While talking with members in our on-line Support Group at www.OneStepataTime.com last evening, it was obvious that while some had been making great progress in facing their fears and taking control of panic attacks, others were predictably stuck, unable to make significant progress.
Why do I say “ predictably “ stuck ? They were, in fact, so fearful of feeling any anxiety symptoms that there could be no progress. Now, some of the same individuals had made some progress in the past, where once housebound or equally paralyzed by their panic symptoms, they were now able to at least function within a small limited radius of their homes. Please, make no mistake, I am thrilled that they have learned some skills that allowed them to break free of some of their self-imposed paralysis, but they were again stuck, far below their potential and their desires to do more with their lives.
Why ? Because, in my opinion, they were motivated earlier to stretch because they felt they had little choice. They could have lost their jobs and any chance of a productive life, so the need to take steps forward was greater than the fear of symptoms. So, they did stretch enough to create a somewhat bigger comfort zone, one that was at least more tolerable. THEY DID SO, ONE STEP AT A TIME and usually while being guided by a therapist. But then, they fell into that thought pattern where that little voice said that was enough, they were comfortably-uncomfortable. Not yet where they really wanted to be, but better than they were, and besides, the more you do, the more people expect of you !
However, for others, they could put off pushing forward because….well, because they could. Maybe living at home with parents or having a spouse that worked, they could rationalize avoiding what needed to be done just a while longer, which sadly only weakens the chances for success. Maybe the idea of going on Disability was presented to them by weary family members or a frustrated therapist or primary care physician.
One primary issue that I stressed rather firmly last evening was that they were all still more focused on how they felt, on avoiding anxiety symptoms, and were still missing the greater issue, the true source for their anxieties. The majority of these individuals, and truly most of my clients, never allowed themselves to focus on why they were having panic attacks in the first place. There is, in almost all cases, a reason. After forty years in practice, and after resolving my own issues and panic attacks, I still see panic attacks as a reaction. A person has to look at their lives and see that when the anxiety symptoms first manifested, as easy as it is to focus entirely on how horrible the symptoms feel, there was something being experienced, some real issues or conflicts being denied or avoided, that stimulated the panic and got the ball rolling down hill.
One only needs to look at the conflicts that come with dealing with people, especially for those personalities that are more adapting and approval seeking, yes dependent on approval to feel worth and value, and perceive themselves as inadequate in conflicting situations. One of the individuals in group last evening said, upon reflection, “I was always a door mat “. So we learn to avoid ! And just how vulnerable and at risk does a person feel when they perceive a habit of avoiding ??? Avoidance causes us to not trust ourselves, it weakens our resolve and brings on more avoidance.
Therapy must focus on not only facing the anxiety symptoms and places one avoids because of panic attacks, but realize that the real issue is that there is an underlying pattern of avoidance when it comes to conflicting issues in our life, and that usually means even as a child or adolescent.
Listen please: There is no quick fix or ten easy steps. It is a commitment to hard work and soul-searching under the guidance of a therapist well-experienced in the area of panic attacks someone who really gets it !
I invite anyone reading this to join us in our free Support Group on Sunday evenings, at 9 PM ET.
I am including instructions to Join www.OneStepataTime.com and to enter the Support Group below.
If you are in therapy and do not feel you are making progress, you might discuss some of what I have shared above with your therapist.
Gene Benedetto, Psychologist / Coach
dba, The Benhaven Group. LLC
Blog: www.RuledByFear.com
Private Practice: www.BenhavenCounseling.com
Instructions for using OneStepataTime.com website and Chat Room for Support Groups:
Our On-Line Support Groups, 9 pm, ET, every Sunday evening. Come Join us !!!
If you are serious about making some needed CHANGES in your life, STOP AVOIDING and JOIN US….
First, Go to : www.OneStepataTime.com
Join and become a member…It’s Free and Anonymous !
For returning visitors, If you do not remember your ID and Password to enter the web site at www.OneStepataTime.com you can sign up again for a new basic free membership.
Sunday Evenings at 9 PM ET, will be entirely devoted to provide SUPPORT services for ALL members. This time will be used to answer questions, share experiences and discuss both progress made and challenges experienced as each of you confront your symptoms. Psychologist, Gene Benedetto will moderate this Support Group.
How to Log-on to Chat Software
You will need to use either Mozilla Firefox, Chrome or Safari to use the chat room since Internet Explorer will not support the Chat Server.
Once you are a Basic Free Member and want to enter the Support Group on line, here are the steps you should take.
Log on to our site at www.OneStepataTime.com using Firefox, Chrome or Safari.
Sign in using your User ID and Password
Click on Support Group
Click on Enter. You will now see a log in page for the Chat Room.
DO NOT click on “Login as Member”. You will “Log in as Guest”
Enter a User ID…whatever you want to be seen as, [no password is needed]
The Chat Blazer Sign-in page will load and you will see your choice of Support Group and Private Coaching Room and Workshop Room.
Highlight the Support Group…and you are in!!!!
It is easy to avoid making progress when fear is taking control. Fear can be extremely paralyzing; so much so that even more fear builds because of the horrible thought of experiencing it again. However, there will undoubtably be times when the chance to make progress presents ourselves. It is completely understandable to at times not feel as if one can face their fears, but sometimes it is essential to try and that way, you can prove to yourself that you CAN succeed.