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What is a Panic Attack?

November 18th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

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Sufferers of panic attacks are very aware of the disturbing and traumatic nature of these.  The fear which can be felt during a panic attach is often accompanied by irrational and illogical distress.The first signs of a panic attack can be a trembling sensation, accompanied or quickly followed by breathlessness.  A panic attack is different for everyone one, but if they usually will last for about half an hour.

What is the association between low blood sugar and a panic attack? Each panic attack which a suffered experiences may be different and have differing levels of intensity.  The higher the intensity of the panic attack, the longer it will take for the sufferer to recover.  There are been many studies of the causes of symptoms of panic attacks and these have produced several interesting points.  Firstly, it is believed that there may be a link between low blood sugar levels and the onset of a panic attack.Secondly, there may be a link between puberty and the commencement of panic attacks.

It is hard for sufferers of panic attacks as the causes cannot be defined.  Dealing with this illness is more about management than cure.  As with most illnesses medication is available to help with panic attacks; antidepressants are often prescribed.There are also lifestyle changes which are recommended to help handle panic attacks, such as relaxation exercises.  There is no medication or technique which can be guaranteed to prevent further panic attacks, but lowering stress levels in your everyday life will certainly be a big step towards managing these attacks.

Unfortunately, panic attacks don't go away by themselves.  They must be acknowledged and treated, rather than left to continue and possible worsten.

For people who have suffered panic attacks, there is always the risk or them returning.This does not mean that anyone who's suffered a single panic attack will be stricken for the rest of their lives, it is just to suggest that they are aware that there is a tendency which could return, especially during high stress times, or changes in lifestyle.

Panic attacks are certainly not a life sentence.  It is always good to see these as a warning that you are under too much stress and that it is your bodies way of requesting a change.  Taking control of the panic attacks through the correct medication and techniques will be a positive for your way of life.

Anxiety Disorder And Mental Health

October 27th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

So how is the old happy meter looking these days? Is your level of bliss up to expectation? Don’t you laugh; these are all legitate question. It’s almost like people need loads of catalysts to stir a little happiness. Many suffer from anxiety and they do not even know the reason. I take a gander at our youth and wonder what exactly happened. How can so many teens suffer from bouts of anxiety and depression? I can hardly remember experiencing this affliction as a child or teenager. Regardless of the reason, anxiety and depression are dilemmas that must be dealt with.

Do you know someone who suffers from social anxiety idsorder depression? This is no laughing matter; nor is it anything to be ashamed of. However, it is a problem that should be dealt with accordingly. I must admit that I am shocked at all the anxiety and depression troubling teenagers in this modern world. What do they have to be down about really? This is provided that they have a decent home life and the necessities. I can still clearly remember when I was a kid. I have no need for anyone else but me and my imagination. No limit for fun and excitement. Even when I was a teenager, I had a blast entertaining myself with things I enjoyed doing. These days the concept of good old-fashioned fun seems to have gone to the birds. Children across the country suffer from anxiety and depression. And some of these juveniles have no cause for their torment and melancholy. Is it possibly the media warping their young minds? One must admit it’s a tad difficult to understand why some one with their entire life ahead of them, and hardly any work to do would be down. Luckily, there are ways to deal with anxiety and depression. Counseling is another popular route. So if you know someone who suffer from anxiety disorder, you need to lend them a helping hand. Many of these individuals will not acquire help on their own.

A good way to understanding anxiety and depression is via the Internet. You can find many online help to educate youself on the effects and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Some signs of anxiety and depression are sleeping too much, avoiding others, staying inside, lack of motivation and failing to eat. If this is all too familiar to you, it is time to get help.

Controlling Techniques for Anxiety Panic Attacks

October 13th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Anxiety disorders are regrettably becoming more common and there are many different side effects. One of these is the panic attack. Anxiety panic attacks are exhausting to numerous folks, making them feel powerless and often overtaken with emotion. If you have ever felt this way, then you know how important they are to control. Read on to find out how to cope with anxiety panic attacks and learn more about them along the way.

If you are a sufferer of anxiety panic attacks, it is essential that you understand precisely what they are and how they come about. An attack starts when stress together with anxiety levels increase to a degree where they are uncontrollable by the individual who is going through the episode. The person will rapidly fall into a state of panic and fear of surroundings, feeling that they are dying or having a heart attack and even going nuts. In effect, the mind is saying to the body that it is experiencing a discomfort that is in all likelihood not real. Dependent on the severeness of the attack, they can last anywhere upwards of about fifteen minutes. The experience oftentimes causes a vicious cycle where the individual dreads another attack, which just causes the symptoms to worsen.

Maintaining a cool head during an anxiety panic attack is difficult to do, particularly when you suffer from an anxiety disorder. However, if this is something you have to live with for the rest of your life, it is crucial to master the art of stress management. Anxiety panic attacks come on before you realize it so the best thing to do in most cases is to calm down and then lay down. Once you do this, you can try to calm your head by stating that it will pass by and telling yourself that the pain you are feeling is not real. You can try to forestall these episodes by asking yourself why do I have anxiety attacks and learning what sparks them off. For instance, do they occur in particular situations or do negative thought processes bring them on?

If you suffer from anxiety panic attacks, you may like to try out practicing yoga techniques. This form of stress free activity, as well as others, such as Tai Chi or different structured exercises, can help relax your mind and oftentimes deter attacks. The same is applicable to listening to music, reading a book, or even spending time with an animal or pet. These natural actions may be your key to eliminating the attacks. While panic attacks may never go away, with a little training and a couple of stress free skills you may be able to avoid them in many cases.

What to Look For When You Suspect You’re Having a Panic Attack

September 29th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

There has been much talk and news today about panic; perhaps more people are suffering from this condition because we live in such scary times in such a scary world, but perhaps more people are simply aware that they are having a panic attack and so are seeking treatment for it.  Unfortunately even with all the additional information that is out there about this disorder many patient still don’t know what to look for when they suspect they’re actually having a panic attack.

Panic attacks affect a person not just mentally and emotionally but physically as well.  It’s not unusual for those having a panic attack to get dizzy and lightheaded.  They also feel numbness and tingling in their arms and fingers.  Because of being panicked, they may have a hard time speaking or thinking clearly.  The symptoms of having a panic attack overwhelm them so that they have a hard time concentrating and focusing, and sometimes a sufferer can even slur their speech.

It’s easy to see why the symptoms of having a panic attack are confused with stroke or heart attack.  But the problem is that if someone assumes they’re having a heart attack or stroke and don’t realize that they’re having a panic attack they don’t get the help they need. 

They may check into a hospital and undergo test after test to find out the problem with their heart or have the doctor check for signs of a stroke, all the while ignoring the real issue.  This is not only costly and invasive, it’s also ineffective.  Being treated for a problem you don’t have and ignoring the problem you do doesn’t solve or help anything.

To be sure that you’re having a panic attack and not a stroke or heart attacks, it’s important to be keenly aware of the emotional reaction you have.  Panic is usually accompanied by fear of one’s surroundings or claustrophobia, an overwhelming urge to run away, confusion, and a sense of dread for what might happen next.  All of these emotional and mental reactions are signs of a person having a panic attack and may occur in conjunction with their physical reaction as well.

Panic affects each person differently with a variety of symptoms, so anyone that suspects he or she is having a panic attack should make an appointment with a physician to rule out physical problems and to get the help that is available as well.

Instant Stress and Anxiety Relief the Fun Way

September 29th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

So you want instant stress relief? Stand up on your chair right now, stick the little finger on your right hand into your left nostril, put your left hand down the back of your pants or skirt and squeeze your right butt cheek and start singing ‘Hey Diddle Diddle, the Cat and the Fiddle’ as loud as you can.

Feel any better? My best guess is that you didn’t even do it, did you? But I can almost guarantee that had you, you will have forgotten what was stressing you out in the first place. If you want instant stress relief I can assure you all you need to do is get a little silly and laugh at yourself.

Stress is of course a very serious issue and we all take our stress very seriously. It affects our emotional and physical well-being putting strain on our minds and bodies. Our stress can also affect negatively those around us.

There are certainly serious stress conditions that life throws at you which are unavoidable and which no amount of silliness or laughing will relieve. We are quite capable of dealing with this type of stress when it comes along. We do however need instant stress relief techniques for the rest of the unnecessary anxiety we put ourselves through on a daily basis.

Anxiety is the reaction to and a symptom of stress and so the two go hand in hand. Instant anxiety relief can also be achieved through similar instant stress relief techniques. Again, though, there are definitely anxiety states where these techniques would not work.

Before we look at some of the things you can do to instantly relieve stress and your anxiety, one important point we want to raise is that a lot of what we do on a daily basis causes us the pointless stress we experience. Much of what stresses us out can honestly be avoided quite easily and as a long term goal this should be where your focus is put.

Ok back to the matter at hand. Something you can do right now to relieve your stress, besides the whole chair and finger in the nose thing, is to check out a page we setup on instant stress relief tips. You’ll see some quick things you can do at your computer which are great for stress relief. Be sure to check out the virtual bubblewrap. It’s great fun.

Of course everyone loves lists and what would an article about instant stress relief be without the top things you can do to relieve stress and anxiety; in list format. So here goes:

The Top 6 and a half things you can do to instantly relieve your stress and anxiety

1. Grab a pillow, stick you face into it and scream as loud as you can while shaking your head from side to side
2. Make yourself some chocolate milk, put a straw into the glass and blow bubbles until the milk spills over the edge
3. If you have kids who are old enough or not too old yet, get yourselves onto the carpet and take turns tickling each other
4. Put on your favorite rock and roll song and play some air guitar
5. Run a bubble bath and get into it with all your work clothes still on. Get your partner or spouse to join you
6. Make pancakes with the whole family and enjoy them outside on the lawn

6½. Phone a close friend or family member and find out what their instant stress reliever is and then do that

Hopefully that has given you a start and it is clear to you exactly what the point is when it comes to instantly relieving your stress or anxiety. If you didn’t then here it is: If you are looking to instantly relieve anxiety or stress the approach is much the same. The important thing to remember is that the best stress relief technique in the world is to just laugh. Laugh until the tears roll down your face or until your sides hurt or both.

Symptoms of Stress - You Can’t Fight What You Don’t Notice

September 23rd, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Stress is a normal facet in our lives. We thrive on a little stress because it keeps us focused and enables us to stay mentally alert. Sometimes, though, stress can start to take over and cause us to have anxiety attacks.

Anxiety can go unnoticed. It is easy to confuse anxiety and daily healthy stress. Prolonged anxiety and anxiety attacks should be identified and attended to as soon as possible. Anxiety attacks when left untreated can quickly become out of control and all consuming.

Recognizing indicators for an anxiety attack is an important first step to treatment. Though everyone reacts to stress in different ways some common indicators of unhealthy anxiety include difficulty concentrating, racing or uncontrollable thoughts, loss of memory, and feelings of confusion. In order to recognize the indicators for an anxiety attack, it’s important to understand the symptoms of stress first.

Physical symptoms often accompany anxiety attacks. During an anxiety attack you might experience trembling, shaking, stomach aches, hot or cold flashes, noticeably increased heart rhythm, nausea, or shortness of breath. These symptoms can be very upsetting and can interrupt normal daily activities.

During the height of an anxiety attack the physical symptoms can be so overwhelming that that they are upsetting. People often report feeling “out of control” of their body or as if they are “dying.” The first time a person experiences an anxiety attack they are unlikely to identify the symptoms of those of anxiety and are more likely to feel that they are experience a heart attack, stroke, or serious medical emergency.

Often it is someone else who notices the symptoms of an anxiety attack. Once an anxiety attacks are suspected immediate medical attention should be sought. Anxiety attacks have similar symptoms to more serious, life threatening medical conditions.

Once your doctor has determined that you are healthy overall, anti-anxiety medication may be prescribed and referral to a counselor or licensed therapist may be recommended.

A counselor will listen to the patient’s history and determine what stressing factors could be causing their symptoms. Once the patient gets a handle on the contributing factors for their attacks, a treatment plan would then be set up, based on the patient’s situation. A counselor can help them work through the stressors and show them ways to alleviate the stress causing their symptoms.

There are many websites devoted to the use of relaxation techniques that reduce symptoms to a more manageable level and breathing exercises to improve oxygen intake, which could help slow down a racing heart rhythm.

As the stress in your day to day life increases, there are many strategies for coping. Getting assistance in learning how to manage your anxiety is the first step. Determining the major stressors in your life and developing an effective strategy to cope with them will increase your comfort level and bring hope back into your life.

Get Josh Murphy’s latest free report ‘Self-Care Boot Camp’ - jam-packed with more great stress relief information at StressReliefTipsWeekly.com. Check out the site for more great info on topis like stress affecting your job as well as a free weekly newsletter that subscribers can’t get enough of!

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