Panic Away - The Right Panic Attack Program For You?

Panic attacks sufferers know very well their condition during the attacks. The pain and fear they have to pass through is indeed not easy to explain. This can just be felt by the sufferer. Thus it becomes very necessary for a panic sufferer to take up a panic attack program for the sake of his or her better health. The attacks occur due to variety of reasons. There is no solitary reason for a person to get an attack. They occur, on a major ground, due to mental stress and tension and the attacks caused due to this reason are very dangerous. Another reason for getting panic attacks can be alcohol. There are many cases wherein an alcoholic is suffering from sever panic attack problems. They are also hereditary in an individual. The hereditary panic attacks generally depend upon the attacks that the earlier generation had. Thus while choosing the right panic attack program there are many things that are to be taken into consideration, out of which the cause is the chief one.

There are many attacks programs available for the victims to get a better and peaceful life. All these programs are generally depended on the individual, his or her nature, the main reason for getting the attacks, etc. If you select any such method according to your conveniences then you may also have a side effect for the same. Hence you need to be very precautious while choosing the right panic attacks program for you as it differs from person to person. Out of all the programs available in the market, "panic away" is the most demanded one as it has a great popularity among the masses and also named as giving good results for the treatment of panic attacks.

Generally panic attacks programs are psychological treatments along with a bit of medications and everyone knows that every individual is different and has an altogether diverse mind set. Thus there is no particular treatment which is universal to everyone. This is the major reason for being cautious while choosing the right panic program for an individual. A wrong program or treatment will not show desired result to you and thus all the time and money used will go a complete waste. It can also lead to losing the hope of getting well at a point of time. Thus it becomes essential to approach an expert of panic away before using the treatment.

Another important reason that is to be taken care of while choosing the right program is the medication used during the treatment. The medicines that are used while treating the panic attacks are not normal powered ones. They are generally high powered ones that have a tremendous side effect on a person behaviour and appearance. Thus if any medicines is selected without consulting the expert can have a negative effect on the person leading to many other problems. It can also lead to adverse effect on the health along with increasing the mental strain. Worst thing that can also happen is the increase in the number of and level of attacks

Thus choosing the right panic attack program is very crucial for the improvement of a panic victim. As a result "Panic away" proves to be the best option one can approach to cure the problems of the attacks.

Desensitisation Therapy - How it Can Help You Overcome Anxiety

Desensitization therapy is a behavioural technique used to treat many different types of fear-based psychological conditions. It is structured on the basic premise that the more one is exposed to the object or situation that causes them distress then they are less likely to fear it. However, the treatment takes the idea a bit further by performing the desensitization in a controlled environment, while making sure to calm and relax the patient in order to create a more positive association with the experience. By doing this procedure over and over, the patient is developing a positive, learned response towards whatever is causing their phobia.

The procedure for going through desensitization therapy involves being exposed to an increasing anxiety-provoking set of experiences. The therapist typically begins at a level that does not elicit a fear response from the patient. For example, someone with a fear of snakes might not be able to touch or view a picture of one without getting apprehensive, but they can talk about them without too much trouble. Starting at the lowest rung, the therapist relaxes the patient and then moves up the ladder. Exposing the person repeatedly to that which they fear, while making sure to create a positive, calm experience, is the basis of desensitization.

Desensitization therapy can be performed with actual, physical exposure therapy, or can also employ hypnotherapy in order to achieve the desired result. While real-life exposure utilises pictures, objects, and actual situations, hypnotherapy can achieve a similar result by helping the patient to recall that which they fear with varying levels of detail and intensity. While moving up the ranks, the therapist is constantly them that they are safe and gives suggestions in order to relax, thus achieving successful desensitization. For people with a high level of anxiety, this is sometimes a good option as the thought of eventually coming face to face with their fear might prevent them from getting treatment altogether.

This is an effective way to address fears and anxieties, but it also has the added benefit of typically working quicker than traditional forms of therapy. It is based on a simple cause and effect model and works under the assumption that phobias can be learned, and therefore, unlearned as well. This allows desensitization to directly address the fear-based response instead of needing to sort through the patient's history. The short length of treatment coupled with focusing solely on the problematic thoughts is what makes desensitization therapy so effective.

Overcome Panic Attacks Now

Overcome Panic Attacks and Anxiety - 4 Basic Steps That Will Lead to Immediate Relief

Panic Symptoms: Panic is a sensation of total despair where the person is totally vulnerable and extremely weak. When a person has a panic attack he starts sweating, his heart beat increases and he loses control over his actions and thoughts. People who have a phobia pertaining to something specific, when exposes to their fears are very susceptible to panic attacks because of increasing anxiety and they cannot control themselves which results in a panic attack, because they feel helplessness.

Panic and Anxiety Triggers: A few 'triggers' which have been identified as to lead to anxiety are the after effects of few medicines, these may be temporary or even permanent occurring long after the patient has stopped taking those medicines; in the aftermath of a drug withdrawal, especially alcohol; and the hyperventilation syndrome where over breathing leads to exhaling excess of carbon dioxide in relation to the oxygen present in ones bloodstream leading to increase in the heart beat and dizziness.

Treatment should start with natural and meditative methods first. A number of doctors are of the opinion that medicine only treats the symptoms of a panic attacks and not the problem itself. This is the reason why natural methods to stop panic attacks are feasible. Because different people have different tolerance levels when it comes to stress, there is no single therapy which is applicable to all but a number of different methods and practices which together help to put a stop to panic attacks.

If one is suffering from panic attacks, or knows someone who is, then one should take precautionary measures and first resort to several comprehensive natural and meditative methods which are extremely beneficial rather than straightaway getting involved with heavy meditation which in more cases than one has side effects. Therefore, it is not absolutely mandatory that one needs medical attention to deal with these episodes.

Basic steps: Mentioned below are simple tips which one needs to follow in order to overcome panic attacks.

HEALTHY EATING: Irregular meals are not good for the body and people should altogether avoid caffeine and alcohol completely because these are known to increase the chance of having a panic attack. Herbal tea is also known to calm the nervous system.

EXERCISE: Apart from eating right, it is extremely important to be fit physically and exercise in order to start feeling better. Any activity which pumps our blood thus increasing our adrenaline can reduce the risk of anxiety because it helps the body to cope with stress. If you feel that you are about to get a attack, take a walk and try to focus on other things like the movie you saw the other night or just count to divert your mind.

MEDITATION & RELAXATION: Anxiety is very often related to the stress which the person is burdened with. Thus if one can cope with stress by different stress management methods like meditation, the chances of an attack are significantly reduced. Meditating helps us to focus on our breathing and empty our thoughts; this allows us to control our anxiety. Yoga and deep breathing can relieve the mind and subsequently the body of all our ill thoughts and result in a healthier mind and body. A stress free mind is a great way to reduce the probability of panic attacks.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY: Living with a problem of anxiety attacks can be extremely difficult. The technique which is the most effective in dealing with them is the cognitive behavioral technique where the person who is having the attacks needs to identify the thoughts and sensations. Once they have been identified, it is important to demarcate between the two because anxiety is not causes by the sensations, but the thoughts and beliefs regarding those sensations is what gives rise to the anxiousness.

To overcome panic you need to believe in ourselft and your ability to cope. A positive attitude will help you the most to deal effectively with inner struggles. While dealing with panic attacks, you needs to be patient when you don't get better overnight. It's a continuous journey where you can only take one step at a time.

7 Strategies to Overcoming Anxiety and Panic Attacks

You Can Overcome panic attacks and anxiety!

That is great news to those who suffer day in and day out, year in and year out. I have and I know that you can too.

THE SYMPTOMS

For me it started with heart palpitations. My thoughts immediately steered to fear. Then my throat would become dry so I could not swallow. Then my body would feel "weird". Dizziness and blurred vision. By this time I was convinced that I was about to die. I kept waiting for the symptoms to get worse and they did. I use to suffer from panic attacks so badly that I had to go to the hospital by ambulance. I was so embarrassed when the doctor checked me and told me that there was nothing wrong with me. When I had to go grocery shopping I would get a funny feeling in my stomach before I left the house. Once I got inside the grocery store I felt like I had to run out or else I would become overwhelmed. I dreaded the thought that I might have a panic attack in public. I had to talk to myself and prayed up and down each and every aisle of the store. I knew that if I ran out, my family would not have food and I would have to start all over again. The people in the store had no idea the personal torture I was experiencing. People at church had no idea how hard it was to sit in a large crowd.

AWARENESS

When the symptoms first started, I had no idea what was happening to me. One day I was watching T.V. and some people were on a show talking about the symptoms and the light went on, "That's me! That's what I have been going through". That was the beginning of my healing! Knowledge is power. I thank God that He allowed me to turn to the channel and hear those people talking. I also helped me to know that I was not alone. I suppose that those of you who suffer from the effects of anxiety are glad to hear that you are not alone.

Steps to Overcoming

1) READ

Read as much as possible about anxiety and understand what are some of the causes. (Email me for link to books).

2) PROFESSIONAL HELP

Go to a counselor or therapist to get to the bottom of the anxiety. The physical discomforts are trying to get your attention - Pay attention to a greater dis-ease within. Pray for God to send you to the right person. He will.

3) RELAXATION

Listen to a tape or CD for RELAXATION This was one of the things that helped me

tremendously. I needed to reprogram my mind with positive and true statements that were life giving and empowering. Click below for CD's and cassette tapes to help you overcome anxiety and panic attacks. Breathing correctly is a part of relaxation.

4) EXERCISE

Physical exercise has tremendous value. It releases chemicals that generate good feelings, called pheromones. It's good to feel good!

5) HEALING IN GOD'S WORD

Meditate on scriptures that enhance your trust in God. One scripture that helps me when I really let it sink in is: Matthew 5:25-34. Am I not more than a bird to God? You better believe it and so are you! Birds don't work or store up food yet God takes care of them. Wow! The next time you see a bird think about that!

6) MAP YOUR JOURNEY

Create a time line by drawing on a sheet of paper when your first signs of discomfort started. Write down what major events happened at that same time. Note the year/date. Go back as far as you can. This process helps you to take a bird's eye view of your life. When I did this exercise, I found that the first time I experienced a full panic attack was in 1984 and I had just made a major move from someone very dear to me. I also discovered that there agoraphobia before any panic attack ever appeared. Do this it will help you understand what has been going on and what triggers extreme anxiety. (You may need to use than one piece of paper).

7) God's Power to Heal

Remember,God still heals. We must let go of all the passed disappointments, and betrayals. God is not like any human being with whom we have had a relationship. God faithful and just. Jesus walked this earth so you can talk to Him about yours trials. Pray as the early disciples did, "Lord, increase my faith". FAITH is the opposite of anxiety. Faith not only pleases God but keeps us trusting in God's fatherly care. I am a witness!! Praise God!

If just one person is helped by this article, I will have accomplished what God set me out to do -Help someone along our earthly journey.

Overcoming Panic Attacks on Your Own Without Any Medication

I tried anything to get rid on my panic attacks and anxiety. I went to see a therapist, I took medication. All of these things worked on the short term. However, you don't want to take those SSRI pills all your life long. There is a much better solution. It might be hard to achieve, but if you do it you can take on the whole world.

Advice From A Professional

So what I'm talking about is the ability to let go and more self-esteem. The advice came from my mother. She said to me one day: "You shouldn't worry too much. There is nothing wrong with you, stop searching. The only thing you need is confidence". What I did afterwards is listening to music to help me with my self -esteem.

Listening music can help greatly to increase your self-esteem. The next important thing to do is to look back at panic situations and tell you that there was nothing wrong. Try to stay a bit longer next time in that panic situation. Try to reduce stress by always believing in yourself. It might be hard to do, but if you look at all the things you accomplished and try to map out a path to the right direction, you're halfway there

How to go from reduced anxiety to anxiety-free

The final step to take is the ability to let go. You should never have to think about panic again. This is the hardest part to accomplish. To accomplish this, you will need to go to panic situations and find distraction. If you do this often, you're anxiety problem will slowly fade away.

Top 5 Tips to Overcome Depression at Home

Depression is a common malady these days. People spend enormous amount of money to overcome it. There are many steps you can take at home to overcome depression.

1. Whenever you feel depressed, your natural tendency would be to lock yourself away from the outside world. Instead of that if you go for a walk, the beauty of nature would definitely act as a soothing balm to calm your frayed nerves.

2. You can also try some upbeat music to lift up your spirit. So next time you feel depressed, go for music rather than suffering in silence or watching news channels.

3. Skipping meals is another common behavior of depressed people. Having a balanced diet, especially breakfast has a tremendous impact on our wellness, both physical and mental.

4. It has been found that there is a link between depression and creativity. When you are in bad mood, try to do something creative like painting, modeling, photography, web designing or poetry writing. There is no need for you to be an expert in the respective fields.

5. You can also find someone you can confide in. This will provide you the strength and support to overcome the crisis.

Most importantly, learn to appreciate yourself. Most of the times we tend to ignore ourselves or constantly find fault in our ways and dealings. Instead of that, if you are able to develop the habit of congratulating yourself for even a small achievement, it will go a long way in improving your self esteem and thereby takes you out of depression.

Learn How to Overcome Panic Attacks Without Drugs, Antibiotics Or Medical Intervention

If you are currently living with worry and fear of another anxiety attack then you need to take action today and learn how to overcome panic attacks through the safest and most effective method - naturally! There are so many treatment programs out there that you can choose from that do not use prescription medication and are equally if not more effective at curing anxiety disorders. Believe me it would be more detrimental to your health using some of these drugs than going through a panic attack.

Everyone is exposed to anxieties. There isn't one of us that is not affected by anxiety or some form of fear. A little fear is good, it keeps our emotions in check and protects us from potentially dangerous situations. But anxiety becomes a problem when it gets out of control and starts to overtake your life. Learning how to overcome panic attacks and anxiety therefore becomes a necessity. And with so many safe and effective treatments out there, there is no reason not to take action.

Amongst one of the first lessons you will learn during a natural cognitive treatment is to face your panic attack head on and change your thinking patterns. What is a problem for you may not be a problem for someone else so you know what things brings up an anxiety attack in you.

Begin to clear your mind of any negative thoughts that might have caused the panic attack. The very thing that has brought on the anxiety is harmless to you and cannot cause you any pain or harm. What will is the high level of anxiety and worry. I am only too aware that if you dwell on your anxiety levels you will only bring more harm to yourself.

I can clearly remember times where I would spend hours worrying about minute things, things that would cause me no harm but my anxiety got so out of hand that it brought on a panic attack and I essentially had to throw up with worry. You see your mind is one of the most powerful tools and what you feed it can harm you and work against you.

The point I am trying to get across to you is that the best way to overcome panic attacks is not to dwell too long on things that can make you anxious. Change your mindset as soon as you feel that anxiety is slowly creeping in your head and wants to take control. Start to focus on other things - things that make you feel happy and confident, people you like or love, places you feel comfortable in.

Whatever brings on the anxiety - try and deal with it. Because once you have dealt with the problem then you have found a way to overcome panic anxiety attacks. These small tips are the first steps amongst others you need to take in order to help overcome anxiety disorders.

Learning How to Overcome Social Anxiety Symptoms

Learning how to overcome social anxiety symptoms or panic in social situations is very important for those that suffer with this ailment. Not only do people that suffer social anxiety symptoms have problems at home, in relationships, and at work, it also attacks their lifestyle and causes them to have a sense of being invaluable to the society around them.

Though overcoming social anxiety symptoms is tough it can be done without drugs. Most of the sufferers have a lack of self esteem so self help therapy and developing social skills could be all that one needs to overcome the disorder.

Panic in social situations for the most part is a psychological condition rather than a physical one. Basically it is having a sense of being overwhelmed in a social environment. You tend to be worried about what those around you are thinking about you and many times you will avoid any kind of social gathering. Even though social anxiety is a psychological condition as stated above it can have a physical effect when dealing with social anxiety symptoms. One might feel dizzy, have muscle spasms, and may even begin to sweat profusely. Often times in much extreme situations it may cause panic attacks.

There are different alternatives to drugs that one can do to cure social anxiety symptoms. Below are a few steps that one can do to help control their panic:

1) Mental Preparedness - Role play with yourself or if your comfortable with a friend or family member. Come up with some challenges that actually cause the social anxiety symptoms to occur. When you prepare yourself mentally before the problem actually happens you will have a confidence to help you with the situation at hand.

2) Involve yourself socially - Begin to build various relationships with people you don't usually talk to. Get involved with a drama or something that will cause you to be social. If you need to join a support group so that you can be around some of the people that share the same panic as you. Pick their brains and find out what they use to help them in their day to day situations.

3) Control fear - A major problem that people get with social anxiety symptoms is the stress it causes on the body. The shakes, sweating, irregular heartbeat, and different thoughts can be physical reactions to these symptoms. Learn to relax by meditating or taking a yoga class.

4) Look at your fears straight in the eyes - Lack of self esteem and insecurity can be the reasons for social panic attacks, instead of lack of social skills. If this is the case begin to put yourself in different situation that are uncomfortable. Make yourself step out of your comfort zone repeatedly. This will give you a sense of confidence and who knows you may begin to love it.

The fact is you are what you think and these thoughts can control your entire life. If you will take a moment to relax and follow some of the steps you read above, you will begin to cure social anxiety symptoms. Being positive is key and if you will work hard at it you will begin to enjoy those wonderful people around you. Social anxiety and panic can be defeated, it is up to you.

7 Simple Ways to Deal With Anxiety - Panic, Depression, Anxiety? Cure Them Now

As long as anxiety is not ruining the life of the person suffering from it, it is normal to have anxiety or anxiousness. There are thousands of people who suffer from anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and similar problems.

How to deal with anxiety has become one of the most popular disorder topics in this day and age. Our ancestors may have considered it a laughing matter in good spirit -- however, these days anxiety is everywhere. Many of us are constantly seeking answers to one simple question: "How to deal with anxiety".

Here are seven simple ways to deal with anxiety and make some sense out of it:

1. Disorders such as anxiety, depression and panic are not what your average person would call a life-threatening disease. Those who suffer from it think otherwise though. Unfortunately, that is the same reason no medical treatments have been especially proven to treat this disorder, or disease. You can go to ten different specialists or doctors and you will hear about 10 different kinds of treatments.

2. Anxiety comes in a form of several different types of symptoms. Thus, when you try to seek treatment for it, you may be recommended a prescription based on the symptoms. More often than not, this type of a prescription or treatment plan will fail to cure anxiety and panic attacks.

3. Your anxiety disorder can be at any level of different stages. The mistake that is always made is that the symptoms are attempted to be treated, and not the condition itself. If your physician starts a treatment for nausea, chest pains, or upset stomach -- we are talking a completely different ball game than an anxiety disorder treatment.

4. Anxiety and it's symptoms derive not only from physical factors, but more importantly from an emotional standpoint as well.

5. When treating anxiety, it has to be done from the bottom up, in an very cautious and careful manner. Anxiety has been known to test people's limits.

6. A painfully slow but certain treatment for anxiety might be some combination of drugs and psychotherapy options.

7. Utter care needs to be taken to prevent relapse. Most treatment plans must be followed for a long enough period of time to ensure effectiveness.

Types of Anxiety and Panic Attack Disorders

There are many forms in which panic attacks and anxiety present themselves, but for the purposes of this article we will look at the four most common disorders.

Along with these disorders many people experience lower self esteem which takes their issue over the tipping point. Once they behave in ways they would rather not behave, they soon think they have no control towards fixing it.

It can be very likely that the anxiety or panic attack disorder that had presented itself was caused by some event earlier on in your life. Your mind would have remembered that event and the emotion linked to it.

Then it can be often the case that you are playing out that past emotional feeling in response to some stimulus in the present.

Even though you may not be consciously aware of the initial sensitizing event, your unconscious mind will have remembered the experience and the emotion you felt. It almost like a trigger goes off inside of you automatically (without your conscious intention), eliciting the fearful response and behaviors.

Here are the four main types of panic attacks and anxiety disorders:

1. Phobias

The first type of disorder is phobias. For some, the phobia can result in an intense experience where they act irrational and feel completely overwhelmed.

Many times phobias can be in relation to an animal, a particular situation or a thing or object. Typically, the situation or thing where they feel fear does not directly threaten them or their life at that particular moment in time.

Many people can relate to feeling fearful around animals such as spiders, snakes, cats and dogs. Others can feel fearful when in closed spaces, raised heights or even in social situations. As a result of their phobia they can sometimes limit the quality of their lives.

2. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is where someone presently relives a traumatic experience that happened the past. They may relive this experience in their mind a lot of the time or on the odd occasion. This is commonly referred to as having flashbacks or waking nightmares.

3. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

This is when a person attempts to relieve an anxiety by obsessively doing an action of some sort in order to avoid feeling or confronting the anxiety which has been fabricated in their mind. Common compulsions can include relentless cleaning of the home or over washing their hands.

4. General Anxiety Disorder

This is illustrated to be like an anxiety which remains and lingers in the back of the mind. It is generally the case that the thing someone is feeling anxious about is not actually happening in that particular moment and it tends to be about the future.

Often times, people are anxious about something that is unrealistic. However, it is possible that they experience physical symptoms as a result of the mental thoughts. Some people may also experience themselves as being edgy, fidgety and unfocused.

Breathing Tips For Panic Attacks - The Most Important Things You Should Know

Finding the right approach to relieving the symptoms of panic attacks might not be as easy as you might think. The main problem is that the causes that trigger the condition of sudden and strong anxiety are different from person to person. However, most of the symptoms are common in all cases, so you can use techniques that will help you reduce their negative effect and the overall one as well. Here is some useful advice on correct breathing and tips for panic attacks associated with it.

Restoring your breathing to its normal state is crucial when experiencing this type of condition. By doing this one of the tips for attacks, your heart beat rate will also slow down and return to normal and the blood pressure will decrease. You will not feel dizzy and your muscle pain will also be relieved. Through the better blood circulation you will not feel your hands and limbs numb and you will stop shivering. Overall, breathing is the key to relieving a large part of the symptoms associated with panic attacks.

Before performing the breathing technique it is important to be in the correct posture. Straightening your back will help you expand your chest. In this way all your body organs will feel relaxed and you will be able to use your lungs optimally. You do not have to stand up - sitting comfortably in your chair will do just fine when applying this one of the tip. You have to inhale fully, but trying to stay as relaxed as possible.

Exhale slowly without pausing in between. Closing your eyes will also help you concentrate on your breathing. You have to repeat this technique over and over again until you start feeling better. One of the best tips for panic attacks is to actually use this method whenever you are in a stressful situation as it might help for the prevention of the condition itself.

Anxiety, Panic and Excessive Sweating - The Links Explored

My link to this topic comes from my experience of panic attacks. I had a speaking engagement at work where I was not feeling entirely confident about the subject matter. Once I began, I imagined I could actually feel my pores enlarge. My face, underarms and torso just started pouring sweat and my mind just started dissociating and checking out. I had no idea how I finished but I did. Guess who got a reputation as a person who could not handle speaking assignments? What a humiliating experience!

Like many men, I had caught the " Dancing with the Stars" craze and thought it would be a great self improvement project to learn some formal dancing moves. What do you think happened when the cute dance instructor started working with a social anxiety sufferer like me? Yes, massive sweating. You would think we were running a marathon not just dancing. Definitely not Cary Grant.

For many others, the experience of anxiety and excessive sweating is an everyday life altering experience. It dictates the clothes you wear, your thoughts and daily routine, and even prevents you from shaking hands, hugging and socializing with others.

The excessive sweating takes its place as part of the anxiety thought loop where you may fear situations that cause anxiety be they social or whatever but you also fear your reaction to the anxiety even more. In this case, that secondary reaction would be sweating. You then have a viscous, self perpetuating cycle that can take more and more of your life away over time. The energy and resources spent just to cope and adjust for the anxiety and sweating is so defeating and limiting.

Despite there being strong evidence to suggest a link between anxiety and excessive sweating, there is disagreement as to the exact nature of that link. Basically, it is a chicken and egg problem...

Which comes first- the anxiety or the sweating? Some experts believe that anxiety and panic attacks are not in themselves causes of excessive sweating. They believe that in most cases, the anxiety merely aggravates an existing medical condition.

Other experts though, give the anxiety component a much bigger role. They believe that anxiety induced Hyperhidrosis exists and manifests itself with generalized anxiety on an everyday basis or as a feature of panic attacks like it has for me.

Whatever the truth of that argument is, it seems clear that there is a link between anxiety, panic and excessive sweating. After a full physical, I recommend an approach that combines medical and emotional components. In other words, treat the anxiety and panic with meditation, relaxation, and cognitive behavioral techniques. By retraining your mind and sympathetic nervous system to respond differently to your environment, and changing the way you approach the world to a more mindful existence, you may find yourself sweating life a whole lot less.

Anxiety Disorder Causes - What Are They & How to Avoid Them

Understanding Panic Attacks and Anxiety Disorder Causes

Stress and anxiety are normal parts of everyday living. Both of these may cause panic attacks, which are the body's innate reaction to danger. Present since prehistoric times, man's brain triggers a set of reactions when faced with danger to prepare the body to either fight or flee. Called the "fight or flight" response, this reaction causes the brain to send signals to the rest of the body and ready itself for physical exertion. Some physiological responses to danger include increased heart rate, dilated pupils and faster breathing. Our bodies return to its normal state when the danger has been overcome.

Today, these chain reactions are triggered by non-life-threatening things such as exams, work and even traffic. The symptoms of panic attacks may disappear after 10 minutes, although some people may often experience more intense attacks, which can develop into anxiety disorders. There are a lot of anxiety disorder causes, some brought about by traumatic childhoods and others by drug or alcohol abuse. Although this disorder can be debilitating for most people, it can be treated and prevented, and the first step to stopping these attacks from developing into a serious disorder is to understand the underlying causes.

1. Family history and genetics. Most people who have anxiety disorders have first-line relatives who suffer from panic attacks. Various studies have proven that those with immediate family who suffer from anxiety disorders have a bigger probability of developing this disorder before they turn 20. Studies also show that women have a genetic predisposition to anxiety disorders.

2. Traumatic experiences. Although losing a job or even a divorce can trigger extreme stress and cause anxiety attacks, these are seldom anxiety disorder causes. More traumatic events such as a car crash may cause recurring attacks and make a person fearful of vehicles and driving. Abuse can also lead someone to display panic attack symptoms simply by just smelling the perfume of their abuser.

3. Chemical imbalance in the brain. Neurotransmitters in the brain send signals throughout the brain and the rest of the body. These neurotransmitters control emotions such as fear, joy, anger, depression and pain. When there is an imbalance in the neurotransmitters, such as low levels of serotonin, the brain gets mixed up and may cause you to feel fear and anger even without any danger or stressor present.

4. Certain drugs and alcohol. Drugs such as Amphetamines or Cocaine are anxiety disorder causes because they can trigger panic attack symptoms such as hyperventilation, increased heart rate and palpitations. Likewise, stimulants such as caffeine and the substances found in asthma medicine can cause symptoms similar to those of a panic attacks. Those who are withdrawing from certain drugs such as Barbiturates may also experience panic attack symptoms such as sweating, nausea and chills. It is, therefore, ill-advised for people to try to remedy the symptoms of these attacks by taking illegal drugs or by abusing alcohol.

5. Other medical conditions. Hyperthyroidism, epilepsy and asthma (particularly those who take asthma medicine regularly) can cause panic attack symptoms. Studies show that mitral valve prolapses, a heart condition characterized by the poor functioning of the valve between the upper and lower left chambers of the heart, may also cause panic attacks.

Stress, as mentioned before, happens to everyone and all of us have experienced anxiety attacks at some point in our life. Although they don't often lead to serious disorders, recurring and intense attacks can become debilitating. One method to prevent an anxiety attack becoming debilitating is by understanding the different anxiety disorder causes. Congratulations, you have just taken the first step to managing and controlling panic attacks.

Overcoming Anxiety, Panic Attacks and Depression

Anxiety, panic attacks and depression are horrible debilitating things. You suffer a loss in motivation, disinterest in the things you once loved, are afraid of living, afraid of dying, start to fear fear itself and are unable to get back on your feet. You feel like the world will never be the same again. I've been there, and whilst I didn't think it possible when I was in the middle of it all, overcoming anxiety, panic attacks and depression is possible.

Anxiety and Depression Symptoms

When I was 19 I moved from Australia to England. Months later, when anxiety and depression reared their ugly heads, my web design career suffered and I withdrew from the world - electronically, socially and emotionally. With anxiety and panic attacks disrupting my sleeping pattern and turning my world upside down all I could think of was growing old and dying and losing the people I had come to rely on. I was terrified of nothing and of everything and experienced physical symptoms such as chest pain and a fuzzy feeling like I wasn't real.

This was a number of years ago. I have since moved back to Melbourne, Australia - sought professional assistance and guidance in overcoming both anxiety and depression and am once again full of passion, ideas and life and I love what I do.

The First Steps To Overcoming Anxiety and Panic Attacks

As every person and their situation varies, you should consult your doctor and have them assist you in overcoming anxiety. They can discuss with you the various treatment options available, including talk therapy and/or medication.

In moments of extreme anxiety or if you feel you are having a panic attack, take a deep breath through your nose, hold it for 3 seconds then exhale through your mouth. Repeat until the anxiety passes.

If you are able to, go for a walk and concentrate on your surroundings as you go. Let your eyes wander and make a mental note of what you see. Being present in the moment can distract you from any thoughts that you may have that cause anxiety.

Call a friend who knows about your anxiety and would be willing to help. Ask them to talk to you about something lighthearted, like what they did that day. This will help take your mind off of any physical symptoms you might be experiencing as you will be focusing on your friend.

Think about something you find funny. For instance, during my own moments of anxiety or when I was having a panic attack, I would imagine myself in the exact same situation, except.. I was a banana. Of course I would then start laughing and the feeling of 'impending doom' would slip away.

Easy Ways to Overcome Panic Attacks

Actually, what is a panic attack? It is nothing but a person's intense fear or anxiety. This occurs suddenly without any warning. Panic attacks are usually the results of your own thinking. Only when you peacefully break them down into their different components and analyze them you can achieve mastery. Usually the belief that you are in a danger can further increase your anxiety. These type of people would be commonly experiencing terror that is a feeling that something terrible is going to happen. Racing heart, difficulty in breathing, chest pains, sweating, trembling, numbness in the hands and feet, chilling, fear of losing control, fear of dying, fear of going crazy, crawling sensation on top of head and heaviness in the head are some of the other symptoms of panic attacks.

There are several methods to overcome panic attacks. According to studies, cognitive behavior therapy is one of the best ways to overcome panic attacks. Almost eighty to eighty five percent of the people have overcome panic attacks by undergoing this therapy. This type of therapy used to overcome panic attacks usually has two procedures. First procedures are to identifying and change the distorted thinking patterns that maintain anxiety usually known as cognitive therapy. Second procedure is by making less susceptible to anxiety through exposure to feared situations known as behavior therapy. Both these procedures are experimented depending upon the nature of problems faced by the patients. Specific phobias like fear of heights are treated by exposure therapy alone whereas panic disorder without agoraphobia treated by cognitive therapy alone.

The person must start noting down dreams and translate their hidden messages through the scientific methods of dream interpretation in order to overcome panic attacks. Never forget to write down your dreams every day so that you can relate them back to what is happening in your life. This is often just because one dream explains another and may certainly relate to your life, your mental happiness, and health. You must be mentally strong and believe that you are not going to die while interpreting your dreams. Each time you must resist and simply bear them. Ultimately, you can overcome the entire panic attacks.