In this article, we discuss a way to deal with the question “Why do I have anxiety attacks?”

Question: “Is there a way to get rid of them or does one have to get used to them? The problem is that it is a handicap that no one can see and life is just waiting for the next attack, which leads me to avoid people and open spaces, some periods it can be easier, so my question is: would it be smart to go back in life like in psychotherapy?”

Answer:

In this example I will call this individual Steve (of course never revealing someone’s true identity). Steve’s question reminded of what someone told me a while back. This person said “I have anxiety Attacks … which are ruining my life”. I think that this aptly captures what many sufferers feel at times. It is definitely lurking in the background of Steve’s thoughts.

However asking “Why do I have panic attacks?” does not have to be your destiny

Fortunately it is very possible to address this fear through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. By analyzing Steve’s questions we can locate the cognitive distortions present in his thinking. Then we can substitute healthier thoughts in their place.

The key points of the statement are:

“…the problem is that it is a handicap that no one can see…”
“…life is just waiting for the next attack, which leads me to avoid people and open spaces…”

Let’s deal with one at a time.

The first thought that “…the problem is that it is a handicap that no one can see…” might not be considered a distortion but it’s important to work with this thought a little more. Steve can actually look at the situation more accurately. Let me explain.

Steve indicates that no one is aware of his problem – but this is not necessarilly a bad thing at all.

However…think about this for a moment….

Many sufferers often worry what other people are thinking about them. But if no one is aware of the problem, then others’ perceptions are not a concern.

Another important point here: For every fearful or negative thought causing anxiety and panic attacks, there always is an alternative, healthier thought. You don’t have to be stuck in one perspective.

Consider the alternative to no one knowing about Steve’s anxiety for instance. If Steve wants more people to know how he’s feeling then he has the option of simply telling them. For many people this can be very freeing. Think about yourself when you’re feeling anxious. By sharing that you’re feeling anxious, when you are feeling anxious, can make you feel better.

I saw a perfect example of this during an oral presentation one time…

The speaker was in the middle of her presentation but suddenly she lost her place. Instead of freezing up or doing something that would make her feel more awkward, she was completely honest and told everyone that she had lost her place. She explained that she would take a moment to regain her place and move on. Those in the audience did not see this as a major ordeal at all. Later she shared with me that she had become quite nervous when she first lost her place. However once she identified and dealt with the problem, she felt that her anxiety had dissipated. This is very common. Remember you are never have to be stuck in one perspective or one way of dealing with a situation.

So rather than perhaps feeling “anxiety is ruining my life” you have a very practical alternative.

Let’s keep going with Steve’s second statement…

First, I recommend that you look at the list of cognitive distortions and then try to locate what possible distortions might be present in Steve’s thinking before continuing to read directly below.
Hint: There is more than one distortion present. Once you’ve done this, write them down or type them out and then come back to this place.

Okay, welcome back (I hope you have really given this a try yourself)

If you wrote down the following distortions you’re right:
1. Overgeneralization;
2. Jumping to Conclusions – Fortune Telling

I’ll now discuss specifically how each distortion is present and then look at some alternative, more realistic thoughts.

1. Overgeneralization – Steve’s statement starts out “life is just…” Clearly Steve is making a generalization about his entire life (again why I was reminded of the phrase “anxiety is ruining my life”). This is clearly an overgeneralization. Such generalizations generally do not hold up in real life though.

2. Jumping to Conclusions – Fortune Telling – Notice that Steve’s statement finishes “…waiting for the next attack, which leads me to avoid people and open spaces…” This is significant because the thought lurking in the background is that he can’t go to open spaces because he fears the next attack. Clearly Steve is predicting that he’ll have another attack if he goes into an open space with people. This is not necessarily the case though.

Now try to generate some alternative, more accurate thoughts to substitute in place of the ones containing distortions.

Again, before reading on, try to generate some alternatives on your own. Once you’ve done this, write them down or type them out and then come back to this spot.

Okay…here are some alternatives:

Just because at the present time Steve feels that panic and anxiety, these things are not the only thing he has in life. He no doubt has other things/interests in his life.

He may be anxious at present, but over time he can continue to work on his thoughts with CBT and start to feel better.

Just because Steve had an attack or feared an attack coming on when he went into a place that contained a lot of people or a lot of open space does mean it will happen again.

While he may feel anxious it does not mean for sure he’ll have an attack any time he goes out.

Please know that anxiety is not something that is ruining your life. Everyone encounters anxiety in life. The difference with someone who learns cognitive behavioral therapy and someone who does not, is that the person with a cognitive behavioral therapy skillset has a very effective means to approach anxiety.

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Reference (“I have Anxiety Attacks”)

1. S. Ankrom. How Do I Choose a Therapist? Tips for Choosing a Therapist That’s Right for You.
Retrieved November 3, 2010 from About.com website:
http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/treatments/a/ChooseaTherap.htm