Dear Chick,

Dotise is right. Boomers have kids and grandkids too!

Your grandaughter's achievments are not at all surprising. Over-achieving and a highly creative mind seem to go hand-in-hand with the anxiety and panic territory.

The general rule is: if anxiety and fear are disrupting your life, which, for your grandaughter, it would seem it is, then you would want to seek help for her.

However what many good-hearted parents do, is take their child to the doctor and expect him/her to "fix" everything with a pill. But in my experience "just a pill" is not a long term answer. Don't get me wrong, i think for many, medication is a very important part of the remedy,(it was for me) but not on its own.

So, I would start with her family doctor, who should spend some time with her, then possibly refer her to a therapist/psychologist/psychiatrist/psychiatirc social-worker...there are many options here. This person may help her identify the underlying fear for all of her fears, perhaps the fear of death?

In addition, the first book I always recommend to anyone suffering from panic (much to the disappointment of my publisher)is "Hope & Help for your Nerves" by Dr. Claire Weeks. It was written in 1969, but it is an amazing little paperback. In my worst year I actually carried a copy with me. We used it often in the writing of our book.

Since she is such an achiever, she may need help learning to "shut off." Does she get much physical activity? These days psychiatrists are writing prescriptions for work-out schedules for their patients. Exercise is vitally important to the brain. Other quiet activities like meditaion or yoga can be a plus.

It's wonderful and a great first step that she is talking to you about her fears. She is already on the right path.

Good Luck

Jeanne