The Lifeworks Group, Inc.

 By: Brian Murray, LMHC, NCC Social Anxiety Disorder is a diagnosable mental health condition where the person suffering from it has a strong fear of other people and social interactions. Those with the disorder during social interactions, such as those at work, home and among friends, can be severe enough to cause job performance loss, avoidance of gatherings and isolation. Even doing simple everyday tasks such as going to the grocery store can create a strong anxiety or panic reaction. The underlying fear of social anxiety is the perception of scrutiny by others. This same behavior is also seen in those with low self-esteem often remaining silent in social situations. Low self-esteem is a major contributor to social anxiety disorder. Internal psychological pressure occurs when they feel like they are being observed by others. They literally fear what others might possibly be thinking about them in a negative manner. This can happen when eating, speaking in front of others, ...

By: Christine Hammond, LMHC, NCC As Pam was driving on a highway bridge overpass, she was suddenly struck with the thought that the bridge could collapse, and she would die. She had driven on this overpass a dozen times without ever thinking twice about it, so she dismissed the thought as ridiculous. But that did not work. Almost immediately, her heart started pounding, she was sweating profusely, her breathing became labored, and felt like she was going to vomit. She became so concerned that after crossing the bridge, she pulled over on the side of the road to collect herself. That is when things escalated. She felt weak, as if she was going to pass out. Her body started trembling and she felt like she was losing her mind. She tried to reason with herself but that made things worse. Finally, she closed her eyes and began saying, “Just breathe,” over and over until her breath returned to a more normal state. Looking at her watch, she realized that this episode lasted ...

By Chris Hammond   Have you ever found yourself in a small tight space like a storage closet, a closed MRI, or an elevator and out of nowhere you felt like you were going to lose it?   Suddenly your breath seems lost, your palms and underarms sweat, your heart races, you feel light-headed and your stomach does flips.   The next thing you know, you are looking for a way out and analyzing how fast you can escape.   Then you become angry because you have not escaped yet and the desire to run away fast is so ove rwhelming that you could scream.   If so, you might have experienced an anxiety attack. The problem with anxiety attacks is they happen when you least expect it or worse, when you really don’t have the time to properly deal with it.   But it cannot be ignored.   If you chose to ignore the anxiety attack and deny its existence, it will come back again and again with a vengeance.   The best plan for action is to revisit your last ...