How to Cope With Fears and Stress

Dear Hap,

When I leave my house I become terrified and begin breathing rapidly, feel dizzy, have tightness in my chest and wonder if I’m going crazy. Visiting friends, family, going to the store or keeping a doctor’s appointment have become impossible for me. What is wrong? Can I be helped?

It sounds like you may have an anxiety disorder known as agoraphobia with panic attacks.

People with this type of phobia often hide these problems and fail to seek help because they are embarrassed to admit their difficulties.

This fear and panic can occur in various situations, including crowded places, driving over bridges, standing in line or other situations in which obvious escape would be embarrassing or impossible.

These fears are often increased when sufferers are alone and help for the anxiety is not readily available.

In an attempt to deal with these fears, agoraphobics often develop elaborate and time-consuming patterns of behavior or rituals as ways of avoiding unpleasant and anxiety producing situations. These behaviors become a vicious cycle that makes problems worse.

Treatment is available and effective for this disorder. Mental-health-care professionals treat these problems with medication, counseling or, frequently, a combination of the two.

Dear Hap,

Why do some people seem to handle stress at work well while others fall apart with little or no pressure?

Individuals who react adversely to stress follow a pattern of perceiving a situation as threatening and stressful, react with resistance and experience exhaustion after a period of time.

But people who survive and even thrive when work-related stress is high have several things in common.

They feel a sense of commitment to their job and often like their work. They also are challenged rather than threatened by change and view change as an opportunity for new growth and development.

Along with the factors mentioned above, stress-resilient individuals feel a sense of control over their lives and work performance. Instead of feeling helpless when coping with new and difficult situations, they know that their imagination, past experience and skills are at their disposal.

These hardy adults feel their efforts will influence the outcome of their objectives.

Stress-resilient people, often referred to as having hardy personalities, have fewer stress-related illnesses.

Develop a hardy personality by viewing your life as meaningful. See problems as opportunities and the future as a challenge.