Anxiety support groups

I have been suffering from anxiety panic attacks for about 10 years now. They started when I was 15. Back then, my doctor assured me that they were just part of growing up. They would go away on their own within a couple years, and be no trouble ever again. They did not go away. They got worse. I have tried all kinds of things since then. I have tried anti-anxiety medication, therapy, and even drugs. The therapy seems to help a lot, but the medication only got me more anxious. I would become dependent on the medicine, and get anxiety attacks when I finally got off it.

Going to anxiety support groups, however, really has helped. The anxiety disorder support group is a pretty recent invention. There have been drug abuse support groups for a long time, but anxiety disorder was not recognized as a serious problem until recently. That has all changed now. Nowadays, almost every city has an anxiety support group in it. Anxiety support groups are not only a way to network with other people and share ideas. They are actually a lifeline at times.

Sometimes, there are things about suffering from an anxiety disorder that I simply cannot tell to my family. Having anxiety support groups to go to is a real lifesaver. It means that there is always someone to talk to who has gone through the same things that I have gone through. Without anxiety support groups, there would be no neutral party to talk to. I could talk to my therapist, but it is also nice to have someone outside of that relationship to discuss anxiety problems with. Anxiety support groups are great because therapists often have never actually suffered from what you are suffering from. They know how to make you better, but they do not understand exactly what you're going through.

I know firsthand how hard it can be to get yourself to go to anxiety support groups. When I went to my first anxiety support group meeting, I was scared out of my mind. I had wanted to try out anxiety support groups for about six months, but had been putting it off every week. I was getting to the point where I was almost afraid to leave the house. I was a complete wreck, and I knew that going to anxiety support groups meetings could help me. Nevertheless, it was hard to make myself go.