Doctors Referring Patients with Anxiety to Web

MADISON, Wis. - Jan. 23, 2015 - PRLog -- Over the last decade physicians have been treating more and more patients of stress, anxiety and panic attacks, bypassing the lengthy process of psychotherapy. However, the time allowed for doctor-patient contact is very low due to the high demands of society requiring medical care. Doctors have a whole plethora of medications to prescribe for mental conditions but no time for therapy. For many the answer has been the internet discussion sites for mental health, anxiety and panic.

But what can a web discussion forum provide for the patient who is need of therapy? A popular free website, PanicEnd.com, created by Jeffrey L. Hammes, the author of the new book, The Panic Switch:  A Scientist and Former Sufferer’s Method for Instantly Stopping Panic Without Medication, has over 40,000 posts on over 5,000 topics. The nearly 2,000 forum members appear to consul, console or debate the many sides of anxiety and panic. Founded in 2002, the site receives many members referred by physicians and psychologists from many countries. The site has been translated from English into seven other languages by patients and therapists.

“It really has become the substitute for group therapy. It is not intended to replace psychologists or psychiatrists. However, the high costs of these treatments will push many patients to seek out answers through the internet,” stated Mr. Hammes.  “It’s interesting to compare attitudes and treatments from different regions of the world. The open discussion promotes a positive and stable feeling for the reader,” he added.

Can these forums and chat rooms become a substitute for a lengthy therapy treatment by a qualified therapist? No one appears to ascribe to that notion. In viewing the posts by many members of the PanicEnd forum there seems to be a limit to their advice. When a complex health or anxiety problem arises forum members suggest medical care or necessary therapy by a trained and licensed therapist. However, all in all, the web based mental health forums are thriving with viewers and posters. “You can’t underestimate the good feeling when a sufferer ‘gets it’ and moves on to post more helpful topics on the forum or create discussion groups elsewhere,” Mr. Hammes noted, and that it happens quite often.