Differnet Ways of Treating Anxiety Disorder

January 8, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Anxiety And Panic Disorders 

Anxiety is a feeling that all humans experience, and is triggered in response to stressful events. Therefore, it is a perfectly normal feeling that is actually beneficial in helping us cope with problems. For some people, however, anxiety can become so severe that it becomes a problem, and must be dealt with in some way. Anxiety disorder can arise from the result of excessive, consistent stress, or problems in the flow of neurotransmitters within the brain. Whatever the reason, anxiety disorder is not something to be taken lightly, and should be dealt with at the first signs.

Anxiety disorder can be caused from a combination of biological and external factors. Biologically, it may be brought on by increased blood flow to the amygdala, one of the brain’s fear centers. With increased activity in that region, one would feel more generally apprehensive, regardless if there were any serious stimuli. However, since nearly everybody experiences some amount of stress every day, any extra activity in the amygdala would amplify uneasy feelings.

Even though anxiety disorder is thought of as completely mental, there are physical symptoms of having it. One can experience headaches, stomach aches, chest pain, and shortness of breath, all of which also occur when in threatening situations. The most serious event that can happen as a result of anxiety disorder (although in reality anyone is susceptible to it) is a panic attack, in which the person feels like they are going to faint or die. Panic attacks are not fatal, although to anyone who has experienced one, it feels that way.

There are several methods for dealing with anxiety disorder, and thankfully some of the most effective techniques are also the most simple. Many people are often overloaded with responsibilities and work, and their anxiety stems from this. By making more time for yourself and dropping some of the less important responsibilities, anxiety disorder can be successfully managed. Even if it is impossible to give up anything, just being able to find a few minutes each day to relax can be quite therapeutic.

Like with most mental issues, psychologists can be very supportive and curative. Sometimes one just needs another person to talk to in order to feel better, and since psychologists are trained to solve others problems, they will often say exactly what you need to hear. They can help rearrange your life so it is more manageable, and will be there for as long as you need them. There are many psychologists who specialize in anxiety and related disorders, so it is best to find someone with those qualifications so you are given the best treatment.

Anxiety is an interesting malady to tackle, and new drugs are coming out every year to help people cope with it. Depending on the anxiety one has, they might only need to take medications once in awhile, like before doing a stressful activity. For other types, longer term treatment is required. Whatever the case, anxiety medication has come a long way, and is much more effective now than it was decades ago.

Not just one route has to be taken. Different therapies can be combined to create better results. For example, one may talk to a psychologist while taking medication at home. Every individual is unique, and thus a customized regiment must be developed for each patient.

Daniel Millions

What Is EMDR?

January 6, 2011 by · 3 Comments
Filed under: Coping and Overcoming Anxiety 

EMDR (Eye Movement Reprocessing)

EMDR is a powerful process, developed by behavorial psychologist Francine Shapiro, which has helped hundreds of thousands of people overcome the effects of anxiety and emotional distress and to acheive peak performance.

Shapiro developed EMDR, which is only taught to clinicians, after a personal discovery. She found she was less disturbed from thinking of emotional upsets when she repeatedly moved both eyes to the right and then left.

EMDR can be used to resolve memories of past difficult emotional experiences which can affect one’s current life such as physical and sexual abuse, rape, repeated business or job losses, relationship losses and prolonged grief. It can also be used to overcome the effects of current problems such as asking a boss for a raise, building the motivation to do a job search, reducing performance anxiety, setting limits with another person, reducinanxiety and distress, and overcoming phobias and panic attacks:

Examples of EMDR successes include:

· Reducing extreme anxiety from witnessing a suicicide so that client’s thoughts were no longer disturbing

· Reducing extreme anxiety and panic caused by a work incident that kept a client from applying for a job

· Overcoming obstacles that kept a sales client from making cold calls

· Overcoming belief of being incompetent

· Overcoming fear caused by previous stalking and physical abuse

EMDR is sometimes helpful when talk pyschotherapy reaches its limits as it may bring up past events to be processed that did not previously arise. It also helps people acheive their goals though positive imaging or imagining themselves meeting their goals while using EMDR. It is well known that Olympic champions do positive imaging or imagining at least 15 minues a day. EMDR has been found to make this positive imaging even more effective. EMDR clients often have positive solutions to to problems and positive feelings arise naturally in them.

HOW DOES EMDR WORK?

Research is constantly being conducted to understand how EMDR works. It is known that it works on the brain and produces a physiological change on a neurological level. We know that when a person becomes very upset by a difficult emotional experience or trauma, there is an overload on the system and information processing is blocked. There is an overexcitation of the braine and a resulting change of neural elements. It is believed that the upsetting event also prevents REM sleep, the nightly sleep that helps people process normal emotional events of the day.

The neurological blockage causes the incident to remain in the body in its anxiety-producing form along with the original thoughts, feelings, flashbacks or nightmare.

Shapiro believes that EMDR unlocks the neural channels in the brain and increases REM sleep, allowing the brain to complete the processing which was blocked by the traumatic event.

EMDR is not hypnosis, and the client feels more in control as s/he is in a different brain wave state than under hypnosis. Research shows that the effects of EMDR are long lasting. One study of 80 subjects with post-traumatic stress improved significantly with EMDR and the beneficial process remained for at least 15 months.

HOW LONG DOES EMDR TAKE?

One or more sessions area needed for the therapist to understa nd the problem to be solved. A typical course of treatment may be three to ten EMDR sessions, each 60 or 90 minutes long. EMDR, often used in conjunctions with talk therapy, may take longer, depending on the nature of the trauma and how many times it or related traumas occurred.

WHAT IS AN EMDR SESSION LIKE?

I typically guide the client to find a safe place in their mind such as a place in the mountains, by the water or at home. This is to relax the client and to provide a safe internal place for the client to go in case of any of the material experienced is disturbing. The client always has the option of stopping the session any time s/he pleases. I then ask the client to describe the disturbing information in detail as well as related emotions, body sensations, and any negative self-assessment that resulted from the incident such as “I’m trapped,” “I’m powerless,” etc.

Depending on the clients preferred method of taking in information, I have him/her process the experience using eye movements, sounds in alternative ears using earphones or with handles that stimulate each hand with a vibration. The idea is to obtain bilateral stimuation with these methods. After the disturbance is reduced, I then ask the client to image the event as she/he would have liked it to happen and continue with the eye movements, sounds or hand sensations. I keep asking the client to tell me what they are experiencing and guide them through the experience.

After an issue is worked through, clients typically feel empowered, less anxious, light, more positive and relieved. Having removed their blocks, they are able to move forward with the life changes they wish to make. EMDR does not work for everyone, but the powerful process has helped thousands of peopple to overcome the effects of anxiety and emotional distress and to acheive peak performance.

Minimum training for EMDR practitioners is two three day training sessions.

In addition to these trainings, certified practitioners have 20 sessions with a higher level trainer who supervises the practitioners EMDR practice during that period. Certified practioners have to meet additional EMDR educational requirements every two years.

Pam Alexandra, MFT
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/what-is-emdr-123039.html

Rapid Stress Relief and Stress Treatment Through Self-hypnosis

January 6, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Panic Relief 

Stress is the label we apply when we place too much pressure on ourselves

It is such a far reaching condition that its effects are thought to be felt in practically every kind of illness, every kind of disease.

Yet so few of us really have an effective stress management strategy in place in order to bring about the essential stress relief that we need.

A certain amount of stress, of course, can be beneficial. In small to moderate amounts, it really doesn’t hurt and, indeed, may be necessary in order to motivate us into getting things done and prodding us into performing at our very best.

But when stress takes on too much of a driving, overpowering role, it can exact a real toll and have truly damaging effects on both our mental and physical health.

Such, unfortunately, is the case in many industrialised countries such as the UK, the US, Canada and Australia today, where the most common mental health issues are anxiety and depression and in which stress plays a major underlying role.

At work, stress can turn us into jittery, anxious and resentful workers, unable to function as we really should; while at home, stress can provoke marital conflict and problems with children.

Often, we are able to notice the signs of stress in others much easier than we can in ourselves.

Yet few of us truly know how to manage stress — even if we are fully aware we suffer from it. We simply lack the stress management and stress relief strategies for dealing with and releasing it.

And so alcohol, drugs, tranquillizers and anti-depressants are regularly turned to in an attempt to escape from and cope with the often devastating and frequently incapacitating effects of stress. But such attempted remedies are far from being effective stress treatment; they are temporary at best and short sighted at worst.

Usually however, they merely serve to worsen and aggravate an already inflamed situation.

Yet there are other ways to deal with and manage stress that are really effective and far from harmful. Meditation, yoga, good nutrition and exercise are all classical and effective methods of stress busting. (In fact, we recommend that everyone engages in some form of regular exercise.)

But for sheer effectiveness and rapidity of results, few things can match the power of self-hypnosis for stress management and stress treatment.

This is because in hypnosis you can experience a state of being that is so far removed from stress that it has sometimes been referred to as ‘a state of grace’.

Indeed, self-hypnosis offers a method of completely releasing stress, providing a valuable way – through post-hypnotic suggestion – to manage stress and anxiety. When done correctly, it can provide potent and ongoing stress relief and stress treatment that lasts far beyond the actual sessions of self-hypnosis.

And the amazing thing is that practising self-hypnosis needn’t take forever.

Here in the UK, we teach people how to enter a deep trance state in a matter of seconds. Remaining in this wonderful, calm state of hypnosis for a few short minutes, they are able to let go of and free themselves from the harmful and potentially devastating effects of stress.

But learning self-hypnosis from a hypnotherapist is certainly not the only way. True, this is the easiest, most rapid and effective method of mastering the art of self-hypnosis since, correctly done, it is taught while actually in the trance state, but it is not the only way. A visit to your local book shop will produce a selection of good books that will take you through the process step by step.

One thing is sure: time invested in learning and practising self-hypnosis pays very real dividends in the area of real stress management and stress relief. It is an extremely potent method that enables you to manage stress and is perhaps the most effective stress treatment there is.

If stress is something you find yourself struggling with on a regular basis, self- hypnosis – together with good nutrition and moderate exercise – is the very best stress management and stress relief tool you could use.

Peter James Field

Payday Loans: Bails You Out From Financial Crunch Situations

January 6, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Panic Relief 

It is not that easy to arrange cash in an instant to deal with needs that crop up without any prior indication. Under normal circumstances, you can wait until your next payday to arrive, but what will you do in an emergency? There is no reason to panic, as you can still get the financial relief by opting for payday loans. These loans are designed to provide you monetary relief, so that you can take care of any expenses without any worry. You can make use of the loans to deal with emergency expenses such as paying medical bills, credit card dues, college and school fees, car repair etc.

These loans are approved against your next payday, which implies that the loans are made available only for as short term period of 15- 30 days. Once your payday arrives, you are supposed to payback the borrowed amount. It is due to its short repayment tenure that lenders approve these loans against a slightly high rate of interest. Even then, a proper research will help you to locate lenders offering these loans at competitive rates.

For the approval of the loans, there is no need to pledge any collateral nor there is any mention of credit check. This not only results I n faster processing of the loans but also opens up the loans for both good credit as well as bad credit borrowers. To qualify for the loans, all you need to have is a stable job with a fixed income source. Your age should be more than 18 years and last but not the least; you must be a citizen of UK. A small amount in the range of £100-£1500 is released, which has to be repaid when your next payday arrives.

Payday loans thus enable you to tackle financial crisis by offering quick monetary relief. However, you should resort to these loans only when you have no other option. Before availing the loans, you must go through the terms and conditions. This way, you will be able to select a better loan deal. Always ensure to repay the borrowed amount within the allotted time period, other wise it may affect your financial standing.

Ray Lawson

Learning How To Overcome Your Anxieties And Stresses

May 11, 2010 by · 3 Comments
Filed under: Coping and Overcoming Anxiety 

Are you having trouble finding effective ways to overcome your fears and anxieties? It can be difficult to find all of the answers in managing your anxieties. The best way to overcome your persistent fears is to find those coping skills that effectively mange the fear and anxiety.

The first step is to take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future.

It does not stop there. The next step is to apply what you have learned. Make it a point that every time you experience a fearful or anxiety related situation, use the information you have learned. In every anxiety related situation you experience, begin to learn what works, what does not work and what you need to do to improve on your anxiety management skills.

Continue to do more research to learn of even more effective techniques in managing fear and anxiety. Remember to focus on the strategies and techniques that actually reduce the fear and anxiety. All it takes is one effective technique to make a world of difference in managing your fears.

As for some of the skills that manage fear, learn to challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking. When encountering thoughts that make your fearful or depressed, challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense.

Sometimes, a person may encounter a lot of scary thoughts coming at them all at once. Instead of getting upset, remember that these thoughts are exaggerated and are not based on reality. Usually it is the fear behind the thoughts that gets us worked up. Ignore the fear behind these thoughts, regardless how the strong the fear may be. If you ignore the fear behind these thoughts, then the thoughts become easier to manage.

Learn to take it one day at a time. Instead of worrying about how you will get through the rest of the week or coming month, try to focus on today. Each day can provide us with different opportunities to learn new things and that includes learning how to deal with your problems. Focus on the present and stop trying to predict what may happen next week. Next week will take care of itself.

Remember that alcohol and substance abuse or any other addictions will not take away your problems and fears. In the short run, they might make you feel better, but in the long run these addictions will only make things worse.

The main point of this article is that no matter how difficult it is to manage your fear, the answers are out there if you look hard enough. It might take some hard work and persistence, but it is possible to find those techniques that work for you.

Stanley Popovich
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/learning-how-to-overcome-your-anxieties-and-stresses-67814.html

Depression – What is Depression?

May 8, 2010 by · 8 Comments
Filed under: Coping and Overcoming Anxiety 

The latter type, sometimes referred to as ‘clinical depression’, is defined as ‘a persistent exaggeration of the everyday feelings that accompany sadness’.

If you have severe depression you may experience low mood, loss of interest and pleasure as well as feelings of worthlessness and guilt. You may also experience tearfulness, poor concentration, reduced energy, reduced or increased appetite and weight, sleep problems and anxiety. You may even feel that life is not worth living, and plan or attempt suicide.

Depression can affect anyone, of any culture, age or background. About twice as many women as men seek help for depression, though this may reflect the greater readiness of women to discuss their problems.

One thing that may make it hard for doctors to recognise depression is that people with depression often complain of physical problems, commonly headaches, lethargy, stomach upsets or joint pains, rather than low mood, sometimes because these can be significant symptoms, but sometimes because they find it difficult to admit to feeling emotionally distressed for reasons they may not even be able to identify.

Depression is usually related to upsetting life events, such as bereavement, relationship difficulties, physical illness, or job or money worries.

Are there different types of depression?

Bi-polar disorder (manic depression)

Someone with bi-polar affective disorder has both ‘high’ and ‘low’ mood swings, along with changes in thoughts, emotions and physical health.

Post-natal depression (PND)

About 1 in 10 women experience postnatal depression in the first year after having a baby.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Some people describe feeling depressed regularly at certain times of the year. Usually this kind of depression starts in the autumn or winter, when daylight is reduced.

How can you reduce the risk of depression?

  • Keep in touch with you friends. If you are already depressed you find it very difficult to be sociable, and this can make you feel more depressed. So it is important for you to keep in contact with friends and find someone to talk to when you are feeling low.

  • Keep active. Being more active is associated with lower levels of depression. Outdoor activity seems to be particularly important in staving off depression in older men.
    Review your eating habits. Recent research has suggested that people who are depressed may have low levels of certain essential fatty acids, which are found in fish oils. It has therefore been suggested that people with depression should change their eating habits, for example eating more oily fish such as sardines, or should take fish oil supplements.

  • Investigate herbal medicine. St John’s Wort ( Hypericum perforatum) can help many people with mild to moderate depression. Before taking St John’s Wort check with your doctor or pharmacist especially if you are taking other kinds of medication, for example for heart disease, epilepsy, asthma or migraine.

  • Investigate self-help techniques. Some people have reported benefits from various self help techniques such as meditation, listening to music, and acupuncture.

  • Take control. Some people find it helps if they have some control over what happens. This helps to guard against the kind of ‘hopelessness’ which is associated with depression. Activities that involve making a ‘fresh start’ have been shown to help people recover from long-lasting depression. Similarly, learning to set small or manageable goals can give you a sense of achievement and make you feel better.

There are a number of self-help books, guides, and software programmes which can help you to learn ways of coping with mild to moderate episodes of depression.


What treatments are there for depression?

Drug treatments

Anti-depressant drugs act by increasing the activity of those brain chemicals which affect the way we feel. Anti-depressants are thought to help 2 out of 3 of people with depression.

Tricyclic antidepressants, such as dothiepin, imipramine, and amitryptyline are often prescribed for moderate to severe depression. These usually take up to two weeks to start working and may have side effects.

Newer antidepressant drugs (SSRIs and SNRIs) target specific chemical ‘messengers’ in the brain. The most well-known SSRI is fluoxetine (Prozac) but there are several other brands. These newer drugs are popular because they tend to have fewer side effects than older drugs.

Lithium carbonate is sometimes prescribed to people with severe depression. High levels of lithium in the blood are dangerous so anyone taking lithium must have regular blood tests.

If you are prescribed drugs for depression you will probably be advised to take them for at least six months – or longer if you have a previous history of depression. You may experience withdrawal effects if you stop taking antidepressant drugs, particularly if you stop suddenly. These effects can include headache, nausea, dizziness and even hallucinations. Always consult your doctor before stopping taking anti-depressants. Do not stop taking medication suddenly as the withdrawal effects may be severe.

Talking treatments

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of ‘talking’ treatment. It is based on the fact that the way we feel is partly dependent on the way we think about events (cognition). It also stresses the importance of behaving in ways which challenge negative thoughts – for example being active to challenge feelings of hopelessness.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT) focuses on people’s relationships and on problems such as difficulties in communication, or coping with bereavement. There is some evidence that IPT can be as effective as medication or CBT but more research is needed.

Counselling is a form of therapy in which counsellors help people think about the problems they are experiencing in their lives and find new ways of coping with difficulties. They give support and help people find their own solutions, rather than offering advice or treatment.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

ECT is a controversial treatment which is intended only to be used for people with severe depression who have not responded well to medication or other treatments. The person receiving ECT is given an anaesthetic and drugs to relax their muscles. They then receive an electrical ‘shock’ to the brain, through electrodes placed on the head. Most people are given a series of ECT sessions. Some people say that ECT is very helpful in relieving their depression, although others have reported unpleasant experiences, including memory problems.

For free advice on Depression or for a free consultation over the phone or in person ring 0151 678 3358 or 07714853 524 or visit http://www.clairehegarty.co.uk

Visit out site to read all the latest health news. Visit http://www.in2town.co.uk

diane walker
http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/depression-what-is-depression-665085.html

Statements to Combat Panic Attacks

When you feel manually just creation to become panicky, try forceful manually one of the next. I’m leaving to be all right. My feelings are not always rational. I’m just vacant to relax, calm down, and everything will be all right.
Anxiety is not perilous — it’s just uncomfortable. I am superior; I’ll just resume with what I’m doing or find something more active to do. Right now I have some feelings I don’t like. They are genuinely just phantoms, however, because they are disappearing. I will be warm.Right now I have feelings I don’t like. They will be done soon and I’ll be tenuous. For now, I am ready to focus on doing something besides around me.

That pictured (aura) in my cranium is not a strong or rational picture. Instead, I’m departure to focus on something well like. I’ve congested my downbeat belief before, and I’m departure to do it again now. I am fetching better and better at deflecting these certain negative feelings (ANTs) and that makes me happy. So I feel a little angst now, SO WHAT? It’s does not like it’s the first time. I am departure to take some fussy secret breaths and keep on open. This will help me persist to get better.” If you are preparing to enter a traumatic post that you think might trigger a panic bother, one of the following phrases might work.

I’ve done this before so I know I can do it again. When this is over, I’ll be happy that I did it. The regard I have about this tour doesn’t make much intuit. This concerned is like a mirage in the desert. I’ll just remain to “move” farther pending I clearance right through it. This may look hard now, but it will become easier and easier over time. I think I have more power over these thoughts and feelings than I once imagined. I am very gently open to seizure away from my old feelings and move in a new, better trend.

Finally, when you are overwhelmed with a post, prompt manually you are in restraint. I can be anxious and still focus on the chore at hand. As I focus on the mission, my disquiet will go down. Anxiety is an old custom imitate that my body responds to. I am departing to coolly and nicely change this old habit. I feel a little bit of stillness, despite my disquiet, and this peace is vacant to grow and grow. As my peace and safety grow, then angst and panic will have to dwindle.
At first, my worry was eloquent and scary, but as time goes by it doesn’t have the influence on me that I once thought it had. I am pitiful farther gently and nicely all the time.

I don’t ought to skirmish my feelings. I reach that these feelings won’t be allowed to inhabit around very much longer. I just accept my new feelings of peace, contentment, security, and confidence. All these equipment that was incident to me look overwhelming. Nevertheless I’ve trapped myself this time and I rubbish to focus on these equipment. Instead, I’m vacant to address leisurely to myself, focus away from my puzzle, and last with what I have to do. In this way, my unease will have to drop away and flee.

There is a sweeping quantity the people can take to try to face their panic attacks and the phobia that they fill. You must be a brave soul, but it can go far in learning to overcome your fears and your body’s feedback to that fear. It is called paradoxical objective.

A panic assailed is maintained by fear. All you have to do is to WILL the panic condemn to hit you. Invite it. Dare it. This is particularly real for people whose panic is predictable and occurs in particular circumstances.

Go into the feared condition and say within your advance: “Come on, panic: hit me! Go on! I’m not anxious of you!” If it helps, have a trusted helper with you for endorse. If the panic does show up, use coping techniques to tell your wits that you CAN deal with it.

The panic will be helpless against you; it will not be able to feel you, AS LONG AS YOU REFUSE TO BE AFRAID OF IT!

When undertaking exposure therapy or actually anytime you necessity to de-stress and relieve anxiety, it’s a good idea to know helpful relaxation techniques to minimize your body’s rejoinder to the post.

Jacob Saxbury
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/statements-to-combat-panic-attacks-707871.html

10 Tips to Help Cope With University Stress

May 6, 2010 by · 14 Comments
Filed under: Coping and Overcoming Anxiety 

In today’s competitive world, stress is the biggest problem faced by every individual. When it comes to university students, stress becomes even more common and problematic. Stress brings disorder to your emotional equilibrium in addition to deteriorating your physical health. It reduces your ability to work and think, but can be managed if you can control your thoughts and emotions.

Below are a few different tips on how to cope with university stress:

  1. Sleep – Sleep is the biggest medicine you can use to aid coping with stress. If you are missing sleep, then you are reducing your life’s length and quality. Sleeping for 6 – 8 hours is very important for every university student, and it does not only give your body rest, but also rejuvenates you. You will feel refreshed and will be able to work with more dedication and accuracy.
  1. Breaks – Maintaining breaks within your schedule is necessary to cope with any stress that comes about. A break of 5 – 10 minutes after every 1 or 2 hours can act as a refresher for you, and you can recollect your concentration and work with efficiency.
  1. Avoid caffeine – Caffeine, when taken in large amounts, can lead to anxiety and tension. Coffee, tea, soft drinks are the most common sources of caffeine for university students, so you should try to avoid them.
  1. Manage time – Stress is mainly caused when you tend to think about meeting deadlines. Most university students have little or no time management plans, and thus find themselves, at the end of the deadline, without their complete work. It is better to plan your work and manage your time before you proceed.
  1. Share Problems – Stress is caused when you tend to avoid sharing your problems with friends and mentors. I suggest to you to share your problems with others, as may be able to come up with good solutions.
  1. Attitude – It is important to maintain a positive attitude towards life. If you fail to complete a task, then don’t become dishearten, look on the positive side. You can put it like this: things could have turned out worse. So, look at the positive side and don’t let the stress get you down.
  1. Balanced Diet – Maintain a balanced diet, by eating a range of foods. Try to avoid junk food since it produces caffeine that in turn can cause stress. Include fresh fruit in your diet, and try to eat every 3 – 4 hours. Don’t let your body suffer by working with an empty stomach.
  1. Exercise regularly – Try to include exercises in your schedule. However, exercise not only gives you a sound body, but also sound mind, and by exercise I don’t mean you should go to a gym and spend an hour or two. You can go for a walk, jog, meditate and do some aerobic exercises to avoid stress.
  1. Balance your lifestyle – The most common problem faced by students is creating a balance in their lives. By balance, I mean maintaining equilibrium between your studies, sports, other activities, rest and meals. Most students tend to miss their meals and other recreational activities, and the absence of these will cause a deterioration in your health and you will gain stress. Utilize sufficient time for all of these activities and give special thought and time to recreational activities.
  1. Consult a doctor – If stress increases beyond a limit that you can withstand, then you should consult a doctor. Don’t neglect it, as ignoring something small can create bigger problems.

Following these steps will mean that you will be able to reduce the amount of stress that you, as a university student, will be able to reduce and cope with stress whilst at university.

Nick Sanders
http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/10-tips-to-help-cope-with-university-stress-677188.html

The Connection Of Anxiety And Depression

May 6, 2010 by · 6 Comments
Filed under: Symptoms Of Panic Attacks 

Often we are quick to label the feelings that we have on a daily basis; someone who is feeling sad may say they are feeling depressed; someone who is worried about a particular incident may describe it by saying they are having an anxiety attack. These words have become the vernacular of a generation; so much so, in some cases, that we have a difficult time recognizing and defining what symptoms could really be related to clinical conditions. There are many people who experience anxiety in a severe and persistent basis; and others who would be diagnosed as experiencing depression. But what most people don’t realize is that anxiety and depression are connected more often than not.

Depression differs from periods of sadness because of its intensity and frequency. Depression is often a persistent state of melancholy that colors activities of daily life. It can be triggered by many events or environmental factors – or by nothing at all. In some cases heredity or changes in the physical body can be the greatest cause of depression. In either case, the feelings associated with depression are often the same.

Sufferers report feelings of intense sadness, apathy, irritability, and negativity. There are also physical symptoms that those who are depressed report experiencing including stomach problems, insomnia or constant fatigue, lack of appetite, headache, nausea, and general pain throughout the body. In some cases the feelings are so powerful that they render the sufferer incapable of going about normal activities.

Anxiety is defined by persistent and severe feelings of panic and fear – either in a general sense or in response to a particular event or situation. Anxiety is considered to be an umbrella term under which different kinds of anxiety fall including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Anxiety, like depression, can manifest itself through physical symptoms such as difficulties in breathing, increased heart rate, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, shaking, and more.

Anxiety and depression can easily be co-occurring – meaning that they occur together with their own separate and independent symptoms; or comorbid – meaning they occur together and their symptoms overlap. Researchers have even studied the existence of anxiety and depression together and found that over half of the people who experience major depression also experience severe and persistent anxiety.

The connection is so prevalent between anxiety and depression that clinicians have developed terms that can help them diagnosis their patients who are presenting with a myriad of symptoms. For instance, agitated depression refers to a depressive state that actually presents as anxiety including feelings of general panic and fear. Akathitic depression is a depressive state that also presents as anxiety but does not include feelings of panic.

In addition, it has been found that ongoing feelings of anxiety can actually trigger depression. And doctors have noticed that where there’s smoke there is often fire. Persistent feelings of panic and apprehension can cause sufferers to experience mild to severe depression. Researchers are still studying the links between anxiety and depression and their commingling effect on each other.

What is clear, however, is that anxiety and depression can be managed and treated through a variety of therapies and medication that have found great success in the marketplace. Often when the overall feeling of anxiety is removed, the depression will lift as well. If you are experiencing any feelings of anxiety and depression it is important to immediately see your doctor so an appropriate treatment plan can be put into motion.

J. Lloyd
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-connection-of-anxiety-and-depression-126784.html

Use These Self-improvement Tools for Healthy Stress Management

Stress is a part of life whether we like it or not. One of the most important self improvement skills you can ever learn is to better manage your stress levels in your lifestyle and workplace. Problems, big or small, can affect us emotionally, mentally and physically. High stress levels can leave us feeling chronic emotions of doubt, desperation, anxiety, and leave us feeling generally short tempered and irritable if we let it get out of control. It is important you learn to control stress before it even begins to grow ? and the secret to that self improvement success depends on you.

* Body self-improvement techniques *
Taking care of your body is a vital initial step to self-improvement. We should be sensitive to what our body needs by knowing how stress affects our physical self to adapt to it. Here are some techniques that you can use to improve your body and getting stress out of your system.

1. It is very important to know the limits of our body especially when it comes to dealing with stress. Some people would justify that the more our body is exposed to stress, the stronger we become ? this is just not true. If you feel constant aches and pains while working, then you should take some time off work and relax before it turns to something really serious. Chronic fatigue syndrome is one of the most common side effects of chronic stress out of control in your life.

2. Relax and enjoy. To help your body relieve stress then you need to engage in some fun activities that will help it along the road to recovery. A massage is perfect for energizing your body while getting rid of those tight muscles that will eventually lead pain and limit your body flexibility. Pamper yourself by visiting a health spa or massage clinic at least once week; a few hours with professional hands can do wonders.

3. Exercise and sweat it out. Not many people can allocate the time and effort for physical exercise, but if you really want to enjoy a stress free life then you better learn to manage your time to include some physical activity every week. Even better, some daily 1 hour exercise can do wonders to your cardiovascular functions and keep your heart in proper working order.

* Self-improvement for a stress free life *
The tips above cover the physical side of releasing stress, but your mind is still vulnerable to its attacks. Even if we feel the physical and emotional backlash of the problems that we face, it will always start with how you think and how you come up with creative ways in dealing with it. So before you can apply the tips above, you have to first condition your mind by focusing on the need to improve yourself and your lifestyle choices in getting rid of stress.

* Some Mental Activities That Will Help Relieve Stress *
Most stressed individuals think that doing fun activities will not reduce the effect of problems that they tackle under career, social or personal pressure. Since stress will first affect the mental functions of an individual, it is very important to teach the person focus his mind on positive thoughts rather than dwelling on negative ones. Logical functions are put to the test by introducing the Rubik?s Cube, Scrabble, and Bridge, into their curriculum. If you have no plans of visiting health centers to deal with stress, you can easily incorporate these games into your daily routine to give your mind some diversion from problems.

Engaging in some form of sports is a great way to relieve stress. You can opt for team sports like basketball, soccer or volleyball which provides socializing functions and exercise. The strenuous activities of a sport program can develop your muscles and improve your coping mechanism for dealing with stress, and allows the body to release chemicals and hormones that is beneficial to your physiological well-being.

Cardiovascular workouts can improve your heart and strengthen it to avoid stress related problems like strokes, high-blood pressure, chest pains and rapid heart beat. Note however that working out at the gym needs proper diet as well since your physical attributes will be worked to the limit to help fight off stress. Fresh fruits and vegetables are necessary improves digestion and supplies the body with the required nutrients it needs. Red meat can give your muscles proteins that will strengthen muscle tissues for added flexibility. Drink plenty of filtered water and cut back on soda and coffee.

A healthy dose of mental activities, physical exercise coupled with a balanced fresh diet can help a person avoid the signs and symptom of stress and will be on the road to recovery to a stress free life. These fundamental self improvement skills will help you to get and stay healthy for a better and stress free life.

Gen Wright
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