is a severe problem, they might be afraid to admit they need help. Seeking help is then the next challenge for those who are reluctant.

Getting the proper panic disorder help and anxiety treatment is vital if one wants to experience anxiety relief and live a life filled with more freedom. But it does take motivation to get better.

To encourage a family member who suffers with panic disorder or anxiety to seek help, here are a few recommendations:

1.) Share your concern about how their anxiety is effecting them

2.) Share how their anxiety is effecting you in a negative way (be sensitive, but direct)

3.) Express that it is difficult to support someone who isn't doing what it takes to get better.

3.) Be clear that you know it takes courage to get help, but that bravery is what is required to make that first step

4.) Let them know that expert help is available

Panic Disorder help and anxiety treatment are often required to experience anxiety relief and regain freedom. The road to improvement begins with the first step.

Follow these links for more on panic disorder and anxiety treatment

Anxiety Treatment Sought By Anchorwoman

Anxiety treatment was sought by anchorwoman Robin Meade who suffered with panic attacks for quite some time. Take a look by copying and pasting the link below in your browser:

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/arts/stories/2009/09/10/1A_ROBIN_MEADE_Q_A.ART_ART_09-10-09_D1_BEEVFD3.html?sid=101

One statement I hear often from anxiety sufferers when they first walk into my center for anxiety treatment is "Why me? No one else seems to have anxiety or panic attacks. I look around at all of these confident people and feel so weak."

This is a widely held false belief.

Millions of people suffer with anxiety. Just take a look at the statistics in any given year (check out one of my earlier blog post for specifics).

Now consider this anchorwoman. For those of you who have seen her, doesn't she always appear very confident and poised? Many would assume that she has never had anxiety - certainly not panic attacks. Well, clearly that's an incorrect assumption.

If you're suffering with panic attacks, you are not alone. You also are not weak. Being "weak" has nothing to do with it.

Also, don't assume that based on how someone appears, that they do not or have not suffered with anxiety.

And then, do what this well-known anchorwoman did - dispense with your shame and get some help.

Follow this link for more on panic attacks and anxiety treatment.

Phobia: Some very harmful effects

A Phobia can have some very harmful effects - if the appropriate treatment isn't sought and then completed, that is.

Take a look at this article about a man with a common swallowing/choking phobia that is withering away (just copy and paste the link below into your browser):

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/health/860872/man-withering-away-with-swallowing-phobia

I found the article's statement that "Mr Buckingham's condition has baffled doctors, dieticians and psychologists while his wife Debbie has watched him wither away" fascinating.

Why baffling?

There is no mystery here!! Mr. Buckingham has a PHOBIA.

And a common one at that.

I treat swallowing/choking phobia frequently at The April Center for Anxiety Attack Management - Los Angeles.

This man's struggle describes a common phobia: A scary or uncomfortable experience with an object, situation or event perceived as dangerous followed by an individual developing an irrational fear and then engaging in avoidance to protect oneself. The avoidance then leads to more anxiety and the reinforcement of fear.

It is a diagnosable anxiety disorder when the fear significantly interferes with life.

The more he continues to avoid eating, the more afraid of swallowing/choking he will become.

This man needs Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention. His phobia, like all phobias is extremely treatable. It is done gradually with specific strategies and techniques to build confidence and move towards desensitization.

A phobia can have some very harmful effects if not treated in a timely and appropriate manner.

Follow this link for more on treatment for a phobia and anxiety

Can Panic Disorder Be Preceded By Overwhelm?

Panic Disorder can be preceded by overwhelm.

Here is the typical sequence from which many initial panic attacks are derived:

Anxiety can often strike us when we feel overwhelmed. Especially if we are unaware of steadily increasing stressors.

When unaware of our stress load and lacking healthy coping methods, a strong adrenaline surge can follow - that old "fight or flight" experience. For many when this happens, unless one has the proper skills to handle it, a panic attack can follow.

If not handled quickly with awareness and specific strategies, more panic attacks can follow leading to Panic Disorder.

Panic Disorder is defined by at least a month of recurring unexpected panic attacks with a fear of having more, tendency to avoid situations or experiences where panic attacks have occurred leading to a lack of freedom, and an extreme concern about what the panic attacks might imply or result in (ex. loss of control, sanity, death).

The good news is none of the above has to happen if you are familiar with how to handle anxiety and those adrenaline surges - in addition to your stress level.

Follow this link for more on anxiety treatment for Panic Disorder

Anxiety Treatment May Be Your Most Important Choice Ever

Anxiety treatment is, stated very simply, about learning new cognitive and behavioral skills to assist in facing your fears.

Facing your fears can make all the difference in your life.

Why? Because fear is the cause of most of our struggles. When something internal is holding us back, you can bet it is fear. It can become a massive barrier towards seeking that which we desire and taking action. If we let it, fear can lead us to choose what we would rather not and avoid risk that could lead us to great reward.

In fact, I would venture to say that fear is the number one epidemic in this country.

What fears are holding you back from the life you want? Fear shuts down our freedom.

What is most fascinating is that most of our fears are not life threatening if we face them. Hence, it is reasonable to state that our fears are largely conditioned by our family of origin, our experiences, our culture, society, etc..

So, our fear often begins with false beliefs that we blindly follow - unless we seek help in gaining awareness with a focus on cognitive and behavioral change. This is the nature of anxiety treatment.

Anxiety treatment can make all the difference in your life and set you on a new path to great freedom and joy.

Follow this link for more on anxiety treatment

Panic Disorder : Why Continue to Suffer?

Panic Disorder is extremely treatable with CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy).

Unfortunately, for most panic attack and panic disorder sufferers, this is not common knowledge. This explains the panic disorder sufferers history, recent or longstanding, of trips to emergency rooms and to doctors trying to determine the physical/medical problem creating these symptoms. The general result of these hospital or medical doctor trips include lack of help, leaving even more perplexed than upon arrival, followed by frustration because the symptoms just won't go away.

And because panic attack symptoms tend to mimic real medical problems, the confusion continues. For example, chest pain, stomach problems, difficulty breathing, tingling hands, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, chills or sweating, etc. can all be associated with a number of medical issues and ailments.

Once determined that there is no medical condition, it is the time to get immediate help. Panic Disorder can be resolved!

Your panic attacks do not have to continue. In fact, progress with CBT can often be made in just a couple of sessions.

Follow this link for more on Panic Attack and Panic Disorder help

Anxiety: It's A Problem When?

Anxiety effects us all. In other words, anxiety is a normal part of life. Anxiety about career, family, the economy, a big exam, a date, etc. is part of being human.

But how do you know when anxiety is a problem?

Simple.

Anxiety is a problem when it interferes with your daily functioning.

Is anxiety inhibiting your life in any major way? Is it effecting your work, your family interactions, your level of freedom to do what you wish, your ability to focus, your happiness, your perspective, your confidence? Are your anxiety-related thoughts or behaviors time-consuming?

Although this requires evaluation, if anxiety is interfering with your life by inhibiting your daily functioning, you most likely have an anxiety disorder, such as Panic Disorder, OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), Phobia, Social Anxiety, Agoraphobia, etc..

When anxiety interferes with functioning, you most likely experience some degree of limited freedom. In other words, anxiety can shut down your life.

Follow this link for more on anxiety