STEP 3 No effective therapy could be found in the
professional community during the years that Jack was
incapacitated with panic disorder. He was fortunate to find a
self-help group that offered both support and exercises that
helped reduce anxiety.
The group's leader, Rose, encouraged group members to practice
deep breathing, progressive relaxation, and creative
visualization, and explained each technique briefly. Jack bought
audio tapes to help him understand and guide him through the
different exercises.
Creative visualization is the process of generating and exploring
visual mental imagery. It is an effective technique for reducing
anxiety because it involves focusing on images with the mind's
eye, thereby diverting attention from obsessive, anxious thoughts
to a calmer state of mind.
Jack practiced the exercises daily. He imagined gentle waves
rolling on shore, the sound of gulls overhead, the smell of the
ocean, and palm trees rustling in the breeze. He could almost
feel the warmth of the sun as he continued to breathe
rhythmically.
One day, while trapped at a drawbridge, he used visualization to
calm himself. By relaxing his muscles and focusing on his mental
imagery, the wave of anxiety passed before the bridge
reopened.