Battle Anxiety: Tips to Help Reduce And Control Anxiety

Top Causes of Anxiety and How to Handle Them

admin — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:22:44 +0000

There is nothing like a good old anxiety attack to make a mature responsible adult feel like a child again. Anxiety thrives on fear and fear thrives on anxiety making the vicious circle it forms around a person’s life look and feel like quicksand. No sane person would walk out into quicksand, so the fear of it makes the person surrender their confidence and strength with the false promise of safety and comfort. But as most people who have anxiety attacks know, there is nothing comfortable about feeling scared into a paralyzed state.

Living with anxiety and panic attacks that come on suddenly out of nowhere is difficult at first because you are not prepared for them, and this fear of the unknown will cause the attack to be very unsettling. Once you have dealt with this type of anxiety for a little while you begin to know what to do if they happen, and you may even be prescribed medication to help you prevent them.
The “normal” anxiety or the anxiety that comes along for the ride with a stressful situation can be handled and faced in a somewhat different way. Usually until the situation is resolved or no longer exists, some degree of anxiety will be felt. In these situations it’s better to know before you actually have the anxiety attack that there is a possibility it could happen. It’s also good to be ready with some things you can try to use to dilute the intensity of the feeling.

Moving can be a big source of stress that is known to get to levels that cause anxiety. There is so much to do on top of the everyday tasks at hand that it all can get overwhelming. A good way to kill this monster before it attacks is to try and be as organized as possible and make as many lists as you need so you don’t stress about forgetting something, and try and see the move as an adventure if possible.

Starting a new job can strike fear in your heart and that fear loves to invite anxiety. Your best defense is to do everything you can to control the things that are actually in your ability to control. Make sure you are dressed to meet the dress code of the regular employees. Get to work a little early so you can be ready to start when you need to and not keep anybody waiting for you to settle in. And ask for help when you need it so you don’t put a lot of pressure on yourself to know everything all at once. Nobody else will be expecting that of you, so give yourself a break.
Losing a relationship that you have come to rely on for support and comfort can leave you feeling lost and that can cause you to panic. The reality is that you were able to survive without this person at one time in your life, and you can do it again. Staying focused on the fact that you are not really lost and that this person did not live your life for you, but shared the experience with you, will help you to not overestimate this person’s real place in your life.

Feeling like you want to panic at the first sign of stress, but resisting that urge is the best way to break the relationship of stress and anxiety for good.

What is Anxiety?

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:17:24 +0000

We all feel nervous or worried about certain situations or things on a daily basis. A certain amount of anxiety is normal. It can actually help provide energy and motivation, as long as it is mild to moderate in intensity. When anxiety heightens to a more severe level, it interrupts everyday living. It causes confusion and helplessness. It places you in the state of severe worry that is out of proportion with reality. This level of anxiety is not normal.
It is a mental disorder that refers to the feeling of fear and apprehension that is so strong that it creates physical symptoms, including sweating and stress. It goes beyond the mild and short-lived anxiety one feels before giving a speech before a crowd or walking down the aisle. A chronic and long-term illness, it is characterized by unrealistic and persistent worries and fears. It can significantly affect the quality of a person’s life, as the fear can last for weeks or months at a time. Common concerns that affect people with anxiety include finances, family issues, health, and career. These are everyday things that people with anxiety cannot cope with properly.
Even though the illness can affect people of all ages, it most commonly occurs between childhood and middle age. Anxiety as a mental illness can range from mild to severe in intensity. Sufferers with mild anxiety may be able to maintain their jobs and appear to function well in social situations. People with severe anxiety, however, usually face many challenges and difficulties. They may find it unbearable to work and socialize properly. A small change of plans may set them off. Simple everyday tasks and activities may be unbearable for them. Thus, they may withdraw from various situations and scenarios.
The illness may come with numerous emotional and physical symptoms. There are general characteristics of anxiety, and there are specific characteristics depending on the different types of anxiety disorders, which include social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and more. Certain situations or people may trigger the physical symptoms, but they may come and go for years. Since anxiety affects the region of the brain that regulates communication, the emotional symptoms affect creative self-expression and functioning in relationships. It can significantly worsen if the person does not seek professional help. Therefore, it is very important to undergo treatment for this illness. Learning about the disorder is the first step of treatment.

The physical symptoms of anxiety include:
Rapid heartbeat
Breathlessness
Shaking or trembling
Twitching
Sweating
Clammy hands
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Fullness in chest or throat
Body aches and muscle tension
Having to use the restroom frequently
Gastrointestinal issues or diarrhea
Jumpiness
Tiredness
Sleep disruption

The emotional symptoms of anxiety include:
Excessive worry
Irritability
Restlessness
Fear of upcoming events or situations
Feeling of doom
Difficulty in concentration
Helplessness

Anxiety is often a symptom of another disorder. Depression and anxiety, for example, often go hand in hand.

Anxiety and Sleep Disorders

admin — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:50:04 +0000

A good night’s sleep is important for good health. But millions of Americans suffer from chronic sleeping disorders. Stress is a leading cause of anxiety and anxiety is a cause of sleeping problems. It may even worsen existing problems. Having an anxiety disorder can severely affect the problem.

The likelihood of a sleeping problem effecting an anxiety disorder or an anxiety disorder effecting a sleeping disorder is unfortunately very possible. They stimulate and aggravate each other and lead to the severity of both issues perpetuating.

A lack of sleep stimulates the part of the brain that is closely associated with anxiety and depression. It is scientifically proven that sleep disruptions and disorders are present in nearly all cases of psychiatric disorders. Anxiety disorders and people living with them know that insomnia is a part of a terrible cycle. Symptoms of anxiety rob those affected of their precious hours of sleep.

The less sleep an individual receives the worse their daily lives are affected. Tiredness is only the beginning if left untreated. Performance at work, school, and social situations decreases and stress manifests daily. There is also an increased risk of injury and health problems .

Almost ninety percent of the time, when sleep disorders are present it is accompanied by another health condition. Individuals with sleep disorders plus anxiety issues are at higher risk of heart disease, heart failure, heart attack, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes.

The depravation of sleep results in people putting more focus on negative emotions. This can actually decrease the effectiveness of some forms of therapy.

It is so important to retain a proper diagnosis. This will elevate chances of success of treatment and alleviation of illness and proper healing being instilled. Treatment options vary and include sleep medicine and cognitive-behavior therapies which teach the individual how to modify and identify the behaviors that perpetuate the sleeping problems. Anxiety treatments also include cognitive behavior therapy, but include as well, relaxation techniques and medication, meditation, exercise, and diet alterations.

The troubles and affects of these disorders are real and they are devastating. If left unmastered an individual can become a devastating disorder. Sleep is one of our most basic needs and we must respect that in order to remain healthy and happy.

Dangers, Downsides, and Side Effects of Anxiety Medications

admin — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:48:01 +0000

In today’s society with the numbers of individuals dealing with anxiety, stress, depression and other debilitating illness’ such as these the number of anti-anxiety prescriptions being written is staggering. Some people even say that medications are grossly over prescribed even incases that could be solved using alternative options. These types of medications are the 5th and 6th highest selling medications in the world.

While these types of anti-anxiety medication are helpful in some cases and forms of anxiety related illnesses they should not be considered as a cure.

It is being revealed that most clients are not informed of the short and long term affects of these medications. Many disturbing facts are emerging about these medications. Some have been known to cause serious side effects including the risk of suicide in certain cases, they an increase the symptoms of anxiety and depression in some cases, in up to as much as 50% of cases they are completely ineffective, some are as addictive as most narcotics, and serious withdrawal can occur upon discontinuation.

Other general side effects include, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain, bladder troubles, sexual dysfunction, blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, headaches, increased heart rate, heart palpitations, nausea, nervousness and insomnia, agitation, and even nightmares. Add some of these side effects on top of the already disturbed effects of anxiety and depression and this can leave the individual in a state of overwhelming fear and possibly worse than when they began treatment.

With the amazingly high number of individuals that state the medication did absolutely nothing for the underlying issues it seems that these medications are being prescribed for the wrong people, the wrong symptoms, and for all the wrong reasons. The horrible truth is that even more severe effects have been reported. People in certain cases have experienced fever, confusion, muscle rigidity, and cardiac, liver,or kidney problems.

In rare cases suicide and homicidal rages have been blamed on anti-anxiety and anti-depressant drug use. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) stated that several recent scientific publications suggest the possibility of increased risk for suicidal behavior in adults who are being treated with these types of drugs. And this concern has lead the FDA to mandate black box warning labels on all anti-anxiety/depressant drugs disclosing this risk.

When it comes to your health and safety use caution and consider all of the facts. Use your best judgement and do the homework. Just because the prescription is in your hand doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed the opportunity to find out what it is you will be taking. There are always other options. With the help of friends and family and the dtrong will hat we all have inside, positive change can be made, and it can be made without the risk of terrible side effects. Be informed and be careful.