Anyone who has ever had a panic attack will testify as to how distressing and life-changing they can be. Sometimes sufferers become so afraid of having attacks, that they begin to avoid situations where they might occur. This condition is known as agoraphobia. Fortunately, panic attacks and agoraphobia can be very effectively treated with cognitive-behavioral
My Overall Approach To Anxiety
Fear of Driving on Highways
Many people will go to great lengths to avoid driving on limited-access highways. The underlying fear is that they will have a panic attack, lose control of their vehicle, and cause an accident. Fortunately, many of the techniques of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which are used to treat panic attacks, are also quite effective in treating
Fear of Flying
The fear of flying is not a trivial problem. People have missed major family gatherings or passed up career opportunities just because it required flying. Fortunately, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be very effective in overcoming this problem. Atlanta psychologist, Dr. Stan Hibbs, has helped many individuals take their first flight in years.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Everyone worries from time to time. If we are dealing with financial, vocational, family, or health concerns, it is normal to experience some worry. However, when a person worries about almost everything and when the worry interferes with a person’s ability to function, we call it Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Fortunately, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has
Health Anxiety
If you pay close attention to your body, you will undoubtedly notice numerous aches, discomforts or other sensations. Most of us rarely notice these, and if we do notice them, we quickly dismiss them as normal. However, if you are prone to health anxiety, your attention is constantly focused on these sensations and you worry
Don’t Panic!
Does this ever happen to you? Out of nowhere, you experience a number of troubling physical symptoms. You heart begins to pound or you have difficulty breathing. You might experience chest pains or stomach upset. Perhaps you fear that you are dying or about to go crazy. Symptoms like these are often indications of a
Do What You’re Afraid to Do
Next weekend, I will be giving a presentation at a major conference in Nashville, TN. Since there will be 118 other presentations at this conference, along with dozens of major speakers, I didn’t expect too many people in my audience. I was content to be an obscure player in a very large production. However, last
Social Anxiety Disorder
Does being nervous or uncomfortable around other people keep you from doing things you want to do? Does being the center of attention make you feel nervous and self-conscious? Millions of Americans experience severe anxiety in a number of social situations. When such anxiety interferes with the quality of a person’s life, we call it