Sleep and Anxiety

The day I had my attack of anxiety, I spent a sleepless night tossing and turning, and occasionally getting up. I referred to that night as my "Black Friday" because it was then that for the first time ever I had experienced insomnia. Living with anxiety affected my sleep dramatically. I was always a "healthy" sleeper. I could fall asleep right away and stay asleep until I needed to wake up. Yet, things started to change progressively, albeit subtly, to such an extent that by the end of the summer (prior to my attack) I was no longer having a good 7 hours of sleep. It still baffles me to this day that I was so oblivious to the changes taking place within me, how could I not notice them?

Insomnia
In hindsight, there were clear signs that my sleep pattern was changing, but again I was too busy being busy to pay attention to them. In the summer prior to my attack, I was beginning to have an agitated sleep pattern. Upon waking up in the morning, my legs were tightly wrapped around my sheets and/or parts of my covers were on the floor. I did notice those things but at that time, they did not catch my attention. Sometimes one sees something without looking at it, without grasping the full meaning of it. That is exactly what happened with me. Ironically, my mind was so absorbed with trifles that there was no more room for important matters, like my health! A more serious omen was the fact that I was no longer able to stay in bed in the morning and just relax. In other words, I could not sleep-in anymore, week-ends and holidays regardless. I woke up every days between 7 and 8am and just could not go back to sleep. I remember rationalizing that some people when they reach a certain age cannot linger in bed in the morning anymore. What kind of explanation is that, you might ask. Well, It just made sense to me at that time.

This is where mental disorders can be tricky. Your brain is constantly editing your every move and producing an explanation for everything that is going on with you. The scientific term for that is left brain chatter; in reference to the continuous activity recorded in the left brain, even in conditions when it is not involved in a task. Most of all, your brain is very convincing because it is designed to create coherence and meaning in your life, and it will do so under any circumstances. Therefore if I am progressively losing sleep, that must be a normal change! Nothing to worry about!

And so the stage was set for the insomnia juggernaut.

I had not had a good night sleep for some time already, so one sleepless night was going to throw me off kilt. Insomnia hit 2 days after my first panic attack. It was absolutely gruesome as my mind would not quiet down at all. Hair-rising images were flashing across my eyes, sounds were intensified and became unbearable, and finally my body was restless. At night, I alternated between staring at my window while in bed and pacing around in my room with occasional trips to the kitchen. At dawn, I was finally able to close my eyes and rest for a little bit, albeit not enough. I woke up that day feeling heavy with a pounding headache and my eyes were extremely sensitive to light. The following night the same scenario played out but this time I had a Valium pill. It was primordial for me to be able to sleep again at night, otherwise how else was I going to fight that assault on me?

Sleep Restoration
Common sense suggests that sleep contributes to mental health, a notion that is also supported by scientific research. For example, anxiety disorders often present sleep disturbance as one of the characteristic symptoms. In my case, anxiety not only robbed me of my sleep but it also was exacerbated by the lack of sleep, thus creating another vicious cycle. I did a lot of research to try to understand certain sleep patterns that emerged during my anxiety, but without anything conclusive, I am just going to give you my take on it.

One such pattern was my waking up every days at around 3am with anxiety. It was so regular that at some point I would wake up knowing that it was only 3am and that I could go back to sleep. I came to the conclusion that there were two possible culprits; digestion or normal drop in body temperature. Remember that the anxious brain misinterprets normal internal changes for a sign of danger, and thus triggers a chain of chemical events to prepare the body to fight or flight. We know that digestion usually occurs 8 hours after a meal, and therefore a dinner taken at around 8pm would be digested at about 3 to 4 am. It is not the digestion itself that would trigger the anxiety (thank God) but rather the rise in temperature during digestion. Another likely explanation would be the drop in body temperature that normally occurs between 2 and 5 am. During that time body temperature is at its lowest, which may trigger anxiety as well. I realize that it may sound contradictory that anxiety would be triggered by a rise and a drop in temperature, but that belief helped me regulate my sleep. Call it a "placebo effect", but by convincing myself of those two possible reasons, I managed to get a grip on my anxiety and was actually controlling anxiety.

Another pattern that became noticeable was the difficulty with falling asleep. As I mentioned earlier, falling asleep was always easy for me but during the anxiety attack it was laborious. I already knew that since my brain was overactive, it took longer to relax and fall asleep. So I researched various ways to help that process. As an example, it is recommended to not watch TV before going to bed because it is over-stimulating, but watching a movie brought on relief to my anxiety. So, I avoided violent and scary movies completely. In addition, I made it a habit of drinking a glass of cold milk every single night. Milk contains Tryptophan, which the brain needs to produce the relaxing brain chemical (neurotransmitter) Serotonin. That may sound cliche, but believe me it absolutely worked for me. My goal was to control my anxiety the natural way, because to me it would lead to long-lasting results. And yes, I did get my sleep back.

Aah sweet, beautiful sleep, how I missed you! I do not ever want to lose you again.

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Agoraphobia Nutrition Tips

So can you really change your diet and make a serious impact on your anxiety disorder? Can agoraphobia really be lessened or even overcome completely through food and diet alone? Agoraphobia nutrition sounds like a great way to be rid of this debilitating disorder but is it real?

Agoraphobia Nutrition - True or False?

The answer is yes! Diet can help alleviate panic and anxiety for any phobias or disorders. It will not solve the problems completely. But it can make massive inroads for many people afflicted with agoraphobia. It is the basic starting block to reshaping your life and becoming a mentally healthy person that can live life free of fear and worry.

What is an Agoraphobia Diet?

The best and simplest way to start a diet to counter agoraphobia is to know what you should NOT consume, and what you need to eat MORE of. Start be eliminating any of the gad foods gradually form your diet and each time replace them with a healthier alternative. Soon you will have swapped all the bad for good. Below is a list to get you started!

Food to Avoid:

Caffeine - This stimulant will make you more anxious. Even small amounts can be bad for anxiety sufferers.

Too Much Sugar - Sugar is also a stimulant that raises your blood sugar. You will get a sugar high which makes it easier to have panic attacks.

Processed Foods - Foods that are too processed are devoid of many nutrients you need. These often turn to blood sugar fast giving you a lot of quick energy that will lead to panic attacks as your adrenal glands fire up.

White Bread - The worst of processed food that people regularly eat!

Alcohol - Booze is another on the list of 'to avoid'

Dairy Foods - Too much calcium can have an adverse effect on your magnesium levels. Magnesium is very important for muscle relaxation which will help calm you.

Good Foods

Water - Hydration is essential. Many time you feel back water can almost immediately make you feel a little better. Avoid dehydration and you will see results.

Low GI Foods

Such as:

OatsLegumesMost vegetablesSelected Fruits

Glycerine - This substance reduces stress hormones very fast. Mix with water and drink before you head into a stressful situation.

Alkaline Forming Foods - Some foods cause our body to become more acidic. Processed foods, very sweet foods, anything that our ancestors would not have eaten too much of. Alkaline forming foods are the opposite. They reduce the acidity and allow the body to function much better including stopping anxiety attacks. Eat more alkaline forming foods to get this benefit and cut down on acidic foods.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids - Recent research has shown that omega 3 fatty acids have a positive effect on keeping moods normalised and stopping depression which is very closely linked with anxiety. More fatty fish and some seeds/ nuts will help you get more of these.

For more agoraphobia diet tips as well as all the other ways you can help to alleviate and finally eliminate your anxiety disorder, click through to overcome agoraphobia and live a life free from fear where the sky is the limit!

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When You Should Get Anxiety Attack Help Fast

There is not a single person on this planet that has never had to deal with anxiety. When the mind and body become overwhelmed by stress, you stand the risk of falling completely apart. Before this happens, you should seek out anxiety attack help from a trained professional. The big question is when you should begin searching for that assistance.

This can be a very difficult question to answer. First of all, you have to be honest by admitting that you have a problem which you cannot fix alone. Recognizing this fact will allow you to ask yourself that important question. Getting to the point where you can discuss your own weakness with a stranger may appear implausible.

You have to realize that you have no reason to be embarrassed. Millions of people often find themselves seeking anxiety attack help, and trained professionals are out there to provide assistance for those who are troubled by these bouts of intense worry and panic.

Many people will make use of self-treatment options, only to discover that these methods eventually fail to produce results. While there are a large number of anxiety attack help therapies that you can use on your own, your condition could become so severe that you need professional assistance. This is typically the case when someone's stress level has become so intolerable that they can no longer function in their daily lives.

The initial signs that you may need anxiety attack help are when you start to feel poorly for no noticeable reason. You might even feel so unwell that you make a visit to your physician's office. Here your physician can make a diagnosis which will let you know if you are suffering from an actual physical illness or an anxiety condition.

While you are in your physician's office, you will be questioned about the medications and drugs you consume. You are asked this question because certain chemicals can produce physical and emotional reactions; a few of them have even been directly linked to anxiety attacks. Do not be offended or shocked by the questions.

You need to give honest answers so that your medical professional can make an accurate assessment of your condition. The easiest way to share your drug use is by creating a chart which contains all of the medicines and recreational drugs you are currently ingesting or have recently taken. This chart should also include the dosage and frequency of all the substances.

If you do not work with a medical professional that you respect and trust, then you will not be able to get suitable anxiety attack help. To make sure you have a reliable expert in the field in your corner, you should research the individual. You can perform an online search about the expert, and you can also seek recommendations from people you know who are receiving treatments for a condition similar to your own.

Another avenue for locating a specialist who can provide you with anxiety attack help is to ask your own physician or another medical authority. These people will know who the experts are, and they can point you in the right direction for assistance. Other places where you can also receive referrals are hospitals and mental healthcare facilities.

While it may be difficult to seek assistance with managing your anxiety disorder, you may find it quite difficult to live without professional assistance. Luckily, there are many anxiety attack help providers; all you have to do is choose one with a good reputation with whom you feel comfortable.

Daniel A Williams has written a number of different articles with similar subject on how to deal with anxiety effectively and they can be found at Best Anxiety Solution. If you want to learn more a complete guide to the best anxiety solution, visit Professional Help for Anxiety and discover other recommended anxiety solution products that work.

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How to Manage Fight or Flight Response to Help You Defeat Panic Attacks

The most typical roots of fight or flight response that affects countless of people is panic attacks. Although this kind of condition in manageable, there are individuals who fail to live normal due to extreme anxiety or stress in their lives. They cannot cope with their negative emotions, which force them to experience extreme panic attacks. It is important to control the physical issues involving panic attacks to control such annoying condition. Today, many anxiety or stress victims opt to use holistic or natural treatments despite the numerous available choices out there. The most common treatments include determining the origin of the attacks, through emotional, mental and physical analysis.

Health experts likewise consider psychotherapy to deal with severe panic attacks. This kind of panic disorder is really bothering countless of sufferers worldwide these days. The exact procedure of psychotherapy involves the method of pinpointing the psychological issues, which causes the patient to experience anxiety. This is an important process to make sure the affected person gets the chance to live a normal life. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most usual procedure that doctors execute to improve the perception and mentality of the patient. This is in fact part of the most reliable stress management tips today.

People who are experiencing minor cases of anxiety or panic attacks can manage their conditions through proper dieting. This means they need to avoid some unhealthy substances and foods that can easily pressure the nervous system. To mention a few of these include coffee and cigarettes. Excessive alcohol intake can definitely trigger panic disorder that normally leads to a more serious condition. In addition, it is best to avoid eating artificial sweetener because this can increase stress also. It is important to lean to eat healthy foods complete with magnesium, vitamins and minerals. Some of the best food options include fish, as these are rich in Omega-3 that can immediately control panic disorder symptoms.

If you can discipline yourself properly, it is also possible to overcome stress and anxiety symptoms. Although you may not easily prevent the root causes of anxiety, disciplining yourself to reduce stress can somehow help you defeat this health problem. The most usual strategy that health experts are using is the muscle relaxation process. This includes relaxing and forcing some of the vital parts of the body, and by doing gentle massage from the face. Although it is possible to perform this procedure alone, you need to do it gently to avoid hurting yourself, particularly your own face. There are also individuals who perform meditation or yoga to relax their minds and defeat tension.

It is always best to have the right treatment solutions to deal with fight or flight response. The best resource you may consider is through searching the Fight or flight response.

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Fixing Anxiety Disorders

In all their many forms, anxiety disorders are acknowledged to be the most frequent classification of mental illnesses with an estimated 20 million adults in the United States dealing with one type or another. Because anxiety disorders occur in many different forms it is important to understand their specific symptoms before being able to determine how to effectively treat them.

Three of the most prevalent forms of these disorders are:
• Panic Attacks
o A sudden extreme fear not in proportion to the cause of the fear. Symptoms include increased heart rate, sweating, dry mouth, and shortness of breath. Usually repetitive without warning.

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder
o Symptoms include constant worrying, being nervous, difficulty in controlling the thought process (over thinking).

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
o Most commonly associated with combat veterans, PTSD can also be caused by any type of physical or psychological trauma and is often a combination of both. Symptoms include recurring unpleasant dreams, vivid "flashback" memories, unable to remember significant events of the original trauma.

Treating Anxiety Disorder
Considering the three above examples, all are treated in very different ways because they have many different causes. A treatment program for someone dealing with occasional panic attacks will be much different that the treatment of PTSD. To receive the most effective treatment program an individual should discuss their symptoms and experiences with a medical professional who is trained and qualified in dealing with mental issues.

Therapy
A program of therapy over a period of time is very effective in identifying the specific issues causing a patient's symptoms. Many different research studies have confirmed the many advantages of one on one counseling in successful treatment.

Medicines
As anxiety disorders have become better understood pharmacological advances have provided a number of medicines that are very effective in treating a wide range of anxiety disorders. The downside is that many of these medications carry a high risk of addiction and must be used only when specifically prescribed by a trained medical professional.

Left untreated, anxiety disorders can destroy both lives and families. You are most responsible for your well being and that of your loved ones. If you are concerned that you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder, it is your responsibility to visit your medical professional and begin the process of determination. Both the causes and treatment of these problems are much better understood than in the past. What you are experiencing does not need to be a life sentence!

More information is as close as your keyboard. Stop by Control Stress for quite a lot more information on stress, anxiety, and sleep issues.

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How To Deal With Post-Traumatic Stress After a Car Accident

Post-traumatic stress is caused by a great many things, from war to car crashes. As personal injury attorneys, we see how PTSD affects car accident victims everyday, and we want to help people identify the problem and get medical help.

Even if the injuries sustained in the car accident are minor, PTSD can be severe. If the injuries were serious or fatal, however, PTSD can even be debilitating, escalating beyond a person's ability to cope on their own.

How people are affected by PTSD varies a lot as well. Some people will simply be more anxious when driving for a couple weeks, while others maybe too afraid to ever drive again.

Common Symptoms of PTSD after an accident include:

Guilt (especially if someone is disabled or died in the accident)AngerNightmaresPanic or fearDrug or alcohol useDepressionEndangerment of themselvesNumbnessSocial disconnection

If you see any of these signs in yourself or a loved one after an accident, please consider seeking help. Many things can set off these feelings, though it is most commonly experienced when driving near the area of the accident or hearing similar sounds (such as sirens or squealing tires). You can help avoid these by taking alternate routes or asking others to drive.

Treatment for PTSD After an Accident:

1. Psychotherapy: therapy sessions, which can be either short-term or long-term, to help victims feel safer and more in control so that they can begin to cope in a healthy way with what happened

2. Cognitive behavior therapy: CBT helps victims develop thinking habits that help reduce symptoms and guides thought processes to improve condition

3. Group therapy: therapy sessions with others, usually with the same condition, that allows everyone to talk and see positive results; sometimes these are combined with individual sessions to allow a person to discuss their feelings with people who understand

Compensation for Treatment of PTSD:

In many cases, therapy for PTSD after a car accident can be compensated in a personal injury claim. While you cannot just claim to have PTSD and demand money from the insurance company, well-documented visits to doctors and licensed therapists can serve as proof that you have PTSD and have sought medical help. These records can be seen by insurance companies as part of the medical damages from the accident.

In many cases, people feel they can deal with their PTSD themselves or do not really realize that they have PTSD but this is a serious condition and treatment should be sought. And the insurance for the person at-fault for the accident should pay these costs as part of the personal injury claim.

Joshua Shulman is a highly-esteemed personal injury lawyer in Portland, Oregon. He has first-hand experience with many different types of injuries, and has made it his goal to prevent as many injuries as possible with his safety guides and resources.

For those who have been injured, Joshua and his law partner Sean DuBois have created the Portland Personal Injury Resource Center, at http://www.pdxinjurylaw.com/rc-portland-personalinjury.html.

Josh and Sean are dedicated to helping people who have been injured. For more information about the resources offered, or safety information, visit http://www.pdxinjurylaw.com/ or 503-222-4411.

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How to Cure Social Anxiety Disorder - 3 Good Strategies

Social people enjoy being surrounded by friends, going to parties and events. There are also individuals called the wallflowers, they like their own company and solitude. On the other hand, there are also situations when someone has an utter fear of being placed in the middle of a social situation that they become helpless. Their incapacitation stems out of their fear of being closely scrutinized, studied, and judged by other people. This illness is known as social phobia or Social Anxiety Disorder. A person with this condition is frightened that he or she will make errors and be embarrassed or humiliated in front of others and this can be made worse by a lack of social skills. Usually, stressing about these things can escalate into an anxiety attack.

Social anxiety disorder is a serious illness that needs to be managed properly. Intense cases of SAD result to the individual being incapacitated with fear that they no longer can live a normal life.

There are simple steps to manage this phobia efficiently and these are:

1. Eliminate Negative Thoughts. People afflicted with social phobia are tormented by thoughts that their behavior is being studied and negatively judged by others. Sometimes this is escalated when the person anxiously worries about the situation before it even happens. Understanding that this affliction is brought about by negative thoughts is one way to grapple with it. By being able to recognize these panic-causing thoughts, you have the ability to change these thoughts into positive mindset and outputs.

2. Breathing Exercises. Environments in a social setting are very frightening and stressful for people with this social condition. Performing proper slow, deep breathing is a powerful anti-stress approach. It may sound quite uncomplicated as everyone knows how to breathe. But there is a proper way of breathing that when you bring air down into the lower part of the lungs (which is where the oxygen exchange is most effective), it can slow down the heart rate, decrease blood pressure, relax the muscles, eases the anxiety and calms the mind. Practices which help you control your thoughts like meditation and yoga are really effective techniques to use with this type of illness.

3. Winning over your terrors and fears. Know that avoiding social interactions will not help you control and win over your social disorder, it can only exacerbate your phobia. Systematic desensitization or exposure therapy uses relaxation techniques that aim to make the person suffering from social phobia to slowly become less sensitive to anxiety-provoking situations. Simply put, you confront your fears a little at a time.

These techniques help you in dealing with this kind of social disorder. These natural techniques don't cost you a thing, and is also a benefit healthwise as you won't experience contrary effects that medications usually have. Knowing your choices for the best treatment that is right for you is the first direction one must take to a healthier and fulfilling life.

Robbie Lee is passionate about writing about natural methods to overcome and heal health concerns. She researches the best and most popular methods for relieving symptoms and overcoming health issues. For further information about how to cure social anxiety, please check out How to Cure Social Anxiety Disorder

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Maybe You Can't Change The Economy But You Can Manage Your Stress

The current economic climate is challenging, to say the least. Nonetheless, for many of us it can be a very large source of anxiety for a variety of reasons.

- Probably you are concerned about the security of your career.

- Perhaps you are concerned about the interest rates on your loans.

- Possibly you are simply feeling the typical tension from the turmoil that appears to be encompassing all of us in these difficult times.

No matter the causes for the anxiety, it is important that you discover positive methods of working the tension out of your system. Anxiety, from all types of sources, can lead to depression and a host of other detrimental emotional states of your mind.

Thankfully there are a number of measures that you can easily take in order to free yourself from the stress and, in the process, give yourself a bit of an emotional and psychological breather. Let's take a look at the best 3 measures that you can easily take in order to diminish the anxiety you feel from the economic climate.

1. Avoid The News:

The daily news is seldom filled with positive reports; just how many times do you tune in to your local news and feel overwhelmed by the horribly adverse stories that provide tales about the toll the economy is taking on those in the city? Take a break from your local news! Turn that hour that might normally have been spent watching the news into time better spent going for a walk, reading a book, taking a relaxing bubble bath, or asking your family about their day. You ought to also think of avoiding well-liked news websites and your regional newspaper, as they are rarely filled by having positive reports regarding the economy.

2. Avoid Negative People:

We all know the type. Those people that never have anything positive to state, that never ever express anything positive regarding their lives, and who just see the doom and gloom side of things. Eliminate these types of people, because chances are that they will certainly not have anything positive to say about the future of the economy and the world that we live in. The last thing that you desire is to spend your free time with folks that are going to escalate the stress levels and make you feel more frustrated.

3. Out Of Mind:

Make a pact with yourself to eliminate thinking of the things that create your extreme tension. Place out of your mind all thoughts of the economic climate and as an alternative, concentrate on more positive things in your life.

a. Avoid thoughts of the economic climate

b. Avoid writing about the economy on your blog site or on social networks

c. Avoid having negative chats about the economic climate with those around you.

You can easily manage the tension and you can effectively lessen it. Take the positive steps that will definitely help you live a life that is a lot more positive.

Kaylee Murphy is a psychotherapist who helps people manage and reduce stress inorder to have more joy, freedom and better health. To get her free ebook so you can learn easy and clever stress reduction techniques visit her website today http://www.kayleedmurphy.com/

Original article

Agoraphobia Self Help

You feel it creeping up on you slowly, but not slow enough you can stop it. The fear, the uncertainly, the stress. Building inside your head getting louder and louder until you just cannot stand it any more! There is no way out, you have no control and you feel sick to your stomach as people look at you in puzzlement and pity. This is what the beginnings of a panic attack from agoraphobia feels like and if you know this all too well you may be desperately looking for agoraphobia self help to stop this from happening again.

Agoraphobia Self Help

There are a number of things you can do to help alleviate agoraphobia and panic attacks without the use of drugs and without seeing a therapist. Therapists can be a good thing for some, and drugs only ever dull the condition - it never cures it. Instead there are more natural ways to stop this from ruining your life such as:
Nutrition: It is amazing just how much a good diet can stop panic and agoraphobia. Perhaps mental disorders lead to poor diet as well - but I believe both ends of the spectrum- cause or consequence - play a huge role in how bad your anxiety is. Eating a balanced diet with a lot of water intake is a good start. Alkaline foods and food low in sugar are also recommended. The more sugar and stimulants such as coffee you have the worse your anxiety will be.
Working Out: A healthy body helps to create a healthy mind. This is not just some old wives tale, studies have repeatedly shown that mental health is improved when people work on their physical fitness. This does not mean you need to be a gym junkie - but a good exercises session releases feel good chemicals called endorphins and many others that calm you and balance your moods in general.
Support: Agoraphobia self help is all good, but one way to help yourself is to get support from others in your struggle. This is self help because you must cultivate these links with others. Social links, family links, and ask for support when you need it - do not be too proud! Social interaction is how we as a species thrive and maintain health - being alone is one of the biggest reasons people fall into depression and even suicide!
Internal Conversation: Also known as introspection. Agoraphobia self help would not go far if you did not dedicate some time at looking deeply within yourself to understand your fears. This must be done with a brutal honesty though or you just mislead yourself. Without facing the sometimes ugly truth you can never hope to beat it!

For more agoraphobia self help that can stop you feeling like a shut in and start making you feel like life is limitless instead, click through to find the help, advice, and support you need to begin to overcome agoraphobia!

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