Overcoming Anxiety

What makes a panic attack so scary? Well, first there comes the sudden onset of  debilitating symptoms--racing heartbeat, tightness in the chest, nausea, among others--that can be mistaken for a heart attack. Then, once you realize that you’re not dying comes the fear that this sudden anxiety will strike again.

This makes a recent New York Times article about professional golfer Charlie Beljan all the more remarkable. He had a panic attack (although he didn’t identify it as such while he was experiencing it)  before a practice round for a PGA tournament. He managed to play through his anxiety and complete the round. For some, the initial panic attack can lead to avoidance of similar situations (for example, avoiding driving after having a panic attack while driving). In this case, Beljan returned to the tournament the next day, after spending the night in the hospital getting a medical workup.And despite the residual effects of the previous day’s experience, he won the tournament.

It’s hard to imagine experiencing such anxiety and then performing so well under pressure. Golf has a well-deserved reputation as a nerve-wracking sport--one in which a player’s greatest enemy is the psychological turmoil inside. The history of professional golf is filled with episodes in which a golfer nears the end of a tournament leading by a wide margin, only to buckle under the pressure, start playing badly and lose the top spot. In this case, he attributed the anxiety not to the pressure from the tournament, but recent changes and stressors in his personal life, such as having a new baby. After the tournament, the article notes, he contacted a psychologist for treatment.

Beljan’s story shows how disruptive and frightening anxiety can be, but also shows that it is possible to overcome it. His story is truly impressive and inspirational.