Anxiety Coaching

Greetings,

            This Newsletter is for those of us who suffer from anxiety and are ready to do something about it.

            I decided to write this article because I too suffered from extremely debilitating anxiety and found my way out to a life that I chose. That is not to say that I never feel anxious, or that I am happy all of the time. However, now I live a wonderful life on my terms. If there is something I want to do, I use the skills I have learned along the way until I am able to not only take that flight, or drive with those people, (or whatever it happens to be), but actually have a good time doing it.

  Come to find out, conquering anxiety is not accomplished by finding that one magic thing, that Silver Bullet. Some of us imagine that it may come in the form of a pill, or by healing some past hurt, but I promise you that your recovery will not look like this. Rather it is a process of learning about what anxiety is, finding the right attitude, and developing your personal "toolkit." Your toolkit will be a handful of simple techniques and behaviors that work for you. Each person's toolkit may look similar to someone else's, but its details will be unique to you.

            My goal is simple: Share what I have learned with as many people as possible. This newsletter is only one of the ways that I do this. I have group meetings every week, I see clients privately, and I also do consulting over the phone. It is a joy for me to help people from all over the globe. If you want to get started on a program right away I have a special way for people to get to know me and see if I am someone they would like to work with. I now offer a free initial consult over the phone. When it comes to finding the right help I found that you know pretty quickly when you've found the right person.

Stop Hiding and Start Living

     Those of us that struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, social phobias, and other similar issues continually feel that we are one of the few people suffering with these symptoms. This is a lie! And this is a lie that comes with great a great cost. The reality is that anxiety is of the most common disorders in our country today. To be very conservative, we could put the number at one in ten. That means that one out of every ten cars that pass you on the road everyday has someone in it that struggles as much as you do. The reality is that if we include those who use drugs and alcohol to cover up their symptoms, those who use repetitive behavior to cope (OCD), as well as those who have sought help and are currently using prescription dugs, the number would probably be one in three.

If you doubt this, there are a number of things you can do to shed a little more light on the subject. First, do a web search for celebrities with anxiety, I promise you that the list is long. Second, notice how many ads there are for medications that treat symptoms of psychological disorders. Third, ask yourself: How would people know just by passing by me that I feel the way that I do? How would I know if someone else is struggling just like me?

The reality is that most of us have become so good at keeping our anxiety a secret that people would be amazed to find out. Much in the same way that you would be amazed to know how many people around you suffer just like you do.

Keeping this secret comes at a great cost to our psychological well-being, and ironically is a significant factor that contributes to our anxiety. The best way out is to quit keeping this a secret. Find someone that you already trust and try it out, tell them how you struggle. I guarantee you that their response will look nothing like what your worst fears are telling you it will be. In fact, don't be surprised if they tell you that they suffer like you do, or know someone who does, or love someone who does.

If you had asthma you would have little trouble telling others of your condition and asking for their understanding of your limitations. The reality is that as disorders go, asthma and anxiety are nearly exactly the same. Both require some combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Both can be treated with medication, as well as diet, exercise, and breathing exercises. Both, when having an acute attack, can be treated with fast acting medications, and/or meditation, visualizations, and breathing technique. (Ironically, the asthmatic can be given adrenaline to stop the attack, while the person with anxiety is getting too much adrenaline.)    Unfortunately for those of us who have anxiety we tend to stigmatize our disorder while we have no such judgment for the asthmatic. It is time to quit trying to hide, and start asking for help. There are many, many people who have struggled with anxiety but are now living a happy and productive life. I am one of those people, and I take great joy in sharing with others the strategies and attitudes that can help everyone live a life of their choosing.

Even if you forget everything that you have just read, please, if you or someone you love struggles with anxiety: YOU ARE NOT ALONE, AND YOU DON'T NEED TO GO THROUGH THIS ALONE.