Panic at Work?

June 30, 2011
Panic at Work?

You probably know what it's like to experience anxiety before a key presentation or, worse yet, during a company layoff.

Panic disorder, a serious form of anxiety, affects about six million Americans and twice as many women as men, according to the NIMH.

“Gasping for air and feeling like I’m going to die. The fear is beyond comprehension," Pamela Grossman, owner of In the Present, tells PINK. "There is a chemical reaction in my core, then rapid heartbeat and the horrific feeling of not breathing.”

That's why she quit her job after 18 years of producing radio and television spots and print production. Her debilitating panic disorder forced Grossman to create a new career, which became a million-dollar company. “I couldn’t

be in studios anymore and driving was an issue, so I had to create something where I could control where I worked,” she recalls.

As terrifying as it is, the right support and therapy can manage and, in some cases, move the disorder to the background. She uses exposure therapy as a hands-on way to treat random panic attacks.

What causes it? Family history, a chemical imbalance or just major life stress. Take the ADAA screening test to see if your anxiety could be something more.

Bonus PINK Link: Instead of panicking if you’re ever attacked – check out these self-defense moves so you can fight back.

By Muriel Vega  

"Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and
repeat to yourself: this, too, shall pass."  Ann Landers

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