All of us experience anxiety sometimes, but many people suffer from excessive worry.
In small dosages stress is necessary. In times of real trouble it can save your life. It makes you run away from a bear and fasten your seat belt in the car to avoid getting injured from an accident. However, it becomes a problem when the person constantly experiences fear that is disproportional to the situation. The typical symptoms of an anxiety attack usually are: sweating, rapid heart beating, uncontrollable thoughts about death and upcoming disasters, dizziness and sleeping problems.
Most suffers take medications in order to overcome this condition. Unfortunately, the problem with drugs is that they usually work at first and after some time they lose their effectiveness. This means that sooner or later you will have to increase the dosage or find another medication to take. Even when they do work, they only reduce the frequency of the attack and limit its severity. Drugs can't help you eliminate this condition.
Changing the way you eat also can't help you cure anxiety or panic attacks, but it can only relieve the symptoms. Of course it wouldn't hurt to limit your intake of:
Coffee (it causes you nervousness).
Sugar (it affects your insulin level and might lead to mood swings).
Alcohol (its calming effect is only temporary. In the long run it can be harmful).
As you can see many common treatments don't actually work and some of them can have dangerous side effects.
Drugs in particular can cause nausea, weight changes, diarrhea, dizziness and lethargy.
Fortunately, there is a very simple, natural and completely safe way you can use to get rid of this disorder once and for all, without putting your health at risk.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Cause Of Panic Attacks.
When you get all of these dreadful symptoms in a matter of seconds and think you are going to die, what exactly is happening inside your body?
Inside your body, you have a system called the sympathetic nervous system. When a person is faced with a stressful situation, this system is responsible for providing more sweat, adrenalin, pumping the heart more etc. in order to give you the best chance of survival. If it's a small threat then it will barely budge whereas if your life depends on it then it will go into overdrive.
The problem that you have is your system is easily triggered into go into full overdrive and this is what a panic attack is.
Why Do You Get Panic Attacks And Most People Don't?
The reason that you now continue to get panic attacks again and again is actually due to a fear of panic attacks. Take away this fear, or anxiety, and they will stop. This is known as a positive forward feedback loop in medical jargon.
Here's an example - you feel a pain in your chest. You think that this could be the beginning of another panic attack or maybe even a heart attack. Your fear is exaggerated and it causes your SNS to produce more adrenalin, sweat more and increase the heart rate. Now you feel that your fears are coming true and you get even more anxious. The loop repeats itself quickly and before you know it, you are having a full blown panic attack again.
The only way to stop panic attacks from happening again and again is to break this loop.
Behavioral Therapy
Doctors generally do not recommend drugs for people who have panic attacks because they are generally not effective and only reduce anxiety slightly.
Instead, behavioral therapy is recommended, specifically because it targets this loop by allowing you to learn how change your thoughts when a panic attack may happen.
For example, if you experience a trigger for a panic attack and start to fear what might happen, you will instead know how to cope with it and subdue your fear. You can, for example, use coping statements such as "this is just a panic attack, this is just my SNS overreacting, there is nothing to fear" etc.
Inside your body, you have a system called the sympathetic nervous system. When a person is faced with a stressful situation, this system is responsible for providing more sweat, adrenalin, pumping the heart more etc. in order to give you the best chance of survival. If it's a small threat then it will barely budge whereas if your life depends on it then it will go into overdrive.
The problem that you have is your system is easily triggered into go into full overdrive and this is what a panic attack is.
Why Do You Get Panic Attacks And Most People Don't?
The reason that you now continue to get panic attacks again and again is actually due to a fear of panic attacks. Take away this fear, or anxiety, and they will stop. This is known as a positive forward feedback loop in medical jargon.
Here's an example - you feel a pain in your chest. You think that this could be the beginning of another panic attack or maybe even a heart attack. Your fear is exaggerated and it causes your SNS to produce more adrenalin, sweat more and increase the heart rate. Now you feel that your fears are coming true and you get even more anxious. The loop repeats itself quickly and before you know it, you are having a full blown panic attack again.
The only way to stop panic attacks from happening again and again is to break this loop.
Behavioral Therapy
Doctors generally do not recommend drugs for people who have panic attacks because they are generally not effective and only reduce anxiety slightly.
Instead, behavioral therapy is recommended, specifically because it targets this loop by allowing you to learn how change your thoughts when a panic attack may happen.
For example, if you experience a trigger for a panic attack and start to fear what might happen, you will instead know how to cope with it and subdue your fear. You can, for example, use coping statements such as "this is just a panic attack, this is just my SNS overreacting, there is nothing to fear" etc.
Reducing stress and anxiety is a key factor in weight loss...
...so much so that many physicians nationwide have all said that we need to slow down significantly. Dealing with excess stress on a daily basis becomes a way of life for many individuals, making significant weight loss next to impossible. It's easy to understand why stress in America contributes to the obesity problem. Let me quickly add that there are many individuals who have some medical problems and simply cannot do anything about their weight. We, for the most part, are workaholics, and in the last 30 years or so, because of technological advances, the number of "desk jobs" has skyrocketed while the number of manual labor jobs has declined. There are many causes for this including, but not limited to, the invention of the modern computer. In a world of tight deadlines and immediate access to information, where the only things that are moving consistently are our fingers flying across the keyboard, stress and anxiety are no longer simple concepts, they are a way of life for many of us. The current economic crisis also makes it very difficult to reduce anxiety and stress, due to layoffs, or job eliminations.
Take this for example; an I.T. Tech, who works as a help desk technician, sits at a computer 8 hours a day, at least 5 days a week, talking to people on the phone. Not such a bad job. Some stress, but limited. No tight deadlines, no big investment decisions, no reason to be concerned right? Wrong. Even the smallest amount of stress amasses, and can have debilitating effects on us. Not to mention, while sitting at a desk all day, the temptation to snack on junk foods is strong and difficult to stop. These are all but a few examples of how every day events contribute, and are one of the symptoms of anxiety and stress that lead to the obesity epidemic we live with today.
Stress and anxiety are not the main causes of obesity in our world, but they are major contributors, and can also lead to other anxiety stress disorders. Sadly, simply reducing the amount of stress in our lives will not result in the sudden weight loss many individuals are searching for, but it will help in the long term. Most of us need a drastic lifestyle change and must reduce anxiety and stress to prevent other medical problems from occurring. By following various stress and strain formulas, we can reduce the pressure in our daily lives and enjoy the beauty around us.
I realize that we can't snap our fingers and make that change instantly, but by simply taking that first step and doing what we can to change our lifestyle will go a long way towards living a stress free life.
Take this for example; an I.T. Tech, who works as a help desk technician, sits at a computer 8 hours a day, at least 5 days a week, talking to people on the phone. Not such a bad job. Some stress, but limited. No tight deadlines, no big investment decisions, no reason to be concerned right? Wrong. Even the smallest amount of stress amasses, and can have debilitating effects on us. Not to mention, while sitting at a desk all day, the temptation to snack on junk foods is strong and difficult to stop. These are all but a few examples of how every day events contribute, and are one of the symptoms of anxiety and stress that lead to the obesity epidemic we live with today.
Stress and anxiety are not the main causes of obesity in our world, but they are major contributors, and can also lead to other anxiety stress disorders. Sadly, simply reducing the amount of stress in our lives will not result in the sudden weight loss many individuals are searching for, but it will help in the long term. Most of us need a drastic lifestyle change and must reduce anxiety and stress to prevent other medical problems from occurring. By following various stress and strain formulas, we can reduce the pressure in our daily lives and enjoy the beauty around us.
I realize that we can't snap our fingers and make that change instantly, but by simply taking that first step and doing what we can to change our lifestyle will go a long way towards living a stress free life.
3 Simple Steps to Control Your Fear .
Step 1. Come to terms with what it is that triggers your panic attacks, in which situations they happen and how they unfold.
Even though this may sound simple, can you truthfully say that you have done this? Most people suffering from panic and anxiety have not, in fact, thought about this at all. We tend to shun away from what we fear, and to just think about our problems can be really hard.
So now, take a couple of minutes and really think deeply about what it is that causes your anxiety and panic. If the answer is something like "being in public places", "taking a flight" or "speaking to large audiences", you have not really delved deep enough. If, for instance, your answer was "taking a flight", further this answer by asking yourself in which ways this fear manifests itself. Is it a fear of heights? Of not being in control? Of enclosed spaces? Then delve even deeper, and try to really understand what it is that is at the core of your anxiety.
The key here is to explore your area of fear while being in a place where you feel safe and secure. Then, by going through every piece of what it is that makes you anxious, you are better prepared when actually encountering the fear in real.
Step 2. Once you have explored your fears as illustrated in step 1, you need to establish a schedule for doing this daily.
Each day, take 5-10 minutes when you are in a place where you feel comfortable, and just sit down and relax. It is preferable if this is in a place where you are not likely to be distracted or interrupted by anything.
Sit down, breathe deeply and slowly and try to relax every muscle in your body. If it works for you, listen to a CD with relaxing music or one of those spoken word guides that makes you relaxed. When, and only when, you are fully relaxed, try to slowly walk through the path you took to explore your fears in step 1. Focus on keeping your breathe slow and deep, and to remain calm and relaxed at every point. If the thought you have provokes even the slightest tenseness or stress, back away from them and focus on the calm.
The point of this exercise is not to dive head first into your fears, but to gently approach them while in a relaxed state. If, during your first tries, you do not succeed, this is natural. Controlling your fear isn't something to be done in a day, but rather something you will have to work on during some time.
Step 3. The last step is something you should only approach once step 2 can be fully completed without the least amount of stress. That is, once you, in your mind, feel comfortable with your fears, confront them.
When reading this through for the first time, this will seem like an unreal and not so helpful advice, but trust me, if you have fully completed step 2, this will not be such a giant leap as it seems.
The way to confront the reasons for your panic and anxiety is of course dependent on the nature of them. Here you will have to find your own precise way by yourself, but if possible, try to make the approach as gentle as possible. That is, if you have a fear of flights, rather than to just go on a flight and hope it works, try to contact your local airport and ask if you can visit a plane during it's maintenance hours. Then start by walking around it, envisioning how it would be to sit in it and so forth. The key here, as well as in step 2, is to much rather be too gentle than too quick.
As long as you are willing to take your time and motivated enough to actually exercise every day, you will soon see that by breaking this up into several steps, each step in itself will be an easy climb, even though the problem as a whole may seem impossible
Even though this may sound simple, can you truthfully say that you have done this? Most people suffering from panic and anxiety have not, in fact, thought about this at all. We tend to shun away from what we fear, and to just think about our problems can be really hard.
So now, take a couple of minutes and really think deeply about what it is that causes your anxiety and panic. If the answer is something like "being in public places", "taking a flight" or "speaking to large audiences", you have not really delved deep enough. If, for instance, your answer was "taking a flight", further this answer by asking yourself in which ways this fear manifests itself. Is it a fear of heights? Of not being in control? Of enclosed spaces? Then delve even deeper, and try to really understand what it is that is at the core of your anxiety.
The key here is to explore your area of fear while being in a place where you feel safe and secure. Then, by going through every piece of what it is that makes you anxious, you are better prepared when actually encountering the fear in real.
Step 2. Once you have explored your fears as illustrated in step 1, you need to establish a schedule for doing this daily.
Each day, take 5-10 minutes when you are in a place where you feel comfortable, and just sit down and relax. It is preferable if this is in a place where you are not likely to be distracted or interrupted by anything.
Sit down, breathe deeply and slowly and try to relax every muscle in your body. If it works for you, listen to a CD with relaxing music or one of those spoken word guides that makes you relaxed. When, and only when, you are fully relaxed, try to slowly walk through the path you took to explore your fears in step 1. Focus on keeping your breathe slow and deep, and to remain calm and relaxed at every point. If the thought you have provokes even the slightest tenseness or stress, back away from them and focus on the calm.
The point of this exercise is not to dive head first into your fears, but to gently approach them while in a relaxed state. If, during your first tries, you do not succeed, this is natural. Controlling your fear isn't something to be done in a day, but rather something you will have to work on during some time.
Step 3. The last step is something you should only approach once step 2 can be fully completed without the least amount of stress. That is, once you, in your mind, feel comfortable with your fears, confront them.
When reading this through for the first time, this will seem like an unreal and not so helpful advice, but trust me, if you have fully completed step 2, this will not be such a giant leap as it seems.
The way to confront the reasons for your panic and anxiety is of course dependent on the nature of them. Here you will have to find your own precise way by yourself, but if possible, try to make the approach as gentle as possible. That is, if you have a fear of flights, rather than to just go on a flight and hope it works, try to contact your local airport and ask if you can visit a plane during it's maintenance hours. Then start by walking around it, envisioning how it would be to sit in it and so forth. The key here, as well as in step 2, is to much rather be too gentle than too quick.
As long as you are willing to take your time and motivated enough to actually exercise every day, you will soon see that by breaking this up into several steps, each step in itself will be an easy climb, even though the problem as a whole may seem impossible
Relieving Stress and Anxiety with the Natural Method.
Natural methods to combat stress and anxiety do not involve the use of medication. Some alternatives to medical strategies include acupuncture, massage and aromatherapy. These are an effective method to combat stress and anxiety because they serve as a therapeutic method, but they are not 100 percent effective, and should not be thought of as a perfect alternative to medical methods. They can certainly have a positive effect though. How about T'ai Chi?
A successful method to control stress and anxiety is by recognising what stress is, what it means for you and in what eventualities these feelings occur. When you're in a position to work out the things that make you stressed you may start to feel more relaxed, feeling that you are in control of yourself.
Time management is a good step towards eliminating some of the stresses that you can face on a daily basis. If you can plan your day in great detail, then you have already taken positive action against the chaotic mindset that stress and anxiety can leave you in. If you can discover the cause of your stress and put it into the proper context, then you have made a good start.
A successful method to control stress and anxiety is by recognising what stress is, what it means for you and in what eventualities these feelings occur. When you're in a position to work out the things that make you stressed you may start to feel more relaxed, feeling that you are in control of yourself.
Time management is a good step towards eliminating some of the stresses that you can face on a daily basis. If you can plan your day in great detail, then you have already taken positive action against the chaotic mindset that stress and anxiety can leave you in. If you can discover the cause of your stress and put it into the proper context, then you have made a good start.
Symptoms of stress can be overcome with prescription medication from your doctor.
Be aware of the instructions on your medication and be sure you follow them closely to ensure safety and the maximum effectiveness. Do not mix them unless advised to do so by a qualified health practitioner.
However, using medicine can be seen as a detrimental method to relieve stress and anxiety as it does not resolve the underlying problem; it only addresses the symptoms.
One issue with the medical strategy is that there's a likelihood that dependencies on the drug will develop. This poses more problems in the long term, so be careful and make sure you know what each drug will do. Medical methods are thus helpful in dealing with the outward signs.
However, using medicine can be seen as a detrimental method to relieve stress and anxiety as it does not resolve the underlying problem; it only addresses the symptoms.
One issue with the medical strategy is that there's a likelihood that dependencies on the drug will develop. This poses more problems in the long term, so be careful and make sure you know what each drug will do. Medical methods are thus helpful in dealing with the outward signs.
There are great advances being made in the field of panic, anxiety and phobias...
...It is believed that to an extent the problem is genetic, nervous parents raise nervous children. There is also a fear that with some peoples over protection of their children this could add to the number of anxiety sufferers in years to come. There has been some research which shows that in the area of the brain that is involved with the anxiety reaction there is a difference between sufferers and non sufferers further adding to the belief that the causes may in part be genetic.
Quite often someone may only begin to suffer panic or anxiety attacks after a specific event in their lives. It could be a road accident, the loss of a loved one or some other traumatic happening.
Some research seems to show that women are more likely to seek treatment for panic or anxiety attacks than men. Whether this means that more women suffer from anxiety or whether they are just more prepared to go and seek treatment is not clear. Although women are considered more emotional than the average male and this could be the reason an alternative view has also been put forward.
At least one specialist believes that the male is less likely to admit to having a problem. They are more like to turn to alcohol rather than seek medical advice.
Quite often someone may only begin to suffer panic or anxiety attacks after a specific event in their lives. It could be a road accident, the loss of a loved one or some other traumatic happening.
Some research seems to show that women are more likely to seek treatment for panic or anxiety attacks than men. Whether this means that more women suffer from anxiety or whether they are just more prepared to go and seek treatment is not clear. Although women are considered more emotional than the average male and this could be the reason an alternative view has also been put forward.
At least one specialist believes that the male is less likely to admit to having a problem. They are more like to turn to alcohol rather than seek medical advice.
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