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Hi Everyone,
ASC's Spring 2007 newsletter is all about anxiety, the
second most common cause of emotional discomfort
and distress.
Anxiety comes in many forms. Some anxiety is normal
and even healthy at times. If you've ever given a
speech in front of a large audience or stressed out
over an exam, it's a good guess that you have
experienced anxiety. While many people are able to
get past their anxiety and complete whatever anxiety-
provoking task or challenge they faced, others may
find their anxiety to be so overwhelming that it gets in
the way of their ability to live a satisfying life. Our
feature article helps pinpoint the difference between
reasonable and excessive anxiety.
Also in this newsletter, you will find a brief overview of
the many different kinds of anxiety disorders, as well
as an article on social phobia. Because of space
constraints, we are not able to cover every possible
kind of anxiety. Keep in mind that there are additional
anxiety-related issues that people face, including
compulsive shopping, stuttering, shyness, and even
some addictive behaviors.
Deaf people may occasionally have their own
particular anxieties. "English anxiety", for example,
can be a paralyzing feeling related to discomfort in
using English. Fear of having one's intelligence
judged by the level of proficiency of one's written
English can lead to anxiety. Deaf people who rely on
spoken English may sometimes feel anxious about
their speech and their ability to make themselves
understood to hearing people. Another example of a
unique Deaf-related anxiety is anxiety related to
interacting with hearing people who may not be
familiar with or understand Deaf culture and ASL. The
potential for embarrassment or being judged in each
of these situations can sometimes create anxiety.
Finding healthy strategies for coping with anxiety can
go a long way toward increasing your enjoyment of
life.
All our best,
Candace and Sharon
P.S. To join the ASC Newsletter mailing list, send
your name and email address to: asc@ascdeaf.com.
| Thought of the Month |
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Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.
— Swedish Proverb
To Live This Thought:
The next time you
catch yourself worrying excessively about something,
try a couple of tricks to turn down your worry level.
Vent your concerns to a close friend. Write down your
worry on a piece of paper. Set aside a 15-minute
period during the day specifically designated for
worrying and let yourself worry only during that time.
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| How to Recognize the Many Different Types of Anxiety Disorders |
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That feeling in the pit of your stomach of impending
doom. We’ve all felt that way before, but for some
people, it’s an everyday occurrence. At its best, it can
be disruptive to a person’s everyday life. At its worst,
it’s crippling to those who suffer this affliction. These
people have anxiety disorder. It’s characterized by a
constant feeling of worry which has little or no basis in
reality. There are usually other symptoms present,
such as sleep disorders, shortness of breath, and
heart palpitations.
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| Social Phobia |
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Have you ever become so nervous before a social
event that you've opted to skip it? If so, you are not
alone. In a given year, close to 5.3 million Americans
suffer from social phobia, an anxiety disorder
characterized by intense fear of public humiliation or
peer disapproval.
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Worry, Worry, Worry: When Does Worrying Turn into Full-Blown Anxiety? |
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Even though they may have been written and
illustrated with the under-10 crowd in mind, children’s
picture books often share universal truths about life.
Take “Wemberly Worried” by Kevin Henkes, for
example. It’s a wonderfully told story about a little
mouse girl whose worries range from whether she
might shrink in the bathtub, to the possibility of the tree
in the front yard falling on her house, to first-day-of-
preschool fears of being teased about her name,
hating the snack, or being the only one wearing
stripes.
Find out more....
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