Understanding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
You feel agitated and keyed up. Were you also exposed to a traumatic event that resulted as follows?
At the time, you felt helpless and afraid.
Later, you try not to think about it.
In spite of your efforts not to think about it, the thoughts and images keep on popping up.
If so, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). See Chapter 2 for a complete description of PTSD. The treatment of PTSD is probably best done by an experienced professional. Many people with PTSD try to tough it out and live life less fully because of their stubbornness.
Going through Sleepless Nights
Is anxiety keeping you awake? That's quite common. If your sleep doesn't improve after working on your anxiety awhile, be sure to read Chapter 10 about sleep. Too many sleepless nights make it hard to function and more difficult to help yourself in the fight against anxiety. If you sleep poorly night after night and awaken tired, check it out with a professional. You may be experiencing depression along with anxiety.
Getting High
Sure, a beer or three can seemingly soothe the soul, but excessive drinking or drug abuse is a common problem among those with anxiety disorders. It makes sense; anxious feelings are uncomfortable. What begins as an innocent attempt at feeling better can become another big problem later on. If you find yourself consuming too much alcohol or another drug to calm your feelings, get professional help before the crutch turns into an addiction.
Finding Help
In the days of high-cost healthcare, you may not always have as much freedom to consult any professional you want. However, whether you receive a restricted list of professionals from your insurance company or not, it's still a good idea to check out one or more of the following:
Ask the insurance company or the state licensing board for the specific profession or license of the referred professional.
Ask your friends if they know of someone whom they had a good experience with.
Ask your primary care doctor. Family physicians usually have a good idea about excellent referrals for various types of problems.
Talk to the professional before making an appointment. Ask about his experience with treating anxiety and what approach he takes. Ask about whether you'll receive a scientifically verified approach for dealing with anxiety.
Call the psychology department of your local college or university. Sometimes they have referral lists.
Call or use a search engine on the Web to find your state psychological, psychiatric, or counseling association. Or check out national consumer organizations. (See the appendix in the back of this book for more information.)
Appendix: Resources for You
In this appendix, we provide some books and Web sites for finding out about and overcoming anxiety as well as other emotional difficulties. These are only a few of the many excellent resources available to supplement the information in this book.
Self-Help Books
Anxiety and Depression Workbook For Dummies, by Charles Elliott and Laura Smith (Wiley Publishing, Inc.)
The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, by Edmund Bourne (New Harbinger Publications)
Anxiety Free: Unravel Your Fears Before They Unravel You, by Robert Leahy (Hay House)
Borderline Personality Disorder For Dummies, by Charles Elliott and Laura Smith (Wiley Publishing, Inc.)
Changing For Good: The Revolutionary Program that Explains the Six Stages of Change and Teaches You How to Free Yourself from Bad Habits, by James Prochaska, John Norcross, and Carlo DiClemente (William Morrow & Co., Inc.)
Depression For Dummies, by Laura Smith and Charles Elliott (Wiley Publishing, Inc.)
Feeling Better, Getting Better, Staying Better: Profound Self-Help Therapy for Your Emotions, by Albert Ellis (Impact Publishers, Inc.)
The Feeling Good Handbook, by David Burns (Plume)
Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, by Jon Kabat-Zinn (Bantam Dell Publishing Group)
Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, by Steven Hayes (New Harbinger Publications)
Mastery of Your Anxiety and Worry: Workbook (Treatments That Work), by Michelle Craske and David Barlow (Oxford University Press, USA)
Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think, by Dennis Greenberger and Christine Padesky (The Guilford Press)
Mindful Recovery: A Spiritual Path to Healing from Addiction, by Thomas Bien and Beverly Bien (Wiley Publishing, Inc.)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder For Dummies, by Charles Elliott and Laura Smith (Wiley Publishing, Inc.)
The OCD Workbook: Your Guide to Breaking Free from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by Bruce Hyman and Cherry Pedrick (New Harbinger Publications)
Reinventing Your Life: The Breakthrough Program to End Negative Behavior . . . and Feel Great Again, by Jeffrey Young and Janet Klosko (Plume)
Seasonal Affective Disorder For Dummies, by Laura Smith and Charles Elliott (Wiley Publishing, Inc.)
The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven, Step-by-Step Techniques for Overcoming Your Fear, by Martin Antony and Richard Swinson (New Harbinger Publications)
Why Can't I Get What I Want?: How to Stop Making the Same Old Mistakes and Start Living a Life You Can Love, by Charles Elliott and Maureen Lassen (Davies-Black Publishing)
The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You, by Robert Leahy (Three Rivers Press)
Resources to Help Children
Cat's Got Your Tongue? A Story for Children Afraid to Speak, by Charles Schaefer (Magination Press)
Freeing Your Child From Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by Tamar Chansky (Three Rivers Press)
SOS Help for Parents, by Lynn Clark (SOS Programs & Parents Press)
Talking Back to OCD, by John March with Christine Benton (The Guilford Press)
Up and Down the Worry Hill: A Children's Book about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and its Treatment, by Aureen Pinto Wagner (Lighthouse Press)
What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety, by Dawn Huebner (Magination Press)
Accessing Web Sites to Discover More about Anxiety
Type the word "anxiety" into a search engine, and literally thousands of sites pop up. Be careful. The Web is full of unscrupulous sales pitches and misinformation. Be especially cautious about official-sounding organizations that promote materials for sale. Don't be fooled by instant cures for anxiety.
Many Web forums host chat rooms for persons with anxiety concerns. Feel free to access them for support. At the same time, realize that you don't know who's sitting on the other end. They may be uneducated about anxiety or, worse, trying to take advantage of a person in distress. Don't believe everything you read.
Here's a list of a variety of legitimate Web sites that don't sell snake oil:
The Academy of Cognitive Therapy (www.academyofct.org) is a group that certifies experts in the field of cognitive therapy. They promote evidence-based treatment and maintain a list of certified mental-health professionals through the world.
The American Psychiatric Association (www.psych.org/public_info) has information for the public about anxiety and other mental disorders.
The American Psychological Association (www.apa.org/pubinfo) provides information to the public about treatment and interesting facts about anxiety and other emotional disorders.
The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (www.adaa.org) lists self-help groups across the United States. They also display a variety of anxiety screening tools for self-assessment. On their site you can find an online newsletter and a message board.
The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (www.abct.org) is a large professional organization that focuses on research-validated treatment approaches for people with emotional disorders. We often refer people to their extensive list of qualified therapists.
The In
ternational OCD Foundation (www.ocfoundation.org) has an annual conference and provides considerable information about the assessment and treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. It also has a message board and provides an opportunity to ask experts questions.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org) is a wonderful organization that serves as an advocate for people and families affected by mental disorders. Information is available about causes, prevalence, and treatments of disorders for children and adults. This group also offers support groups across the country.
The National Association of School Psychologists (www.nasponline.org) maintains a site with information and fact sheets for parents and teachers.
The National Institute of Mental Health (www.nimh.nih.gov) reports on research about a wide variety of mental-health issues. It also has an array of educational materials on anxiety. It provides resources for researchers and practitioners in the field.
PsychCentral (www.psychcentral.com) has an abundance of psychology-related resources, blogs, and free information. We happen to write a blog called "Anxiety & OCD Exposed" on this site. Feel free to send us feedback or ask questions through this Web site.
WebMD (www.webmd.com) provides a vast array of information about both physical and mental-health issues, including information about psychological treatments, drug therapy, and prevention.
Overcoming Anxiety For Dummies, 2nd Edtion Page 39
