No fear, it's a new life:
By Kate Swan reports
An anxiety sufferer talks of his nervousness and fears before he sought treatment with a psychologist which helped his recovery.
The idea of going to the supermarket or the bank would have once terrified Williamstown’s Steve Polanski. Being in every day social situations caused him to experience heart palpitations, sweating, nervousness and fear. The builder suffered from social phobia from 1993 to 2001, which he said restricted his life “dramatically”.
“All I did was go to work and go home”, he said.
“I barely got through the day. I could only dream of going out to the beach or shopping or to a party. It was like those places weren’t real”.
Mr. Polanski said he constantly felt he had to escape social situations.
“But once I was home I was fine because I was back in my comfort zone and I was safe,” he said.
The turning point came when Mr. Polanski’s mother, who often ran errands that he felt unable to do, handed him a brochure on anxiety.
He sought treatment with a psychologist and began attending support group meetings run by the Anxiety Disorders Association of Victoria.
“I didn’t realise how anxious I was before I got treatment.” Mr. Polanski said speaking to other anxiety sufferers gave him a sense of perspective and helped his recovery.
“You hear the same things that you are feeling from other people and you think ‘wow, someone else is feeling the same way’,” he said.
He eventually became a facilitator of group meetings and used his new confidence to take acting classes, surf and join a vintage car club.
“Those are things I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “I thought, I can do them now.”
As well as presenting a car appreciation show on community television (Cruizin, Tuesdays 8.30pm, Channel 31), Mr. Polanski has appeared in three films with major Australian actors: Shotgun starring Samuel Johnson, which is in production, 1860s with Bill Hunter and the international Charlotte’s Web.
“I really never used to leave the house,” he said. “Now I’m a confident surfer and have done a few movies. I would describe it as being reborn.”
Altona Anxiety Support Group will be launched on Tuesday, February 12 th at 7pm at Louis Joel Arts and Community Centre, 5 Sargood St. Counsellor and anxiety sufferer Bev Aisbett and psychiatrist Dr Scott Blair-West will speak about overcoming anxiety. Tickets cost $10 and are available from Anxiety Disorders Association of Victoria 9853 8089. For details about anxiety disorders visit www.adavic.org.au
Weekly meetings begin on Tuesday, February 26, 7.30-9.30pm at the same venue. Entry $3 for members and $5 for non-members. For more information contact ADAVIC www.adavic.org.au or email adavic@adavic.org.au
From Hobsons Bay 'Leader'. Tuesday January 22nd, 2008.
