Anxiety Control Center

I once again would like to share some information on research that is being done with children who are suffering with abdominal pain.  I was so excited to see this research showing positive results using guided imagery for children.

Guided imagery is one form of self-hypnosis that I have found is extremely powerful for children.  I am including the following study for anyone interested in the results.  In the study the children use their imagination to help reduce pain.

For many years the therapists at the Anxiety Control Center  have been using a hypnotic system developed specifically for children.  Visualization is just one of the hypnotic techniques we have found can help with social fears, speaking in public, fear of the dark and other fears, as well as pain.     We have found that children respond  quickly to this hypnotic method, even faster than adults.  Because children are naturally great at using their imaginations this method is very powerful for them.

The following is information about the study. . .

The study states that  “Children can greatly reduce abdominal pain by using their imagination” by Miranda van Tilburg, Ph.D., Denesh K. Chitkara, M.D., William E. Whitehead, Ph.D., Nanette Blois-Martin, and Martin Ulshen, M.D.

Children with functional abdominal pain who used audio recordings of guided imagery at home in addition to standard medical treatment were almost three times as likely to improve their pain problem, compared to children who received standard treatment alone.

And those benefits were maintained six months after treatment ended, a new study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University Medical Center researchers has found.

“What is especially exciting about this study is that children can
clearly reduce their abdominal pain a lot on their own with guidance
from audio recordings, and they get much better results that way than
from medical care alone,” said van Tilburg. “Such self-administered
treatment is, of course, very inexpensive and can be used in addition to
other treatments, which potentially opens the door for easily enhancing
treatment outcomes for a lot of children suffering from frequent stomach
aches.”

The study focused on functional abdominal pain, defined as persistent
pain with no identifiable underlying disease that interferes with
activities. It is very common, affecting up to 20 percent of children.
Prior studies have found that behavioral therapy and guided imagery (a
treatment method similar to self-hypnosis) are effective, when combined
with regular medical care, to reduce pain and improve quality of life.
But for many children behavioral therapy is not available because it is
costly, takes a lot of time and requires a highly trained therapist.

For this study, 34 children ages 6 to 15 years old who had been
diagnosed with functional abdominal pain by a physician were recruited
to participate by pediatric gastroenterologists at UNC Hospitals and
Duke University Medical Center. All received standard medical care and
19 were randomized to receive eight weeks of guided imagery treatment.

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Testimonials:

“Irritable Bowel Syndrome controlled my life for over 20 years. Panic attacks brought me to therapy. I learned skills that enabled me to do things I had never dared before. The panic is gone. The IBS is under control.” K.C.

“When I started therapy, I was completely drained of energy. I was truly amazed at how energized I felt after using a Positive Future Image.” M.H.

“When I first started learning these techniques, I was very doubtful they would work for me. I was delightfully amazed when I was able to use these skills to get rid of migraine headaches.” M.G.

“Your great insight is truly helping me understand how to communicate in a new and more effective way”. C.G

“I’m letting go of feeling like I was suppose to know everything about parenting and being more like myself.  I feel such a weight lifting off my shoulders”.  A.B.

“My anxiety now comes and goes, sometimes  a little bit more and at times so much less. That in itself feels like a miracle, it’s been 20 years and finally I feel like there is hope.  It is a journey and I remember your words when the anxiety shows it’s face”.  D.I.

“It helps to to know that I have feelings and needs as a parent . . .  I never recognized or understood that it was OK for me to have needs too.  I thought I was just supposed to keep giving and giving and meet my children’s needs all the time, even when it made me feel unappreciated.”  R.R

“I’m still adjusting to the knew skills, as I learn how to be an “active” listener and how to talk so others really hear what I feel.   I’m now communicating more of how I feel.  I definitely want to support others in who they are and how they feel and I too, just as I want to be supported in who I am and how I feel.”  M.K.

“Thanks for the recommendation of the book and for explaining it in a way that made it possible for me to follow.  You seem to understand what I’ve been experiencing with my panic and fear.  And as I practice the exercises they hit the places I need to release my fears.”  B.F.

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This morning we begin with tips for changing negative thoughts into more enhancing ones.  In the next post I’ll be discussing a few more techniques to help stop panic and negative feelings.

I know first hand how it is to suffer with panic.  So I know what it feels like to have these types of thoughts.  At times when you first start to use new techniques it might seem almost impossible that anything can help.   I realize that, yet we need to start somewhere.  Please know I am not making light the feelings of panic, worry or anxiety.  What I am attempting to do, is to help you to begin to see things in a new light.

Panic can be horrible and disabling, especially when there seems there is nothing you can do to stop it. There is hope and help available.  Keep reading for more tips:

Tip 1:  Start by changing just one thought or belief that is not enhancing to you.

It does take some work,  yet the benefit is it will give you hope for more changes.  There are many ways you can use you mind to change thoughts that feed anxiety.

Tip 2.  Look for the possible positive “intention.”

Think about a possible, more positive reason for the underlying the thoughts or feelings.

Tip 3.  Create 2 positive thoughts for each negative one you create.

Find ones that will not “beat you down” or make you feel bad.  When creating possible positive “stories” you don’t even have to believe them.  Just start with creating different one that might counterbalance the negative thoughts you are having.

Tip 4.  Use your very creative mind to create positive possibilities.  Perhaps just a small change at first.

Use these small changes and see what happens.  Many have found them to be a good way to begin to feel back in control.  When we change our thoughts it gives a different message to the body.  It’s almost like saying, all is well no more adrenalin is needed.  This simple thought creates a settling down feeling in the body.  In the  25 years I have been working with panic and anxiety I have found that people who suffer with this difficult condition are not only strong, but also highly creative and intelligent.  Keep that in mind as you create positive thought to counteract the negative, scary ones.

Those of us who suffer with panic and anxiety are highly creative.  This very creativity sometimes causes us to think of all the possible negative or fearful things that might happen.   This pattern may start in early childhood.  It may be due to life circumstances where we learn to anticipate things that might hurt us.   Sometimes these patterns of fearful thinking start so a child can protect or warding off the feelings of being out of control.  If you think about the roots of where worry comes from in this more positive way it can help to re-frame the feelings of being weak.  Seeing it as a possible coping skill used as a child that isn’t necessary as an adult, something that can be changed.  We are looking at a “negative” scenario in a different light.

Many times our very positive skill of being creative, can cause a person with a predisposition to panic,  to create all the possible scenarios things that might happen in the future.  Unfortunately they are usually they take the form of negative thoughts. We do this not because we are negative, but because we are trying to be prepared for any possibility.  But these very thoughts disable us, by causing more anxiety.

Let me know  how these tips work for you, and any other solutions you are using in your life use to stop panic and fear.  I hope the tips are helpful.   Audrey Sussman PhD, director of the Anxiety Control Center.

If you find this information helpful, and want to learn more, there are 3 ways to continue learning to change panic and anxiety reactions.  For information you can:

1. Keep reading the weekly posts with helpful tips.

2.  Join with others at the Anxiety Control Center’s online coaching community.
To do this sign up at the right side of this page to be notified of the monthly calls.  If you want to get a jump start on dealing with anxiety,  you can get an Mp3 jam packed with 90 minutes of live coaching.  It’s still only $10 with a money back guarantee.
Go to ActionEndsProcrastination.com to get this downloaded directly to your computer.

3.  Or set up a private session: Call or email Audrey to set up a one-on-one session with one of our hypnotherapists.  In your private sessions you get intensive,  targeted techniques to help with your specific issues.   Our hypnotherapists are specially trained in all the techniques of the Anxiety Control Center’s Transformation System. This Transformation System enables us to get to the root of where panic really comes from, stuck (repressed) memories and emotions.    You’ll experience first hand how to release emotions that are getting in the way of moving forward in life.

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Today we continue to look at the questions about G-d, panic and feeling weak and picked on. We’ll begin with a number of helpful tips for changing the negative feelings, into more enhancing one.   Let me know  how these tips work for you, and any other solutions you are using in your life use to stop panic and fear.  I hope the following tips help.   Audrey Sussman PhD, director of the Anxiety Control Center.

The following is a summary (collage)  of the email questions I have received in the last few days.

“Hello Audrey, First I want to thank you for answering my other emails. I truly appreciate your taking your time to answer my questions.  I reached out and was hoping to get a response even though I’m not one of your students or private clients.

Here is what is going through my mind today.  I really don’t want to feel this out of control with panic and fear.   I can’t help wondering why G-d chose to prey on the weak by giving us anxiety attacks?  Nothing prepared me for the devastating results worry, anxiety and fear is having on my life.  It stops me from moving ahead and it feels unending.   I thought the feelings would disappear over time, but it continues and gets worse every year.   I want to stop these feelings and the anger & sadness it causes, but I don’t know where to start.  Are there any tips you can offer me?”

Audrey’s response:

I can see you are reaching out for help because you truly want things to change.  It is frustrating when you’ve tried so many things and still panic and worry continues to plague you.  There are a number of different things that can be done to stop the downward spiral of feelings.  Once you see even a small change it will give you hope.

Old “stories” and patterns of belief:

When you think that G-d is preying on you, it creates more upset, anger and a “it’s not fair feeling.”  This feeds the feelings of hopelessness.   It also increases the feeling of being out of control.   These negative thoughts are just one possible “story.”  One that increases negative thoughts and adds to the spiral of anxiety, and loss of hope.

New “stories” and patterns that work better:

Imagine for a moment, how different it would feel if your thought was that G-d is giving you strength to deal with panic, instead of preying on you.  Or perhaps, the thought that G-d had given you the strength to survive the panic and anxiety all theses years.  Even though the panic might still be scary,  changing your way of thinking from “being weak or being preyed on,” to the more positive one, stops the negative spiral.  Remember, we don’t know for sure what G-d purpose is, so since it is your mind – imagine something else that would serve you better.  Something that doesn’t add to the stress you already feel.   I myself truly believe that creativity is one of the “gifts” people with panic are born with.   It may be that at the moment your creativity is going in the wrong direction (that of scaring you), but it is still a gift you can learn to use in a positive helpful way.

I write this in an effort to help in some small way.  Continue reading tomorrow’s post with the 3 tips for changing thoughts for panic relief.

Continue reading the post this afternoon for more tips.
Let me know  how they work for you.  I’m always interested in any solutions people come up with in dealing with worry, anxiety or panic.  Audrey Sussman PhD, Director of the Anxiety Control Center

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I received the an email from a person who is suffering from panic and anxiety.  She read something on my blog that stimulated her to reach out for help.  I can see she truly has tried to stop the suffering that anxiety, worry and panic are causing in her life.

As you read her questions, it might stimulate your own thoughts about why you are suffering.  As you will see she is feeling that G-d is preying on her, making her feel weak by giving her panic and anxiety.  What I hope you will find as you read my response, is that there is another way to see panic and to think about the “why” we have it.

The tips I am giving are a place to start.  For this article we’ll be discussing techniques to stop the thoughts (cognitive part) that feed the panic cycle.  When you use these techniques you’ll find that it puts a different “spin” or way of looking at panic.  I realize that it is horrible to feel out of control with worry, panic, bowel problems or anger.   And also how hard it may have been, in the past, to change old patterns and beliefs, yet there are ways you can use to change fearful, or negative thoughts.  Ways to get back in control, and techniques that can be learned to stop “feeding” these issues.

Continue reading tomorrow for the questions and tips I offered.  Let me know  how they work for you, and any solutions you use that work for you.   Audrey Sussman PhD, director of the Anxiety Control Center

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This a continuation of the post about hypnosis for anxiety, worry and fear.

Of course, the question remains, how do you know if hypnosis is right for you? And, what do I do if it isn’t?

The truth is that almost everyone can be hypnotized.  I tell my clients that if they can be curious, have an open mind and want to overcome the challenge or issue they are facing, there is hope, change can happen.  In our private sessions at the Anxiety Control Center, and in our online coaching workshops we give you the questions you need to find the techniques that will work best for you.

If you’re not comfortable with hypnosis, DON’T WORRY.  You can still overcome a challenge,  though it may take longer.  Sometimes, for some people, the long way around is what works.  Before starting therapy it is always good to ask us questions and talk about any concerns.  In this way we can evaluate you as an individual and help you to make educated choices.

Let’s look at why I so highly recommend using the techniques that are in the Anxiety Control Center’s Transformation System.  . . .  to be continued tomorrow.

If you are ready to learn more about hypnotic techniques and learn some new methods to deal with anxiety,
fear and worry  click here.   For only $10 you can get the 90 minute MP3 podcast of containing stress relief tips.
It will be available until the end of November, when our new online coaching sessions will start.

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