Panic Attack – Can You Identify The Cause And Symptoms?
Panic attack…it can occur anytime. It’s like being put inside a wash dryer. Your heart starts racing; you are short of breath and worst case scenario – you feel like you are about to die. If you have experienced it before then you’ll recognise the symptoms about to be discussed in this article.
So what is the cause of panic attack? That’s a question many have tried to answer in the past and many views have been put forward. Hereditary traits are a common denominator but not conclusive. Stress factors are considered contributory and biochemical elements likewise. But as far as nailing down a single, common cause, well, researchers are still working on that.
Did You Know?
There is a strong correlation between panic attack sufferers and other mental health conditions. For example, people who experience panic attack symptoms can also be affected by bouts of depression, agoraphobia,as well as social phobia.
The Symptoms
The scariest part of panic attack is it seems to strike with the precision of stealth. As a public broadcaster, I’m well aware of the pressures of broadcasting to a live audience. It has affected me twice during my life so in relative terms I can count myself a little fortunate. The scariest moment of my life came midway during the broadcast of a live sports event in the mid 1990’s and what happened at the time is a little difficult to describe in words. Let’s just say I coped as best I could but if you could imagine standing in front of a live audience and “sailing” through a presentation with great ease one minute, then within 60 seconds feeling like someone has cut off your oxygen supply. Twelve years later, I’m happy to say it’s never happened again but I pose the question why; and what’s up with that?
If you experience symptoms such as rapid heart rate, sweats, hyperventilation, chills, hot flashes and chest pain then the chances are pretty good you are experiencing an attack. Not to mention dizziness, trembling, tightness in the throat area and a real sense that you are going to die. In the US alone, the number of emergency patients who check in convinced they are having a heart attack and upon diagnosis are told everything is okay is staggering.
Cause Of Panic Attack
Again, the question has to be asked… what is the cause? Apart from some possible reasons mentioned earlier, it’s still a baffling mystery for researchers. There isn’t a magic pill prescribed that will prevent it from happening again.
The human body is an amazing piece of machinery. It’s ability to sense danger or dangerous situations is fascinating. Many researchers believe that this instinct; the body’s natural fight and reactionary response to danger can give us some of the clues in why panic attack occurs. It’s something akin to being 50 yards from shore at your favorite beach with not another soul around. Suddenly your thought process turns to the possibility of sharks. Within seconds, an intense fear begins to grip you and you head for shore. There may not have been any sharks in the area but the fear was real.
Is There Treatment Available?
While there is no treatment that will cure panic attack for extreme sufferers, there are some effective medication treatments available. Antidepressant medications are extremely effective in most cases and should be discussed with your physician.
Therapy sessions with either a psychiatrist or psychologist are also recommended, particularly for chronic sufferers and at worst, will help you understand your condition which in the end, can only help you cope with it better in the future. However it affects you in your life, don’t do nothing, which sadly, is what the majority will do.
By: Dean Caporella (Get FREE Anxiety Treatment)
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Treat Panic Attacks Naturally Using These 3 Sure-Fire Methods!
For those who suffer from panic attacks they know very well how terrifying they can be. Many people rush to the emergency room believing they are having a heart attack. There are many symptoms that one can suffer while experiencing a panic attack. Some of the physical symptoms are chest pain, nausea, tingling in hands, sweating, pounding heartbeat and difficulty breathing. Many of these same symptoms are also experienced when a person is experiencing a heart attack.
Emotional symptoms can be a feeling of doom or intense fear. People who exhibit these symptoms experience fear that cannot be explained. While having one of these attacks they can also exhibit dangerous behavior in reaction to their symptoms.
Fortunately there are many things that one can do naturally to help alleviate the symptoms of a panic attack. To treat panic attacks naturally you must first recognize what a panic attack is and what it feels like to you. Once you recognize the symptoms that you experience you can then take control.
Treat Panic Attacks Naturally Method One: Hypnosis
One method to treat panic attacks naturally is with hypnosis. Hypnosis has been recognized by the American Medical Association as an approved way to treat panic attacks naturally. Hypnosis is done without drugs and for many it can provide significant relief.
When you treat panic attacks naturally with hypnosis you will change the way you deal with panic attack symptoms. Hypnosis can be used to strengthen the mind and allow you to relax. Relaxation is key when you are experiencing a panic attack. During the attack the person having the attack finds that they are extremely tight and wound up. For some of the milder attacks one might be able to breathe their way to relaxation. This can be done by taking some slow, deep breaths and slowly exhaling. If possible you should try to concentrate on something that is peaceful to you.
Treat Panic Attacks Naturally Method Two: Laughter
Some people say laughter is the best medicine to treat panic attack naturally. When one laughs their body tends to relax naturally. The brain had trouble responding to stress when you are truly laughing at something you find funny. When your body is anxious you have a rise in serum cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. True laughter reduces the amount of stress hormone in the body.
Treat Panic Attacks Naturally Method Three: Behavioral Therapy
Probably the most popular way to treat panic attacks naturally is with behavioral therapy. Try talking with someone about what you felt when you were having an attack. They see if you can determine what you were doing when the attack started. You might discover that certain behaviors trigger an attack. If you can pinpoint those behaviors you can then take steps to change them.
You may determine that you become anxious when you are in a large crowd of people. If so then you should relax, take some deep breaths and visualize yourself in a large crowd of people. Have someone there with you to talk you through the process. It may take several times before you can actually get to the point that a crowd of people no longer poses a threat to you. During this process if you feel that you are becoming overwhelmed you should go back to your deep breathing and try to relax. Take your time and approach your fears slowly and with determination. When you treat panic attacks naturally you will not have to worry about putting medicine in your body that could cause you adverse side effects.
By: Drofwyt Iamal (Free Treatment for Anxiety eBook)
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Panic Attacks And Panic Disorder
A panic attack is a sudden feeling of extreme anxiety accompanied by significant physical symptoms such as trembling, sweating and shortness of breath. They are usually accompanied by an overwhelming fear of catastrophe – the person may feel they are dying or suffering a heart attack, or they may fear they are going mad. They can occur in response to specific situations (such as crowded areas) or spontaneously and with no obvious cause. They are usually short-lived (lasting a few minutes) but are so unpleasant that a person may live in fear of it happening again – in many cases, this will lead to the person avoiding situations that they think will trigger an attack (”avoidance behaviour”).
Panic attacks quite commonly accompany other anxiety conditions such as generalised anxiety and specific phobias (particularly Agoraphobia – the fear of open spaces). However they can occur outwith these other conditions – a study in 1994 found that 3 people in every 100 had experienced panic attacks alone.
Panic Disorder is the term used by Psychiatrists for those psychological conditions in which panic attacks predominate.
Psychological Symptoms of Panic Attacks
Intense anxiety
Fear of dying
Fear of losing control or going mad
Depersonalisation (the unpleasant feeling that you are not “real” or are detached from yourself)
Derealisation (the unpleasant feeling that your environment is “fake” or you are an “actor in a play”)
Physical Symptoms of Panic Attacks
Shortness of breath or feeling “smothered”
Choking
Palpitations (feeling the heart racing or beating irregularly)
Chest pain
Sweating
Dizziness or feeling faint
Nausea or abdominal discomfort
Flushing of the skin or feeling chilled
Trembling or shaking
The feeing of being unable to breath can lead to a compensatory increase in breathing rate (hyperventilation) by the person. This in turn can affect the body adversely, leading to both a worsening of the physical symptoms above and additional symptoms:
Physical Symptoms of Hyperventilation
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
Numbness or tingling sensations in the hands, feet and face
Headache
Weakness
Spasms of the hand and foot muscles
In a panic attack, people will usually experience at least 4 of the above symptoms, although most experience many more than this. For a diagnosis of Panic Disorder, the person will experience at least 4 panic attacks in a 4-week period, or experience significant fear of a further attack (and exhibit avoidance behaviour) for 4 weeks following a single episode.
Treatment
If the panic attacks are associated with other conditions such as generalised anxiety, phobia or depression, then the appropriate course of action is to address these underlying issues first – the panic attacks should subside as these other issues are resolved.
If the panic attacks are the main problem, then (as with most psychological problems) two courses of action are available – drug treatment and psychological therapies.
The drug treatment of panic attacks limited. Sedative drugs such as the Benzodiazepines (e.g. Diazepam (Valium)) are very effective in the short term, but are highly addictive and can lead to dependence. Further, when these drugs are withdrawn, a resurgence of the panic is likely. Antidepressants, particularly the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Citalopram (Cipramil) and Paroxetine (Seroxat), are licensed for use in panic disorder. They can cause an initial worsening of symptoms when first taken, and can cause other side effects such as gastro-intestinal disturbance and sexual dysfunction. Drug treatments are not as effective as psychological therapies in these conditions.
NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) recommends Cognitive Therapy for the treatment of panic attacks and panic disorder. Their research has shown it to be more effective than any drug treatments. Therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) involve the patient seeing a therapist on a one-to-one basis for hour-long sessions. The total treatment course is typically between 6 and 12 sessions, with one session a week. The therapies involve an explanation of the psychological and physical symptoms of panic attacks, and may involve the deliberate precipitation of a panic attack during a session. The aim is to reduce the fear associated with the physical symptoms – this fear is often a cause of the attacks itself and the associated avoidance behaviours. Once the fear of the panic attacks is reduced, the attacks themselves will lessen in frequency and severity and, hopefully, disappear altogether.
Despite the clear recommendations by NICE, the availability of Cognitive Therapy remains limited in the NHS. If your GP or local Mental Health Trust is unable to provide the appropriate treatment for your condition, they may be able to recommend a therapist in the private sector.
By: Karen Hastings, Hertfordshire (Free Download Anxiety Treatment eBook)
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What is Panic Disorder? Panic Attack Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
What is a Panic Attack?
A panic attack is a sudden, out of the blue feeling of extreme fear and discomfort. It comes most unexpectedly and without any warning and you can feel your heart beating fast, feel dizzy, breathless, choked or as if you are going crazy or going to die.
What is Panic Disorder?
A person is diagnosed as having panic disorder if he has recurrent episodes of panic attacks and develops a fear of having another attack. Many times the patient will convince himself/herself so fervently that they are dying that many sufferers often feel the need to go to the emergency room and get tested. Even though this disorder is easily as well as successfully treatable, if it is not diagnosed it can become very debilitating to the individual.
Learn more on Panic Attacks and Panic Disorders
Panic disorder strikes between 3 and 6 million Americans, and is twice as common in women as in men. It can appear at any age in children or in the elderly but most often it begins in young adults.
Symptoms of a Panic Attack
In a panic attack symptoms develop abruptly and usually reach their peak within 10 minutes. Some of the common symptoms include:
a) Palpitations
b) Sweating
c) Trembling
d) Shortness of breath
e) Chest pain or discomfort
f) Nausea
g) Dizziness
h) Fear of losing control
i) Fear of dying
Treatment for Panic Disorder
Panic disorder often responds to treatment with medication, therapy, or a combination of both.
Cognitive/behavioral therapy is a relatively new treatment for panic that has been shown to be successful. Instead of using old-fashioned analysis-based techniques, therapists employing new CBT methods focus on the present panic — and how to eliminate it.
People who experience panic are not “crazy” and do not need to be in therapy for extended periods of time.
Some people find the greatest relief from panic disorder symptoms when they take certain prescription medications.Two types of medications that have been shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of panic disorder are Antidepressants and Benzodiazepines.
In addition, people with panic disorder may need treatment for other emotional problems. Depression has often been associated with panic disorder, as have alcohol and drug abuse.
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What Causes Panic Disorder?
There are several theories about the causes of panic disorder and since every individual has a different predisposition, zeroing in on a specific cause can be quite an arduous task. Although treatable, this disorder can be very devastating and debilitating to the person if it goes untreated and may result in specific phobias like fear of driving the car or fear of leaving the house. It can result in the loss of a job or even relationship problems.
Fortunately, even with this disorder’s rather undefined nature of causality, there is much treatment available that has helped majority of people suffering from panic disorder to cope with this problem.
Cathy M. Ross
By: Cathy M. Ross (Get FREE Anxiety Treatment)
About the Author:
The website on Anxiety Disorders and Panic Attacks talks about how to deal with panic and anxiety attacks. It outlines the causes, symptoms and the different ways to Cure Anxiety and Panic Disorders.
Do you Have These Anxiety Symptoms?
Anxiety is the body’s normal way of reacting to stress. A little bit of anxiety is good because it keeps us motivated to complete important tasks. Everyone has experienced anxiety at some point in their life. But excessive anxiety and worry is not normal. Excessive anxiety left untreated can do some serious damage to your health and your life. Read on to discover what to look for in anxiety symptoms and when you should seek treatment.
Anxiety symptoms can be debilitating. You may experience severe shortness of breath and dizziness. You can develop chest pain and nausea. In fact, a lot of people that experienced anxiety attacks think they are having a heart attack. Anxiety attacks can also cause digestive symptoms such as stomach cramps and diarrhea.
Other symptoms of anxiety that have been reported are hot and cold flashes and trembling, Feelings of losing control, being out of touch with people or things around you. You may experience numbness or tingling in your extremities. Most people will report an overwhelming sense of doom, like they are going to die.
Everyone experiences anxiety in one form or the other, but if you are experiencing severe anxiety symptoms consistently then you should seek treatment. Anxiety symptoms left untreated will only become worse and can become more frequent. Anxiety can become so debilitating that a lot of people with anxiety disorder will become completely home bound. They will become unable to leave their home because of their fear of having an anxiety attack.
If you suspect that you are having anxiety attacks, talk to your doctor. He can give you the best advice on your options for treatment. There is no shame in having anxiety disorder and it doesn’t mean that you are crazy. There are a lot of different factors that can cause you to develop anxiety attacks and you should explore the reasons behind them.
Your doctor can prescribe medication that is safe to help you control your anxiety attacks symptoms. These medications are completely safe and non habit forming. It is important that you tell your doctor all of your symptoms so that he knows the best medication that will be effective for treating your anxiety. He may also suggest that you talk to a psychologist or therapist. There is no need to live in fear of your anxiety attacks. Get the right treatment and start living your life again!
By: Terry Edwards (Free Download Anxiety Treatment eBook)
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By the way, you can find out more on Anxiety Symptoms as well as discover much more information on everything to do with anxiety and panic attacks by going to http://www.AnxietyAttacksA-Z.com
8 Great Ways to Overcome Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Here are 8 simple techniques that I`ve used to help overcome my panic attacks and anxiety. You should be able to reduce your levels of anxiety within the first day you implement them:
1) Deep breathing. Your chest pain is the result of an incorrect breathing. (Deep breathing can help, but can sometimes actually induces a panic attack, let it happen, what you fear is what you have to do more often, this is one technique that has given me great results, overcome your panic attacks by letting them happen, usually when you tend to be more aware of them, they will last shorter.
2) Always keep yourself busy, no matter how you feel (Keeping yourself occupied leaves you less time to think about anything that may affect you, therefore, it is less likely to another panic attack will hit.)
3) Buy Omega Fish Oil Capsules and Calcium – Magnesium supplements. Magnesium has helped me enormously. It definitely works, especially for my twitches and heart palpitations. Recent studies have shown that fish oils can reduce the level of your anxiety and even eliminate your panic attacks.
4) Now this rule, should be applied even by healthy people. Eat a lot of raw fruit and vegetables. Have one apple for breakfast, one banana for lunch, and eat your favorite fruit in the evening, at least 3 fresh fruits/vegetables every day or combined.
5) Stay away from sugar, salt and fat. Usually sugar can rise the blood pressure and automatically affect anxiety sufferers. Try to have a low carb diet, no matter how hard it is you need to avoid carbohydrates. Any carbs that you consume should be from whole grains or anything that will make it harder for your body to break down.
6) Exercise at least 20 minutes every day. It`s recommended doing it in the morning, just to get you prepared for the entire day. Do not overwhelm your self, take everything easy and do as many type of exercises as you can, write down a schedule so you can follow, it`s not that hard after all.
7) Use diaries. When you feel worst take a plain piece of paper and write down your thoughts for ten minutes. You can write just anything you like, even things that you would not tell anyone. This will help you overcome your anxiety tenfold. It`s one of the easiest ways to push everything out that may affect you. After 5 minutes, stop and read what you wrote aloud, so that you can understand better what you`re going through and fight to release your anxiety a lot easier. You will most likely burst out laughing because you will notice how ridiculous your thoughts are and the reality may be totally different. Nobody is ever to harm you and nobody is against you, everyone wants to you healthy as you were before.
Get a consistent sleep. Now a healthy person would sleep for at least 6 hours every night, make that between 8 and 10, until you reduce your anxiety consistently.
By: Alex (Download Free Anxiety Treatment)
About the Author:
For more information on anxiety and panic attacks check out my story, and find out how Panic Away has helped me cure my anxiety and panic attacks completely.
Visit this website: Relief Anxiety.Learn About Both Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety and depression are familiar conditions to us, but are also among the most serious illnesses in the world.
There are times when we feel anxious and moody. So what? We all go through the same things from time to time, don’t we? Anxiety and depression are normal part of life. Who has not studied for an exam without having test anxiety, and then scored much higher for it? Anxiety can keep us alert. Depression, on the other hand, can slow us down, giving us time to reflect and recollect ourselves. In other words, anxiety and depression express moods that are familiar to everybody.
But, when anxiety and depression seem to come from nowhere, last for weeks without relief, and get in the way of everyday activities, then we are not talking ordinary moods anymore; they are now illnesses. Anxiety and depressions are one of the most common mental illnesses in the world today.
People with anxiety disorder may have several physical symptoms, like trembling, sweating, muscle aches, nausea, fatigue, palpitation, dry mouth, cold and clammy hands. Emotionally, they are apprehensive, irritable; they have the feeling of impending doom, and they are self-conscious- feeling like being watched and criticized, etc. Obviously, people with anxiety disorder are often left immobilized. Anxiety keeps them house-bound, away from people, not able to do normal and simple for fear of this or that. People experiencing anxiety symptoms should know that it is a common disorder and is very curable. The anxiety symptoms that you may experience include:
Palpitations
Increased sweating
Shaking
Shortness of breath
Chest pain
Nausea or stomach discomfort
Feeling of light-headedness
A feeling of unreality
Feeling of being detached from oneself
Fear of losing control or going crazy
Fear of dying
Feeling of impending doom
Depression, on the other hand, is a serious medical condition that affects the body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, one’s self concept, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as passing blue mood. It is not an indication of personal weakness or a state that can be willed or wished away. A person with depressive disorder usually can’t pull themselves together and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks to years. The treatment involves medications and/or temporary psychotherapy, which can be more helpful with depression sufferer. The symptoms of depressions may include:
Persistent sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Loss of interest in hobbies or activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
Guilty feelings, worthlessness, helplessness
Decreased energy, fatigue
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Appetite and/or weight changes
Trouble sleeping or oversleeping, early morning awakening
Thoughts of death or suicide, or ******* attempts
Restlessness and irritability
Persistent physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain that does not respond to routine treatment.
Anxiety and depression are two different conditions, but they are the same in the sense of the intensity of how serious these conditions can be. They are among the most common and most treatable mental illnesses in the world.
By: Jocelyn Snider (Download Free Anxiety Treatment)
About the Author:
Information on dealing with anxiety can be found at the Health And Nutrition site.
Treatment for Depression and Anxiety – How to Beat the Blues
Are you feeling low but couldn’t really make out where it is coming from? Do not prolong the distress looking for a treatment for depression and anxiety. Straighten up your emotions before they consume you. There are many treatments for depression and anxiety in the market. You just have to find what works best for you.
What is Depression?
Depression is a universal term that is being used for feeling sad or being in a low mood. Most people feel such emotion, but it becomes potent when the sadness becomes too much or if the feeling of being low becomes unbearable; this is when it becomes clinical depression. This state requires someone who is suffering from such disorder to seek professional help.
It is normal for you to have butterflies in the stomach once in a while, depending on the situation that you are in. But sometimes, you get into situations that become too stressful to handle; that’s when the anxiety becomes a disorder.
When you suffer from such malady, your emotional, cognitive, behavioral and somatic components are combined to elicit the feeling of fear, nervousness and too much worry. These thus affect you with bodily commotions such as heart palpitations, nausea, chest pain and head aches.
Although they are different, depression and anxiety are, most of the time, treated in the same method. It is also said that a great number of the people who suffer from depression also put up with anxiety. Remember that treating such behavior would depend on the person suffering from it and to what extent they are dealing from such.
Your doctors would be the best person to tell you what type of treatment are best suited for anxiety and depression. Antidepressant drugs are given to those suffering from either of the two.
There are also therapy sessions that your doctors could guide you with to help you cope with your state. This will aid you to overcome the low point in which you are in and calm you physically until everything comes back to normal.
If you are just starting to feel the depression or anxiety, or if you are into the healing stage, there are recommended relaxation techniques and exercises to help maintain your balance and focus.
And lastly, for those who suffer from depression and anxiety, you should watch out what you eat because there are chemicals that trigger such emotions. Be careful in picking what you consume into your body.
Finding the best treatment for your depression and anxiety is not that hard, as long as you start now. After all, the most important thing is to beat the blues before it beats you.
By: Michael Lee (Free Download Anxiety Treatment eBook)
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Self-help expert Michael Lee is generously giving away over $2,355.00 worth of the best success ebooks FREE at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/goldaccess.htm for a limited time. Download as many as you want before you miss out!
How to Eliminate Anxiety and Panic Attacks Permanently
Anxiety is a common reaction to stress. Anxiety is a result of pressure at work, in school, at home and even when having a major event in your life like death of loved ones, divorce or any unexpected changes. But when anxiety became unreasonable, excessive, coupled by panic or fear and it interferes with your daily activities it becomes a disorder. Sometimes anxiety and panic attack is a result of an illness or side effects of medications which should be treated and prevented at once before it can get serious and lead to chronic anxiety and panic attacks. It is important to recognize the problem as early as possible and find the best treatment and eliminate anxiety and panic attacks permanently.
Symptoms of panic anxiety attack which could develop abruptly includes palpitations, chest pain, feeling of choking, trembling, sweating, fear of losing control or going crazy, fear of dying, desensitization, depersonalization, feeling of unreality, depression, numbness and difficulty falling or staying asleep. If you suffer from these symptoms it is best to find treatment to eliminate anxiety and panic attacks and free yourself from these symptoms.
Anxiety and panic attacks usually last for 10 minutes but more severe attacks may last up to two hours. In the course of panic anxiety attacks try to relax and do breathing exercises, inhale fully then exhale slowly to eliminate anxiety and panic attacks temporarily. Splash cold water into your face, this works to some people triggering the brain to send message to the body to slow down, talk to someone or call someone, keep walking or moving, watch a funny TV show, listen to your favorite music and tell to yourself “I will be okay and I will feel better.â€Â While these are not the best treatment to eliminate anxiety and panic attacks permanently, these will help you cope up with attacks once it strikes you. There are also medications for panic attacks like Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Sertraline (Zoloft) but most sufferers try not to be dependent on medications due to their side effects.
Anxiety panic attack is a disorder and even though you can put quick fix during attacks it is important to find treatment to free yourself from this disorder and eliminate anxiety and panic attacks permanently. Did you know that there are more than 26,000 people who eliminated and cured their anxiety panic attacks permanently? Eliminate anxiety and panic attacks for good visit Cure Anxiety and Panic Disorder
For more heath issues and remedies visit Great Discovery-Health and Beauty
By: Gerry Restrivera (Download Natural Treatment for Anxiety Now!)
About the Author:
Gerry Restrivera writes informative articles on various subjects including How to Eliminate Anxiety and Panic Attacks Permanently. You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.
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