Support groups for anxiety sufferers

As many as one in five adults are thought to suffer from conditions

such as panic attacks, phobias or obsessive compulsive disorder.

Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust (SHSC) has teamed up with national voluntary group, No Panic, and will launch the first of four groups on Thursday, February 25.

Edwina Roberts, cognitive behavioural psychotherapist at SHSC, said: "We will provide four self-help groups. One is for people who want to follow a structured programme to managing their anxiety problems using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy methods.

"Other groups will be less structured and for people who want to meet others who have similar difficulties to share their experiences as

means of mutual support."

A study by the Sheffield MIND charity found that there are currently few voluntary-led support groups in the city for people with anxiety disorders.

Anyone interested in attending the sessions should first speak to Ms Roberts, who can be contacted by phone on 0114 2718691.