Sunday’s Great Anxiety Treatment Debate: Techniques VS Strategies

I wanted to spur a little debate when it comes to todays treatments for anxiety. Many online anxiety and panic attack ‘gurus’ have made quite a living by selling certain techniques that make us believe will lead to an instant cure for anxiety and panic attacks. But they’re not the only ones, many therapists for anxiety/panic disorder today are more then happy to jump on the techniques and trickery bandwagon as well.

I have no problem with techniques to deal with anxiety and panic attacks, but what happens when they stop working or don’t work at all?

The problem I see when so called ‘experts’ hand out these miracle anxiety curing techniques, is that they mask a problem that doesn’t neccessarily take care of the main issue. Take for instance panic attacks, when someone comes to me for coaching advice on dealing with panic attacks I know exactly what that person is dealing with.

“Within 5 minutes of speaking with the panic attack sufferer, I know how deep their pain truly goes”

At this point there are two things I can do:

Now there’s the road you want to be on.

1) Sit down with that person suffering from panic attacks, and give them certain techniques and coping scenarios that will lead to a windy road that takes them around the problem, sometimes.

2) Show them a set strategy that tackles the thought process and actions that leads to full blown panic attacks. Thus moving them through and with their fears in a systematic and guided fashion that builds confidence in the face of their fears.

Do you see the difference?

This is why i’m not a big fan of these itty bitty techniques that only help people cope with anxiety and panic attacks. I believe that in order to turn a monster into a fly, you have to show that monster that you won’t be pushed around by his intimidating ways.

But can a technique be implemented into a strategy to overcome anxiety and panic attacks?

I guess, but it shouldn’t be the end all be all when it comes to the way you handle your anxious conditioning. So here’s my humble advice if you are one of those sufferers searching frantically online for a solution to your bewildering state:

If someone’s idea of treating your anxiety falls solely into the category of techniques and tricks to help you cope, stand up and walk out the door. Find someone who’s been in your anxious shoes, and ask for some concrete and proven advice that leads to a strategy for handling your anxiety and panic attacks naturally.

If you were an expert on the subject of anxiety would you be more on the side of techniques, strategies or a little bit of both? Share your insights in the comments section below.