Posted by: Ryan Rivera in Panic, anxiety on
Sep 08, 2011
When it comes to dealing with anxiety and panic, men notoriously struggle. In a society where males are supposed to “man up” and take life “like a man,” most men that suffer from anxiety and panic make dozens of different mistakes that only serve to fuel their stresses further. In order to reduce panic attacks and cure anxiety is to avoid mistakes that cause the problems to progress further. Here is a list of the top ten mistakes that men make when it comes to their own panic and anxiety
Male Panic and Anxiety Mistakes:
- Ignoring It – The most common mistake men make is the belief that their panic and anxiety issues will simply go away on their own if they ignore them. Men deal with a great deal of stress, pressure and expectations every day. The belief that the best way to deal with a problem is to avoid it is simply not true. Men need to confront their issues if they hope to reduce their panic and anxiety.
- Addictive Outlets – Due primarily to the idea that men need to “tough it out,” many men seek out addictive outlets for their anxiety that only serve to fuel the behaviors. Alcoholism and gambling both cost money, affect relationships, and will ultimately lead to more stress and anxiety. Self-medicating through addictive and destructive outlets will only lead to greater problems.
- Making No Changes – Often times things like relationships, bad friendships, a hostile workplace, etc., cause men to experience these high levels of anxiety and persistent panic attacks. Yet many men refuse to make changes in their life that would reduce these problems. Instead, they continue to spend time with the same people and stay involved in the same activities, only serving to continue to improve their stress levels.
- Health Concerns – For years, panic attacks were misdiagnosed as physical health problems. This belief has created a culture where men believe that things like panic attacks are limited to women, and anytime a man feels a panic attack like experience, they assume it must be something physical, rather than a mental health issue. The result is that they worry about their own health, which leads to even more panic attacks.
- Misplaced Values – Society has taught men everywhere to value things that are not achievable for everyone. Money and power are nice, but not everyone can be the alpha male all of the time. Men are often taught that they need to be successful millionaires and providers, and those lofty goals only serve to make anxiety issues worse.
- Sexual Prowess Concerns – Anxiety itself is a common cause of sexual dysfunction, both with premature ejaculation and impotency. In today’s society, a man’s sexual prowess is considered part of his identity, and men that fail to perform due to anxiety tend to experience even greater anxiety in their daily life.
- Agoraphobia/Loner-ism – When men experience panic attacks and severe anxiety, they often feel like they need to deal with it on their own. Some men start to experience agoraphobia and never leave their house. Others simply become loners, spending little to any time with their friends and family. Since social support is one of the prime tools in reducing panic attacks and anxiety, this causes both of those mental health issues to worsen.
- Responding To False Alarms – Often with panic attacks, a small increase in your heart rate due to something normal – like caffeine or exercise – can lead to the onset of another panic attack. Men, especially, tend to focus on their physical responses to stimuli as signs that something is wrong with them, triggering a panic attack and increasing anxiety.
- Avoiding the Doctor – Panic attacks and anxiety are mental health issues. But part of addressing your mental health issues involves ensuring there relaxing your mind about your overall physical health. Going to the doctor to ease your own mind about your physical health is an important part of addressing panic and anxiety attacks, and men tend to avoid the doctor any way they can.
- Failure to Seek Help – Of course, one of the biggest mistakes men make is not seeking help. Panic attacks and anxiety only get worse if you try to deal with your issues alone. Friends, family, psychologists and trained experts are all there to help you through any of your panic and anxiety issues, and the benefits of talking to others far outweighs any personal embarrassment or guilt about your own anxiety or panic.
Panic and Anxiety in Men
Panic and anxiety problems are both serious considers that affect millions of men all over the world. Yet men have a tendency to make mistakes when it comes to addressing these issues. If you find that you are suffering from panic attacks or severe, persistent daily anxiety, the worst thing you can do is try to deal with it alone.
