Life Anxiety with Panic

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Answer:

In this example I will call this individual Steve (of course never revealing someone’s true identity).  I am reminded of a phrase I heard a while back called “life anxiety”.  I think that this aptly captures what many sufferers fear (myself previously included) which is a life of anxiety. 

Fortunately it is very possible to address this fear through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and a life of anxiety does not have to be your destiny.

I want to analyze the thoughts behind Steve’s above statement to locate the cognitive distortions present.  Then 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 it.  You see instead Steve can actually look at the situation more positively.
 
Steve indicates that no one is aware of his problem – referring to his anxiety and panic attacks – and I suspect agoraphobia too.  If it’s truly the case that no one is aware of Steve’s problem, then it is one less thing to be worried about. 

Think about this for a moment….

Many sufferers often worry what other people are thinking about them. 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 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 stating you’re feeling anxious whether you’re having performance anxiety or any type of anxiety, simply stating this can make you feel better.

I saw a perfect example at an oral presentation one time… 

The speaker lost her place but was up front and said so.  She took a moment to regain her place and move on. Those watching did not see this as a major ordeal at all.  Later she told me that she became quite nervous when she first lost her place.  However once she identified and dealt with the problem her anxiety had dissipated.  This is very common.  Remember you are never stuck in one perspective or one way of dealing with a situation.
 
If you are anxious and admit this then you feel better because you are not pretending to be something you’re not (which at the moment is someone who’s not anxious!).  People generally will see you as more realistic and approachable and genuine when you’re honest about things such as this.  They will likely more readily identify with you.  Whenever “life anxiety” comes up, you don’t need to pretend it’s not there.  You’re not stuck.
 
Now let’s look at 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 sp
 
Okay, welcome back (I hope you have really given this a try yourself)
 
If you guessed that the following distortions are present then 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 think the phrase life anxiety is so apt).  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 or go to see people because I’m waiting for the next attack.  Clearly Steve is predicting that he’ll have another attack if he goes into an open space or goes to a place where people are.  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 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 utilize the techniques he is learning to feel better.
 
Just because Steve may have 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 it 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.

Life anxiety really means any anxiety you encounter in life.  Everyone encounters such anxiety.  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 life anxiety.
 
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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