Panic Attack on Live TV

[Guest guest]

Attorney General Mukasey had a panic attack on live television. I can't imagine what that must have been like for him. In reading news reports, although the exact words "panic attack" are not used, there are code words – he had a long day, the lights were hot, he seemed stressed earlier, etc. All his test results were made public, so the whole world knows he didn't have a physical problem.

My heart goes out to him, I know how truly horrific it can feel to have a panic attack in front of one person – but on YouTube, to be subject to mean comments and weeks of humiliation? It's just not fair.

I wish there was a way the ACT professional community could use this incident as a means of education about panic disorder and anxiety disorder, but I doubt Mukasey would go for it, maybe once he leaves office? It seems like such an opportunity wasted, think how many people could be helped if we could link what happened to what happens to everyone – if we can link it to the normal.

The best thing about ACT is realizing that I'm normal, that everyone has fear thoughts, I just buy into them. Maybe this guy usually didn't buy into his fear thoughts, but during that speech he did, or maybe he's had this problem for awhile but hadn't had an attack in public, who knows.

We have seen people with eating disorders seek treatment after celebrities give interviews and talk about it; I wish I could say the same for panic disorder. Steve has had severe panic disorder since he was 20. He writes about it in his book, and he doesn't talk about treatment. I think, honestly, he still has to deal with panic triggers 40 years later.

Part of the problem that before ACT was introduced to the general public, the only treatment was drugs, and stars seem reluctant to talk about antidepressant use. Still, if ACT could "hitch" its wagon to a star, it could gain more notoriety and help a lot of people.

I have a good friend who is a physician. Although he specializes in gastroenterology, when he encounters patients who have anxiety related issues he advocates meditation. When I told him about ACT and its approach to mediation, he was very impressed. Another way that ACT can become more established is through the medical community. Every doctor I've spoken to is incredibly impressed with ACT, because it promotes such a healthy and honest relationship with the body and its sensations. This might be a matter of simple marketing – create an "ACT Packet" and send to physicians with an interest in learning more about anxiety issues, who knows?

Anyway, there's some food for thought. If there are any professional members in this public group who would be kind enough to forward this message to the professional group, I would appreciate it. Of course, I also welcome feedback from my compatriots in the public group as well.

Thanks,