Support groups can be a very helpful tool for people suffering from a variety of problems including panic and anxiety attacks.
The fact that the members of the groups are dealing with the same or similar problems can help to make sufferers of severe anxiety and panic attacks feel that they are not alone in their battle to overcome the disorder.
Support groups are most often created by therapist but are sometimes created by former panic and anxiety sufferers.
Although the concept of support groups is a good one and can be beneficial.
The people who attend these groups are often encouraged to talk extensively about their struggles with panic and anxiety attacks.
While talking about these problems can help to lower anxiety levels in the short term.
Focusing to much on past symptoms and worries for example and not on treatment and recovery can in my opinion have a negative effect on the motivation of the members of these groups.
This can be especially true for online support groups and forums,since there are usually hundreds if not thousands of member which in turn makes finding positive and uplifting information especially difficult.
Of course there are some very good support groups and forums available on the web,but my experience with these groups has not been a very positive one.
If you join a support group or forum and find that members are mostly concentrating on their negative past experiences rather than positive solutions to their problems,it may be wise to find a more motivational, and treatment oriented support group.
If you cannot find a group that meets your needs it may be a good idea to create your own.
There are many popular websites online now a days that offer forums where new topics and groups can be created relatively easily