| If the '20's were known as "Roaring," the '60's | | | | "ghost" was only some sheets "Grandma" hung |
| were about "Flower Power," and the '80's were | | | | outside to dry that are now flapping in the |
| the "Me Generation," then the 2000's will go down | | | | breeze, it will send a message to the amygdala to |
| as the "Age of Anxiety." Even the June 10, 2002 | | | | "stand down." The only problem with the system |
| cover of TIME Magazine is entitled: "Understanding | | | | is that the Fear switch is much easier to turn on |
| Anxiety: Now more than ever, we are worrying | | | | than it is to turn off. In fact, what scientists are |
| ourselves sick!" It's true! About a third of my | | | | beginning to learn is that some people have |
| practice deals with what I am required by Texas | | | | switches that are stuck in the "on" position |
| State Law to refer to as "habitual worry." (The | | | | (namely chronic sufferers from anxiety disorders, |
| term "anxiety" is reserved for the medical | | | | like panic attacks, generalized anxiety, phobias, and |
| profession... or preachers or lawyers!?) | | | | obsessive-compulsive disorder to name a few.) |
| The TIME article goes on to state: (1) We live in a | | | | So what can you do if you're one of those people |
| particularly anxious age. (2) Eight months after the | | | | who suffer from "excessive fear and worry?" |
| 9/11 crisis nearly two-thirds of Americans still | | | | First, if you're reading this magazine, you're |
| think about the attack several times per week. | | | | probably not interested in a pharmaceutical |
| (3) Nineteen million Americans are affected by | | | | approach. At best, anti-anxiety medications can |
| anxiety disorders, but less than 25 percent ever | | | | help you temporarily while you rebuild your |
| seek treatment. My own theory about why so | | | | adrenals and the rest of your coping mechanism. |
| few seek help stems from the comments I hear | | | | If you do decide to try pharmaceuticals, be sure |
| from those who do show up, like "Oh, thank God! | | | | to ask your physician lots of questions, and I |
| (when I tell them they are not alone) "I thought I | | | | recommend reading the drug section of The |
| was going crazy!" Why are we as a nation so | | | | Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, by Edmund J. |
| scared? And what can we do about it? | | | | Bourne, Ph.D. Many of these drugs have serious |
| First things, first. I believe a number of factors | | | | side effects and some are highly addictive. |
| play into the "excessive worry" epidemic. We are | | | | From what I've seen, what works best for each |
| literally overloaded, bombarded, with information | | | | person is highly individualized. So, I usually suggest |
| daily. This "information crush" has the effect of | | | | a multiple-prong approach: (1) Essential oils like |
| short circuiting our own electrical systems. Then, | | | | lavender can have fairly instantaneous calming |
| too, people in general have less quiet time and | | | | effects. A few drops in the bath or a foot soak |
| very few understand how to get it. Solitude acts | | | | or dabbed behind the ears work wonders. (2) |
| as a safety valve to let off "excess information" | | | | Borrowing from the Behaviorists, one of the best |
| steam. Exercise, especially meditative types like | | | | treatments "fearful" people can give themselves is |
| Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates, and solitary pursuits like | | | | usually the hardest for them to follow. To reduce |
| walking or running alone, can serve the same | | | | anxiety and worry, remove as much disturbing |
| purpose. | | | | stimuli as you can from the environment. Change |
| Processed foods-- really little more than | | | | jobs or take a vacation. Cut back on the amount |
| conglomerations of chemicals with refined sugar | | | | of activities you try to cram into a week and get |
| added-- also overload the central nervous system. | | | | more sleep. Delegate. Ask for help. (3) Spend |
| (Review research at And, any toxins, including | | | | more time exercising. Exercise produces |
| food additives, overload the liver and make it | | | | endorphins, nature's antidepressants. (4) |
| work harder to keep the body functioning | | | | Breathe--deeply. Oxygen is the #1 ingredient your |
| properly. More heavy demands are made on the | | | | body needs to survive and thrive. (5) Try the |
| body by stress, which overload the adrenal glands. | | | | cognitive approach. Practice becoming aware of |
| Eventually the body just wears out and the | | | | negative self talk and transforming it to positives. |
| coping mechanisms break down, sometimes | | | | According to Dr. Bourne, worriers tend to imagine |
| completely. The body processes "fear" in a | | | | the worst possible scenarios all the time. |
| two-phase approach. When fearful stimuli are | | | | One of the best ways to change negative self |
| perceived, one circuit goes through the amygdala, | | | | talk is at the subconscious level. My primary tool is |
| otherwise known as "fear central." The amygdala | | | | hypnosis. After all, all habits, including the habit of |
| is the tiny almond shaped portion of the brain that | | | | being afraid, are stored in the subconscious mind. |
| doesn't take time to discriminate or reason things | | | | The particular hypnotic techniques I use in working |
| out. It just sends out messages to the | | | | with "excessive worriers" include: releasing root |
| "fight-or-flight" mechanism that say "Hey, get us | | | | causes; parts therapy (negotiating with the fearful |
| out of here!!" | | | | part and getting it to agree to relax); |
| And the body responds blindly. Digestion and | | | | desensitization to the fear producing stimuli; |
| reasoning are shut down as blood is moved away | | | | anchoring a "safe feeling" button; providing post |
| from the brain and stomach and toward the arms | | | | hypnotic suggestions that work automatically to |
| and legs so we can "run like crazy" or stand up | | | | keep the person calm; and translogic, which helps |
| and fight. A second, slower route is through the | | | | move the anxious thinking from the emotional |
| cerebral cortex. This portion of the brain takes | | | | right-brain to the logical left brain. Once the person |
| time to analyze the situation and come up with a | | | | can begin to see the problem logically, they can |
| game plan. If it decides, for example, that the | | | | begin to take the actions to heal themselves. |