# Help & Understanding For Anxiety



## Guest (Jan 18, 2004)

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/info/help/anxiety/


> quote: If we are put under a lot of pressure, we may feel anxious and fearful for much of the time. We usually cope with these feelings because we know what is causing them and we know when the situation will end. For instance, most of us will feel very anxious before taking a driving test, but we can cope because we know that the feelings will disappear once the test is over.However, some of us have these feelings for much of the time without knowing what is causing them, and so not knowing when they might end. This is much harder to cope with and will usually need some help from somebody else. People will sometimes not want to ask for help because they think that people might think that they are 'mad'. In fact, people with anxiety and fears hardly ever have a serious mental illness. It's much better to get help as soon as you can rather than suffer in silence.People with anxiety and phobias may not talk about these feelings, even with family or close friends. Even so, it is usually obvious that things are not right. The sufferer will tend to look pale and tense, and may be easily startled by normal sounds such as a door-bell ringing or a car's horn. They will tend to be irritable and this can cause arguments with those close to them, especially if they do not understand why the sufferer feels that they cannot do certain things. AIthough friends and family can understand the distress caused by anxiety, they can find it difficult to live with, especially if the fears seem unreasonable.Talking about the problem This can help when the anxiety comes from recent knocks, like a spouse leaving, a child becoming ill or losing a job. Who should we talk to? Try friends or relatives who you trust, whose opinions you respect, and who are good listeners. They may have had the same problem themselves, or know someone else who has. As well as having the chance to talk, we may be able to find out how other people have coped with a similar problem.SeIf-help groups These are a good way of getting in touch with people with similar problems. They will both be able to understand what you are going through, but may be able to suggest helpful ways of coping. These groups may be focussed on anxieties and phobias, or may be made up of people who have been through similar experiences - women's groups, bereaved parent's groups, survivors of abuse groups.Learning to relax It can be a great help to learn a special way of relaxing, to help us control our anxiety and tension. We can learn these through groups, through professionals, but there are several books and videotapes we can use to teach ourselves. It's a good idea to practice this regularly, not just when we are in a crisis.Psychotherapy This is a more intensive talking treatment which can help us to understand and to come to terms with reasons for our anxieties that we may not have recognized ourselves. The treatment can take place in groups or individually and is usually weekly for several weeks or months. Psychotherapists may or may not be medically qualified.If this is not enough, there are several different kinds of professionals who may be able to help - the family doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, nurse or counsellor.Medication Drugs can play a part in the treatment of some people with anxiety or phobias.


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