Embracing the fear: learning to manage anxiety and panic attacks

285 Pages·1994·0.77 MB·English

by  Judith Bemis

Embracing the Fear : Learning to Manage
title:
Anxiety and Panic Attacks
author: Bemis, Judith.; Barrada, Amr.
publisher: Hazelden Publishing
isbn10 | asin: 089486971X
print isbn13: 9780894869716
ebook isbn13: 9780585171869
language: English
subject Fear, Anxiety, Panic attacks.
publication date: 1994
lcc: BF575.F2B37 1994eb
ddc: 616.85/223
subject: Fear, Anxiety, Panic attacks.
Page i
Embracing The Fear
Page ii
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Judith Bemis, a recovered agoraphobic, holds a B.S. in Education
from the University of Minnesota and did post-graduate work at
Michigan State University in East Lansing. An educator for over
twenty-five years, she has also worked as a consultant to Abbott-
Northwestern Hospital's Behavioral Medicine Clinic in Minneapolis.
She is founder and director of the Open Door, a network of support
groups for people with agoraphobia and other anxiety disorders.
A. Barrada is a recovered agoraphobic and a psychotherapist. He has a
Ph.D. in English and Linguistics from the University of MInnesota. In
the mid-seventies he suffered from a severe case of agoraphobia and
for a while he was virtually housebound. After his recovery, his
therapist hired him as an assistant, and for two years he worked with
people suffering from phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Since 1982 he has been employed by the Behavioral Medicine Clinic
at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. In 1989 he began a
Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at the Fielding Institute,
earning his master's degree in Clinical Psychology from the Institute
in June 1991.
Page iii
Embracing The Fear
Learning to Manage Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Judith Bemis
Amr Barrada
HAZELDEN
INFORMATION & EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
Page iv
Hazelden
Center City, Minnesota 55012-0176
©1994 by Judith Bemis and Amr Barrada
All rights reserved. Published 1994
Printed in the United States of America
No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any manner
without the written permission of the publisher
Library of Congress Cataloging In Publication Data
Bemis, Judith.
Embracing the fear: learning to manage anxiety and panic attacks
/ by Judith Bemis and Amr Barrada.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-89486-971-X :$10.00
1. Fear 2. Anxiety. 3. Panic attacks. 1. Barrada, Amr.
II. Title.
BF575.F2B37 1994
616.85'223dc20 94-131
CIP
All quotes and personal stories within this book are those of real men
and women who have struggled with anxiety or panic disorders.
Unless otherwise noted, all names and identifying details have been
changed in order to protect the person's anonymity.
Note to the reader from the authors
This book is not meant to substitute for therapy for people with
anxiety or panic disorders. We encourage readers to see these ideas as
suggestions that we have found helpful, but not as instructions that
must be followed without question. We also encourage readers who
have had personal difficulty with anxiety to seek the help of a
qualified therapist.
This book is printed in Goudy and Frutiger Light
Page v
A small child approached me one day clutching a bouquet of flowers.
"This is for my mother," she said, and I found myself wishing that I
could do the same.
And so, this is my bouquet of time, commitment, and caring,
dedicated in loving memory of my mother,
Dorothy Mae Faulkner.
J.B.
To Mimi
A.B.
Page vi
CONTENTS
Dedication v
Acknowledgements and Preface viii
Epigraph x
Part 1The Problem: Fear of Fear
The Anxiety Disorders 3
What Causes Anxiety Disorders? 5
Anxiety Disorders and Alcohol 10
Gaining a New Perspective 11
What Is Recovery? 12
Part 2The Solution: A Cognitive Approach
Introduction to the Program 17
Managing Our Anxiety 17
Listening to Our Inner Dialogue 22
Lifestyle Awareness 23
The Fourteen Strategies
Strategy 1: Accepting Our Anxiety Disorder 26
Strategy 2: Practicing a Self-Nurturing Inner Dialogue 31
Strategy 3: Allowing the Sensations of Anxiety or Panic 36
Strategy 4: Slowing Down 41
Strategy 5: Letting Go of Control 46
Strategy 6: Taking Risks 51
Strategy 7: Allowing Catastrophic Thoughts 56
Strategy 8: Learning and Talking About Our Anxiety 61
Disorder
Strategy 9: Keeping Our Expectations Low 66
Strategy 10: Accepting Setbacks 70
Strategy 11: Taking the Time Limit Out of Recovery 75
Strategy 12: No Longer Anticipating Panic Attacks 79
Strategy 13: Recognizing Our Inner Strength 84
Strategy 14: Reaching Out to Others 88
Page vii
Part 3Integration: Taking Risks
Putting the Program to Work 94
Going to Church 96
Going to the Dentist 98
Going to the Supermarket 100
Going to the Hair Salon 102
Shopping at the Mall 104
Going to a Restaurant 106
Going to the Theater, Concerts, or Large Group Events 108
Going to a Social Event or Party 111
Going to Work, to a Conference, or on a Job Interview 114
Driving Alone 117
Riding on a Bus, in a Van, or in a Carpool 119
Driving on the Expressway 121
Taking a Trip 124
Flying the Unfriendly Skies 127
Conclusion 130
Part 4Appendix
Some Thoughts on Self-Care 135
Organizing an Anxiety/Panic Support Group 140
Bibliography and Suggested Reading 146