Health & Beauty

What is Anxiety? Anxiety Symptoms and Causes

2009-04-16T13:30:00.001-07:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

Anxiety is a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worrying. These disorders affect how we feel and behave, and they can manifest real physical sym

Image by MargauxV via Flickr

ptoms. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling, while severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating, having a serious impact on daily life. People often experience a general state of worry or fear before confronting something challenging such as a test, examination, recital, or interview. These feelings are easily justified and considered normal. Anxiety is considered a problem when symptoms interfere with a person's ability to sleep or otherwise function. Generally speaking, anxiety occurs when a reaction is out of proportion with what might be normally expected in a situation.

Anxiety disorders can be classified into several more specific types. The most common are briefly described below. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic disorder characterized by excessive, long-lasting anxiety and worry about nonspecific life events, objects, and situations. GAD sufferers often feel afraid and worry about health, money, family, work, or school, but they have trouble both identifying the specific fear and controlling the worries. Their fear is usually unrealistic or out of proportion with what may be expected in their situation. Sufferers expect failure and disaster to the point that it interferes with daily functions like work, school, social activities, and relationships. What is Panic Disorder? Panic Disorder is a type of anxiety characterized by brief or sudden attacks of intense terror and apprehension that leads to shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and difficulty breathing. Panic attacks tend to arise abruptly and peak after 10 minutes, but they then may last for hours. Panic disorders usually occur after frightening experiences or prolonged stress, but they can be spontaneous as well. A panic attack may lead an individual to be acutely aware of any change in normal body function, interpreting it as a life threatening illness - hypervigiliance followed by hypochondriasis. In addition, panic attacks lead a sufferer to expect future attacks, which may cause drastic behavioral changes in order to avoid these attacks. What is a Phobia? A Phobia is an irrational fear and avoidance of an object or situation. Phobias are different from generalized anxiety disorders because a phobia has a fear response identified with a specific cause. The fear may be acknowledged as irrational or unnecessary, but the person is still unable to control the anxiety that results. Stimuli for phobia may be as varied as situations, animals, or everyday objects. For example, agoraphobia occurs when one avoids a place or situation to avoid an anxiety or panic attack. Agoraphobics will situate themselves so that escape will not be difficult or embarrassing, and they will change their behavior to reduce anxiety about being able to escape. What is Social Anxiety Disorder? Social Anxiety Disorder is a type of social phobia characterized by a fear of being negatively judged by others or a fear of public embarrassment due to impulsive actions. This includes feelings such as stage fright, a fear of intimacy, and a fear of humiliation. This disorder can cause people to avoid public situations and human contact to the point that normal life is rendered impossible. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is anxiety that results from previous trauma such as military combat, rape, hostage situations, or a serious accident. PTSD often leads to flashbacks and behavioral changes in order to avoid certain stimuli. What is Separation Anxiety Disorder? Separation Anxiety Disorder is characterized by high levels of anxiety when separated from a person or place that provides feelings of security or safety. Sometimes separation results in panic, and it is considered a disorder when the response is excessive or inappropriate. What are common symptoms of anxiety? People with anxiety disorders present a variety of physical symptoms in addition to non-physical symptoms that characterize the disorders such as excessive, unrealistic worrying. Many of these symptoms are similar to those exhibited by a person suffering general illness, heart attack, or stroke, and this tends to further increase anxiety. The following is a list of physical symptoms associated with GAD: Trembling Churning stomach Nausea Diarrhea Headache Backache Heart palpitations Numbness or "pins and needles" in arms, hands or legs Sweating/flushing Restlessness Easily tired Trouble concentrating Irritability Muscle tension Frequent urination Trouble falling or staying asleep Being easily startled Those suffering from panic disorders may experience similar physical symptoms to those with GAD. They also may experience chest pains, a sense of choking, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Post-traumatic stress disorders have a range of symptoms that are unique to this form of anxiety. Frequent symptomatic behaviors include: Flashbacks or nightmares of re-experiencing the trauma Avoidance of people, places, and things that are associated with the original event Difficulty concentrating or sleeping Closely watching surroundings (hypervigilance) Irritability and diminished feelings or aspirations for the future What Causes Anxiety? Anxiety disorders may be caused by environmental factors, medical factors, genetics, brain chemistry, substance abuse, or a combination of these. It is most commonly triggered by the stress in our lives. Usually anxiety is a response to outside forces, but it is possible that we make ourselves anxious with "negative self-talk" - a habit of always telling ourselves the worst will happen. Environmental and external factors Environmental factors that are known to cause several types of anxiety include: Trauma from events such as abuse, victimization, or the death of a loved one Stress in a personal relationship, marriage, friendship, and divorce Stress at work Stress from school Stress about finances and money Stress from a natural disaster Lack of oxygen in high altitude areas Medical factors Anxiety is associated with medical factors such as anemia, asthma, infections, and several heart conditions. Some medically-related causes of anxiety include: Stress from a serious medical illness Side effects of medication Symptoms of a medical illness Lack of oxygen from emphysema, or pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lung) Substance use and abuse It is estimated that about half of patients who utilize mental health services for anxiety disorders such as GAD, panic disorder, or social phobia are doing so because of alcohol or benzodiazepine dependence. More generally, anxiety is also know to result from: Intoxication from an illicit drug, such as cocaine or amphetamines Withdrawal from an illicit drug, such as heroin, or from prescription drugs like Vicodin, benzodiazepines, or barbiturates Genetics Brain chemistry Research has shown that people with abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain are more likely to suffer from generalized anxiety disorder. When neurotransmitters are not working properly, the brain's internal communication network breaks down, and the brain may react in an inappropriate way in some situations. This can lead to anxiety. How is anxiety diagnosed? A psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or other mental-health professional is usually enlisted to diagnose anxiety and identify the causes of it. The physician will take a careful medical and personal history, perform a physical examination, and order laboratory tests as needed. There is no one laboratory test that can be used to diagnose anxiety, but tests may provide useful information about a medical condition that may be causing physical illness or other anxiety symptoms. To be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a person must: Excessively worry and be anxious about several different events or activities on more days than not for at least six months Find it difficult to control the worrying Have at least three of the following six symptoms associated with the anxiety on more days than not in the last six months: restlessness, fatigue, irritability, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating Generally, to be diagnosed with GAD, symptoms must be present more often than not for six months and they must interfere with daily living, causing the sufferer to miss work or school. If the focus of the anxiety and worry is confined to a particular anxiety disorder, GAD will not be the diagnosis. For example, a physician may diagnose panic disorder if the anxiety is focused on worrying about having a panic attack, social phobia if worrying about being embarrassed in public, separation anxiety disorder if worrying about being away from home or relatives, anorexia nervosa if worrying about gaining weight, or hypochondriasis if worrying about having a serious illness. Patients with anxiety disorder often present symptoms similar to clinical depression and vice-versa. It is rare for a patient to exhibit symptoms of only one of these. How is anxiety treated? Anxiety can be treated medically, with psychological counseling, or independently. Ultimately, the treatment path depends on the cause of the anxiety and the patient's preferences. Often treatments will consist of a combination of psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and medications. Sometimes alcoholism, depression, or other coexisting conditions have such a strong effect on the individual that treating the anxiety disorder must wait until the coexisting conditions are brought under control. Self treatment In some cases, anxiety may be treated at home, without a doctor's supervision. However, this may be limited to situations in which the duration of the anxiety is short and the cause is identified and can be eliminated or avoided. There are several exercises and actions that are recommended to cope with this type of anxiety: Learn to manage stress in your life. Keep an eye on pressures and deadlines, and commit to taking time away from study or work. Learn a variety of relaxation techniques. Information about physical relaxation methods and meditation techniques can be found in book stores and health food shops. Practice deep abdominal breathing. This consists of breathing in deeply and slowly through your nose, taking the air right down to your abdomen, and then breathing out slowly and gently through your mouth. Breathing deeply for too long may lead to dizziness from the extra oxygen. Learn to replace "negative self talk" with "coping self talk." Make a list of the negative thoughts you have, and write a list of positive, believable thoughts to replace them. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Picture yourself successfully facing and conquering a specific fear. Talk with a person who is supportive. Meditate. Exercise. Take a long, warm bath. Rest in a dark room. Counseling Medicine Medical treatments for anxiety utilize several types of drugs. If the cause of the anxiety is a physical ailment, treatment will be designed to eliminate the particular ailment. These drugs tend to have few side-effects except for drowsiness and possible dependency. Some common benzodiazepines include: Although anxiety disorders cannot be prevented, there are ways to reduce your risk and methods to control or lessen symptoms. Recommendations include: Reducing caffeine, tea, cola, and chocolate consumption. Checking with a doctor or pharmacist before using over-the-counter or herbal remedies to see if they contain chemicals that may contribute to anxiety. Exercising regularly. Eating healthy foods. Keeping a regular sleep pattern. Seeking counseling and support after a traumatic or disturbing experience. Avoiding alcohol, cannabis. What is Anxiety? Anxiety Symptoms and Causes , Apr 2009

You should read the whole article.

Health & Wellness

2009-03-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

For all who loves eating noodles....

The correct way to cook instant noodles without harming our bodies and health:
Normally, how we cook the instant noodles is to put the noodles into a pot with water, throw in the powder and let it cook for around 3 minutes and then it's ready to eat. This is the WRONG method of cooking the instant noodles. By doing this, when we actually boil the ingredients in the powder, normally with MSG, it will change the molecular structures of the MSG causing it to be toxic.The other thing that you may or may not realize is that, the noodles are coated with wax and it will take around 4 to 5 days for the body to excrete the wax after you have taken the noodles.

CORRECT METHOD :

1. boil the noodles in a pot with water.
2. once the noodles is cooked, take out the noodles, and throw away the water which contains wax.
3. boil another pot of water till boiling and put the noodles into the hot boiling water and then shut the fire.
4. only at this stage when the fire is off, and while the water is very hot, put the ingredient with the powder into the water, to make noodle
soup.
5. however, if you need dry noodles, take out the noodles and add the ingredient with the powder and toss it to get dry noodles.

Dietician's Note:
If you buy plain hakka noodles which you make initially need to boil in water and discard the water. This will soften the noodles but to prevent it from sticking we need to add a tbsp of oil and also the noodles are deep fried partially to make it crunchy and then dusted with flour to prevent it from sticking while boiling. Hence when you buy the noodles they are already made unhealthy and this is the type we use to make stir fry noodles and the regular maggi too is made the same way plus they add MSG/ ajinomoto and other chemical preservatives.

A large number of patient with the ages ranging from 18-24 years are ending up with ancreatitis either as a swelling or infection of the pancreas due to regular consumption of instant noodles..... If the frequency is more than 3 times a week, then it is very hazardous...

Please share this info and help save a life.

Health Tips

2009-03-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

For all those places that experiencing bad weather right now these are some tips to consider in order to avoid or prevent illness in the future.

Avoid close contact with people who have colds or flu.
Avoid exposure to smog and other air pollutants, including second hand smoke.
When you have an infection infection, get it treated promptly. drinks lot of water and eat hot meals.
Wear protective clothing especially during night.
Avoid outings on a windy day. Maintain personal Hygiene.
For sinus problems, steam inhalation is ideal.

Beauty Tips

2009-03-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

Do you know that pollution can make your skin look ugly?
- skin is the most sensistive part of human body. According to the researchers everything we apply on the skin pass through the layer "stratum corneum). Due to air pollution in the city, ozone quickly strips vitamin E (which indulges a healthy skin) Pollution is the troublemaker with your books and health in a couple of important ways.

DUST - Dust can clog skin pores and make your skin look rough. Dust mist can generate eczema if it comes in contact with skin.

SOLUTION - Clean your skin with a soft cleanser. ( Raw milk is a natural cleanser)

SKIN DISORDERS - Pollution leads different type of skin disorders. Air pollution can be amain cause of pre aging of skin. ozone is the basic element in smog which leads skin cancer.

SOLUTION -

Stay out of dirt. Cleanse your face /skin at least twice a day with safe soap or face wash.
Apply good sunscreen with SPF 15 (or higher) daily before going outside to protect skin from UV rays.
Always remove make up as early as possible after coming back at home because pollution and makeup both prevent our skin to breath properly.
Dont Stay long time in pool or sea beach.
Drink plenty of water, eat grean leafy vegetables, salads and fruits nto detoxify the body.

ENVIRONMENT SOLUTION - care for your environment. You live breath, eat, drink and lead your live on this planet-protect it. after all looking good is skin deep.

Look Beautiful on a Beautiful Planet Earth.

Microwaving Water!

2009-03-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

A 26-year old man decided to have a cup of coffee. He took a cup of water and put it in the microwave to heat it up (something that he had done numerous times before ). I am not sure how long he set the timer for, but he wanted to bring the water to a boil. When the timer shut the oven off, he removed the cup from the oven. As he looked into the cup, he noted that the! water was not boiling, but suddenly the water in the cup 'blew up' into his face. The cup remained intact until he threw it out of his hand, but all the water had flown out into his face due to the build up of energy. His whole face is blistered and he has 1st and 2nd degree burns to his face which may leave scarring.

He also may have lost partial sight in his left eye. While at the hospital, the doctor who was attending to him stated that this is a fairly common occurrence and water (alone) should never be heated in a microwave oven. If water is heated in this manner, something should be placed in the cup to diffuse the energy such as a wooden stir stick, tea bag, etc.., (nothing metal).

General Electric's Response:
Thanks for contacting us, I will be happy to assist you. The e-mail that you received is correct. Microwaved water and other liquids do not always bubble when they reach the boiling point. They can actually get superheated and not bubble at all. The superheated liquid will bubble up out of the cup when it is moved or when something like a spoon or tea bag is put into it.

To prevent this from happening and causing injury, do not heat any liquid for more than two minutes per cup. After heating, let the cup stand in the microwave for thirty seconds! before moving it or adding anything into it..

Here is what our local science teacher had to say on the matter: 'Thanks for the microwave warning. I have seen this happen before. It is caused by a phenomenon known as super heating. It can occur anytime water is heated and will particularly occur if the vessel that the water is heated in is new, or when heating a small amount of water (less than half a cup).

What happens is that the water heats faster than the vapor bubbles can form. If the cup is very new then it is unlikely to have small surface scratches inside it that provide a place for the bubbles to form. As the bubbles cannot form and release some of the heat has built up, the liquid does not boil, and the liquid continues to heat up well past its boiling point.

What then usually happens is that the liquid is bumped or jarred, which is just enough of a shock to cause the bubbles to rapidly form and expel the hot liquid. The rapid formation of bubbles is also why a carbonated beverage spews when opened after having been s haken.'

The love in your heart wasn't put there to stay.
Love isn't, till you give it away.

Welcome note

2009-03-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hi every body welcome to my new blog "Health and Beauty".

Every body are invited to comments and share.