By the time a person comes in to see me, they are usually pretty scared and confused about anxiety and panic. Most think their panic is coming out of nowhere, just happening to (or attacking) them. Through our collaborative work, early on it becomes very clear that there has been a build up of stress or major life stresses over time for the client, which is natural and normal (more than you think!). The onset of anxiety or panic does not necessarily occur immediately following a major life stress.

Major life stresses range from a death in a family, illnesses, drug use, divorce, financial difficulties, job loss, traffic accident, sports injuries, even allergic reactions to medications. There is no one cause for anxiety.

In the case of built-up stress, the first attack can and mostly does occur when there seems to be no obvious trigger. The victim might be doing something mundane like driving or watching TV. For example, one of my clients (a very successful businessman and athlete in his 60s) was driving to his beach place, which he did frequently for years, and all of a sudden he experienced dizziness and shortness of breath. He thought he was having a heart attack (which many people think is truly happening to them). He pulled off the road and his wife got in the driver’s seat and took him to the nearest hospital where he was diagnosed with vertigo. The symptoms didn’t get better over time, so he came to see me. We discovered over a few visits he had experienced anxiety and stress most of his life. He had learned to suppress it and over time it festered. Through our work together, he has been able to address the stressors in his life, and is presently doing much better and living life to the fullest.

This is typical of what I see with panic and anxiety. Most of my clients are high functioning people that just get good at pushing their feelings aside until they fester enough to turn into something more serious like a panic attack. Often anxiety runs in families, so if you grow up with an anxious mother or father, very early on you are learning to develop anxiety yourself. Children who are constantly taught or shown anxiety or who grow up in an abusive home will often develop anxiety or depression.

You can learn how to cope with the stress in your life. Learn new tools and techniques with a safe guide. The CDs I recommend for anxiety are Stay Calm and Stay Confident. One set is designed for you to listen to in a comfortable place when you can just drift off and relax to the music and suggestions. The other set is designed with repeated suggestions that help you and your brain to stay focused on what you want. Repeated listening is the key to consistent change.

See my CD catalog for these self-guided tools, and consider setting up an appointment with me today so you can be well your way to handling stress in a healthy way.

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