The Natural Alternative

We Have Moved

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:02:00 +0000

The Natural Alternatives blog is in the process of moving to Relieve Stress and Anxiety.

Please visit us there and update your bookmarks accordingly.

Thanks!

Differentiating Between Stress and Anxiety

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:22:00 +0000

Many people confuse Stress and Anxiety, thinking they are one in the same. However, stress and anxiety are two different conditions.

Stress normally originates from the pressure of life events, and the intense demands put on us by work, family, responsibilities, conflicts and many other sources. When we are stressed, our bodies produce adrenalin. If those high levels of adrenalin remains present in our bodies over an extended period, we can experience depression, high blood pressure, and many other negative effects.

One of the negative effects that we may experience is anxiety. When you are experiencing anxiety; fear, worry and dread overcome all other emotions. This can lead to dizziness, chest pains, shortness of breath, agoraphobia and panic attacks.

Let’s ask ourselves a few questions and try to determine whether you suffer from stress, anxiety or both.

Before we begin, please note that we are not medical professionals. While this information has come from reliable sources, it isn’t meant to be a complete diagnostic tool. These quizzes are simply guidelines to help you identify any problems you might have in order to effectively deal with those problems.

Ask yourself the following:

Do you worry frequently and experience negative self-talk?

Do you have trouble concentrating?

Do you get angry and lash out easily?

Do you have chronic neck and shoulder pain or headaches?

Do you grind your teeth?

Do you often feel overwhelmed, anxious or depressed?

Do you perpetuate your stress with unhealthy habits (smoking, excessive eating or drinking, arguing, or other avoidance methods?)

Do small pleasures fail to please you?

Do you experience bursts of anger over minor issues?

If you answered “Yes” to several of these questions, then you are experiencing excessive stress in your life. The good news is that there are many valuable techniques that you can learn to cope with that stress. Click here to try a free Holothink demo NOW!

What about anxiety?

Do you experience shortness of breath, heart palpitations or trembling while at rest?

Do you have fears of losing control or “going crazy”?

Do you avoid social interaction because of fear?

Do you have fears of specific items?

Do you fear that you will find yourself in a situation or place from which you cannot escape?

Are you afraid of leaving your home?

Do you have recurring thoughts or mental images that will not go away?

Do you feel compelled to do certain actions repetitively?

Do you persistently relive a disturbing incident from the past?

Answering “Yes” to more than four of these questions may be a sign of an anxiety disorder.

Suffering from excess stress or anxiety can jeopardize your overall health and it’s time to do something about it – RIGHT NOW!

Click here to read stories by people who have overcome their anxiety using the panic away method.

Eliminate Anxiety and Panic Attacks For Good

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:42:00 +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

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

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

Here is a typical example:

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

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

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

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

Okay, coping technique 2:

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

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

You are out of options. Time for Plan C.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Did you know...?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn more

Joe Barry is an international panic disorder coach. His informative site on all issues related to panic and anxiety attacks can be found here: Panic Away

This article is copywritten material

Stress Management Series - Part 2 -Build Healthy Coping Methods

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:00:00 +0000

It can be helpful to identify and examine your coping strategies for managing stress. One way to do this is by journaling.

Journaling doesn't have to be a complicated or time-consuming activity. Over time, you will probably even come to enjoy it. In the beginning it can be helpful to keep it simple, and just record:

What happened (argument with spouse, stressful incident at work, receiving bad news, etc.)
How you felt when it happened (anxious, angry, sad, panicky, etc.)
How you reacted (what did you say or do?)
How you could have reacted better (talked it over, removed yourself from the situation to calm down, talked to a friend about it, etc.)

As you begin to see a pattern in the types of incidents that cause you a lot of stress and how you deal with them, you will be able to formulate a plan for dealing with these situations more effectively and in a healthier manner.

This can be a very effective way of developing better coping strategies and learning to manage stress.

Delta Burke Opens Up About Depression

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:29:00 +0000

Delta Burke will be appearing on Entertainment Tonight on Thursday and Friday to speak frankly about her battle with depression.

Her hope is to lessen the social stigma surrounding depression and encourage people suffering to seek medical attention.

Read the full Associated Press article.

Stress Management Series - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:01:00 +0000

Chances are good that if you live on planet Earth, (and as far as I know, my blog has not reached the outer limits of the universe yet), you have stress in your life. No matter who you are, where you're from, or what you do, you experience stress. I think a lot of our stress originates from the way we live, work, and even the way we relax.

Since there is just no way to avoid stress, we need to find effective ways to manage stress. I am going to post a small series on some of the methods you can practice on a regular basis to win the war against stress. Make these things a part of your daily routine just like brushing your hair and flossing your teeth.

Today's focus is on:

Time Management

Perfect your time management skills and you will have won half the battle. Managing your time effectively will allow you to organize your day so that you will be able to spend more time with your family and friends, and doing the things that you enjoy doing. This will improve your productivity and performance, allow you more down-time and help reduce your stress level.

Time Management Tips:
• Concentrate on one task at a time. This way you will complete your tasks faster and you will be able to get more done.
• Delegate responsibilities to others whenever possible.
• Schedule time for you. Just like you would book an appointment for a meeting, schedule time to do things for you.
• Record your day. Make note of how your time is spent, including work, family, and fun time. Review your record on a regular basis and make adjustments where needed.
• Organize your time by prioritizing tasks in order of importance. Spend your time on the tasks that are important to you.
• Avoid over-committing. If it is not important to you, say no.
• Use a scheduler or day-planner. Divide large tasks into smaller pieces, and set short-term goals for yourself.

By following these few tips on a regular basis, you should be able to start to take control of your time and begin reducing the stress in your day-to-day life.

Tomorrow I will focus on: Building Healthy Coping Methods

Say Goodbye to Anxiety Attacks Forever!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:29:00 +0000

As with most ailments, doctors are ready with their prescription pads to hand out any number of different medications to treat anxiety and panic attack symptoms. Other anxiety sufferers, too, will be apt to recommend this drug or that, as the medications really are quite convenient and effective – to a certain degree.

Medications are great quick-fixes, but there are downfalls. Many of the stronger drugs have very nasty side-effects, including weight-gain, insomnia, dizziness, drowsiness, dependence, seizures and psychosis, as well as literally hundreds of other possible side effects. Medications also become less effective over time as the body develops a tolerance to it.

There are several alternative anxiety attack panic treatments to consider as well. Many of these treatments involve learning what to do when panic attacks.

More and more people are seeing greater success with natural methods for anxiety attack panic treatment either instead of, or in addition to, medications.

Regardless of the severity or the frequency of your anxiety panic attack symptoms, you will benefit from these anxiety attack panic treatments. If your desire is convenience and fast results, then medication is the way to go. If you are interested in the long-term results of banishing your symptoms altogether, then the natural method is for you. Keep in mind that the two can be used successfully together to create the right treatment for you. With a little time and effort, you can find the perfect treatment to meet your personal needs.

Click here now to say good-bye to anxiety and panic attacks forever!

What are Some Techniques to Manage Anxiety?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:31:00 +0000

Some of the most effective methods are the simplest ones. Breathing exercises, muscle relaxation exercises, visualization and thought modification are a few of the more common natural cures for panic attacks. Once you start to use these techniques, you begin to realize that you are in control of your life and you have control over the anxiety and the Agoraphobia. You will soon begin to see that the panic attacks are no danger to you and your fear of the attacks will start to decrease. Once the fear of the attacks is overcome, it is then that the illusion of safety and danger in certain places or situations will disappear.

Medications cover up the problem, acting as a bandage to the symptoms. Natural cures for panic attacks get to the root of the problem and give us the power to be objective and realistic, making us realize that anxiety panic attack symptoms are really nothing to fear at all.

Cure General Anxiety And Panic Attacks With The Panic Away Method

So, what anxiety attack panic treatments are available for anxiety and Agoraphobia sufferers?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:14:00 +0000

Of course, as with any condition, there are plenty of medications on the market. In the case of Agoraphobia, though, medication may not be your best bet. Medication can treat symptoms and lessen the frequency of panic attacks, and it can help you relax, but in the end, you still have the issue of distinguishing between "safe" and "unsafe" places. The belief that one place is safer than another still exists. Medications are very good at masking symptoms, but they cannot eliminate the actual problem.

Once medicated, Agoraphobia sufferers may have an easier time going outside of their safe zone, but they still harbour the illusion of safe and unsafe places and situations. In order to truly overcome Agoraphobia and the panic attacks that accompany it, the victim must realize that one place is not safer than another and that going out or doing certain activities is not going to affect whether or not they have an anxiety attack.

True freedom from Anxiety and Agoraphobia can only be attained with the proper anxiety attack panic treatment. Using natural cures for anxiety and panic attacks, victims can learn the methods that enable them to deal with the attacks quickly and effectively. By practicing these techniques regularly, victims can see their attacks lessen in frequency more and more as time goes on.

If you're ready to beat anxiety for good, click here to see a fantastic solution I found

What is the Link Between Anxiety Panic Attack Symptoms and Agoraphobia?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 03:33:00 +0000

What is Agoraphobia?

I always thought that Agoraphobia was the fear of open spaces, but I’ve learned that it is actually the fear of what may happen outside of our perceived "safe-zone." I know that personally, there are places in my life that have become sorts of "safe havens" for me. My home is my primary safety zone. Everyone is different. For some it may be their home, but it could also be the place where they grew up, their office, car, cottage, or any other place in which they feel safe and comfortable.

So, the broader definition of Agoraphobia is the fear of finding oneself in a dire situation outside of one’s safe area. This fear can cause severe anxiety in sufferers. Agoraphobia is linked to panic attacks and to the fear of suffering anxiety panic attack symptoms.

I’ve talked before about people who have experienced anxiety panic attack symptoms being so traumatized by the experience, that they develop an unhealthy fear of having another one. This fear can grow to such intensity that the victim begins to seclude themselves away from society in an attempt to protect themselves from having another attack. Or they may feel that they need to stay somewhere "safe" in case they do have an attack.

In effect, the victim is actually compromising their quality of life by trying to protect themselves from anxiety, insanity or death. Refusing to live for fear of dying.

If you're ready to beat anxiety for good, click here to see a fantastic solution I found

More Reasons to Treat Anxiety and Panic Attacks Naturally

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:57:00 +0000

Why do I advocate treating anxiety naturally?

You are in control.

The best thing about natural methods of coping is that you're not helpless if panic does attack. With meds, the attacks may decrease in frequency, but what happens when it does happen? You’re at it’s mercy again.

If you choose to rely on a natural cure for panic attacks, you'll be better equipped to deal with them. While meds reduce the number of attacks, natural coping techniques reduce the horror of going through them by giving you the necessary tools to combat them. In time, these attacks will lose their power over you, and eventually subside completely.

It’s a Long-term solution.

The effects of medication last only as long as you continue to pop the pills. When you run out, or decide to stop taking them, your are back at square one. Natural cures for panic attacks, on the other hand, put you on the road to eliminating these attacks completely, giving you the ability to banish them for life.

I'm not a fanatic who only believes in one [anxiety attack panic treatment] and completely dismisses all others. Medication has its merits and is appropriate in some situations. But my goal is to overcome anxiety panic attack symptoms completely, rather that just mask the symptoms. The natural approach to curing panic attacks can offer me a life free from the fear of anxiety panic attack symptoms. Medication can’t offer me that.

Why do I advocate treating anxiety naturally?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 23:27:00 +0000

Why do I advocate treating anxiety naturally?

1. Pills just don’t cut it.

You’ve felt the symptoms. Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, perspiration, trembling, detachment from reality, the fear of going crazy or dying; just to name a few. Too many sufferers view medication as the be-all-to-end-all because it reduces the frequency of panic attacks, and eases the symptoms fairly quickly.

What these people don’t realize is that while less frequent, they still have the panic attacks. Medication can only provide temporary relief between attacks, but it alone can't eliminate the anxiety since it is only masking superficial symptoms. It doesn't deal with the fear that those anxiety panic attack symptoms bring.

Cure General Anxiety And Panic Attacks With The Panic Away Method

The Natural Cure for Panic Attack

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 23:19:00 +0000

You’ve felt the symptoms. Heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, perspiration, trembling, detachment from reality, the fear of going crazy or dying; just to name a few. Too many sufferers view medication as the be-all-to-end-all because it reduces the frequency of panic attacks, and eases the symptoms fairly quickly.

What these people don’t realize is that while less frequent, the panic attacks still occur. Medication can only provide temporary relief between attacks, but it alone can't eliminate the anxiety since it is only masking superficial symptoms. It doesn't deal with the fear that those anxiety panic attack symptoms bring.

There is a better way. There are natural cures for panic attacks that actually get to the root of the problem and enable you to conquer anxiety panic attack symptoms once and for all. Click here now for your FREE mini-course
"How To Stop Anxious Thinking Effortlessly"

Tips for Panic Attack

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:48:00 +0000

Unfortunately, after the horror of their first attack, many panic attack sufferers develop a strong fear of subsequent attacks. This fear can quickly consume the victim. Ironically, this is what often leads to another attack.

The fear of having another attack makes us all the more vulnerable to future attacks because we dwell on the fear, feeding it until it grows way out of proportion, causing a trigger-happy alarm. Conversely, by refusing to dwell on the fear of falling victim to anxiety panic attack symptoms, the chances of us falling prey to another panic attack are considerably reduced.

The best tip for panic attack avoidance is to not be afraid of having one. You don’t need medication and other so-called anxiety attack panic treatments. Anyone can avoid panic attacks by being prepared to take them on.

Another tip for panic attacks - be proactive. Don’t bother looking for an anxiety attack panic treatment that will reduce the frequency of your attacks. Look for effective methods of facing them head on. By dealing with your anxiety panic attack symptoms, you are putting yourself in control of anxiety, instead of letting the anxiety control you!

Cure General Anxiety And Panic Attacks With The Panic Away Method

Anxiety Panic Attack Symptoms

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:23:00 +0000

It comes in many forms, and in many situations. You wake up suddenly, your heart is pounding, you’re sweating bullets and, you can hardly breathe. Fear begets fear and panic begets panic and within moments you are convinced that you really are dying.

You are just about to go into a job interview. You heart starts racing, you’re sweating, your whole body is shaking and you get dizzy. You think maybe you’re going crazy or that you’re going to die. Fear begets fear and panic begets panic and within moments you are convinced that you really are dying.

Welcome to your first panic attack. You’ve just experienced some of the most common anxiety panic attack symptoms.

The good news is – you’re not going to die, you’re not going crazy, and you’re definitely not alone.

Anxiety Explained

We all have natural self-preservation instincts that are normal and necessary to survival. This is what triggers the body to release certain chemicals and hormones into the bloodstream that allow us to react to the threat at hand. Think back to the last time you had a scare. Maybe it was a close call with an automobile accident, or maybe you narrowly avoided being hit by a bus. That instant physical reaction that allowed you to react so quickly and instinctively was what we often refer to as the "fight or flight" reaction.

Anxiety and panic attacks happen when that system misfires, causing our bodies to engage the "fight or flight" reaction even when there is no danger. Our panic stems in part from a lack of understanding of the source of the fear, and how we're supposed to react to it. Because we don't know whether to fight or flee, we feel vulnerable to our fear, completely oblivious to the fact that there is no real threat.

Click here now for your FREE mini-course "How To Stop Anxious Thinking Effortlessly"