Are Support Groups
Helpful for Panic Attacks and Anxiety Disorders?

Many people turn to support groups as part of their treatment for panic attacks and other anxiety disorders. This raises the question: are support groups helpful for panic attacks and anxiety disorders?

On the face of it, support groups sound like a good idea. Many people with severe anxiety and panic attacks feel like they’re the only person who has ever had such a problem, so meeting with others in similar situations can ease some of that feeling of isolation.

You also might think that getting together with others who are working their way through their anxiety might give you ideas on what you can do to help yourself. You might also expect that the group could serve as a sort of coach as you address your problems.

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While these possible benefits certainly sound good, and might actually come to pass, too often the benefits don’t materialize. In fact, sometimes attending the group can make things worse. Here’s why.

Have you ever been with a group of people when someone told a story about some bad experience they had, say a plane trip where flights were canceled or a lousy waiter or a car breakdown. Before the person even finishes their tale of woe, odds are that someone will pitch in with something like: “Well, if you think that’s bad, here’s what happened to me…” and off they go with their even more dramatic story.

Before you know it, everyone in the group is relating their own tragic story, seemingly trying to outdo each other in how bad their experience was compared to everyone else’s. It can feel like a snowball of bad experiences getting bigger and gaining momentum.

Unfortunately, this same psychology can come into play in support groups. Instead of supporting each other, members can wind up exchanging sob stories and making the situation worse.

Now, professionally guided group therapy sessions can be different because of the presence of a trained professional can help keep the group on track. However, even that doesn’t insure success. Groups can take on a mind of their own even with an expert guide present.

This is primarily personal opinion, but I think that most times a person suffering from panic attacks can benefit the most from interacting with someone who has already overcome panic attacks rather than hanging around with people who still haven’t figured their way out of the morass.

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