anxiety strategies

February 2nd, 2009

Anxiety strategies

Anxiety strategies are very helpful to have if you or a loved one experience anxiety attacks or panic attacks. They can lessen the severity, reduce symptoms, and help you to deal with the symptoms and even reduce your occurrences of anxiety attacks. For an in depth guide on strategies on how to deal with and stop anxiety attacks, get How to Stop Anxiety Attacks now. It also provides some insight into preventative measures and how to deal with anxiety attacks and stop them.

Basic anxiety strategies include:

Remind yourself that what you are experiencing is just an exaggeration of your body’s normal reaction to stress.
Be aware that however frightening or scary your anxiety symptoms are, they are not harmful in and of themselves, and not dangerous.
Do not disasterize. Be aware of what the reality is of what is really happening to you, and don’t focus on your thoughts of what might happen.
When your anxiety attack comes, let it. Don’t try to deny or fight it, just ride it through and acknowledge it for what it really is and let it run it’s course.
When you begin to snowball with fearful thoughts, focus on your immediate surroundings. Count objects in the surrounding space, count to 10, or distract yourself.

These are of course easier said than done, but they work. With practice, they can become a normal part of your coping mechanism, and can become an almost natural reaction to your anxiety attack and panic feelings. When you do obtain this level of comfort with implementing these ideas, it will make a big difference in your responce and symptoms of anxiety.

For many more tips and for information on how to stop anxiety, visit Stop Anxiety Attacks Now.

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how to treat anxiety

January 29th, 2009

how to treat anxiety

Treating anxiety can be done in a variety of ways, consulting with your physician. Anxiety can be treated most effectively with a combination of the following: medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques.

Medication is used to treat the surface, the symptoms of anxiety, and can help resolve chemical imbalances that are believed to lead to symptoms. Medications usually don’t get to the root of the problem, the underlying cause, which can be addressed with cognitive and behavioral therapy.

Cognitive therapy addresses your thought processes and works to change unhealthy thought patterns. Evaluate your feelings and learn how to realistically frame them and distinguish between unrealistic and realistic thoughts.

The goal of behavioral therapy is to master unwanted or unhealthy behavioral patterns. Learning how to cope with situations that lead to anxiety.

Relaxation techniques can be used to help reduce stress which contributes to anxiety.

For more information on how to treat anxiety, and how to stop anxiety attacks, get How to Stop Anxiety Attacks.

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anxiety symptoms

January 28th, 2009

anxiety symptoms

Anxiety symptoms are the most unpleasant part of an anxiety attack. You don’t have to be a prisoner to your anxiety and anxiety symptoms. We have created a book to help you deal with your symptoms, eliminate stressors in your life, and generally live a healthier and happier life. It is available at How to Stop Anxiety Attacks.

There are ways that you can deal with your anxiety symptoms to lessen their affect on you, or possibly eliminate them completely. Anxiety symptoms vary from person to person in both degree of severity and symptoms experienced.

Anxiety symptoms include but are not limited to:

racing heart
shortness of breath
heart palpitations
shaking and shivering
excessive sweating
sore eyes
increased sensitivity to hearing, light, smell, etc.
pains in your jaw
flu like symptoms
shock like feelings
feeling like pins and needles on your skin
tight feeling around your head
numbness or pain in your upper extremities
and many, many more possibly physical manifestations.

If you are experiencing anxiety symptoms, check out our book at How to Stop Anxiety and consult a doctor and don’t live in fear of anxiety attacks and anxiety symptoms.








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anxiety medication side effects

January 28th, 2009

Anxiety medication side effects

Anxiety and panic attack medications are some of the most widely prescribed out of all medications for psychological disorders, especially benzodiazepines. Anxiety medications are often used in conjunction with other therapies and treatments.

Used to help deal with the symptoms of anxiety attacks and panic attacks, they are only effective at dealing with the symptoms, and do not help with the underlying causes of anxiety or prevent further issues with anxiety and panic attacks. To effectively deal with anxiety attacks and panic attacks, you must deal with the underlying causes and address the issues that are the root of the anxiety and panic.

Anxiety medication side effects are also an issue. If you experience any unpleasant symptoms, feel uncomfortable or strange, you should consult with your physician at once. In addition to treating and reducing the symptoms of anxiety, anxiety medications can cause unwanted and unwelcome side effects. Anxiety medication causes tolerance and requires more and more medication to be taken by the user to gain the same benefit as duration of treatment continues.

Most anti-anxiety medications work by reducing brain activity. Some of the main side effects of benzodiazepines include sleepiness and a lack of energy, blurred vision, upset stomach, confusion, depression, slurred speech, dizziness, forgetfulness or memory problems, clumsiness, and impaired judgment and thinking.

Anxiety medication side effects are something that you should look out for and be aware of, expecially when you are just starting out a regimen of medications. If you experience these and/or they become problematic, you should contact your doctor.

For effective ways to deal with anxiety, panic, and anxiety attacks, visit Stop Anxiety Attacks Now.

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social anxiety disorder

January 26th, 2009

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder is a condition in which people fear social situations. Most people feel shy or anxious in social situations - asking someone out on a first date, speaking in public, a job interview, or even meeting new people, but social anxiety goes far beyond these normal feelings, and is excessive beyond what is normal.

Extreme fear of certain social situations and doing anything to avoid them is typical for people with social anxiety disorder. People with social anxiety disorder have a huge fear of being judged, embarrassed, or making a mistake in social situations, with overwhelming self awareness and feelings of unsureness and insecurity. Put into a social situation, you could experience symptoms such as sweating, blushing, trembling, racing heart, inability to think clearly, and possibly an obsession with doing anything to remove yourself from the situation, and a fear or dread. For children with this condition, school can be a devastating experience, where they are misunderstood, misjudged, and cause life long issues.

There is not a single cause or link to the root of the cause of social anxiety disorder, but both physiological and biological links have been suggested by studies. People with social anxiety disorder often have first contact with a doctor or seek help for another condition such as panic attacks, anxiety attacks, or depression.

If you suspect that you or someone you know has social anxiety disorder, especially younger children, I would recommend that you seek help as soon as possible to minimize the possibility of developing further conditions or it advancing in seriousness, developing harmful coping habits such as drug and alcohol abuse, and to curb possible further emotional damage.

For tips on what to do and how to handle anxiety, visit Stop Anxiety Attacks Now.

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Attack Anxiety and Depression - Anxiety Attacks and Depression

January 23rd, 2009

Attack Anxiety and Depression - Anxiety Attacks and Depression

Anxiety attacks and depression are two entirely different disorders, but can be related or feed off each other, and quite often treated in similar fashions.

Feelings of hopelessness, despair, and anger are characteristic of depression, along with low energy levels and difficulty sustaining the required activities for daily living and minimal daily required tasks. This creates an atmosphere where it’s difficult to get along day to day.

With anxiety, panic, and anxiety attacks, feelings of anxiety, panic, fear, and despair culminate around normal, daily events which in normal people would not trigger such reactions. Quite often, there is no “visible” catalyst for these feelings, giving the appearance of suddenly just coming on. One can quite often live in constant fear of these feelings, and the anticipation of them and their perceived or real consequences. This can lead to problems with daily living, as with depression, and can also affect every aspect of life - work, relationships, self esteem, and the ability to socialize - fear of going to malls, social events, crowded places, or even just leaving your home.

For reasons unknown, many episodes of depression are often accompanied by anxiety. Studies have shown that well over 50% of those diagnosed with major depression wwere also diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder or other anxiety condition, and lower percentages had panic or other anxiety disorders. While depression is typically considered a low energy condition, mounting inner turmoil and feelings of anxiousness, guilt, and anger can snowball into an anxiety attack. People experiencing both anxiety and depression often have elevated symptoms of both conditions.

Quite often, people are treated for anxiety with anti-depressants, and depressed individuals are treated with methods most commonly associated with depression, including therapy and counciling.

Overall, depression and anxiety are considered two of the most common mood/mental disorders. For help dealing with these and other aspects of anxiety, check out Stop Anxiety Attacks.

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder

January 15th, 2009

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Generalized anxiety disorder, otherwise known as GAD, is an elevated, excessive, and chronic level of anxiety and tension, with little or no provocation or reason. This worry or anxiety is disproportionate to what is normal for ordinary everyday events. Experiences with this include a feeling of impending disaster or catastrophe, and feeling overcome with dread. Some of the physical symptoms can include extreme fidgeting, nausea, trembling, elevated irritability, sweating, nausea, and fatigue. Symptoms persistant for 6 months are normally indicitive of Generalized anxiety disorder, but as always, would need to be diagnosed by a doctor. Over 6 million adults in the US have generalized anxiety disorder.







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How Does Xanax Help an Anxiety Attack

January 13th, 2009

How Does Xanax Help an Anxiety Attack?

Xanax is a member of the benzodiazepine family and one of the most popular drugs prescribed for anxiety. Xanax can help anxiety in the short term, but must be used with caution and with close contact with your doctor due to the risk of abuse. You will also most likely need more and more over time to achieve the same results. Benzodiazepines create a range of effects by modulating the GABAA subtype of the GABA receptor.the most prolific inhibitory receptor within the brain. Xanax binds to receptors in the brain, making it easier for the chemical GABA (which occurs naturally in your brain) to be used by these receptors, which produces a calming feeling. It usually takes between 15 to 40 minutes for the onset of it, and up to an hour for full effects. A dose usually lasts for between 4 and 6 hours, with residual effects lasting a bit more.

Some of the side effects of xanax include dizziness, drowsiness, loss of coordination, cotton mouth or dry mouth, headaches, and changes in sexual drive.












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Medications Used to Treat Anxiety Attacks and Panic Attacks - A quick list

January 5th, 2009

Medications Used to Treat Anxiety Attacks and Panic Attacks

One of the methods used to treat more serious cases of anxiety attacks and panic attacks is medication. This is a quick list of those medications which we’ll go over in more detail later.

There are a few different drug classes used to treat anxiety attacks and panic attacks, including Azapirones, Benzodiazepines, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, and Tricyclic Antidepressants.

Some examples of these include:

Benzodiazepines: alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam, and lorazepam.

Anti-Depressant Class Drugs:
SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors): escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline.
SNRIs (serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors): bicifadine, desipramine, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, milnacipran, nefazodone, sibutramine and venlafaxine.

Benzodiazepines are some of the most widely prescribed mediations for anxiety attacks and panic attacks, but are also the most subject to addiction and abuse.
We’ll cover more later.

Take care of yourself…



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How to Control an Anxiety Attack

January 4th, 2009

How to Control an Anxiety Attack

Over 10 percent of our population suffered or suffers from panic attacks and other anxiety related disorders.  It is the second most common affliction for men, second behind alchol and drug abuse, and is the number one issue for women.  The prevalency of anxiety and anxiety related issues rose during the 1980’s.  As work and life in America become more stressful and demanding, the rates of panic and anxiety attacks rise accordingly, skyrocketing in the 1980’s.  Increasing numbers of people are experiencing instances of panic attacks, not necessisarily recurring.  One third of Americans experienced some sort of panic episode in the last year, situationally related to the economy, work situations (including layoffs or increased workloads due to company cutbacks or employee abuse), speaking in public, exams, a first date, and many other situations related or associated with panic and anxiety.

Panic attacks can come on rapidly and unexpectedly and go away within about 15 minutes or so.  Some last as long as an hour and a half or more, it varies from individual to individual.  If you have a history of panic and/or anxiety attacks, you usually know your triggers, such as being in open crowded places, public speaking, etc. and can take preventative measures to either avoid the situation, deal with it, or take any prescribed medication to reduce the intensity.

If you suffer from panic and anxiety attacks, remember that you are not alone by any means.  Quite large numbers of the population suffer from similar experiences either on a regular basis or from time to time.  An even larger number experience them sporadically or only once or twice.  With panic and anxiety attacks, they are normal “emergency” reactions by our bodies to protect us from dangerous situations, the fight or flight instinct, but are more intense and exaggerated in extreme situations. The issue is that once the anxiety or panic attack is set off, it keeps going and escallating even when there is no real physical danger or circumstance.  You have to learn to control or lesson it.

Some things to do to help yourself when you do experience an anxiety or panic attack are:

1) Calmly remind yourself that your anxiety attack or panic attack is a emergency response which is natural.  Repeat this to yourself until you take it in and believe it.

2) Tell yourself that anxiety attack and panic attack symptoms are not fun and plesant, but they are certainly not physically dangerous, and you will make it through.  Again, keep repeating this to yourself until you can internalize this.

3) This might sound obvious, but the sooner you can calm down, the sooner your anxiety attack or panic attack will subside.  Do not feed your symptoms of panic, fear, and egg yourself on.  Go with your feelings and allow them to be, don’t fight them,  and work on being calm and trying to calming yourself down.

4) Learn some calming mediation, yoga, or self relaxation techniques and be prepaired.  Practice these as often as you can, but at least a few times a week.  Learn them and when you experience an anxiety attack or panic attack, begin using what you have practiced to minimize or even totally eliminate the symptoms.  This will also take your mind off what triggered your attack in the first place, and reshift your focus elsewhere as well as calming your mind and body down.

5) Learn and practice deep, relaxing breathing.  Breath in slowly and deeply from your nose, inhaleing all the way down into your diaphram, and slowly exhale through your mouth.  Do this slowly, and repeatedly until you can regain your composure.  While doing this, focus on your breathing and feel the air go into your nose, filling up your lungs, and then exhaled through your mouth.  This can also take your mind away from the panic attack or anxiety attack and help you refocus as well as relax.

6) Be aware of your thoughts and feelings.  If you notice that your thought patterns or frame of mind are headed in a direction that you know might lead to panic, stop and refocus, and being practicing relaxation techniques.



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