Treat Panic Attacks and Anxiety

Your Anxiety Treatment May Be Different Than Others

2008-07-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

Your Anxiety Treatment May Be Different Than Others

Why is it that someone's anxiety treatment may be different than someone else's? After all, isn't obsessive compulsive disorder or panic disorder or general anxiety disorder all the same for everyone? A disorder is a disorder, right?

Therein lies the incorrect thinking when it comes to anxiety disorders and anxiety treatment. These disorders do not affect everyone the same way and to the same degree. Some people may respond very well to cognitive or behavior therapy, while others need very strong medication, and still others respond well to a form of both.

Your anxiety treatment absolutely must be something that works well for you, and should be tailored to you alone. Most doctors will begin with a long and detailed history of your concerns before they can recommend any type of anxiety treatment. By fully understanding how long you've been suffering from your symptoms, what triggers them, and how severe they are, then he or she can know whether or not medication is necessary right away or if you should at least try cognitive therapy first.

For those whose disorders are currently interfering with their life, especially in severe cases, a doctor may immediately recommend medication as the first attempt at anxiety treatment. These medications may take a few days or even weeks to begin working properly, but the doctor wants to be sure that anxiety does not lead to depression or thoughts of suicide. Additionally, using medication as an immediately anxiety treatment may help the patient remain calm enough to begin behavior or cognitive therapy, something he or she cannot do if their anxiety is so severe that they cannot even sit with a therapist.

It's very important that anyone undergoing any type of anxiety treatment listen to their doctor's advice and follow it completely. Many have a tendency to discontinue their medication as soon as they feel better, but this can be a mistake. If you are having side effects that you find unpleasant or that are also interfering with your well-being, speak to your doctor as he or she may be able to recommend a different medication or something in addition to your anxiety treatment to lessen these symptoms.

The good news is that most treatments for anxiety are very successful; some disorders are completely cured while others are at least controlled so that they no longer interfere with the patient's life.

Different Types of Anxiety Disorders

2008-07-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

Different Types of Anxiety Disorders

Many people are simply not aware of how many different types of anxiety disorders there are prevalent in the world today. It's important to know the differences between them and what brings them about so that doctors and patients alike can be familiar with the symptoms and the possible onset of any of these anxiety disorders.

For example, post-traumatic stress is a common anxiety disorder experienced among those who have been soldiers or who have lived in war-torn areas, who have gone through natural disasters or who have been victims of a crime. The terrible occurrence or series of events in their life triggers certain reactions such as being jumpy or tense at inappropriate times, such as when someone touches them unexpectedly. They may even avoid people or places that remind them of the trauma. Post-traumatic is one of those anxiety disorders that can reveal itself weeks, months, or even years after the event itself is over.

Social anxiety disorders can take the form of agoraphobia, which is the fear of open places or large crowds, or generalized anxiety disorder where a person is tense and anxious at all times. These types of anxiety disorders are specifically related to people and especially strangers; rarely do they occur when someone is safe in their own home or in a familiar place.

Panic attacks are also classified as a type of anxiety disorder. This feeling of panic can come on at any time or anywhere; some even experience them when in their own bed! They can also be triggered by certain uncomfortable events or circumstances, such as being in a crowded room or when needing to do some public speaking. Panic anxiety disorder can be experienced by children, or can develop in adults for what seems like absolutely no reason at all.

If you think that you are suffering from any of these types of anxiety disorders or have any other concerns regarding your mental or emotional health, it's always advised that you speak with a health care professional immediately. He or she may be able to recommend certain medications or forms of therapy that might not always make the anxiety disorder go away, but can help you control it and get on with your life. The important thing to remember is that you are not helpless against it and that there is help available, whatever your condition or concern.

Anxiety and Depression Often Go Hand in Hand

2008-07-05T21:26:00.000-07:00

Anxiety and Depression Often Go Hand in Hand

Why is it that someone would experience both anxiety and depression? When you learn about both disorder, you realize that they are somewhat related, and how one can lead to another. Anxiety and depression are often suffered by someone who starts with one disorder, and then finds themselves suffering from the other. Let's explore that a bit further here.

How One Leads to Another

Anxiety is marked by obsessive worry and nervousness, whether it's over a past event being repeated (such as in post-traumatic stress disorder), or over something that might happen, such as panic disorder. Anxiety and depression then go hand in hand because obsessive and excessive worry can keep someone in a heightened state of arousal, and this can cause severe depression. Depression is marked by a loss of enjoyment in activities or hobbies. It makes sense then that anxiety and depression are related or that one leads to another – how can you have enjoyment in your life, your relationships, your hobbies and interests, if you are constantly worried, nervous and anxious? To put it bluntly and crudely, anxiety just sucks the joy right out of life, and a joyless life is the basic meaning of depression.

Treating Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are also related because they are both baseless thoughts that are not tied to reality, and which often spiral out of control. Both can be treated with the same or similar medications that quiet discomforting and obsessive thoughts. They can also be treated with therapy, such as with a psychologist or psychiatrist. Many forms of anxiety and depression are caused by physical abnormalities, such as chemical or hormone imbalances, but if someone chooses not to take medications they can learn how to control their thoughts and how to replace those thoughts with new ones.

Sometimes just knowing that what you're experiencing is an anxiety attack or a bout of clinical depression can be enough to help someone cope with their debilitating circumstances. Knowing that others are going through the same thing can also help. If you're someone with both anxiety and depression, don't hesitate to speak to your healthcare professional at once, as help is available if you simply ask for it. You may not be completely cured of your conditions, but you can learn ways of coping and of not allowing these disorders to interfere with your everyday life.

Public Speaking and Panic Attacks

2008-07-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

Public Speaking and Panic Attacks

It is often observed that many people’s top ranking fear is not death but having to speak in public. The joke is that these people would rather be lying in the casket at the funeral than giving the eulogy. Public speaking for people who suffer from panic attacks or general anxiety often becomes a major source of worry weeks or even months before the speaking event is to occur.

These speaking engagements do not necessarily have to be the traditional “on a podium” events but can be as simple as an office meeting where the individual is expected to express an opinion or give verbal feedback. The fear of public speaking and panic attacks in this case centers on having an attack while speaking. The individual fears being incapacitated by the anxiety and hence unable to complete what he or she is saying. The person imagines fleeing the spotlight and having to make all kinds of excuses later for their undignified departure out the office window….

This differs slightly from the majority of people who fear public speaking because their fear tends to revolve around going blank while speaking or feeling uncomfortable under the spotlight of their peers. The jitters or nerves of speaking in public are of course a problem for this group as well, but they are unfamiliar with that debilitating threat which is the panic attack, as they most likely have not experienced one before.

So how should a person with an anxiety issue tackle public speaking?

Stage one is accepting that all these bizarre and quite frankly unnerving sensations are not going to go away overnight. In fact, you are not even going to concern yourself with getting rid of them for your next talk. When they arrive during a speech/meeting, you are going to approach them in a new manner. What we need to do is build your confidence back to where it used to be before any of these sensations ever occurred. This time you will approach it in a unique, empowering manner, allowing you to feel your confidence again. It is said that most of the top speakers are riddled with anxiety before speaking, but they somehow use this nervousness to enhance their speech. I am going to show you exactly how to do this, although I know that right now if you suffer from public speaking and panic attacks you may find it difficult to believe you can ever overcome it.

My first point is this and it is important. The average healthy person can experience an extreme array of anxiety and very uncomfortable sensations while giving a speech and is in no danger of ever losing control, or even appearing slightly anxious to the audience. No matter how tough it gets, you will always finish your piece, even if at the outset it feels very uncomfortable to go on. You will not become incapacitated in any way.

The real breakthrough for if you suffer from public speaking and panic attacks happens when you fully believe that you are not in danger and that the sensations will pass.

“I realize you (the anxiety) hold no threat over me.”

What keeps a panic attack coming again and again is the fear of the fear—the fear that the next one will really knock your socks off and you feel you were lucky to have made it past the last one unscathed. As they were so unnerving and scary, it is your confidence that has been damaged by previous anxiety episodes. Once you fully understand you are not under any threat, then you can have a new response to the anxiety as it arises while speaking.

Defeating public speaking and panic attacks...

There is always a turning point when a person moves from general anxiety into a panic attack, and that happens with public speaking when you think to yourself:

"I won’t be able to handle this in front of these people."

That split second of self-doubt leads to a rush of adrenaline, and the extreme anxiety arrives in a wave like format. If, however, when you feel the initial anxiety and you react with confidence that this is not a threat to you, you will move out of the anxiety rapidly. Using this new approach is a powerful ally because it means it is okay to feel scared and feel the anxiety when speaking–that is fine; you are going to feel it and move with and through the sensations in your body and out the other side. Because he or she is feeling very anxious, often before the talk has begun, that person may feel they have already let themselves down. Now, you can relax on that point. It is perfectly natural to feel the anxiety. Take for example the worst of the sensations you have ever experienced in this situation—be it general unease to loss of breath. You will have an initial automatic reaction that says:

“Danger–I’m going to have an episode of anxiety here and I really can’t afford that to happen.”

At this point most people react to that idea and confirm it must be true because of all of the unusual feelings they are experiencing. This is where your thinking can lead you down a train of thought that creates a cycle of anxiety that produces a negative impact on your overall presenting skills.

So let that initial “oh dear, not now” thought pass by, and follow it up immediately with the attitude of:

“There you are–I’ve been wondering when you would arrive. I’ve been expecting you to show up—by the way, I am not in the least threatened by any of the strange sensations you are creating—I am completely safe here.”

The key to controlling your fear of public speaking and panic attacks is that instead of pushing the emotional energy and excitement down into your stomach, you are moving out through it. Your body is in a slightly excited state, exactly as it should be while giving a speech, so release that energy in your self-expression. Push it out through your presentation not down into your stomach. You push it out by expressing yourself more forcefully. In this way you turn the anxiety to your advantage by using it to deliver a speech where you come across more alive, energetic and in the present moment. When you notice the anxiety drop as it does when you willingly move into it. Fire a quick thought off when you get a momentary break (as I am sure you have between pieces), asking it for “more.” You want more of its intense feelings as you are interested in them and are absolutely not threatened by them.

It seems like a lot of things to be thinking about while talking to a group of people, but it is not really. You’d be amazed how many different non-related thoughts you can have while speaking. This approach is about adopting a new attitude of confidence to what you might have deemed a serious threat up until now. This tactic will truly help you with fear of public speaking and panic attacks you have associated with them.

If your predominant fear of the speaking engagement is driven by a feeling of being trapped, then I would suggest factoring in some mental releases that can be prepared before the event. For example, some meetings/speeches allow for you to turn the attention back to the room to get feedback etc. from the group.

If possible, you might want to prepare such opportunities in your own mind before the engagements. This is not to say you have to ever use them, but people in this situation often remark that just having small opportunities where attention can be diverted for the briefest of moments can make the task seem less daunting. It my even be something as simple as having people introduce themselves or opening the floor to questions. I realize these diversions are not always possible and depend on the situation, but anything you can factor in that makes you feel less trapped or under the spotlight is worth the effort and can help alleviate fear of public speaking and panic attacks.

by Joe Barry. Joe Barry is an international panic disorder coach. Visit his informative site on all issues related to >> Panic and Anxiety Attacks

Fear, Stress or Anxiety?

2008-07-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I was riding in a car on the interstate. It was around rush hour, and traffic was particularly bad. Other cars and trucks were weaving in and out of lanes, tailgating, and speeding. New lanes were added all the time and the general flow of traffic was about 80 mph. I got nervous. My palms started sweating, my heart was racing, I was tense and on the verge of tears. Was I having an anxiety attack? No. Anytime you have 3000 ton trucks coming at you at 80 mph you are perfectly entitled to feel scared. I experienced fear, which is not the same thing as anxiety.

There are many different definitions of anxiety and panic attacks floating around, some with slight variations. Most define anxiety and panic attacks as feelings of fear, dread or tension without there being a threat or clear justification as to why you are feeling these things. As a psychologist once explained it to me, “Anxiety is irrational fear”.

It is important to keep this in mind, and not jump to the conclusion that you are having anxiety every time you feel fearful, stressed or scared

Let me give you another example: say you have a couple that are going through a difficult time in their relationship. They usually get along fine, but for the last few days they have been arguing a lot and the home environment is hostile and tense. What if someone in this situation is experiencing stomach pain, sleep difficulties and feelings of nervousness before they go home? Would you consider this person to have anxiety? I wouldn’t.

There’s no denying that this person might be feeling anxious, but that does not mean he or she has an anxiety problem. I would say this person is showing temporary physical and emotional symptoms of stress relating to a specific situation. Unlike anxiety, stress is defined as a physical and/or emotional reaction to something that goes on in your environment; it’s not irrational, it’s real. If you are experiencing stress because of your environment, whether it’s your relationship, work, children or anything else, it does not necessarily mean you have anxiety. In most situations like these, changing your environment, your current situation, will help you get rid of the stress and the anxiousness.

Let me give you an extreme example to make my point: you are walking down the street, minding your own business, when someone pulls a gun on you and tells you to give up your wallet. I am pretty sure you’ll be experiencing all the common symptoms of anxiety in this situation; your heart is pounding, you’re sweating, feeling dizzy, stomach queasy etc. So you’re having a panic attack, right? Of course not! We can all clearly understand that what you’re feeling in this situation is real, rational fear.

Ok, so I’ve pointed out the difference between fear and stress vs. anxiety, but why is this important? This is important because it influences what you think and how you feel. If you know you are experiencing stress or fear, no matter how uncomfortable the situation might be, you know you are reacting to an outside situation. If someone pulls a gun on you, there is no way you are going to feel bad about or blame yourself for feeling scared.

One common problem for people who have anxiety issues is that they tend to blame themselves and feel bad about the situation. But the worse you feel about yourself and the situation, the worse your issue will get.

It is important to see separate incidents as just that; separate. Putting the anxiety label on your feelings will give power to them and you can easily start seeing yourself as someone with a “problem”. Labels don’t benefit you, and neither does feeling that you are sick or have a “problem”. I’m not saying anxiety is not a real and serious issue; I know it is because I struggled with it for years. I also know that many of the situations where I thought I had anxiety, I was actually just plain scared or reacting to stress.

Don’t accept labels others put on you, and don’t put them on yourself. Even if you have panic attacks on a regular basis, you are better off seeing them as separate incidents than seeing yourself as someone with a "disorder."

by Elisabeth Ramsberg Larsen for www.easycalm.com

It's Good to Know Common Anxiety Symptoms

2008-07-05T08:15:00.000-07:00

It's Good to Know Common Anxiety Symptoms

Words of warning regarding medical and health conditions such as heart attacks or strokes are popping up all over American television these days. Commercials tell you what to do if you experience dizziness, fainting, numbness, and so on. However, very rarely will your hear a commercial outlining common anxiety symptoms, which is unfortunate because many people have them and are very confused by them.

Having anxiety symptoms can be very common in our society, when we face anxious situations on a regular basis. Whether it's the fear that we're lost in an unfamiliar city or are going to be late for a job interview or when the phone rings in the middle of the night, we all face anxiety at one point or another in our lives. Some people however may have anxiety symptoms for what seems like no reason at all, and they may confuse these with the symptoms of having a heart attack or some other medical condition. Especially do those who suffer from panic attacks often confuse the two.

Anxiety symptoms are of course different for everyone, and sometimes it's easy to understand that you're just experiencing anxiety – right before a speech to colleagues, when you're about to get married, when you open the front door and see two police officers standing there; these circumstances can easily make anyone tense and nervous! But for most, anxiety symptoms may include shortness of breath, heart palpitations, nausea, chest pain, difficulty breathing, tingling or numbness in the fingers, face, or toes, stomach aches, and headaches. You can see how these may easily be confused with a heart attack or asthma or some other condition.

If you experience these anxiety symptoms on a regular basis, and especially if they seem to occur for no reason, you would do well to speak to your doctor. For one thing, you want to rule out the possibility of it being a heart attack or something as serious. For another, he or she can prescribe medications or therapies that can help you deal with the anxiety symptoms while also working with you to find out why you're tense and anxious in the first place. You may have some chemical imbalances in the brain or may need to learn some positive ways of thinking about a situation so as to not be so tense and anxious during certain situations.

If You Feel Anxiety, You Are Not Alone

2008-07-05T06:37:00.001-07:00

If You Feel Anxiety, You Are Not Alone

It's true that just about everyone will experience anxiety in one form or another during the course of his or her life. Just hearing the phone ring in the middle of the night or hearing about an impending snowstorm can cause a measure of anxiety or nervousness.

But when people talk about anxiety, they usually mean something much more severe than just a bit of nervous reaction to some unexpected event. Full-blown disorders including panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even obsessive-compulsive disorder are considered forms of anxiety, and entire fields of medicine are dedicated to their study. Some people experience these symptoms so severely that they are somewhat socially crippled, unable to hold down a job, meet new people, or function outside their home at all.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "approximately 40 million American adults ages 18 and older, or about 18.1 percent of people in this age group in a given year, have an anxiety disorder." They also bring out that it's not uncommon for people to suffer from more than one type of anxiety disorder – for example, someone experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder may also feel frequent panic attacks. Obsessive compulsive disorder can also be tied to depression, and so on.

Eighteen percent of people is almost one in five, so the next time you think that you're the only one that feels the way you do or are the only one battling these symptoms, walk through the mall or think of a group of people you know, such as at work or your place of worship. Chances are that for every five or six people there, one of them has an anxiety disorder of one type or another. As said, entire fields of medicine are devoted to helping the sufferers of all of these types of anxiety disorders, and new medicines and other treatment options are being explored every single day. There are just far too many people in the world today that experience these disorders for doctors and biologists to ignore it.

So if you think that there's something inherently wrong with you or that you're somehow weak because you experience severe anxiety, it's time to set that thinking aside and speak to your doctor about how he or she can help. There are ways of coping with these symptoms and there are even cures available to you.

Eliminate Anxiety and Panic Attacks For Good

2008-07-05T03:33:00.000-07:00

Eliminate Anxiety and Panic Attacks For Good

If you suffer from...

Palpitations
A pounding heart, or an accelerated heart rate
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Shortness of breath
A choking sensation
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea or stomach cramps
Derealization (a feeling of unreality)
Fear of losing control or going crazy
Fear of dying Numbness or a tingling sensation
Chills or hot flashes

...then you've experienced firsthand some of the possible symptoms of a panic or anxiety attack. If you are reading this page because a loved one suffers from these symptoms and you are trying to understand or help, it's hard to appreciate what they go through.

Just try to imagine what it feels like to experience one, if you can.

Here is a typical example:

Standing in a supermarket queue, it’s been a long wait but only one customer to go before you make it to the cashier. Wait, what was that sensation? An unpleasant feeling forms in your throat, your chest feels tighter, now a sudden shortness of breath, and what do you know—your heart skips a beat. “Please, God, not here.”

A quick scan of the territory—is it threatening? Four unfriendly faces queue behind, one person in front. Pins and needles seem to prick you through your left arm, you feel slightly dizzy, and then the explosion of fear as you dread the worst. You are about to have a panic attack.

There is no doubt in your mind now that this is going to be a big one. Okay, focus: Remember what you have been taught, and it is time now to apply the coping techniques. Begin the deep breathing exercise your doctor recommended. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

Think relaxing thoughts, and again, while breathing in, think “Relax,” and then breathe out. But it doesn’t seem to be having any positive effect; in fact, just concentrating on breathing is making you feel self-conscious and more uptight.

Okay, coping technique 2:

Gradual muscle relaxation. Tense both shoulders, hold for 10 seconds, then release. Try it again. No; still no difference. The anxiety is getting worse and the very fact that you are out of coping techniques worsens your panic. If only you were surrounded by your family, or a close friend were beside you so you could feel more confident in dealing with this situation.

Now, the adrenaline is really pumping through your system, your body is tingling with uncomfortable sensations, and now the dreaded feeling of losing complete control engulfs your emotions. No one around you has any idea of the sheer terror you are experiencing. For them, it’s just a regular day and another frustratingly slow queue in the supermarket.

You are out of options. Time for Plan C.

The most basic coping skill of all is “fleeing.” Excuse yourself from the queue; you are slightly embarrassed as it is now that it is your turn to pay. The cashier is looking bewildered as you leave your shopping behind and stroll towards the door. There is no time for excuses—you need to be alone. You leave the supermarket and get into your car to ride it out alone. Could this be the big one? The one you fear will push you over the edge mentally and physically. Ten minutes later the panic subsides.

It’s 10:30 a.m. How are you going to make it through the rest of the day?

If you suffer from panic or anxiety attacks, the above scenerio probably sounds very familiar. It may have even induced feelings of anxiety and panic just reading it. The particular situations that trigger your panic and anxiety may differ; maybe the bodily sensations are a little different. Or maybe it happened to you for the first time on a plane, in the dentist chair, or even at home, while doing nothing in particular.

If you have ever had what has become known as a “panic attack,” take comfort in the fact that you are by no means alone.

A panic attack always comes with the acute sense of impending doom. You feel you are either about to lose your mind or one of your vital bodily functions is about to cease functioning and you will end your days right there among the canned goods and frozen food.

You are by no means alone; you’re not even one in a million. In America, it is estimated that almost 5% of the population suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. For some, it may be the infrequent panic attacks that only crop up in particular situations-like when having to speak in front of others, while, for other people, it can be so frequent and recurring that it inhibits them from leaving their home. Frequent panic attacks often develop into what medical physicians refer to as an “anxiety disorder.”

One of the first steps to regaining control of your life is getting helpful information. This site will give you that, and more.

The beginning of your recovery starts here. What you will learn is that there is a very good chance you are about to end the cycle of panic attacks in your life. You will learn not only to regain the carefree life you remember once having, but will also gain new confidence in living. Your answer to living free from “panic” or “anxiety attacks” is at hand.

This site demonstrates that the panic and anxiety that you have experienced will be the very key to your courage and success.

Begin the road to recovery by browsing through the site. While many of you may have read almost everything you can possibly read relating to panic and anxiety I assure you this site offers something very effective.

Did you know...?

The key difference between someone who is cured of panic attacks and those who are not is really very simple. The people who are cured no longer fear panic attacks. I’ll try to show you how to be one of these people as well.

What if I told you the trick to ending panic and anxiety attacks is to want to have one. That sounds strange, even contradictory, but let me explain.

The trick to panic attacks is wanting to have one-the wanting pushes it away. Can you have a panic attack in this very second? No!

You know the saying that "what you resist, persists." Well that saying applies perfectly to fear. If you resist a situation out of fear, the fear around that issue will persist. How do you stop resisting–you move directly into it, into the path of the anxiety, and by doing so it cannot persist.

In essence what this means is that if you daily voluntarily seek to have a panic attack, you cannot have one. Try in this very moment to have a panic attack and I will guarantee you cannot. You may not realize it but you have always decided to panic. You make the choice by saying this is beyond my control.

Another way to appreciate this is to imagine having a panic attack as like standing on a cliff's edge. The anxiety seemingly pushes you closer to falling over the edge.

To be rid of the fear you must metaphorically jump. You must jump off the cliff edge and into the anxiety and fear and all the things that you fear most.

How do you jump? You jump by wanting to have a panic attack. You go about your day asking for anxiety and panic attacks to appear.

Your real safety is the fact that a panic attack will never harm you. That is medical fact. You are safe, the sensations are wild but no harm will come to you. Your heart is racing but no harm will come to you. The jump becomes nothing more than a two foot drop! Perfectly safe.

Learn more:
Treat Panic Attacks and Anxiety

Joe Barry is an international panic disorder coach. Visit his informative site on all issues related to >> Panic and Anxiety Attacks