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Why Does Someone Suffer From Anxiety & Panic Attacks?

noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:53:00 +0000

A Panic Attack is the sudden onset of Intense Anxiety, characterized by feelings of intense fear and apprehension, and accompanied by palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating, and trembling.

Anxiety and Panic Attacks Can Begin Without Warning

Those who experience Anxiety and Panic Attacks may believe it is just a temporary result of stress.

Unfortunately, these attacks may continue and get worse over time.

What Causes A Panic Attack?

The short and obvious answer: panic attacks are caused by high anxiety. But, what exactly is anxiety? Understanding how Anxiety crops up will help you defeat Panic Attacks. One of the biggest myths surrounding anxiety is that it is harmful and can lead to a number of various life-threatening conditions.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is defined as a state of apprehension or fear resulting from the anticipation of a real or imagined threat, event, or situation. It is one of the most common human emotions experienced by people at some point in their lives. However, most people who have never experienced a panic attack, or extreme anxiety, fail to realize the terrifying nature of the experience.

Extreme dizziness, blurred vision,
tingling and feelings of breathlessness,
and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

When these sensations occur and people do not understand why, they feel they have contracted an illness, or a serious mental condition. The threat of losing complete control seems very real and naturally very terrifying.

Fight/Flight Response: One of the Root Causes of Panic Attacks?

I am sure most of you have heard of the fight/flight response as an explanation for one of the root causes of panic attacks. Have you made the connection between this response and the unusual sensations you experience during and after a panic attack episode?

Anxiety is a response to a danger or threat. It is so named because all of its effects are aimed toward either fighting or fleeing from the danger. Thus, the sole purpose of anxiety is to protect the individual from harm. This may seem ironic given that you no doubt feel your anxiety is actually causing you great harm...perhaps the most significant of all the causes of panic attacks.

However, the anxiety that the fight/flight response created was vital in the daily survival of our ancient ancestors—when faced with some danger, an automatic response would take over that propelled them to take immediate action such as attack or run. Even in today's hectic world, this is still a necessary mechanism. It comes in useful when you must respond to a real threat within a split second.

Anxiety is a Built-In Mechanism to Protect us from danger.

Interestingly, it is a mechanism that protects but does not harm—an important point that will be elaborated upon later.

The Physical Manifestations of a Panic Attack: Other pieces of the puzzle to understand the causes of panic attacks. Nervousness and Chemical Effects...

When confronted with danger, the brain sends signals to a section of the nervous system. It is this system that is responsible for gearing the body up for action and also calms the body down and restores equilibrium. To carry out these two vital functions, the autonomic nervous system has two subsections, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. Although I don't want to become too "scientific," having a basic understanding of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system will help you understand the causes of panic attacks.

The sympathetic nervous system is the one we tend to know all too much about because it primes our body for action, readies us for the “fight or flight” response, while the parasympathetic nervous system is the one we love dearly as it serves as our restoring system, which returns the body to its normal state.

When either of these systems is activated, they stimulate the whole body, which has an “all or nothing” effect. This explains why when a panic attack occurs, the individual often feels a number of different sensations throughout the body.

The sympathetic system is responsible for releasing the adrenaline from the adrenal glands on the kidneys. These are small glands located just above the kidneys. Less known, however, is that the adrenal glands also release adrenaline, which functions as the body’s chemical messengers to keep the activity going. When a Panic Attack begins, it does not switch off as easily as it is turned on. There is always a period of what would seem increased or continued anxiety, as these messengers travel throughout the body. Think of them as one of the physiological causes of panic attacks, if you will.

After a period of time, the parasympathetic nervous system gets called into action. Its role is to return the body to normal functioning once the perceived danger is gone. The parasympathetic system is the system we all know and love, because it returns us to a calm relaxed state.

When we engage in a coping strategy that we have learned, for example, a relaxation technique, we are in fact willing the parasympathetic nervous system into action. A good thing to remember is that this system will be brought into action at some stage whether we will it or not. The body cannot continue in an ever-increasing spiral of anxiety. It reaches a point where it simply must kick in, relaxing the body. This is one of the many built-in protection systems our bodies have for survival.

You can do your best with worrying thoughts, keeping the sympathetic nervous system going, but eventually it stops. In time, it becomes a little smarter than us, and realizes that there really is no danger. Our bodies are incredibly intelligent—modern science is always discovering amazing patterns of intelligence that run throughout the cells of our body. Our body seems to have infinite ways of dealing with the most complicated array of functions we take for granted. Rest assured that your body’s primary goal is to keep you alive and well.

Not Convinced?

Try holding your breath for as long as you can. No matter how strong your mental will is, it can never override the will of the body. This is good news—no matter how hard you try to convince yourself that you are gong to die from a panic attack, you won’t. Your body will override that fear and search for a state of balance. There has never been a reported incident of someone dying from a panic attack.

Remember this next time you have a panic attack; the causes of panic attacks cannot do you any physical harm. Your mind may make the sensations continue longer than the body intended, but eventually everything will return to a state of balance. In fact, balance (homeostasis) is what our body continually strives for.

The interference for your body is nothing more than the sensations of doing rigorous exercise. Our body is not alarmed by these symptoms. Why should it be? It knows its own capability. It’s our thinking minds that panic, which overreact and scream in sheer terror! We tend to fear the worst and exaggerate our own sensations. A quickened heart beat becomes a heart attack. An overactive mind seems like a close shave with schizophrenia. Is it our fault? Not really—we are simply diagnosing from poor information.

Cardiovascular Effects Activity in the sympathetic nervous system increases our heartbeat rate, speeds up the blood flow throughout the body, ensures all areas are well supplied with oxygen and that waste products are removed. This happens in order to prime the body for action.

A fascinating feature of the “fight or flight” mechanism is that blood (which is channelled from areas where it is currently not needed by a tightening of the blood vessels) is brought to areas where it is urgently needed.

For example, should there be a physical attack, blood drains from the skin, fingers, and toes so that less blood is lost, and is moved to “active areas” such as the thighs and biceps to help the body prepare for action.

This is why many feel numbness and tingling during a panic attack-often misinterpreted as some serious health risk-such as the precursor to a heart attack. Interestingly, most people who suffer from anxiety often feel they have heart problems. If you are really worried that such is the case with your situation, visit your doctor and have it checked out. At least then you can put your mind at rest.

What are the Respiratory Effects of a Panic Attack? (Click Here to Continue This Article..)

Get More Solutions For Anxiety and Panic Attacks at:

Public Speaking and Panic Attacks

noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:58:00 +0000

The SECRET To Your Speaking Success,

is tapping into the mind of a Top Public Speaker

Step Up and Speak - Speaking Secrets

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.

Overcome

The Fear of Public Speaking

Visit: The “Panic Away” Program

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.”

Public Speaking and Panic Attacks

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 might 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.

I hope you have found this public speaking and panic attacks page helpful. Please give it some careful consideration and you will realize it contains the truth.

You Can Overcome Anxiety, Panic and

The Fear of Public Speaking - Visit:

The “Panic Away” Program

Proof At Last that Panic Attacks and Anxiety Can be Eliminated For Good!

Want to Overcome Social Anxiety? Here Are Three Ways to Stop the Fear and Regain Control.

noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:35:00 +0000

Have you experienced the pain of Social Anxiety? It’s a very common condition and, if left untreated, can control your life. It is often fueled by unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves. Nonetheless can rob you of just enjoying life.

If you can relate to this, then there is good news - you can overcome Social Anxiety!

First let’s look at what Social Anxiety is:

It is one of the more common types of anxiety and involves embarrassment in situations where you expect to be observed or evaluated. It is the third largest psychological problem in the United States today affecting millions of people.

Most people experience mild discomfort in unfamiliar social situations such as public speaking; however, with Social Anxiety there is of a sense of uncontrolled fear when presented with an anxiety producing situation. Social anxiety is fear.

Here Are 3 Natural Ways to Reduce Your Social Anxiety and Regain Control of Your Life!

#1. Reduce Stress in Your Life.

You really need to avoid anxiety and panic triggering factors. You need to reduce the stress in your life by whatever works for you – perhaps its relaxation techniques, aerobic exercise, listening to music, giving yourself some TLC – like having regular spa visits or simply getting together with a trusted friend who is positive and uplifting. Stress management techniques and relaxation can be very calming.

# 2. Set Realistic Expectations For Yourself

When we place unrealistic expectations on ourselves, it is quite likely we simply will not meet those expectations on a regular basis.

Over time, we develop a pattern of thinking that we are never going to be good enough, so we simply don’t try.

To overcome this thinking you first must recognize it, and then begin to take small action steps. Prepare yourself and set reasonable goals. Remember to set low expectation then when you accomplish your goals you’ll gain much needed confidence.

#3. Stop Avoidance

Oh yes – this can really steal joy from your life – if you let it. Please don’t let yourself become an avoid-er.

Avoidance is simply a response to pain. If we experience emotional pain we avoid any situation that could potentially give us discomfort – hence, you feel relieved that you did not have to put yourself through this.

The key words here are “could potentially give us discomfort”. When you recognize that life is passing you by, and you are missing out; the pain of that loss is greater than the pain of Social Anxiety.

We need to stop reinforcing this behavior and therefore stop the cycle of fear and avoidance. Focus on all the things that you are missing out on and make a list. Recognize that what you fear by avoiding social situations is by far less troublesome than missing out on what life can bring you.

Start with an action – ask a friend to a movie (where you can relax in between the talking). Join a class then slowly, over time, choose someone you feel comfortable with to talk to. Take action and stop avoiding.

It is completely possible to overcome Social Anxiety step by step – naturally. Decide today and you can make it happen.

For A List of

Natural Solutions To Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Please Visit:

Beat Fear & Social Anxiety

Panic Away

Shyness & Social Anxiety

The Linden Method

Easy Calm Video Series

The Anxiety Lie

Panic Attacks - Respiratory Effects

noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:38:00 +0000

Respiratory Effects:

One of the scariest effects of a panic attack is the fear of suffocating or smothering. It is very common during a panic attack to feel tightness in the chest and throat. I’m sure everyone can relate to some fear of losing control of your breathing. From personal experience, anxiety grows from the fear that your breathing itself would cease and you would be unable to recover. Can a panic attack stop our breathing? No.

A panic attack is associated with an increase in the speed and depth of breathing. This has obvious importance for the defense of the body since the tissues need to get more oxygen to prepare for action. The feelings produced by this increase in breathing, however, can include breathlessness, hyperventilation, sensations of choking or smothering, and even pains or tightness in the chest. The real problem is that these sensations are alien to us, and they feel unnatural.

Having experienced extreme panic attacks myself, I remember that on many occasions, I would have this feeling that I couldn’t trust my body to do the breathing for me, so I would have to manually take over and tell myself when to breathe in and when to breathe out. Of course, this didn’t suit my body’s requirement of oxygen and so the sensations would intensify—along with the anxiety. It was only when I employed the technique I will describe for you later, did I let the body continue doing what it does best—running the whole show.

Importantly, a side-effect of increased breathing, (especially if no actual activity occurs) is that the blood supply to the head is actually decreased. While such a decrease is only a small amount and is not at all dangerous, it produces a variety of unpleasant but harmless symptoms that include dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, sense of unreality, and hot flushes.

Other Physical Effects of Panic Attacks:

Now that we've discussed some of the primary physiological causes of panic attacks, there are a number of other effects that are produced by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, none of which are in any way harmful.

For example, the pupils widen to let in more light, which may result in blurred vision, or “seeing” stars, etc. There is a decrease in salivation, resulting in dry mouth. There is decreased activity in the digestive system, which often produces nausea, a heavy feeling in the stomach, and even constipation. Finally, many of the muscle groups tense up in preparation for “fight or flight” and this results in subjective feelings of tension, sometimes extending to actual aches and pains, as well as trembling and shaking.

Overall, the fight/flight response results in a general activation of the whole bodily metabolism. Thus, one often feels hot and flushed and, because this process takes a lot of energy, the person generally feels tired and drained.

Mental Manifestations: Are the causes of panic attacks all in my head? is a question many people wonder to themselves.

The goal of the fight/flight response is making the individual aware of the potential danger that may be present. Therefore, when activated, the mental priority is placed upon searching the surroundings for potential threats. In this state one is highly-strung, so to speak. It is very difficult to concentrate on any one activity, as the mind has been trained to seek all potential threats and not to give up until the threat has been identified. As soon as the panic hits, many people look for the quick and easiest exit from their current surroundings, such as by simply leaving the bank queue and walking outside. Sometimes the anxiety can heighten, if we perceive that leaving will cause some sort of social embarrassment.

If you have a panic attack while at the workplace but feel you must press on with whatever task it is you are doing, it is quite understandable that you would find it very hard to concentrate. It is quite common to become agitated and generally restless in such a situation. Many individuals I have worked with who have suffered from panic attacks over the years indicated that artificial light—such as that which comes from computer monitors and televisions screens—can can be one of the causes of panic attacks by triggering them or worsen a panic attack, particularly if the person is feeling tired or run down.

This is worth bearing in mind if you work for long periods of time on a computer. Regular break reminders should be set up on your computer to remind you to get up from the desk and get some fresh air when possible.

In other situations, when during a panic attack an outside threat cannot normally be found, the mind turns inwards and begins to contemplate the possible illness the body or mind could be suffering from. This ranges from thinking it might have been something you ate at lunch, to the possibility of an oncoming cardiac arrest.

The burning question is: Why is the fight/flight response activated during a panic attack even when there is apparently nothing to be frightened of?

Upon closer examination of the causes of panic attacks, it would appear that what we are afraid of are the sensations themselves—we are afraid of the body losing control. These unexpected physical symptoms create the fear or panic that something is terribly wrong. Why do you experience the physical symptoms of the fight/flight response if you are not frightened to begin with? There are many ways these symptoms can manifest themselves, not just through fear.

For example, it may be that you have become generally stressed for some reason in your life, and this stress results in an increase in the production of adrenaline and other chemicals, which from time to time, would produce symptoms....and which you perceive as the causes of panic attacks.

This increased adrenaline can be maintained chemically in the body, even after the stress has long gone. Another possibility is diet, which directly affects our level of stress. Excess caffeine, alcohol, or sugar is known for causing stress in the body, and is believed to be one of the contributing factors of the causes of panic attacks.

Unresolved emotions are often pointed to as possible trigger of panic attacks, but it is important to point out that eliminating panic attacks from your life does not necessarily mean analyzing your psyche and digging into your subconscious. The “One Move” technique will teach you to deal with the present moment and defuse the attack along with removing the underlying anxiety that sparks the initial anxiety. Learn more - http://www.panicportal.com - Joe Barry is an international panic disorder coach. His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here:http://www.panicportal.com - This article is copywritten material.

Most importantly - there is help available for Anxiety and Panic Attacks.

Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks

noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 01:53:00 +0000

There is phobia that is linked to the experience of panic attacks, and that is agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places such as shopping markets. It is a fear associated with leaving a safe zone, such as the home.

Because of a feeling of being vulnerable, people who experience this fear often suffer from panic attacks in these “open” situations. It is true to say many people who have regular panic attacks experience different degrees of agoraphobia. Some have a lingering background anxiety about being away from home should they experience a panic attack. Other people are so immobilized by this fear that they find it very difficult to leave their home for even a short period.

The thinking behind agoraphobia usually follows the line that were a panic attack to occur, who would look after the person, how would he or she get the assistance and reassurance they needed? The vulnerability grows from the feeling that once victims of agoraphobia are caught in the anxiety, they are suddenly unable to look after themselves and are therefore at the mercy of the place they find themselves in and the strangers around them. In its extreme form, agoraphobia and panic attacks can lead to a situation where people become housebound for numerous years. Please note, this is by no means a hopeless situation, and I always need to reinforce the fact that something only becomes hopeless once the person really believes that to be the case.

To begin with, the primary issue that needs to be addressed is the belief in the safe zone. To clarify, when I talk about safe zone, I am referring to the zone where the person believes panic attacks do not occur, or at least occur infrequently. As comfort is found there, it is where the person tends to spend more and more time. The safe zone of anxiety is a myth sustained by the mind. The mind has developed a habit of thinking that dictates that being inside the safe zone is the only place to feel secure and avoid agoraphobia and panic attacks. If agoraphobia is an issue for you, watch as your mind comes up with reasons why it believes only a certain area is safe and another is not. Those reasons range from being near the phone or people you trust to having familiar physical surroundings to reassure you.

The reality of anxiety is that there is no such thing as a safe zone. There is nothing life threatening about a panic attack, and therefore sitting at home is the same as sitting under the stars on a desert island. Of course, your mind will immediately rush to tell you that a desert island is a ridiculous place to be as there are no hospitals, no tranquillisers, no doctors, NO SAFETY.

You need to review your previous experiences of panic attacks. Aren’t you still here, alive and well, after all those attacks during which you were convinced you were going to die?

It may be that on occasions you have been driven to the hospital where they did medicate you to calm you down, but do you really believe that you would not have survived were it not for the drugs? You would have. If the same bout of anxiety had occurred on this desert island, it too would have passed, even if you were all alone. Yes, when it comes to conditions that need medical attention such as asthma, diabetes, and a whole litany or other conditions, then having medical aid nearby is a big asset, but no doctor in the world would tell someone with anxiety that there are only specific safe zones in which she or he can move.

As I know more than anyone how terrifying it can feel to move out of your safe zone as the feeling of fear is welling up inside, I do not wish to sound harsh. This course is not about chastising people for their behaviours. It is a way of looking together at solutions and seeing through the myths that form prison walls. The goal is to enable you to return to a richer and more meaningful life and ultimately defeat your agoraphobia and panic attacks. I also realize that people around you cannot understand why a trip to shops would cause you such discomfort. You will have to forgive them and try not to be upset by their lack of understanding of your problem.

If an individual such as a partner or family member has not had a similar anxiety issue, that person may often find it hard to understand and empathize with what you are going through. I am sure you have been dragged out of the house numerous times against your will, kicking and screaming. This can then lead to tensions and arguments and is upsetting as it can make you feel less understood by those around you. People around agoraphobics are often simply trying what they feel is best. If you can see that their intentions are well meaning (although often misguided), then you will be able to relate to them better and help sooth any potential conflicts.

There is one thing I am sure you will agree with, and that is that the only person who will get you out of agoraphobic thinking is yourself. These are your thoughts, and only you can begin to change that pattern. Dealing with long term agoraphobia and panic attacks is a slow process to begin with, but once the results start happening, it moves faster and faster until you reach a point where you will find it hard to believe that going out was such a difficult task.

Natural Solutions for Anxiety and Panic Attacks
There is no need to suffer when there is help available. As someone who has experienced Anxiety and Panic Attacks I highly recommend moving forward to get your life back!

Get Help for Your Anxiety and Panic Attacks!

Eliminate Anxiety and Panic Attacks For Good

noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 01:30:00 +0000

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

(Source: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) 2000 Washington, DC.)

...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.

Get Help for Your Anxiety and Panic Attacks!

How Diet Changes Help Eliminate Anxiety

noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:37:00 +0000

A proper DIET to help eliminate anxiety

Water

There is no quicker way to reduce general anxiety than having good eating and drinking habits. One of the most easily implemented and effective additions to your diet is fresh water. Water is a great quencher of thirst — but more importantly here — It is a helpful tool as an anxiety cure.

Nearly every function of the body is monitored and pegged to the efficient flow of water through our system. Water transports hormones‚ chemical messengers‚ and nutrients to vital organs of the body. When we don’t keep our bodies well–hydrated‚ they may react with a variety of signals such as anxiety‚ which we would never think are related to our poor drinking habits.

Here is some interesting information about water:

Seventy–five percent of Americans are chronically dehydted.
In 37% of Americans‚ the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
Regular fresh drinking water is a vital ingredient to your diet when looking at anxiety cures.
When we are dehydrated‚ our cells can feel this at a molecular level and communicate this to the subconscious as an underlying subtle anxiety.
The key to rebalancing a deficit of fluids is to drink eight glasses of fresh water daily.

Have you noticed the effects of dehydration on your emotions before? If you have ever suffered from a serious hangover from a night out on the tiles‚ you will understand the feeling of dehydration all too well. Hangovers result from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. I am sure many of you are familiar with the tendency to have what has become known as “the hangover fear”. This is a heightened sense of anxiety and jumpiness that results from the dehydration caused by a hangover. The surest way for someone who suffers from anxiety to experience a panic attack is to drink excessive amounts of alcohol and wait for the hangover to set in the following day. Water is a great cure for anxiety in this particular situation.

It is important to be aware that dehydration is a factor that contributes to anxiety and that a diet to help eliminate anxiety should contain ample amounts of fresh water. Personally‚ I have found that not only does regular intake of water ward off subtle feelings of anxiety thus greatly helping as a cure for anxiety‚ but it is also incredibly effective for building stamina and avoiding fatigue.

Diet to Help Eliminate Anxiety: Diet (Food)

On average‚ most people have a very acidic diet‚ which results in not just a lower resistance to stress but to a variety of serious health problems. Your diet is something you can immediately control and help you build your resources of anxiety cures. As you master your diet‚ not only are you improving your overall well–being but are also building up a positive mental attitude‚ which says‚ "I am in control of my body."

If our internal environment is too acidic‚ this can exaggerate any anxiety we may be experiencing. The body is in a greater state of health when it is balanced internally. What is needed is to bring the body’s internal pH balance into acceptable parameters. The elimination of high anxiety is not easy unless you maintain an alkaline balance in the food you eat. If your food is too acidic or you indulge in excessive amounts of foods‚ your body cannot function at its best. It will have difficulty eliminating toxins from your body‚ and will have less of a buffer zone to stress‚ leaving you feeling vulnerable and shaken when anxiety strikes.

Food such as salt‚ sugar‚ and refined or processed products lower your body’s resistance‚ whereas food such as fruit and vegetables raise it. As you control your body’s needs‚ you empower yourself and gradually build a body that does not feel threatened by an onslaught of high anxiety.

Proteins‚ nuts‚ grains‚ and dairy products (except yoghurt) along with alcohol‚ sugar‚ and salt are acidic foods.

Fruit‚ vegetables‚ and juices‚ are alkaline.

Diet to help eliminate anxiety

For optimum balance you need an 80% alkaline diet. This means concentrating on fruits and raw vegetables using proteins in small quantities for when you need energy. A person with a good diet needs only 50 g of protein a day. This should consist of 7 ounces of animal protein (or a vegetarian equivalent) or 36 ounces of good yoghurt. The rest of your diet to help eliminate anxiety should be alkaline (should you have a very strenuous or physical occupation you may need more than 50 g of protein a day). Below is a more comprehensive list of alkaline foods that will help bring greater balance to your diet and help you cure your anxiety more easily.

Diet to Help Eliminate Anxiety

A diet to help eliminate anxiety should contain….

Parsnips, Rutabagas, Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Green Beans, Green Peas, White Potatoes, Tomatoes, Muskmelon, Cantaloupe, Limes, Tangerines, Strawberries, Pineapple, Oranges, Grapes, Apricots, Blackberries, Peaches, Raspberries, Pears, Apples, Beans - Dried, Dried Figs, Dried Dates, Bananas, Raisins, Avocados, Prunes, Sweet Potatoes, Watermelons, Honeydew Melon, Almonds, Millet, Molasse, Beet Greens, Celery, Chard Leaves, Watercress, Sauerkraut, Lettuce, Green Limas, Cucumbers, Radishes, Cabbage, Broccoli, Beets, Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, Green Soybeans, Raw Spinach,

Minerals to help cure anxiety

Mineral stores in your body have a buffering action on acid and tend to alkalize the acidity in the internal environment. Low or deficient mineral stores can lead to acidic bodily pH. The buffering action of mineral stores keeps the pH toward the healthier and slightly alkaline side of the pH scale. This buffering system is delicately balanced and can get disrupted under mineral–deficient conditions. Both the acid and mineral residues are discarded through the urinary tract. Over time‚ this depletes the mineral stores if they are not replaced. This is the reason we should ensure to get adequate mineral levels in a proper diet to help eliminate anxiety. If we don’t get adequate levels through the fruits and vegetables we eat‚ then we need to use good quality supplement minerals to help aid our efforts to cure anxiety.

Nutrients that are paramount in helping the body cope with stress include B complex‚ raw adrenal concentrate‚ desiccated liver‚ flax seed oil‚ and colloidal minerals. A balanced B–complex vitamin supplement is essential in normal pituitary and adrenal function. Without B complex‚ these glands will not produce adequate hormone levels.

Minerals are absolutely essential in normal bodily functions including autonomic nervous system function. A good example of their importance is demonstrated by the role a mineral‚ such as magnesium‚ plays in bodily functioning. Magnesium is instrumental in over 270 biochemical reactions in the body. It also helps regulate the pH (acid–base balance) of the human physiology. The human body functions within a very narrow pH range. Sodium and potassium are essential in nervous system functioning. Without either one of them‚ our nervous system would be inoperable and we would die. These minerals are usually found naturally in the vegetable that we eat. However‚ the mineral content in vegetables has diminished over the years from the depletion of the soil. Therefore‚ it may be necessary to take mineral supplements as part of a diet to help eliminate anxiety.

The truth is that it can be very difficult to maintain composure and confidence in your ability to handle all that life throws your way if your body is malnourished or deficient in vital foodstuffs. Look after your body’s needs‚ and you will be strengthening your body’s ability to cure anxiety and panic attacks.

I am convinced over the next five to ten years‚ a definitive link will be made between diet and helping cure anxiety. There are some very interesting research currently being conducted in 2004 into the connection between improving schizophrenia dramatically using a gluten–free diet. Although schizophrenia has nothing to do with anxiety or panic attacks‚ it is an example of how science is now looking to foodstuffs and their connection to our mental health.

Natural Solutions for Anxiety and Panic Attacks:

There is no need to suffer when there is help available. As someone who has experienced Anxiety and Panic Attacks I highly recommend moving forward to get your life back!
Get Help for Your Anxiety and Panic Attacks!

Do You Suffer From Shyness? Here Are Three Steps to Overcome Anxiety and Get Out There!

noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:22:00 +0000

Have you experienced Shyness and Anxiety in Social Situations? It can start at an early age and once you know you are 'shy', it often becomes part of who you are.

Shyness can affect anyone, and it can really make social occasions difficult. Fortunately, you can do something to conquer this and not let it hold you back!

Be determined to start TODAY to conquer your

Shyness and Anxiety!

Let's First Look At The Main Symptoms:

Shyness is an emotion that affects how a person feels and behaves around others. You can feel uncomfortable, self-conscious, nervous, timid, or insecure. You may also have a sense of being inadequate. A person may experience a range of feelings from mild anxiety in the presence of others to a pronounced anxiety disorder.

Are you are tired of making excuses for yourself and missing out in life? I'm sure you agree those who suffer from shyness do not want to be shy - they want to have control just like everyone else.

The GOOD NEWS is there are things you can do - naturally. Let's look at 3 Specific Steps

Step 1: Put The FOCUS On Other People!

Determine to take your mind off YOU! Tell yourself that you are CONFIDENT. Have a positive mental attitude and put your focus on other people.

Here's an Example - When you meet someone, smile, take a deep breath and ask them a question which requires them to do the talking. It could be, "tell me about yourself (your job, your hometown etc)". Use that time to RELAX and tell yourself you are CONFIDENT, then join in when (if) you are ready. If you are not ready, simply ask another question, smile and keep listening.

Show interest in what the person is saying. When "listening intently" you are not focusing on yourself. Most people enjoy talking about themselves so you can use that time to "breathe and relax".

Remember that with most things PRACTICE makes it easier so have a few questions prepared ahead of time to help start you off. Try practicing with people who make you feel at ease such as a family member or close friend.

Take the focus off your thoughts and concentrate on others.

Step 2: At the beginning of any new "anxious meeting or event", let others know you are shy!

How embarrassing you might think - I don't want people to know about my problem. I totally understand, but think of it this way - here's what you gain:

The pressure is now taken off YOU!

People won't call on you to be lead the group, or to be outspoken with your opinion. They now understand and will not expect you to speak up. Because that pressure if off, you can RELAX. Once you start to "relax" and focus by "listening intently" you slowly begin to gain confidence.

When confidence rises up, you may surprise yourself by contributing with a comment or by simply asking a 'prepared' open question. Once you have contributed with a comment or question - your confidence will grow.

By placing the focus on the other person it gives you time to relax and just listen.

Step 3: Get really good at something!

Want confidence to speak up? Then develop your talent in something you like to do. When you get really good at something you will develop confidence in that subject. Use that knowledge to fall back on when in a situation of shyness.

It takes an extra dose of confidence to speak when you are shy - but if you have a subject you are really comfortable in - it doesn't matter what you say - you are the expert; therefore, you are adding value to the conversation.

There are All-Natural Solutions for SHYNESS, SOCIAL ANXIETY and GENERAL ANXIETY. Get the information you need and don't let shyness hold you back from life. Remember to take small steps (baby steps if necessary). Don't expect to overcome years of shyness overnight; but make a decision that you will overcome this one step at a time. Celebrate each small success - it can be done!

For A List of

Natural Solutions To Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Please Visit:

Beat Fear & Social Anxiety

Panic Away

Shyness & Social Anxiety

The Linden Method

Easy Calm Video Series

The Anxiety Lie

Do You Fear Public Speaking? Gain Control and Stop the Anxiety With These 4 Easy Steps.

noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:15:00 +0000

Do you avoid having to speak in public at all costs? I can totally relate to that fear because I experienced the exact same problem for many years.

If there was a way to avoid office meetings where I might be called upon to give my opinion or do a presentation, I absolutely made every excuse just so I did not have to face that moment of panic. Why would anyone want to embarrass themselves in front of an audience by giving a speech and in particular to your peers at work, let alone a large crowd?

I had a bad case of Public Speaking Fear; and unfortunately it consumed me and kept me from moving ahead in so many areas of my life.

Fortunately I learned how to control the fears!

I had to find the answer to this problem and I’m sure you want to regain control over these horrible feeling as well. Would you be surprised to learn that it’s not that difficult?

Let’s take a look.

If you can learn four key s steps – you are well on your way!

Step 1: Knowledge

I’m sure you’ve heard this before but it really is critical to overcoming the fear of public speaking. Why? It’s all about teaching. You need to know your subject better than your audience. They are there to learn something from you. You are the expert and in their eyes you have something they want.
That’s a position of power; but you only gain that position of power by thoroughly knowing your subject.

Step 2: Practice

Ok it is back to basics – practice, practice, practice. Why? When you thoroughly know your subject and you are completely comfortable with what you are going to say; then, and only then, can you gain the confidence needed to overcome a moment of Anxiety or Panic. When that shaking or trembling starts (and it will), you must know your subject and be so completely rehearsed that it will roll off your lips without having to stop and check notes or trying to remember what you were going to say.
Don’t even think about ‘winging it’ – that’s a recipe for disaster.

Step 3: Relax

How can I possibly relax at a time like this?
Not at first; not until you get through the first couple of lines. Remember you are the teacher. You must remind yourself before you take the podium that you have something valuable that your audience wants to know.

So take a few deep breaths before you start. Tell yourself you are in control. Tell the Anxiety that you are not threatened because you have control over and complete knowledge of the subject and these people are lucky that you are here to teach them. Sounds a bit silly but no one knows what’s in your mind – only you. At this point, all that matters is that you know your position of authority and relax.

Step 4: Humour

So what if something goes wrong?

Why do many professional speakers start their talk with a joke? To relax themselves and their audience. So be prepared – have a few “one-liners” or even a joke (make it quick and appropriate for your audience); and you can buy yourself time to recover from any moment of anxiety. Humour is the best medicine even in public speaking.

Just remember these four steps. It is possible to go from that moment of dread to never fearing public speaking again. Step by step – it can be done.

For A List of

Natural Solutions To Anxiety & Panic Attacks

Please Visit:

Beat Fear & Social Anxiety

Panic Away

Shyness & Social Anxiety

The Linden Method

Easy Calm Video Series

The Anxiety Lie

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noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 20:04:00 +0000

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noreply@blogger.com (MHS) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:01:00 +0000

The information presented herein represents the opinion of the author(s) as of the date of the publication(s). Because of the rate at which conditions change, the author(s) reserves the right to alter and update opinions based on the new conditions. These reports are for informational purposes only. While every attempt has been made to verify the information provided in these reports the author(s) assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. Any slights of people or organizations are unintentional. These reports are not intended for use as a source of medical, legal or accounting advice. You should be aware of any laws, which govern business transactions or other business practices in your country. This information is not intended to diagnose any disease or known condition. We make no guarantee as to the degree of success you will have with these publications.