Group tackles a troubling issue'
from Cranbourne Journal 11.2.08
A new group in Hampton Park hopes to provide support, information and advice to people in the south-east whose anxiety levels are affecting their quality of life. Facilitator Dave Nguyen said anxiety could be a normal reaction to stress, but the severity could vary greatly from person to person and cause debilitating symptoms.
“Some people who suffer anxiety don’t want to talk about it with their friends or family, they feel embarrassed and alone,” he said.
“We hope to give people support and information, so they know there is someone to turn to and help available.”
Mr Nguyen, who is studying psychology, said the support group would be open to anyone in the south-east who suffered from any form of anxiety.
The group is being set up under the guidance of Anxiety Disorders Association of Victoria.
ADAVIC co-ordinator Anna Kouloubos said support and information was essential for people who suffer from anxiety.
“I am a sufferer of anxiety and agoraphobia myself and when I first started looking for help back in the 1980s I didn’t know where to look,” she said.
“I went to all the wrong people for help, in particular psychiatrists who put me on benzodiazepine medicine, which I subsequently became addicted to.”
Ms Kou l oubos said she was disheartened to find that many doctors’ first course of action was still to prescribe medication for anxiety sufferers.
“There are many options to try first before medication,” she said.
Ms Kou l oubos said anxiety was still very much a “hidden” disease.
“It is very misunderstood, thus people suffer in silence because we all hear from our family and friends is to ‘get over it’. If only it was that simple.”
ADAVIC vice president Nathan Hobbs said anxiety and depression was once considered a ‘woman’s problem’, but more and more men were attending the group’s support sessions around the state.
He said anxiety sufferers commonly wondered whether they were “OK”.
“When people contact us they want to know if they are going crazy, or if they are ‘weird’. We tell them that it’s very common, and that’s a great relief to them.
Ms Kouloubos said support groups could offer a “safe and comfortable” place for people to meet and talk, and listen to others who may have had similar experiences.
“The sense of community and support is probably the most rewarding part.
“People can see that it’s not just themselves that are dealing with tough experiences – there are other ‘real’ people who also have difficulties, and everyone’s trying to work through it and help each other out.”
The support group launch will be at Hampton Park C ommunity house, 16-20 Stuart Avenue, on Wednesday at 7-30 – 9-30pm. Cost $10. Guest speakers will be psychologist and author Evelyn Fields and health writer and broadcaster Maria Prendergast. Bookings essential: 9853 8089.
