Questions and Answers about Anxiety Disorders

by Shirley Babior, LCSW, MFT
Center for Anxiety and Stress Treatment

QUESTION: What is an anxiety attack? What do you mean by that term?

* An anxiety attack affects your body, your mind, and your behavior. During an attack, you become worried and anxious about something you believe will be dangerous in the future. Then your body and mind become focused on this fear.

* You may have physical sensations such as tension, shakiness, stomach distress, or sweating.

* You may find it difficult to stop worrying about this future danger that you are afraid will occur. If you are worried about certain themes such as your health or the well-being of loved ones, it may be hard to focus on anything else.

* Focusing on these concerns, you may prepare yourself either by avoiding certain places and activities, by constantly checking to make sure you are safe, or by procrastinating because your excess worry is blocking concentration.

* The diagnostic manual that mental health professionals use categorizes worried thoughts and gives names to the condition associated with these thoughts. People with social phobias, for instance, fear being embarrassed in social situations. People with a generalized anxiety disorder often worry about issues such as health, physical danger, losing their job, and financial problems.

This article taken from Working with Groups to Overcome Panic, Anxiety and Phobias, Babior, and Goldman ($29.95, including shipping and handling).
You can order this group leader's manual along with our other panic/anxiety products on-line.

You can place your order by Credit Card on our CONFIDENTIAL phone or fax line 24 hours a day or send E-mail. You can also make your check or money order to Stress Release Health Enterprises and mail to:

Shirley Babior, LCSW, MFT
Counseling and Consultation Available at:
3252 Holiday Court, Suite 220
La Jolla, CA 92037
(near I-5 and La Village Drive)
and:
4295 Ibis St.
San Diego, CA 92103

Tel: (619) 542-0536
Fax:   (619) 542-0154

Copyright © 1996-2006, Center for Anxiety and Stress Treatment / Stress Release Health Enterprises. www.stressrelease.com - All Rights Reserved.