Community Magazine December 2012

Stop the Cycle If you are experiencing crippling anxiety, there are four different approaches that you can take to make your life more manageable and enjoyable. Each model is based on different scientific or psychological theories: The Cognitive Approach: The way you think influences the way you feel. If you have a fear of heights and are walking on a bridge over the ocean, you might be saying to yourself, “I’m so high up. I’m going to fall. From this high up, I will surely die.” Because of this inner monologue, you will surely experience anxiety. The cognitive approach centers on changing your thinking, as it is not the height of the bridge that causes the anxiety, but rather the way you are thinking. Once you change your thinking, you can change your feelings. The Exposure Model: Avoidance is the cause of all anxiety. You feel anxious because you are avoiding the object of your fears. If you face that object and confront that fear, you’ll defeat it. In essence, you are telling your fear, “Go ahead, take your best shot. I’m not afraid of you anymore!” The Hidden Emotion Model: People who are prone to anxiety fear conflict and negative feelings, and therefore hide their true feelings in order to avoid these destructive emotions. When you expose the hidden feelings instead of bottling them up inside, you will be able to solve those problems and help dissolve the anxiety. The Medical Model : Some doctors believe that anxiety is hereditary and arises when there is an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, a condition that can be treated with medication. These medications are often effective in relieving anxiety, but the downside is that you only feel the effects of the drug when you are taking it. “Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” - Glenn Turner Who doesn’t know what it is like to feel nervous? Our children might feel anxious about their first day of school or going to a friend’s house for the first time. As they grow, they might be nervous landing the right career. As adults, we might feel butterflies in our stomachs on the first day of a new job or when buying our first house. All of these anxieties are normal, and a natural part of development. But how much worrying is too much? When do nerves transform into anxiety? In his book, When Panic Attacks , David Burns, explains that there are several different forms of anxiety that can impair everyday functioning. More importantly, he describes some of the ways that anxiety can be overcome so that sufferers can enjoy life instead of worrying about it. Mrs. Rifka Schonfeld, founder and director of the SOS program, is an educator and educational consultant with specialization as a keriah and reading coach. Serving the Jewish community for close to 30 years, she has experience providing evaluations, G.E.D. preparation, social skills training and shidduch coaching, focusing on building self- esteem and self-awareness. When Panic Attacks RIFKA SCHONFELD The Primary Forms of Anxiety • Fears and phobias. People have different phobias: the fear of blood, needles, heights, or planes. These are anxieties that are specific to a location or object and rarely extend beyond these particular situations. • Chronic worrying. This type of anxiety encompasses all areas of a person’s life. They worry about their families, health, careers, and finances. They constantly feel anxious and as if a bad thing is going to happen, but they cannot figure out exactly what the problem is. • Performance anxiety. This type of anxiety kicks in during important events, such as tests, performances, or athletic competitions. No matter how prepared and talented, people with performance anxiety may simply freeze up when asked to perform. • Public speaking anxiety. Many people experience fear when speaking in front of a group, but those with performance anxiety tell themselves, “My voice will start to crack. I will forget my train of thought.” They work themselves up into a frenzy beforehand. • Panic attacks. Those who experience this form of anxiety face sudden and terrifying attacks that seemingly come out of nowhere. They feel dizzy, their heart pounds, and their fingers tingle. Before they know it, that feeling disappears, leaving them frightened and confused. They cannot understand where the attack came from, and cannot predict when it will return. • Obsessions and compulsions. In order to control their fears, people with obsessions and compulsions perform “rituals.” They might feel an excessive need to wash their hands or the necessity to check the locks on the doors ten times a night. • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). People with PTSD experienced horrific events in their past and are haunted by memories of that event. These troubling thoughts can surface at any time and paralyze the sufferer. • Hypochondria. People who believe they are always sick and go from doctor to doctor complaining of aches and pains, with no genuine diagnosis, might feel better for a few days after a doctor’s visit. However, several days later they will begin to become anxious again, believing with certainty that there is something seriously wrong with their health. insights into education 52 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE