Suffering From Anxiety Problems? You Are Not Alone
Many people around the world suffer from anxiety disorders of many different types. In the US it is estimated that around 20% of the total adult population suffers from some form of anxiety disorder, which is considered to be a form of mental illness.
There are a number of different types of anxiety disorders and it is often difficult to tell one from another. The different types can include general anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, panic attacks, post traumatic disorders, social anxieties and a wide range of specific phobias.
It is more common for women to be affected by some forms of anxiety than it is for men to be affected.
There can be a wide range of causes for any of these, and other, anxiety disorders. These can be chemical in nature, often from some form of chemical or hormonal imbalance in the brain. There can be environmental factors and others, such as stress, unresolved conflicts and various learned behaviors.
Anxiety attacks can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. For example a sufferer can experience physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat and chest pain, shortness of breath and dizziness. They can suffer insomnia, tension in various parts of the body and extreme irritation.
Anxiety is extremely widespread, and if serious can impact greatly on the quality of life of the anxiety sufferer. But it can usually be treated, often with very good results.
There are a wide range of options for people who suffer from one or more of the various forms of anxiety and related disorders. It is common for medication to be used, and this can include antidepressants and other anti anxiety medicines, which can be very effective.
These medicines can be used in conjunction with other forms of treatment as well. There are various therapists and counselors, including behavior therapists, who treat undesirable behaviors. They can use cognitive therapies, involving changing negative thought patterns as well as relaxation therapies often involving breathing control, massage and sometimes aromatherapy.
Some anxiety attack sufferers can be helped with a range of natural remedies. It is surprising how effective it can be just ensuring that the sufferer adheres to a well balanced nourishing diet to maintain good blood sugar levels and nourish the body. Exercise is also very important. There are also a range of dietary and vitamin supplements that can be used such as vitamin B.
Anxiety disorders or attacks can be very frightening for the person who experiences them, expecially if they are unexpected. But they need not be disabling for most people, as they can often be successfully treated.
Peter Crump
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/suffering-from-anxiety-problems-you-are-not-alone-56233.html
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)
About the Author:
Stress Can Cause Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and it also helps you cope in tense situations.
Everyone knows what it feels like to be anxious- you feel butterflies in your stomach your actions become topsy-turvy, you can almost hear your heart beat right next to your ears, and you are sweating like you are jogging. These are what you go through usually if you have stage fright and you are required to speak in public, or during your first date (who knows when was that!). These, among other feelings (feelings of anxiety) are normal reactions to stress.
Anxiety stirs you up in action. It helps you deal with a tense situation like focusing on a speech that you are about to give, studying harder for an exam, or staying interesting on your first date to make it to the second, and all that. In general, it helps you deal with any situation that is normally terrifying, especially if you are doing it the first time. I, for one, have many times been in this kind of situation and I can tell you it is only passing. But, if it elevates to excessive, irrational fear of everyday situations, now it has become an immobilizing disorder.
Anxiety disorder can cause you to be filled with fearfulness and ambiguity which maybe felt briefly only. However some anxiety disorder last at least 6 months and has the tendency to get worse if not treated immediately. Anxiety disorders usually occur along with other psychological or physical sickness, including alcohol or drug abuse, which can actually worsen the situation.
If you think you have anxiety disorder, don’t hesitate to seek information about it and find treatment right away before it gets into you. There are effective therapies out there and recent research reveals new treatments that can help most people with this condition lead fruitful and fulfilling lives.
There are five major types of anxiety disorders; general anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panics disorder, posttraumatic disorder (PST), specific phobias, and social phobia or social anxiety disorder. Each of the anxiety disorder has different symptoms, but all the symptoms come together around excessive and irrational fear or dread.
Every normal thinking person is expected to feel anxious in certain areas of his/her life, especially when he/she feels out of control of a situation. There are many reasons that anxiety creeps to your life but if it triggers you to some positive action, then you are handling it the best way. Stop worrying too much after you have done the best you can on any life situation or responsibility. Let things be, if things are meant to happen, they will happen. Enjoy life for there are many reasons to be happy, so why worry?
By: Jocelyn Snider (Download Natural Treatment for Anxiety Now!)
About the Author:
Find tips about social anxiety treatment and how to control anxiety at the Health And Nutrition website.
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