When Battling Against Anxiety

Anxiety is a universal human phenomenon. It is defined as a strong feeling of fear or dread with an unknown cause. Everyone has experienced being anxious at some point of their life. Everyone may feel anxious, especially when facing an unfamiliar situation. Once anxious, you want to run away from the feeling and want to go back to normal but you just don't have control over it. You only wish that things go back to normal again.

There are people who regularly experience anxiety. They feel that they are facing an unfamiliar situation more often than a normal person does. Almost everything feels strange to them. This type of anxiety is already an alteration of mental ability. It has been believed and studied that frequent anxiety attacks are related to regular exposure to stressors. According to studies, anxiety is part of the human reaction to stress.

There are four levels of anxiety. People who experience increased pulse and blood pressure experience mild anxiety. These people are still alert and can solve a problem. People with elevated vital signs, tense muscles, and diaphoresis, a state when there is excessive sweating, are in the moderate level of anxiety. They are usually tense and fearful. Their attention is focused on one concern. The third level of anxiety is severe. They are in a state of fight-or-flight response, dry mouth, and numb extremities. They are the ones who could barely move due to extreme anxiety. Their sensory perception is decreased. They can only focus on details and are unable to learn new information. The fourth and last level of anxiety is panic. Panic's physical manifestation is more severe than the third level. They are totally overwhelmed by the anxiety. They tend to ignore external cues, focused only on internal stimuli, and are unable to learn.

People who experience anxiety more often need proper attention and intervention. This problem should not be taken lightly. Dealing with these people requires a lot of patience. To help lessen anxiety, careful listening is needed. Looking at the person with unbroken eye contact is necessary. Always maintain a calm and unhurried approach. When it is your turn to speak, talk in a slow and clear manner. Use a firm voice, not loud. Offering of a hand or giving a back rub helps the anxious person control his or her emotions. And if possible, decrease noise and bright lights to elicit calm behavior. Apart from these interventions, it is suggested to seek for a medical help. Medical doctors may prescribe anxiolytic drugs to decrease anxiety levels. What is really important here is that this condition should not be ignored. Proper and prompt care should be given.

The fact is, panic attacks and panic disorder are real conditions that have definite diagnostic criteria. We don't know all the reasons why these conditions might develop, but we do know its not a failure of personality. To know more about it, check out http://www.panicattackrelease.com/

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5 Important Symptoms of General Anxiety Disorder

A General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a state in which the patient worries excessively. This feeling is unrelenting and the worry becomes exceedingly strong, that even a casual comment by someone about them becomes a matter of great worry to the patient. A person suffering from GAD finds it almost impossible to carry-on with his daily activities as worry takes over his thoughts completely. He is always in a state of worry, fear, tension and dreads unfortunate events. GAD affects people of all ages and from all walks of life.

People suffering from GAD exhibit both physical and psychological symptoms. Given below is a list of 5 such signs of anxiety to help you identify and understand this disorder.

* Tensed Muscles, Body Aches, Soreness, Trembling, Twitching, Headaches:
A person suffering from GAD displays all the signs of being extremely tensed and jumpy. The muscles remain tensed most of the time, which cause tiredness and pain in the muscles. He will complain of pain in various parts of his body. He will also tremble and shudder from some kind of fear. A little playful scare can easily send the person into a panic.

* Nausea, Upset Stomach, Diarrhea, Difficultly Swallowing:
The person suffering from GAD will inevitably suffer from several stomach problems. An upset stomach will bother the person most of the time. He will also have difficulty swallowing food. The stomach problems will further complicate the situation.

* Sweating, Hot Flashes, Frequent Visits To The Bathroom, Sleeplessness:
Since the person is in a state of anxiety, he may sweat abnormally. His body temperature will also be unusually high, most of the time. Due to GAD, he may also feel the need to empty his bladder frequently. The person will find it difficult to sleep properly as his mind will be troubled by disturbing thoughts.

* Irritability, Anxiousness, Easily Frightened, Inability to Concentrate:
A person suffering from GAD has an irritable nature, which will be evident from the way he interacts with others around. He shows heightened signs of anxiety which will also cause him to jump with fright at every scary thought or occurrence. The heightened anxiety will also prevent the person from concentrating on anything.

* An Unrealistic View Or Opinion About Simple Or Daily Problems:
Due to the state of anxiety prevailing in the mind of the person suffering from GAD, in his view the normal day-to-day problems will seem gigantic problems that are almost impossible to solve. While others may react mildly to these problems or take those casually, the anxious person will almost be frightened into inaction by the same problems.

One of the signs of anxiety noticed in people suffering from General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is that they expect a disaster at every step. For this reason they may be called neurotic or eccentric but in reality they are just suffering from GAD. Reassurance is the first thing that they need to overcome their state of anxiety.

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How to Deal With Severe Anxiety Disorder

People usually get anxious when faced with unusual things like death in the family, losing a job, starting a new career or getting married. Having anxiety is normal but if your life is ruled by excessive anxiousness or you become unreasonably anxious of situations or things that are normally not a big deal to other people then you might be suffering from anxiety or panic disorder. Anxiety problems can be mild that lasts for a day or two or it can be severe that can lasts for months. Some people have severe anxiety disorder that they find it hard to function normally on their everyday lives. So how would you deal with severe anxiety disorder?

You need to see a doctor. Anxiety or panic disorder is a very treatable condition and you have to get the proper diagnosis and treatment. The symptoms of anxiety disorder may resemble the symptoms of other health problems so you need to see a doctor to make sure you are not suffering from one of those illnesses. If you are not comfortable seeing a doctor alone, ask a close friend or a family member to go with you. To lessen your worries on how to discuss your problem with a doctor, prepare at home and write the things you want to say or ask. If the doctor ask you some questions, take your time and answer the questions. You do not have to be embarrassed because anxiety or panic disorder is an illness and like any other illnesses you need to seek professional help to deal with severe anxiety disorder. Medications are usually the immediate treatment for anxiety attacks. Cognitive behavior therapy and counseling are the common treatments.

Admit that you have a problem. Sometimes there are people who are in denial and it is hard for them to admit that they have anxiety problems. To deal with severe anxiety disorder, you have to admit and recognize that you have anxiety problems. It is easier to seek treatment if you are acknowledging that you have a problem.

Self-help. In the treatments of any health problems, self-help is important. There are many forms of self-help that you can do to deal with severe anxiety disorder. Talking about your anxiety with family and close friends is one form of self-help that you can do to deal with severe anxiety disorder. Reading and learning about anxiety disorder is helping yourself to understand about your disorder. Relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, yoga and proper diet are also self-help care. Whatever treatment you are going through, your participation, cooperation and commitment in the treatment process are important.

Patience. There is no instant treatment for anxiety disorder. Treatments require a lot of work and it takes time for you to get to the stage where you can win over your anxiety. If you are impatient, it can be very hard to deal with severe anxiety disorder. In the early part of every treatment, things might be hard and you might get disappointed with your progress. You will get to the point that you want to give up but you have to be patient and stick to the treatment program and to your goals to finally conquer your anxiety problems.

Dealing with severe anxiety disorder is not as hard as you think if you know what to do. There is help available for you. To stop anxiety disorder for good visit Panic Disorder Freedom.

Thesie Cortez is an article writer and an internet marketer. This article is free for publishing provided that the article must be published in its entirety without alterations. The author's name and all links must be included and remain intact or unaltered with every reproduction.

Original article

How To Deal With Anxiety - A Simplified Note

Anxiety is a stress related affliction which affects a great many people throughout the world. In fact, it is estimated that over 80 million people suffer from this debilitating condition worldwide. The symptoms of anxiety can start from early childhood and continue all through one's life, if not properly diagnosed and treated.

Stress and its more serious offshoot, anxiety, affect almost everyone at some time during their lifetime. It is common for people to become stressed, and therefore anxious, for a great number of reasons, such as because of financial worry, before examinations, at an interview or when having to give a speech - or any other important milestone in one's life. Symptoms of stress and anxiety include heart palpitations, sweaty hands, shakiness, dizziness, nausea and loss of appetite, to list just a few.

There is a multitude of ways in which one can treat the symptoms of stress and anxiety, but just how to deal with anxiety is a contentious subject. One school of thought is to go the serious medication route. This form of treatment is favoured by most doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists, who believe that antidepressants and tranquilizers will lift one's mood and the relaxing effect of these drugs will neutralise the symptoms. This, unfortunately, is not the case, as these specific drugs are known to have some very nasty side effects on certain people, which include heightened depression (believe it or not), sleeplessness, loss of appetite and nausea, weakness, restlessness and, amazingly, in very extreme cases, to cause suicidal behaviour, hallucinations and even panic attacks.

As the generally accepted medication route seems not to be satisfactory, other methods of how to deal with anxiety should be attempted. The holistic or homeopathic way of treating stress and anxiety is fast becoming the treatment of choice, especially with those sufferers who prefer a more 'green' and natural way of dealing with problems. This method involves taking special compounds which are prepared by a homeopathic doctor, which tend to treat the entire body and mind as a whole, rather than only the specific symptoms associated with anxiety or stress. These natural practitioners will, in all probability, ask you to remove certain foodstuffs from your diet, such as caffeine and sugar, which are known to aggravate the symptoms, to ensure a faster recovery. A lack of magnesium and/or potassium is known to aid and abet the symptoms of anxiety, so these should be increased in one's daily intake, either by eating specific foods or by taking them in tablet form.

Finally, one could choose to buy an online coaching course offered by one of the gurus of this form of treatment, which does not include the taking of any medicines or compounds. These courses help one to identify the causes behind one's anxiety, so that it is easy to pinpoint the onset of an attack and take steps to neutralise it before it actually takes hold. The best known proponents of this course of treatment are Charles Linden who uses the Linden Method; and Barry McDonagh, whose system is known as Panic Away.

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How To Recognise The Difference Between Shyness And Social Anxiety

Is being shy and having social anxiety or social phobia the same thing? Many people if asked will believe that if a person is shy then he or she suffers from social anxiety. The two conditions are related and if a person is shy then it is possible that they can develop social anxiety, but they start out as two different and separate disorders. Actually shyness is more of a mannerism than a disorder whilst if a person is diagnosed with social anxiety then they are definitely suffering with a mental health disorder.

The main difference between being shy and having social anxiety is the extent to which day to day life is affected.

A person may have a tendency to be shy and this is actually a feature of his or her personality, it may mean that they are a little uncomfortable amongst strangers or when meeting new people at a social occasion for instance. However when they are with friends or family they are quite comfortable and able to deal with the situation without too much uneasiness or embarrassment. The majority of shy men or women are able to live normal lives without feeling the need to avoid certain places or people.

If a person is diagnosed with social anxiety (also referred to as social phobia) then his or her life is being substantially affected by the disorder. They will often avoid all types of social occasions, make excuses for missing family gatherings, have few or no friends, often preferring loneliness and isolation because of their inability to make new friends or interact with family members. Quite often people with this disorder will live alone and rarely leave the safety of their home, only venturing out when absolutely necessary. If they need to go out to the store for instance they will go early morning or later at night in the hope of avoiding any contact with anyone who may speak to them or attempt to start up a conversation. This type of anxiety is severely disabling and needs professional help to deal with it.

Treatment for social anxiety can come in the form of prescribed medication, talking therapies which include cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling by a psychotherapist etc. Often a combination of therapy and medication will be prescribed with the patient being encouraged to gradually increase his or her exposure to the outside world and to social occasions or gatherings.

If you feel your condition goes beyond normal shyness or you are virtually a prisoner in your own home because of the fear you feel just at the thought of having to meet or speak to anyone then you are almost certainly suffering from social anxiety and need to take steps to deal with this disorder. Talk to your family doctor, explaining how you feel and how your life is severely restricted and work with them to find a way of overcoming your condition. There is help available, you do not have to suffer in silence.

© Andrew Tudor Jones

Andrew Tudor Jones is the owner of http://www.anxietydepressionselfhelp.com/, a websit dedicated to anyone who suffers from anxiety and depression.The website offers valuable information on these conditions as well as 2 e-books which can be downloaded for free and a Blog,updated on a regular basis with relevant information. You can connect with Andrew on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/selfhelpforanxietyanddepression.

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Cure for Social Anxiety

The best way to start to get a cure for social anxiety is by learning some quick tips for social anxiety. You need to control your thoughts, emotions and behaviors. With a social anxiety disorder your thoughts can have a severe impact on how you handle your anxiety. You need to fully accept yourself even any flaws. This will stop making yourself think you are inferior to others. No one is perfect we all have doubtful thoughts about ourselves. Also you need to not over think in social situations. If you are not constantly worried about saying the wrong thing you will start to relax.

To help with your anxiety you need to overcome your loneliness and sadness. These are emotions that drive off potential relationships. If you can be fun and happy you will make a lot more friendships.

The last tip will actually change your level of anxiety. To help with your anxiety you need to base your behaviours on what you would like to do not what you do not fear to do. Face your fears directly. Start with small fears and build up to the big ones.

One of the biggest mistakes with people who suffer from social anxiety is being controlled by their emotions. To help with social anxiety you need to be not controlled by your emotions. You need to do things in spite of your fear. If you feel afraid to do something you do it anyway. Once you start acting in despite of fear you will become more relaxed and desensitize yourself to social situations.

Another way to get a cure for social anxiety is to practice relaxation techniques. If you suffer from social anxiety you know what it feels like to be anxious, it makes you feel awful and insecure.

By choosing to concentrate on being relaxed you will start to get a cure for social anxiety. Start at home. Lay down somewhere comfortable. Take long deep breaths and feel your body relax. Go through your body and feel each muscle relax. Start by relaxing your feet. Feel the tension being released and the muscles relaxing. Continue by relaxing the muscles in your legs and, your torso, arms, back, neck, face and head. Imagine yourself on a beach or by a creek listening to the sounds of the water. Keep breathing deeply and feel your whole body relaxing. Just lay there and feel what it is liked to be totally relaxed.

Now once you now know how to relax, practice relaxing throughout your day. The more relaxed you are the less anxious you will feel.

Do not lose yourself in fear. Make more friends and relax in social situations. Visit http://www.socialanxiety.confidenceiswithinyou.com/

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Accepting Panic Attacks

Learning to accept your panic attacks can sound like an oxymoron. You might say, "If I accept them then I'll have more." This is true if you follow the traditional way of panic attack treatment that says you must focus all your energy on combating unhealthy thoughts and emotions. I'd like to suggest to you a unique panic attack treatment.

To this day, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been one of the central panic attack treatments. It teaches that changing your thinking will decrease unhealthy emotions. The underlying assumption of CBT is that negative and irrational thinking leads to negative feelings, such as panic and anxiety. For instance, if you think you're stupid then you'll feel depressed. CBT is a fairly simple concept that's been shown to be an effective panic attack treatment.

In the middle 1990's, a new type of CBT was developed called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This therapy differs from CBT in that instead of challenging irrational thinking by coming up with rational responses, in ACT, you accept the thought as a thought (e.g. "I am thinking that this plane is going to crash"). You then defuse your thought by three main techniques: mindfulness, acceptance, and commitment. Sure enough, this has been shown to be a very effective panic attack treatment.

Mindfulness means paying attention to something in a specific way. You want to pay attention to the purpose of the experience. You also want be fully in the moment. Most importantly, you need to be non-judgmental. Mindfulness works very well as a panic attack treatment because you end up becoming more attuned to thoughts, emotions, sensations, sights, sounds and smells. Our society can be so fast paced that we end up neglecting everyday experiences. You've certainly experienced the drive to work where you cannot remember anything about the commute once you arrive at your workplace. This is because your head was too busy thinking about the past or future. An easy way to begin practicing mindfulness for panic attack treatment is to pay attention to your experience as you walk outside. Pay specific attention to what you see, smell and hear. Also pay attention to your strides and breathing.

Acceptance means you allow yourself to experience unpleasant thoughts, feelings and sensations while watching them come and go without struggling against them. You take what is offered and free yourself from the unhealthy rule that you must act against what you value. One basic acceptance strategy in panic attack treatment is to use metaphors. For example, a person sinks in quick sand if they fight and put all their weight on one part of their body (e.g. foot). Rather, one should spread the weight of their body and be with the quick sand. Fighting only makes things worse.

Commitment refers to choosing actions based on your personal values. Values are the leading principles that guide the decisions you make. If traveling is important to you, you'll travel. If learning is important to you, you'll read. Determining your values is very important because you need to do what really matters even in difficult circumstances. Value-based decision making is critical to an effective panic attack treatment. A simple way to introduce this concept into your life is to make a list of what is important to you and rank their priority.

Kelly Tappenbeck is an experienced mental health therapist who successfully educates those who suffer from anxiety and panic attacks via his website at http://www.freeofpanic.com/. He also has a well-established blog at http://www.blog.freeofpanic.com/.

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Top Breathing Techniques for Anxiety Revealed

Breathing techniques for anxiety all have a similar goal in mind though the execution may vary. Their aim being to calm you down and reduce or prevent anxiety and panic from welling up inside you.

You may find yourself experiencing the physical symptoms of your anxiety. Breathing techniques for anxiety can be one of your first lines of defence to combat and overcome your anxiety.

Practice is the all important factor. You must practice breathing techniques for anxiety before you need them. This will give you the confidence you need to execute the techniques in the midst of a difficult and anxiety inducing situation without worrying about trying to remember how to carry them out or increase your anxiety if you feel you are not doing them right.

Remember, breathing techniques for anxiety are only as effective as the up front effort you put into them.

One common technique is Deep Breathing.

Deep breathing, otherwise known as diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing and even belly breathing, is a different way of filling your lungs with the all important oxygen to the way most of us breathe on a daily basis. We tend to breathe using the shallow breathing method, also called thoracic breathing or chest breathing.

Deep breathing uses the diaphragm muscle located between the chest cavity and stomach cavity to expand the lungs and is characterised by the expansion of the belly, or abdomen, as air rushes in to fill the lungs. By using the diaphragm to breathe, the air is drawn into the lungs as the lung cavity expands and fills the whole lungs rather than just the top area as characterised by shallow breathing.

Deep Breathing Inhaling:

The most effective and most common inhalation method to aid anxiety relief while using Deep Breathing is through your nose.

You should inhale slowly and deliberately through your nose giving you the necessary control over your breathing and help prevent hyperventilation which would more than likely make your anxiety worse rather than better.

As you inhale, make sure you make every effort to fill up your lungs to maximum capacity. Feel the stretch all the way down to your diaphragm at the bottom of your chest. You should keep going till you can't take any more in. This can be achieved easily when using your diaphragm correctly.

Deep Breathing Exhaling:

Simply put you want to get rid of all the air you have just taken in. However there are different ways to do that but not all will help keep you calm.

Again, prevent hyperventilation by slowly exhaling. If you exhale too fast you ware more likely to enter into a rapid cycle of breathing which will not help your anxiety in the least.

Take your time and exhale through your mouth, not your nose. Your actions should also be deliberate and controlled as before.

There is a fine line between taking too long to breathe using these breathing techniques for anxiety, and getting it just right. Taking too long will leave you breathless after a short time and gasping for air. Breathe too quickly and you may get light headed and more anxious.

Deep Breathing Technique:

Your aim is to breathe in such a way that you begin to feel calm and relaxed. A good rule of thumb is to count to ten as you inhale, hold for five and then count to ten as you exhale. However you may need to modify this slightly to suit yourself.

To tell if you are breathing correctly, put one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. As you breathe, shallow breathing will cause your chest to rise first and farthest, however deep breathing has the opposite effect in that your stomach area will expand first and higher than your chest.

With practice you will learn how to control this technique and put it to good use. There are many breathing techniques for anxiety though this is one of the most popular. Maybe in your own search you will discover other great breathing techniques for anxiety.

Find out more about curing your panic and anxiety by taking a look at these instantly available solutions right now and start down the road to recovery and freedom immediately.
Also, visit http://www.socialanxietydisorderguide.com/ to find out more about dealing with anxiety.

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Hypoglycemia Causes and Adapting to Stress

One of the Hypoglycemia causes that has shown up in numerous research studies is definitely stress, so it is imperative that you learn to adapt to the stress in your life.

Many people aren't aware that exposure to short periods of stress is necessary for one's personal growth and development. Being in a stressful situation forces us to get out of our comfort zones and exercises our creativity in finding solutions to the problems we find ourselves involved in. A person who has not experienced stress is a person who is not equipped to deal with normal, everyday life.

Stressful situations in life are indeed inevitable. While they cannot be completely avoided, we can mitigate their effects by adapting and adjusting to them. Here are some tips to help you do just that.

Be positive

There are two sides to every stressful situation--- a positive and a negative side. When one dwells on the negative side of a situation that he or she cannot change, he or she ends up a frazzled pile of nerves and irritability. When one chooses to look on the positive side, he or she will be more open to the opportunities the situation presents to improve oneself, helping to take on board the lessons learnt by the situation. Feeling bad about the stressful situation will not make things any better. Looking at the brighter side of things may not help change the situation either but at least you will learn and feel better about it.

Take a step back

If we take a step back and look at the bigger picture, we will find that more often than not, we stress about small things, which will not really matter in the big scheme of things. The energy and effort you put in worrying over these small things will be better put to use on things that really matter. Learn to discern between the big and small things and don't sweat the small stuff. This way you put your energies to something more constructive and get rid of a source of useless stress.

No-one's perfect

One last point, perfection is an impossible goal to achieve. No one is, after all, perfect. We can get rid of a lot of useless stress by not expecting perfection in everything we do and with the people we deal with. This is not to say that we should be satisfied with mediocrity. The point here is to know and to set reasonable standards for oneself and other people. When we keep trying for perfection and expecting it from others, we set ourselves up for a lifetime of frustration. Learn to be satisfied with "good."

Find out more

If you would like to find out more then make sure you visit our site and download our FREE Report 'Six Things You Won't Know About Hypoglycemia'.

Noel Glass has been helping people with hypoglycemia and low blood sugar and having suffered with hypoglycemia himself, he understands what you are going through and how difficult it is to get on top of it.

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Is St John's Wort Good For Anxiety?

Anxiety is a complicated condition believed to be driven by a mixture of brain chemistry, heredity, and life experiences. Since it is difficult to isolate one cause the trick to effectively relieving anxiety likely is a combination of treatments including St. Johns Wort (Hypericum perforatum).

The question as to whether or not St. John's Wort is good for anxiety is not easily answered. Some countries such as Germany love this herb while others such as the United States would rather go with pharmaceutical treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Zoloft or Paxil (SSRIs).

The story of this anxiety relieving herb goes back centuries as a safe and effective way to balance mood and sustain mental equilibrium. The active ingredients in St. John's Wort associated with reducing anxiety are glycosides, flavonoids, volatile oils, tannins, and resins. Exactly how these active ingredients work to improve anxiety is unknown but the best guess is that they influence the brain chemical serotonin in some way.

Serotonin is one of a number of brain chemical messengers. Others regularly mentioned are dopamine and norepinephrine. Both dopamine and serotonin play a role in how someone perceives the world. In other words is the glass half empty or half full.

Additionally, there is an ever growing body of research that suggests anxiety related problems such as stress, panic, and unjustified fears are the result of an imbalance between the right and left side of the brain.

Some believe that St. Johns Wort helps the left and right hemispheres of the brain communicate better by improving serotonin levels. Additionally, since it is unknown exactly how brain chemicals work other unknown interactions may play a role as well.

So there seems to be good evidence to support the belief that St. Johns Wort is indeed good for mild to moderate anxiety. That said, there is little evidence to suggest that St. Johns Wort alone can help with severe depression or anxiety.

Personally, I like the combination of St. Johns Wort and passionflower but others tend to prefer taking St.John's Wort with the sleep agent melatonin. While this calming herb can be a helpful tool for reducing anxiety and depression you likely will get better results by combining it with the self-help strategies of mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and exercise. Why don't we very briefly run through each one of these.

Mindfulness. Mindfulness is learning to be more in-touch with the present rather than the past or future (worrying about what has happened or what might happen).

Progressive muscle relaxation. This is the process of tensing and then relaxing muscles.

Deep breathing. This is one of my favorite relaxation therapies to combine with St. Johns Wort. Simply breath in deeply through your nose and then let the air out slowly through your mouth. I like to think about this exercise as the tide rushes in and then slowly returns out to sea.

Exercise. Everyone knows that exercise is the enemy of anxiety when sustained for 30 minutes or more. Exercise reduces anxiety levels by boosting feel good hormones including serotonin.

In conclusion, is St. Johns Wort good for anxiety is a subjective question for which the answer will not be the same for everyone. Nevertheless, it might be worth a try especially considering the known side effect risks associated with conventional prescription anxiety treatments.

Robert D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic consumer advocate for natural health and natural living with over 10 years experience in the field. To discover more about anxiety along with information about safe and effective all natural herbal anxiety remedies containing St.Johns Wort Click Here.

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Do You Suffer From A Panic Related Disorder?

If you have suffered a panic attack before you will have felt a sudden and overwhelming feeling of fear that causes agitation. In a panic situation, anxiety dominates and often replaces our normal thinking process so that we do not seem to be able to think rationally. Instead we are powered by extreme fight-or-flight responses that lead to actions or decisions that we would not make if we were able to 'think straight'.

The word panic has many meanings in general language. Panic is something that can happen to an individual (as in the case of panic attacks) or to a group of people.

The fear that leads to panic can have many causes. It may be physical fear, when we are in a situation of real physical danger such as being caught in a war or riot. It is this kind of situation that the fight-or-flight response was designed to handle, so panic may be the appropriate response in a case like that.

However, the term panic also applies in many other situations of extreme stress. One example is a panic run on a bank. Here, a group of investors suddenly becomes extremely afraid that their investment is not safe. They rush to withdraw their money from the bank. Since banks loan out most of their money, they do not hold enough cash to handle the situation of many investors all withdrawing their money at the same time. The result is that even if the bank was solid, it can crash simply as an effect of the panic.

As well as being dangerous to the security of investments, group panic can be physically dangerous. When there are many people crowded into a small space, panic can lead to injury and death. For example, when a fire alarm goes off in a crowded environment, people could be crushed and killed in the stampede for the doors, especially if there are not enough exits to handle the number of people in the building. This can happen even if there is not a fire. Consider again our definition of panic. It is the fear that causes panic. It can happen even if the danger is not real.

However, the danger of panic in an emergency can be reduced by good design of a space as well as by increasing the number of exits. A room that is divided by partitions or even pillars placed in front of the exit will be much safer, because the crowd is split up at a point where injury is most likely to occur.

Panic is not limited to human beings. It is a response that we share with many other mammals. Primitive people used this knowledge for successful hunting of herd animals such as cattle. They would round up a herd and deliberately cause a stampede by frightening the animals. Some would be injured and then they were easily caught. In extreme cases, animals could be incited by panic to jump off cliffs which would injure or kill them.

Please see our website for more information on panic attacks at http://www.clickremedies.com/

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How to Be Free of Anxiety by Understanding the Three Principles Behind All Life

Being a psychotherapist, there is not a day goes by that I don't sit with people who are anxious, including myself. The thing is, if they could find what would reassure them, they would not be seeing me. In other words, anxiety becomes a problem when nothing reassures; and finding nothing that reassures becomes, itself, a source of anxiety, leaving people caught in a downward vicious cycle.

Enter a deep-enough understanding of the three principles behind all experience to the rescue. These three principles underlying all life are MIND, THOUGHT AND CONSCIOUSNESS. No one can really tell us what these are, but we all know they exist. They are as palpable as is our experience, and the means by which any experience at all is possible.

Thankfully, we don't need to define these, any more than we need to know how our automobiles work to drive them. I suspect that any definition would miss the boat by limiting them, and I am quite certain that they are limitless, therefore, undefinable. However, understanding that these three principles are the source of our experiences, and not what happens to us, allows us to change our relationship to our experience. Yes, all that we experience comes, not from what happens to us, but from how we are making use of these "divine gifts", as Syd Banks called them.

What reassurance does this understanding of the three principles provide? The assurance that:

There is nothing ever fundamentally wrong with us (mind, thought and consciousness), we just think there is, and when we do we get anxious.Beyond our frightened, confused, contaminated thinking we all have the potential to think clearly, to tap wisdom - the limitless intelligence of mind.Because of this limitless intelligence we are only stumped for the moment, and we can rest assured that in time some new thought, some new perspective will occur to us that will provide the missing link..These principles are the creative force behind our moment to moment experience and they explain inclusively and exclusively the role of thought in creating our states of mind, which, again, do not depend on what happens to us, but on what and how we think about what happens to us.

Just as the more mature understanding of parents allows them to remain calm when their young child gets distressed, a sufficient understanding of the three principles allows us, in our roles as parents, teachers, employers, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, lovers, or friends to remain clam-enough even when we find nothing we do or say reassures our loved ones. And our ability to remain sufficiently at ease, reassured, calm, and confident impacts our distressed loved ones so that they start calming down.

Once they have calmed down enough, they are in a better position to come to see for themselves what we are coming to see for ourselves- that behind all life there is innate intelligence, health and the capacity for healing; that at its foundation life is profoundly organized, organizing, creative, intelligent, and evolving; that ultimately, our state of mind and our happiness do not depend on anything outside of us, but come from our thinking.

I would say that I am still as anxious as ever. My anxiety goes all the way back to when I was three, caught in a horrid dilemma - that of awakening in the middle of the night having to pee really badly, but not being able to go to the bathroom because of the monster under my bed that would eat me the moment I moved on the one hand; and on the other hand, the danger of peeing in my bed and having my father eat my head off for doing so. Today among the myriad objects of my anxiety there are:

getting firedgetting suedgetting rejectedgetting cancerlosing my mindlosing my healthending up homeless

Because I seem to be as anxious as ever you might think that an understanding of the three principles of mind, thought, and consciousness is useless. And I'd agree in terms of this understanding not giving me any more control over my thoughts and feelings (my experience). But I'd disagree because understanding where my experience is coming from (the three principles), and the inclusive and exclusive role of thought in creating my experience, enables me to take my experience with a grain of salt. I do not have to take what I am experiencing so seriously. I am not so frightened by it. As I often say, "But for my thinking I would not be in a panic right now."

I KNOW that I have nothing REALLY to be afraid of, I just THINK I do. I understand that the threat of these dreaded catastrophes ultimately can't and doesn't bar me from being able to be happy and enjoy life - what I call "the delight of existence". I KNOW that this terror will pass. It always has, it always will. I KNOW that the terror I feel is more akin to the terror I feel in a horror movie or on a roller coaster, and I remember how I actually pay to get terrified.

Ultimately, my understanding of the three principles enables me to have total assurance that my state of mind does not depend on not getting fired, or sued, etc. I can see the potential I have to experience a nice feeling and a good state of mind even when I am fired, or sued, or get cancer, or lose my mind, or end up homeless. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not being glib and imagining that I would not go through hell if these things happened. I am quite sure I would, but I am also positive that I don't have to stay in hell because of these situations, and I know that hell is made in mind, by mind, through thought and consciousness, not by what happens. If I had no opinion about these "catastrophes", I'd remain unaffected.

As Syd Banks put it:

"We are all but one thought from heaven....

If we can but find that thought."

May this brief article face you in the direction of heaven.

RICH_ID

My area of expertise is psychology. I have been a professional counselor since 1980. Emotional literacy, emotional freedom and generating emotional well-being are my expertise. Suffering is inevitable until we realize that it is optional. I help people realize the truth of this.

My mission is to help myself and others end suffering.

http://wisdomphonecounseling.com/

More on "The Three Principles" @ http://threeprinciplesmovies.com/

Original article

5 Basic Tips on Managing Your Chronic Anxiety

Many people have anxiety but will go throughout their lives without ever standing up and saying that enough is enough. People don't realize that over 12 million Americans have anxiety and we spend roughly a billion dollars a year trying to cope with it, when really we can take just 5 simple easy steps that could relieve most if not all of our anxiety.

Find the Cause. The first and most basic step is to find out what is causing your anxiety. Many people don't know that anxiety is a broad term for several different disorders. These orders range from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) to Post traumatic stress disorder. Figuring out what is causing your anxiety and you will be able to self-diagnosis what problems you are having.

Diet. Diet also plays a very crucial role in dealing with anxiety. People who eat healthier tend to have a much lower anxiety rate than those who eat a lot of junk food. This is because the fluctuation of sugar levels, the amount of fatty calories, and the large amount of calories causes the body to go through drastic levels of change which in turn can trigger anxiety and higher levels of stress.

Exercise. Going out and being an active person helps but what you really need is to dedicate a time of at least 30 minutes a day were you can exercise. This time helps melt away any prior problems that you were having throughout the day or any potential problems that you have been worrying about. When the body is exercising it helps focus the mind on that exercise preventing worrying about other problems that could or have arisen. If not physically capable do not try this method.

Vacation. People that take vacations from the work and everyday life tend to have a lot lower stress levels than those who do not. This is a very simple concept, leave for a few days go out and enjoy life. If you are on a tight budget try to just plan a small trip and whenever you feel stress try to remember that you will be leaving soon to escape all of your fears and worries.

Laugh. Humor is such a great tool to help people suffering from stress and anxiety. Laughing helps you to relax and release any stress that you were having throughout the day. Laughing is best done when with someone but not at that person, unless both of you are enjoying yourselves and no one's feeling is hurt. It is just as the golden rule says treating others as you want to be treated.

These tips should help you in managing your chronic anxiety. If you are finding that you are still having bad anxiety attacks you should seek help from a doctor or other certified medical attends. If it comes down to having to seek medical assistance or advices make sure that it is from a certified medical professional and not just anyone.

Thank you for reading my article. If you would like to learn information on chronic anxiety feel free to visit my website http://www.waystodealwithanxiety.net/

Original article

6 Ways to Help Reduce Your Anxiety Naturally Today

Anxiety disorders are an increasingly common problem facing people today. The rapid lifestyle and technological changes that have taken place over the last hundred years have brought with them an increase in stress, anxiety and panic for everyday people.

It is estimated that in these modern times there are approximately forty million American adults each year who are suffering from anxiety disorders. This situation is not just confined to the U.S either, with similar problems being experienced around the world.

If you are suffering from excessive anxiety, the following are a number of practices and lifestyle changes, worth considering to help bring you some relief from your problem.

1. Exercise

Many studies have been carried out into the effects of exercise on anxiety levels. In one study it was shown that a ten week program of exercise, undertaken by people suffering from panic disorder, had the same impact on anxiety levels as a commonly prescribed anti-anxiety drug.

Regular thirty minute sessions of aerobic exercise, that are sufficient to get your heart rate going, can have a calming effect on the mind and the reduction of your anxiety levels are often noticed very quickly.

Who needs medication when there is a natural way of achieving similar results which also benefits your overall health, with no harmful side effects? If you are not already doing this, i strongly urge you to give it a try.

2. Meditation

Meditation is a method of self regulation of the mind that has been practiced in various forms for thousands of years.

Scientific studies have shown that meditation can cause a significant reduction in anxiety levels in people who are suffering from panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, including people also displaying agoraphobia.

Excessive anxiety is often brought about by our own hyper active thought processes. Meditation can help the mind to achieve stillness and peacefulness, and in doing so naturally reduces your anxiety level.

3. Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy uses the essential oils from certain plants, which are mixed with either oil or alcohol. These aromatic compounds are used to treat a variety of symptoms and can help to alter your mental state.

They can either be applied directly to your skin when having a massage, or a solution of them can be inhaled. They tend to be useful for stress-related problems, and may help your mind to relax which can take the edge off your anxiety.

Aromatherapy is probably best when used together with other anti anxiety techniques, as a complementary therapy, as the effects are relatively mild and on its own it is not usually going to significantly help someone who is suffering from severe anxiety. Common oils that are used to treat stress and anxiety include Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Chamomile, Lavender and Geranium.

4. Diet

The diet you eat can have a major effect on anxiety levels for some people. Studies have shown that people who eat a regular diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, fish, quality meat, and fruit, are more than thirty percent less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression.

On the other hand, a diet high in saturated fats and processed foods is more likely to negatively affect your mental health.

Try to eat fatty fish, such as Mackerel, as these are high in omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential for human health and play an important role in brain function. If you need to cook using oil, try and use olive oil.

Turkey and Milk are both high in tryptophan, which is required by the brain to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays an important part in regulating anxiety and making us feel happy. Low levels of serotonin can make us feel anxious and depressed, so try increasing these in your diet.

5. Avoid alcohol and coffee

Many people turn to alcohol to help them deal with their anxiety as it can initially have the effect of relaxing you. However drinking too much alcohol can actually increase your state of anxiety.

Alcohol consumption can effect serotonin levels, and the drop in these the day after a drinking session can cause you to feel anxious and depressed. It can also cause a drop in your blood sugar levels which can lead to feelings of nervousness, confusion, dizziness and shaking.

People suffering from an anxiety disorder can often mistake these symptoms for the onset of their anxiety problem and then the cycle of worrying thoughts can elevate anxiety levels even further until it leads to panic.

The occasional glass of wine with a meal is okay for most people, but be careful to limit exactly how much you drink, or you could end up making your symptoms worse.

Coffee is another drink to consider avoiding. The caffeine in coffee is a powerful stimulant, which has been known to bring on panic attacks in people vulnerable to them. Caffeine can significantly increase the amount of adrenaline in your blood stream, which can make you feel jittery and increase your anxiety levels.

If you really like it, and have to have a cup of coffee, make sure it's decaffeinated. Be careful about drinking tea as well, this also contains caffeine, although not as much as coffee.

6. Qi Gong

Originating in China, Qi Gong is a traditional medical practice, which combines the idea of exercise and meditation to produce a calm mental state by aligning your breathing with slow stylized movement. It can be practised by anyone, irrespective of age, and is a very relaxing activity that is good for your general health.

Qi Gong can be learnt through a qualified instructor, or through videos and the internet, and it is easy to learn and practice. Scientific studies have shown that Qi Gong can have a positive effect on people suffering from anxiety disorders.

All the things mentioned above are not usually on their own a cure for your anxiety disorder. However, what they can do is help you to cope better with your condition without the need for potentially harmful medication. It is important to learn how to calm and relax yourself when you are feeling anxious, and very useful to be aware of the things that may trigger you off so you can avoid them.

Taking care of your overall health can only be of great benefit for you, both physically and mentally. If doing some of these things involves a significant lifestyle change for you, then do give strong consideration to it because you may really benefit from the change.

But in order to finally cure your anxiety disorder and have the pleasant, worry free life you deserve, you will need to combine the aspects mentioned above with a proven method of treatment that can provide the permanent release from your condition that you desire.

You can find out more about finding the right treatment method for you in my free report here: Dealing With Anxiety.

Don't lose hope, you can get better. Learn more about how to deal with Anxiety and Panic Attacks by clicking the link.

Original article

Most Effective Panic Attacks Treatment

Anxiety and panic attacks can ruin one's health, one's social life and one's career. Both these syndromes afflict a large number of the world's inhabitants at one time or another in a person's life. The difference between anxiety and panic is distinct. Anxiety is categorised as being a state of worry which builds up over a period of time and continues to plague the sufferer for years on end if not treated, while a panic attack is perceived as being an occurrence that happens in the blink of an eye and is usually short lived (even though some of the symptoms may last quite a while afterwards).

It generally takes victims of either of these syndromes some time before they realise that their lives are being grossly affected by their fears and worries. In the majority of cases, it takes an even longer time before the sufferers take the huge step of seeking help from the medical profession. Unfortunately, in the cases of both anxiety and panic attacks, treatment by a large proportion of doctors is meted out in the form of tranquilizers and antidepressants. These two classes of drugs are often the antithesis of the medication which should be prescribed, as they are both known to have some very bad side effects. Examples of these include insomnia (the inability to sleep) and heightened depression, along with more minor symptoms of restlessness, weakness, nausea and loss of appetite, all of which aid and abet the anxiety and panic that it is supposed to cure. In extreme cases, the antidepressant drug Prozac, which is very commonly prescribed by doctors and psychiatrists, has even been reported to cause hallucinations and suicidal behaviour and - believe it or not - panic attacks.

It is therefore obvious that one should avoid this course of action when trying to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. Alternative forms of treatment are available, such as homeopathic remedies. For this option, a homeopath or homeopathic doctor will formulate a course of treatment which will take into consideration the entire body, not only the specific symptoms. Such formulations are compounds of natural ingredients, mainly plants, which are known to have a positive reaction on the human body. The most famous of these plants is the foxglove, from which the compound digitalis is extracted and commonly used in the treatment of cardiac disease, to control the heart rate. Clearly then the natural medicine route is one which may safely be taken for the treatment of anxiety and panic attacks.

One further course of action which one may pursue to try to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks comes in the form of online instruction courses which may be purchased on the internet. This form of treatment involves no medication of any sort, but rather one follows step by step instructions on how to control one's emotions and feelings in order to overcome the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks. Treatment with this method is offered by Charles Linden, with his Linden Method; and by Barry McDonaugh's Panic Away system.

Original article

Your Guide to Panic Attacks

Some people anticipate panic attacks, while others feel tsunami stricken quite out of the blue. Panic attacks seem to appear in a life context when the person has difficulties coping with reality. The extremely anxious episode is sometimes a symptom of anxiety disorders. This is why in medical literature, panic attacks are discussed in the context of panic disorders. Yet, one panic attack is not enough for the diagnosis of a mental health problem.

The anticipatory thinking pattern with the constant fear of panic anxiety attack recurrence usually leads to more such episodes. Lots of people start to avoid the situations that trigger the feat of panic, but instead of helping, this evasive strategy actually deepens the problem. The therapeutic approach to panic anxiety attacks usually aims at breaking the vicious cycle of fear, training the mind into a different thinking pattern that takes the individual away from anxiety.

The correct identification of the triggers that cause panic anxiety attacks, a deeper understanding of the mind mechanisms and the effort to keep negative thoughts under control lead to an efficient approach to the treatment of panic disorders. As part of cognitive-behavioral therapy, the patient learns to recognize a phobic situation and control the upsurge of adrenaline that derives from it. This is possible by breathing techniques accompanied by visualization, mindfulness, self-talk and other soothing methods.

It is of paramount importance to get an accurate diagnosis for panic anxiety attacks. In lots of cases, the panic attack sufferer thinks that he/she is having a heart attack, and there is pressing fear that death is coming. Fear of death, of losing control and collapsing is mixed with an imperative urge to escape from the situation responsible for the panic episode. Numerous symptoms, physical, psychological and cognitive accompany panic attacks, and the sensations are so intense that the person cannot express the way he/she feels.

Panic anxiety attacks usually last between five and ten minutes, yet, in very severe cases there may be ups and downs over several hours. It is important to seek medical help immediately, and turn to therapy even if you've suffered from just one panic attack.

Getting correctly diagnosed and starting treatment represent the only way of successfully preventing panic attacks from happening again. Without help, your fear of yet another attack will become a trigger for more and more such episodes. You need to find the strength in you to go to therapy for as long as necessary so that you recover completely and for good.

Original article

Anxiety Disorder and Your Daily Life

Being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder can be tough for your morale. Drugs and most important therapy can help a patient manage the condition and improve health. According to medical classifications, there are five major types of anxiety disorder:

- generalized anxiety disorder;
- panic disorder;
- social phobia (social anxiety disease);
- post-traumatic stress disorder;
- obsessive-compulsive disorder.

In general lines, people who suffer from an anxiety problem go through their days filled with worry and tension, although there is no real reason for the way they feel. Disaster seems to lurk at the back of their mind, and they feel a constant threat about money, family, health or work. For mild to moderate cases of anxiety disorder, the patient can function socially, yet, in severe anxiety cases, the drug treatment becomes an absolute must.

The cases of anxiety problem are twice more numerous among women than among men. This mental health problem develops gradually and can settle in at any point in one's life. Scientific research nevertheless indicates that childhood and middle age are the years with the highest risks of anxiety problem. Unfortunately, drug abuse and depression often accompany an anxiety disorder. Specialized, targeted medical treatment and cognitive-behavioral therapy are a must in order to bring the patient on the right track.

In terms of insurance coverage for the treatment, most health insurance plans cover the costs. In case you don't have insurance, you can seek help with the Health and Human Services division and get referred to a public mental health center where you will be charged according to your payment capabilities. Sometimes it is possible to use the Medicaid plan for treating an anxiety disorder.

As part of the therapeutic approach, lots of patients who suffer from an anxiety disorder find great benefits in support groups and self-help in addition to one-to-one counseling. There are many ways to make therapy more efficient. One would be to learn stress management techniques and meditate. Through meditation people with an anxiety disorder are able to calm themselves and feel soothed.

The family plays a very important role in the recovery process because everybody needs to feel loved and supported during tough times. Improvement without treatment is not possible for an anxiety problem, therefore, both the family and the sufferer should show patience and take things one step at a time. People in the close circle of the anxiety sufferer should self-educate in order to understand what it means to have an anxiety disorder.

Original article

5 Guidelines On How To Ease Anxiety Successfully

Being anxious is just a normal human feeling.It is just normal when you feel anxious. This is where our body and mind reacts in a certain situation like problems, failures, fears and any other traumatic experience. A person who has this illness and fear too much usually confirms comfort by going into their wrong routines such as being alcohol addiction, using tobacco, unnecessary eating and taking disallowed medication which changes their life really bad.

When anxiety disorder becomes cruel, it may result death. This is why it's crucial that sufferer must learn how to treat themselves. Head on to learn tips to reduce stress.

Make List of What Stresses You Out

First step, figure out what made you anxious. Investigate how you can be able to manage the causes and consider the changes in your attitude that you are having now. This will allow your mind to think and focus on what you need to do in order to conquer those difficulties.

Do Some Recreation and Exercise

Regular exercise like yoga, meditation, running, walking or cycling can give yourself enough time to relax. While doing your minutes meditation, think of happy thoughts and allow yourself to appreciate some great things happens in your life. Indulging yourself to some leisure activities would do. Do not control yourself to do items you really liked as these can help you create a lot.

Go To Wonderful Places

Beautiful places have been proven effective way on overcoming death anxiety. Feel the water and white sand at the beach, go to the mountain with your friends and you will surely enjoy these amazing places.

Become A Music Lover

Listening to music will surely change your aura. Choose your favorite music, get the headset, relax and enjoy listening to music. This will get away your worries.

Enjoy Some Movies

Beat that anxiety, laugh and be inspired while watching movies. It will not only decrease your worry but also help you strengthen your self confidence and modify your adverse outlooks into good one.

These tips will help you relieve anxiety, but is it still important for a person with anxiety to learn to help herself improve and treat properly. Problems and difficulties are part of man's existence, but that doesn't necessarily mean that one should not face it at all. Discovering the right option is the best element to do. After all, it's how a person reacts to it.

Find Peace, Take Action, Live Happily. Learn how to quickly treat anxiety disorder. Study the effective way to overcome anxiety. Talk to us.

Original article

Easy Anxiety Treatments Guide

Numerous anxiety treatments are now available to modern man, yet you cannot venture on your own when it comes to dealing with anxiety. The involvement of an experienced therapist in the recovery process is an absolute must. To describe the recovery process in metaphoric terms we could say that treating anxiety is like a journey from darkness to light. The gripping fear that clinicians define as anxiety touches every individual at least once in a while, but in some cases the sufferer is no longer in control of emotions: he/she gives in to depression, stress, fear and panic.

Could anxiety be the result of too much stress? Does it derive from the accumulated sorrow in one's life or is it circumstantial? Is one genetically predisposed to anxiety? Scientists have so far managed to understand that there is a little bit of all these that leads to the installation of an anxiety disorder. However, from individual to individual, the predominance of one anxiety trigger over another is clear. Hence, the anxiety treatments differ so much and they always need to be tailored to match the patient's uniqueness, in the best way possible.

There are drug and non-drug, invasive or non-invasive anxiety treatments. Cognitive-behavioral therapy predominates in all forms of treatment because it provides the substance, the means and the guidance for the patient to defeat anxiety for good. Even in very severe cases, therapy can bring balance to the patient's existence in the sense that it trains the suffer in such a way that the condition becomes bearable and manageable. Specialists often use several anxiety treatments in parallel or treatment formulas that follow a holistic approach.

Here is an example of how the various anxiety treatments can be combined. Let's say that the doctor decides not to prescribe medication. Besides therapy, you can relieve stress, soothe your mind and get in control of your condition by regular physical activity, aromatherapy, yoga, meditation and breathing techniques. An anxiety sufferer should integrate all these into his/her life in order to get the best self-help strategies to prevent panic attacks and be in control of his/her mind and emotions.

Many anti anxiety programs provide users a holistic approach and a combination of several anxiety treatments in one single formula. Talk to your therapist and come up with such a program together, or use a ready-made one at the specialist's recommendation. Anti anxiety self help programs allow anxiety sufferers to break the vicious circle of fear, change their thinking pattern and cultivate mindfulness in all activities.

Original article

The Neurotransmitters Involved In Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States. There are different types of this disorder such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder(GAD), and post traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). There are several causes for an anxiety disorder. Mostly, it is due to abnormal levels of certain chemicals, which are known as neurotransmitters, in the brain.

The brain continuously secretes neurotransmitters to balance mood levels and keep them stable. When mood levels are not stable, a person faces mood problems, such as anxiety, stress and depression. Anxiety is also often seen as a sign of depression. Most of these mood disorders can be treated with help of various medications. However, it is important to consult a doctor before taking any medications.

Serotonin is one of the chemicals that plays an important role in maintaining stress levels. A decreased level of serotonin as well as reduced activity of this neurotransmitter can result in anxiety, according to the US Surgeon General. If the anxiety disorder is due to low serotonin levels, it can be treated with the help of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). In fact, these medications are better treatment options for people suffering from OCD and PTSD.

Gamma amino butyric acid, or GABA, is a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect on people. Like serotonin a deficiency in this neurotransmitter can cause anxiety disorders. To treat lowered levels of GABA, benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed. These medications bind with the GABA receptors and boost the inhibitory response of the neurotransmitter. As a result the person gets quick relief from anxiety. However, these medications are not meant for long-term use, as they can be addictive.

Norepinephrine is another neurotransmitter that can cause anxiety disorders, if not found in right levels. This neurotransmitter is also known as nonadrenaline. It excites a person and prepares him/her for the flight-or-fight response. When the body perceives a stressful situation, this neurotransmitter is released by the adrenaline gland. However, if the person is under chronic stress, norepinephrine is constantly produced by the adrenal glands and the body is always in the state of flight-or-fight response. As the result, the person is always stressed out and jumpy. This type of anxiety disorder can be treated with the help of SNRIs or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. These drugs are approved by the US FDA for treating depression, but they can also be used for anxiety disorders, according to Mayo Clinic. Some of the side effects of these drugs include dryness of the mouth, tremors, nausea and insomnia.

Corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) plays a very important role in managing stress disorders, according to the Surgeon General of the United States. CRH is released in increased quantities in the case of anxiety disorder. An article published in 2008 in the European Journal of Pharmacology states that drugs that target CRH receptors in the cells could hold the key to effective treatment of depression as well as other anxiety disorders.

About Author:
Kum Martin is an online leading expert in health and fitness. He also offers top quality articles like:
Neurotransmitters And Health, Body Lack Neurotransmitter

Original article

Anxiety: You Are What You Think

I'd like to share a story of hardship that will best help me explain "You Are What You Think". Having been with my wife for almost nine years and married for six years I was torn to pieces to find out one night that she had left me for someone else when asked why she told me she waited for me for four years to get help for my panic attack and Agoraphobia with not one complaint and this combined with other factors 1. I have been cheated on by love one in my life. 2. I'm now all alone 3. Betrayal and many other factors really took a toll on me. We work things out and she came back after only a small time apart. It was one of those deciding factors in me getting better. I had a lot of issues with trust and thoughts of what she have done when she was away. I started to become jealous and I didn't want her to leave home because I was scared she wouldn't come back.

You may be wondering what does this have to do with anxiety or agoraphobia? Well this really beat me up and I was full of negativity until one day I realized an old saying I learned in school from a motivational speaker "you can either get bitter or you can get better" I was jealous because I chose to get jealous. I was sad because I chose to be said. Were there issues? Sure, but I either had to change my perceptions or change what's going on. Hurt is the body trying to tell you something. You need to take your thoughts and look at them realistically.

If you feel like you'll never get over being agoraphobic than this is possible because this is how you choose to take your body telling you it's sad because not being able to go out and have a social life or being unable to work. What if you change your perception and when that feeling came along you did something about it. Let's say that thought came along and you said "what can I do to get out and do what I have to do to make this possible?" "I will not let this beat me!" Your agoraphobia wouldn't last more than a day or two or probably wouldn't even happen at all because you'd be able to make this decision from the start. You truly are what you think because how you handle your thoughts and reactions to your thoughts affect your mood, your thoughts themselves and in return affects everything around you.

I choose not to let these things bother me anymore so when I was washing dishes if I had a bad thought come along about my wife leaving me I would think to myself I'm not worried about it. This isn't denial because like I said earlier you need either change your perception of the situation or change in my case chose voice my concerns to my wife telling her this will take a while to gain back trust but to bear with me if I came off jealous and she understood. Once we talked about a few times I felt confident in her and I haven't felt jealous once. Just by expressing to my wife my concern and sitting and talking to her until I felt comfortable with her and the place I was in at the time it was all easier to take in and get over and move on. Once that happened it was easier to let free-flowing thoughts come in and out of my mind without affecting my day. You can't ignore what's on your mind even if the thoughts go way there'll always come back stronger.

There are no bad feelings even pain there are only reactions to feelings. I'm not saying to pretend or be in denial or fake it, that won't work. The difference in people who have beaten agoraphobia and you are they choose not to let agoraphobia beat them anymore. If you feel as if you never beat agoraphobia you won't. You don't have to get to the point of being sick and tired of being sick and tired before doing something about or agoraphobia. Changing your way of thinking is key in this. If you have scary thoughts identify that that's just what they are.

Tell yourself that's what they are and let them go and move on. Whatever your fears are surrounding anxiety instead of pretending that they don't exist or dwelling on them think of what the real problem is but what you can do to change the perception as-in maybe you're looking at this wrong or maybe it's just all in my head or just me. If it isn't you take steps necessary to change whatever is around you that is making you feel that way because what you're feeling is exactly what you feel. Only you can change how you feel and only you can change how what you think affects you. You can take a bad situation and except its bad and choose not to let that hurt you.

You can also take the feeling of anxiety and except that this worry is irrational and you choose not to let it bother you any longer and now I will face my anxiety and agoraphobia and work through it. Now your perception is changed and you have a new mindset that you understand what's going on and when you feel anxious you choose not to let it hold you back and your new outlook is to face it. You'll slowly start to see that works and you're now reinforcing a new behavior which is ushering out the old behavior and your subconscious will now accept this new behavior as your new outlook. How you think determines how you feel and you give what's around meanings. You give words meanings, you give thoughts meanings, you have your own sets of rules about what crazy and not.

Some people love animals and some people don't, so who's right? It's all what your beliefs are and what feelings you attach to animals in this case. When someone you love says something that hurts you it only hurts because you've chosen to give more weight to what that person says. If a person you hardly knew said the same exact thing you probably wouldn't hurt as much because you choose not to let it bother you so much. Once again you choose what hurts and what doesn't. When your dog dies it may hurt a lot but when your neighbor's dog dies it may not hurt you at all.

A dog is a family member yes but those feelings associate with the dog is only given because you choose to give the dog those feelings. I'm not saying you shouldn't love people or animals but my point is at some point we choose to say we care about the animal or we care about what that person thinks of me. We also choose when not to care about a person. After a breakup we have to choose to go on and stop loving or to continue to love and carry on. What if your dog you love bit your child severely? Some people would make the choice to disown the dog and therefore stop loving it and give it away or worse. We are what give our thoughts and feelings meaning.

Some people when they start getting close to someone push away and get scared by this feeling of love. Some bask in the new found love and look forward to falling in love and love every step of the process of meeting someone and getting close and falling in love. How do you choose to handle your anxiety? Do you run? Do you make excuses? Do you feel like you're in this alone? Do you feel no one understands but you? Do you feel like you are not doing enough or maybe you feel like you are doing all you can. What can you do to change these feelings?

Do you think these feelings would ever change unless you change the way you feel about these questions or doing something about them? This is why most anxiety programs didn't work for me because I didn't listen to the message I thought I was worse than the guy or girl on the program. I thought no one could help. I kept looking for the magic cure. I was looking for something I already knew the answer to. Take your hurt, pain, anger and anxiety and get to the bottom of them. Your thoughts are powerful and I know it's hard to think positively hen you can't step out the door but the simple act of choosing not to let something bother you, what you think will transfer over to how you feel and bring a more positive outlook to the process of facing agoraphobia and Panic Disorder a little more easier.

You tell your mind what to associate what feelings with what. Your mind doesn't tell you who you like or what you like to do. You tell your mind what's scary and what to fear and this is the case of the agoraphobia. You told your mind that going out to whatever setting that sets off your panic is bad and it's trying to protect you when you face it. The only way to change that is to relearn a new positive behavior and this is done by your way of thinking and reinforcing by going out into the world. Just think of wanting to be a fireman, any ordinary person sees a burning house and has serious doubts whether to go inside or not but to a fireman this is second nature.

This is because firemen are trained to constantly face many types of dangers so when the real thing hits they're prepared. If they just signed up for the job and went out to fight fires without training, there would most unfortunately be more deaths. This is what you have to do, look at the world as your fire and you must retrain your mind that this is a job, so to speak to go out into the world and fight this fire. You can't just run in, you have to retrain yourself to go out slowly and surely enough be where you want to be and thankful you did it and all the hard work will pay off. Remember baby steps!

James C Collins is a former sufferer of Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depression. James' journey with Agoraphobia lead him to pursue his PhD in Psychology, to helps others who suffer from anxiety disorders. For even more information on anxiety disorders be sure to visit his No More Panic Blog

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The Connection Between Anxiety And Breathing

As I have traveled through the last ten years I have had the chance to experience so much of life it amazes me. Not just soft and fuzzy things, hard and heart breaking things. Just ten years ago my husband and I owned our manufacturing company and it was growing from a small business to nearly a medium size with 70 employees. We were growing so fast we bought more machinery borrowed working capital with the mortgages and guarantees involved. We felt if we took care of the business it would take care of us. Last year everything was foreclosed and we had to file Bankruptcy. At time I was a real mess. I could not breathe, all I wanted to do was sleep. I had lost weight, I had panic attacks, a phobia or two, no job, no insurance and no money. I did have a husband that loves me and we both filed for Social Security. I am now on oxygen 24/7. I have been looking for answers on how I can get the C P O D, anxiety and panic attacks under control.

Six years ago my husband became unwell. It turned out he was Stage 4 Lymphoma. That began the first of the anxiety. I was so afraid I couldn't breathe. Yes that is a literal statement. I had rather mild Asthma until that point. It got much worse. I required several medications to keep it in check. It became worse as additional negative experiences occurred.

I have observed that when one partner in a marriage has a life threatening health problem often their mate develops C P O D. I have seen this numerous times in Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Most recently two couples have joined Rehab. In one case the wife had a heart attack in the other the husband. Both of their mates are in Pulmonary Rehab. Both experience extreme anxiety and have had panic attacks. They are not the only ones. Since I first observed this I find more and more couples that follow this trait. They are simply diagnosed as having C P O D.

I have talked to many people which have been in auto accidents that have begun experiencing breathing problems after their accidents. In some cases their fear and anxiety even brings on panic attacks when risky situations happen while in a car. The unlucky ones begin to experience breathlessness all of the time.

Because I am on oxygen I have become more aware of others also using oxygen. There are more than I ever before thought there would be. The ones I have been able to talk with usually had something in their background that could create anxiety even though they did not recognize it as such.

My Pulmonary Doctor can tell me what C P O D is. It is chronic inflammation of the airways due to Bronchitis or some similar illness. He can prescribe medications and oxygen. He tells me it could be because I smoked at one time. What he can't tell me is why there are so many people that have never smoked or been exposed to "bad air" that have C P O D. I believe the answer is to get rid of the anxiety and fears. I have found when I can achieve this even for a short period of time I do breathe easier.

Until the medical community makes this connection you and I have no choice but to experiment and find our own answers. Eliminate the anxiety and that will stop the panic attacks. Use every tool available to you. I found everything I have tried has provided some change.

I'm Carol and I have had a rich full life. Today I suffer from C P O D and am on oxygen 24/7. In the 64 years I have lived I have explored many forms of alternative medicine. I have shelves full of excellent books. They range from Aroma Therapy to Reflexology. I feel they all have value. None of them has made a noticeable change in my C P O D. I believe it is because the true problem is anxiety. That is the new area I am exploring and I believe I see light at the end of this tunnel. Join me in this search and report all positive changes to your medical Doctor. Your first steps in getting rid of the anxiety and panic attacks can begin where mine did. http://www.lifefreeofanxietyandpanicattacks.com/

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Important Lifestyle Changes to Keep Your Feelings of Anxiety at Normal Levels

Anxiety is such a common problem these days that almost everyone is trying Natural Remedies for Anxiety to cope with their daily doses of stress and anxiety. Since stress and anxiety have become such common problems, many people don't think twice about seeking out Herbal Remedies for Anxiety, and even though these remedies might be helpful, they don't always get to the root of the problem. Without solving the cause, you will never be able to rid yourself of the symptoms of anxiety and stress. By making simple lifestyle changes and combining these with Natural Remedies for Anxiety, you will be amazed at the difference these can make to your health and happiness.

Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Herbs for Anxiety are very useful in treating acute symptoms of stress and anxiety, but you need to supplement them with other types of coping mechanisms. Exercise is one of the best ways of reducing anxiety, and you don't even have to sign up for a gym membership to get it; simply take a walk, once a day, to get your blood pumping. The calming effects of the endorphins that are released through exercise makes it ideal for people who are prone to anxiety, and it burns off excess energy, which assists in better sleep.

Taking Time out for yourself

Everyone needs some time for themselves during the day, and yet so few people deem themselves important enough to take this time out. Hectic schedules and the demands of being an employee, mother, father or spouse make it almost impossible to take a few minutes each day to do the things you love, but this is one of the most important changes that you will make to reduce the levels of anxiety and stress that has been plaguing you. If you find it impossible to take an hour each day to do what you enjoy, start with ten minutes, whether it is taking a longer bath than usual, working in the garden or reading a good book.

Getting your Priorities in Order

People who spend most of their days running after their children and partners or adhering to work commitments usually take very little time to find out what is important to them in life or whether they are able to cope with the demands of their day. While you can turn to Natural Anxiety Remedies to lower your stress levels, you will also need to make some serious lifestyle changes in order to effectively rid yourself of harmful symptoms of anxiety. Make sure that you know what's important to you and learn to say "no"; after all, you are the most important thing in your world, and you need to make sure that you are healthy before you can turn your attention to your family, friends and work commitments.

For more information about Herbs For Anxiety please visit http://www.blueeros.com/

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An Introduction to Anxiety Disorders and Attacks

Anxiety is an incredibly regularly and often overwhelming natural occurrence in one's mind that leads a lot of people to think that there is something severely wrong with them. As a sufferer from anxiety attacks, and having ended up in hospital after two of them, I will attempt to use my understanding to attempt to explain this to one who hasn't experienced it, or maybe even one who is going through it.

Every living being on this planet experiences anxiety, it is useful as a survival aid and our ancient ancestors undoubtedly had such successful genes through being cautious observant and cynical to all circumstances. In the 21st century, we're not in need of our survival instinct anymore, but there are tons of useless mental propensities left over in our brain from the phases of our evolution.

Anxiety or Depression issues trouble at least 1/3 people in their lifetimes, despite how common this is, sufferers genuinely think that they're the only one that feels this way, and there is something gravely wrong with them. This however is not the case, but despite whatever reassurance offered, the sufferer still genuinely holds the belief that something is seriously wrong with them.

Anxiety spawns from the fight or flight response evident in all of nature, when presented with a threat, we will either do one or the other, but our survival instinct that makes that subconscious decision is prone to getting confused and overworked. Anxiety attacks occur when this fight or flight response is ticked over and over in the sufferer's head, constantly setting them into a highly nervous and vulnerable state, often feeling as if their death is imminent, sometimes even having an outer body experience or passing out. Most sufferers are often shocked by the severity and unexpected nature of this, often taking them quite a few days before they feel normal after an attack.

These panic attacks can be a one off occurrence, or a precursor to a panic disorder. It's important to remember that anxiety is an incredibly common and treatable problem, and there are so many different solutions that can be offered by your GP, the odds are most definitely on your side. In addition, anyone who suffers from an anxiety attack should see their doctor as soon as possible afterwards, purely so you let him know what has happened, and you can have this on your file if you have one in the future.

I hope this has helped you understand anxiety a little better, as a long time sufferer myself I have always wanted to put into words how it feels.

Harry is a business consultant and has had the opportunity to work with several different companies. In his career, he has seen the various companies employed by a single firm to take care of tasks such as washroom services. For more information on the topics raised in this article visit City Healthcare.

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Treatment of Anxiety Disorders Increases in Efficacy by the Combining of Individual Approaches

Anxiety disorder is a prevalent mental illness characterized by idiopathic fears, worries, impulsive behavior and many more. There are plenty of sub-types such as social phobia, OCD, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, which manifest themselves in varying symptoms (with a considerable overlap), but all of them frequently respond to a common treatment. How does the brain exactly evoke anxiety and whether it originates from a common cause is left to discussion, however there have been proposed numerous theories upon which many forms of treatment are based:

1. Exercise - Performing aeorobic physical activities has been proposed to activate the endocannabinoid system resulting in a so called runner's high. Binding of anandamide to its corresponding receptor sites can bring about pain relief and mood enhancement. Additionally does exercise promote neuronal growth within the brain. This neurotrophic effect might be appreciated by many as anxiety/depression often result in increased cortisol levels (hypercortisolemia), which has a neurotoxic effect in excess.

2. Diet - Eating excess of sugars will result in rapid mood cycling: you might experience a short relief by eating something sweet, but know that it won't last long and likely emphasize depression because of the contrast it can induce. Drinking coffee is also something to consider avoiding as it activates adrenergic receptor sites (alpha 1 and 2), agonists at alpha 1 (such as coffee) have been shown to induce anxiogenic effects in subjects. Adhering to protein rich foods with an adequate carbohydrate intake is advised.

3. Supplements - It has been long thought that psychiatric disorders arise from the shortage of neurotransmitters/neuromodulators operating our brains. This and possible regional malfunctions (cingular cortex, amygdala, substantia nigra etc.) are the likely criminals implicated in a wide array of mental disorders. All of these require proper enzymes, proteins and other substances to operate correctly. Therefore supplementing yourself with vitamins (B and C mostly) and Zinc, Calcium, Magnesium, Omega-3, Lecithin and others might prove useful by eliminating possible deficiencies, which might be adding to or even be the sole cause of the disorder.

4. Medication - Prescription medication is a common accessory of many psychiatric patients. The spectrum of available anxiolytics is rather wide, offering different approaches involving different pharmacodynamics. The etiology of an anxiety disorder is not same among all sufferers, contrary to what many psychiatrists and physicians assume, making choosing the correct pill a matter of experimentation. The intricacy and heterogenity of our central nervous system do not enable for generalizations: e.g your anxiety might emanate from a vitamin deficiency while my anxiety ca be a result of receptor hyper-sensitivity. Therefore starting with an option presenting the best side effect to efficacy ratio is advised.

5. Meditation - Practices such as meditation have been revealed to support the growth of gray matter, structure associated with intelligence, and bring more order into a disorder by improving focusing and decision making skills. Meditating daily for 10-20 minutes will enable your mind to rest and make amends to the plaguing disorder. Furthermore a technique as such enables one to analyze the sources of distress and makes a disorder more accessible for corrections.

These are only few practices used by myriad anxiety sufferers to combat their symptoms. The efficiency of each of these approaches will vary among individuals mainly because of subjective reasons such as etiology of the disorder and personal psychology. However by combining several approaches (not by carrying them out simultaneously, but in a sequence and frequently) you will maximize the potential gains. Furthermore some techniques might work in a synergy such as exercise and supplementation: the exercise increases consumption and utilization of ions,minerals,vitamins and other bodily fuels so supplementation of these will enhance the effect of exercise.

To be concise: because of discrepant disorder etiologies the individual is advised to experiment with different techniques and if possible co-administer them to achieve a more significant symptom reduction.

A good site further elaborating on the topic of possible treatments of anxiety disorders: Alleviating anxiety - It provides all the information about the supplementation, medication and natural techniques that will help you reduce your anxiety and enter remission.

Paddy

Original article

Why You Deserve Panic Attacks

Believe this or not, you choose panic. You egg on your panic like that girlfriend or boyfriend you pretend not to be interested in. Sorry to break this to you and it may upset you but unconsciously you are very deserving of your panic attack no matter how severe your attacks are.

Let me explain. The way you react to your panic attack never changes. There are situations in life that we can never change and will happen whether we like it or not. But one of few things in life we can change is ourselves. I am sure you have tried medication, therapy, different doctors and plenty more. I know because I did the same. No one ever really helped me personally. It was all methods that involved me being on medication or something that was going to cost a lot of money (which I didn't have). I had plenty support from my family (some panic suffers on medication) but none from medical professionals on the outside world.

I decided if I wanted to beat panic, it was down to me. Me and only me. These words got me thinking, about me. I am a strong, independent person but when panic showed I became a scared, anxious, uncontrollable being. Frustrated and unhappy. My panic controlled me. Stopped me going where I wanted. Stop me attending dinners or nights out. Stopped me sleeping. If panic was a human being I could have them locked away for the years of mental abusive I had suffered.

My method is simply. When panic showed I was ready, I welcomed it. I would face all the sensations, intense feelings, urge to flee and ride the storm until it was calm again. I returned to all the places I had always avoided, I tried to be more social. If panic showed I told myself I can deal with it. You are the only person in control of your life. No one or nothing else. No human being has ever controlled me so why should panic. I'm sure there have been times you thought you might die. But you never have because you never will. Believe in yourself that you are safe and can overcome this.

Please remember, I didn't one day wake up and took on my panic attacks head on. I make it sound easy but I have worked hard to achieve my goals. I incorporated other confidence building techniques and simple prevention tips. But please understand this, confronting your fears is a sure way to keep them away. Panic is like that school bully, everyone is scared of. Until you stand up to them. Your behaviour has to change towards you fears, because your fears will never make any changes towards you. You run and cower, so panic chases.

In the title 'Why you deserve to Panic', sounds harsh and I never meant you deserve everything you get from your attacks. I trying to show you by not treating your panic differently, it will always affect you the same. No matter how many pills you take, doctors you see or therapy you sit through. Behaviour alteration is the unspoken key no medical professional ever mentioned to me.

Read my report. 'Panic Be Cured'. See exactly how I achieved my results and use the 'What to do Next' section to get you started immediately.

https://panicbecured.com/

Original article

Attacking Anxiety Depression

It's pretty common for anxiety to be accompanied by depression. Lots of psychological disorders follow this pattern and clinicians need a complex approach to actually help the patients recover. Attacking anxiety depression requires patience, serious therapeutic experience and lots of life coaching skills. First of all, one major obstacle that appears on the way is that anxiety drugs often cause or deepen depression. Which means that sometimes conventional medication is not an option.

A great deal of responsibility falls on cognitive-behavioral therapy then. In severe cases of anxiety accompanied by depression, hospitalization becomes necessary until the patient regains a next-to-normal sense of reality. Unfortunately, people who suffer from both anxiety and depression have difficulties keeping their job, they isolate themselves from the world, and they start to nurture suicidal thoughts. Attacking anxiety depression becomes a very challenging process that could take months and years to complete successfully.

Sometimes the battle against the disorder lasts for a lifetime, but it is important for the therapist to teach the patient how to get in control of the symptoms and escape the vicious circle of fear. It is of paramount importance to also solve the chemical imbalance that may be held responsible for the depression. Attacking anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder effectively requires a lot of involvement not only on the patient's part but also on that of the family. The private environment has the greatest impact on the mental health of any individual.

It often happens that the triggers of anxiety, depression and other health problems lie precisely in the individual's family background. Some therapists are faced with the very tough situation when the patient's life seems without escape, and unless he/she breaks free from the vicious or abusive circle within which he/she lives, the obstacles will never be overcome in therapy. A certain degree of awareness is necessary for therapy to become efficient at attacking anxiety, depression and other psychological problems.

There are numerous informative materials that you can check online in order to better understand anxiety or depression, and get through these rough times in one piece. Dealing with intense emotions, dire pain, post-traumatic stress and some other life tragedy could be the most demanding experience of your life. And when you feel trapped in darkness without any hope or will to escape, life seems meaningless and not worth living. That's the kind of thinking you need to break free from.

Don't hesitate to ask for help today!

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