Self Help for Panic-Anxiety: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You

By Mark B

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Most people dealing with panic-anxiety tend to turn to the medical community first, and this is not necessarily a bad thing. It is generally accepted that some anxiety symptoms can be the result of a physical problem with the body — abnormal thyroid activity is one obvious example.
But the vast majority of anxiety and panic problems are not medical “conditions” caused by a physical ailment. They are emotional problems caused by poor “thinking habits.”
With every year that passes, the medical community is becoming more and more aware that our emotions have a profound effect on our physical health. For example, physical symptoms of panic-anxiety often seem so strong and pervasive, that can be difficult to believe they are caused by emotions, NOT a physical disorder in the body.
But even though doctors are becoming more aware of the connection between our state of mind and our physical health, unfortunately, this area of medicine is still not a priority in most medical schools. As a result, there are plenty of physicians out there who seem a bit clueless about the connection between emotional and physical problems.
Anxiety symptoms such as upset stomach, rapid pulse, breathing difficulty, compulsive yawning, tingling in the arms and legs, etc. are often treated with medications, as if they were caused by a physical health “disorder” or “disease.” In reality, this is a lot like putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg — it does not address the root cause of the problem, and isn’t likely to do much good.
What many doctors don’t tell patients with panic-anxiety is that anti-anxiety medications do not “cure” anxiety problems at all, or even treat the cause of the problem, which tends to be emotional in nature, NOT physical.
The truth is that overcoming these types of emotional issues requires an individual to change their lifestyle and their habits. If you continue the same lifestyle and especially “thinking habits” that brought on the anxiety problem in the first place, you can be sure the problem will continue. Prescribed drugs may alleviate some of the symptoms temporarily, but the problem itself won’t go away until you address the emotional issues that are causing it.
Bad Emotional Habits
As a former sufferer of anxiety I saw many physicians about the problem over the years, and not once in all that time did I ever hear a doctor mention the word “habits” in regard to my anxiety problem. This seems odd to me today, as I have come to realize that anxiety is ALL about habits.
The simple fact is that we all get into routines in life, and when a person is suffering with anxiety or panic attacks, it is clear that they have gotten into a routine (a series of habits) that does not serve them well at all. The solution is to simply change the routine, and first and foremost, this requires developing new “thinking habits.”
One powerful way to shake up your old routine, and develop new habits is to become very aware of what you are focusing on in your day-to-day life. Author and psychologist Albert Ellis is famous for saying “we become what we think about all day long,” and this is especially true when it comes to anxiety.
When we focus a lot of attention on anxious and worried thought, we tend to become more anxious and worried ourselves. To overcome these problems we must begin to take back control over our focus, and stop filling our minds with images of drama and conflict (especially unresolved conflict, like you’ll find in many television shows).
Panic-anxiety is usually a clear signal of an imbalance in our lives. Addressing the problem requires us to “shake things up” and challenge some of our old ways of thinking — those old (and unhelpful) “thinking habits.”

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How Panic Attack Treatment Can Lift The Dark Clouds Hovering Over Your Life

By Mark B

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Ignoring panic attack treatment can be detrimental in a number of ways however, performing self treatment without proper medical advice is folly to say the least. If you suffer regular attacks then you know how socially debillitating the condition can be but be aware that there is help available.
Having had two successive panic attacks within a short space of time during a stage of my life when turmoil was the rule rather than the exception I took some well worn advice and visited my health physician for an assessment. Thankfully, my episodes were isolated to current circumstances and with the application of some relaxation techniques, panic attack hasn’t been a factor in my life. But it got me thinking. What about those individuals who are completely oblivious to the number of treatments available?
Panic Attack Treatment Options
So what are the options. Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises are a good starting point. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is used successfully in many panic/anxiety related disorders. In many cases, patients thoughts can prove destructive in a fashion that leads to an episode and learning how to keep these thoughts in check are associated with this type of treatment. How a patient reacts to these thoughts in a positive way, replacing negative thoughts is the basis of Cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, the process can be a long drawn out one and will require committment but the results are well worth the effort.
Taking it a step further, the use of medication in conjunction with CBT can prove extremely effective. Under proper medical supervision, medication has proven to be beneficial in a high percentage of instances. The problem with many panic attack sufferers lies in the aura associated with what is perceived as receiving treatment for mental health and is a strong reason why many either delay or completely ignore the treatment that is available to them.
Making Your Move
The initial step is vital. Remember the old saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. Well, seeking professional treatment for panic attack shouldn’t be scary. The initial process will involve assessing the level of symptoms being experienced along with areas of your life which may be contributing to episodes. These could be relationship issues, work issues, family problems, personality traits and even on a more personal nature, things such as substance abuse.
Dependent on the level of symptoms being experienced, a plan of action will then be outlined. It may be that just a minor adjustment is required and this could simply involve setting some short term goals. In more chronic cases, then a longer working partnership will be required between you and your doctor.
The bottomline is panic attack treatment is not an ordeal. Your quality of life is important isn’t it? Taking that initial step may be just a matter of picking up the phone and making a call.

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How To Control Panic Attacks

By Mark B

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If you suffer from anxiety you most likely know that learning how to control panic attacks is an important step in the recovery process. Many people; however, find that traditional prescription medications provide little relief and often leave them feeling groggy and completely unlike their normal self. The good news is that there are ways in which you can control panic attacks that do not require any prescription medications. Read on for more details to find out how.
One of the first steps in learning how to control panic attacks is understanding that even though a panic attack can certainly be frightening at the time, there is no danger that you are going to die from it or that you will be hurt. While many people may feel as though they are going to lose control or go crazy during an attack, this is not actually accurate. Your body is simply responding in a biological manner to a perceived threat. The symptoms you experience during a panic attack are simply your body’s way of releasing the energy you will need to either remain and fight the danger that is perceived or flee from it. Even though you may feel as though you might be having a heart attack, losing control or going crazy, this is not the case. Work on re-training your mind to understand that none of this is going to happen.
It is also important to focus on slowing down in order to learn how to control panic attacks. One of the most common symptoms of a panic attack is an increased rate of breathing and heart rate. You can learn to control this; however, by regularly practicing breathing techniques and exercises. This will help to calm your racing thoughts as well as physically slow down your body. You can do this by inhaling and exhaling slowly and counting as you do so. As your body begins to calm and slow down many of the symptoms associated with panic attacks will also decrease including trembling, dizziness, confusion, muscle aches and tingling.
Other ways in which you can control panic attacks including contacting someone from your support system when you begin to feel first symptoms of a panic attack. This can help you to immediately take control of the situation. Even if you must speak to the person on the phone rather than in person, explaining how you are feeling can provide a good deal of comfort to immediately ease the situation.
Taking a walk to burn off the excess energy and adrenaline your body is releasing can also prove to be quite helpful.
Occupying your mind with something else when you begin to feel anxious is another great way to control panic attacks. Good ways you can do this include noticing details of what else is going on around you and listening to music. Even these simple acts can help to take your mind off the possibility of a panic attack and focus it on something more positive.
With these techniques and guidelines you can learn how to control panic attacks and begin to make the journey toward recovery.

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Nocturnal Panic Attack: 5 Things You Can Do to Eradicate Nocturnal Panic Attacks!

By Mark B

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Nocturnal panic attack can be a really troublesome disorder which is often linked with anxiety. However even without any specific situation that can be considered as source of anxiety one can have nocturnal panic attacks. So there will be situations where a patient may encounter panic attack at night even after you cure anxiety. There are number of ways of combating panic attacks and here are some of the ways of dealing with nocturnal panic attacks. However, what works with one may not work with the other; so if one of the below does not work with you always remember to try another option until you find something that works with you.1. Get mentally ready for your bedtime with a relaxing routine. In other words, let the mind and body know that it is time to rest for the night.  First, as it gets closer to the normal bedtime, avoid foods and drinks that will take longer to digest. Examples of those are; high-fat and high sugar foods; as well as alcohol. Also things like: mild exercise, breathing techniques, aromatherapy, and playing soothing music or white noise seems to help.2. If you do wake to a panic attack at night you will need to use either self-talk or a relaxation technique or a combination of the two.  You need to tell yourself that you are having a nocturnal panic attack; you are home, safe in your bed. You should find something in the room to focus on while beginning to slow your breathing and heart rate. If you find that you are still not relaxed and over the attack again you may need to leave the bed for a while.3. Medication has also been shown to help patients who have had no success with other methods, or even patients that prefer not to try other treatments for nocturnal panic attacks.  In this instance the physician could prescribe from a long list of medication types, such as:  antidepressants, Benzodiazepines and MAOIs, just to name a few.4. Support groups or group therapy may be another cure for panic attacks. Just knowing that “you are not alone” in suffering can be a great relief to many patients. 5. In some cases Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has shown great results in helping patients with panic attacks at night.  This is a long-term program that uses many techniques including but not limited to: relaxation, image therapy, methods to manage panic, breathing techniques, and cognitive restructuring. All things considered, the best approach is to contact a physician and discuss cures for panic attack at night; and of course we all know that making sure that the doctor knows all the facts is always in the best interest of the patient. Do remember the above listed options are just few effective cures for nocturnal panic attacks and there are certainly more ways of dealing with the problem. For more information on eradicating nocturnal panic attacks you can visit our website today.

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How To Handle Panic Attack Disorder

By Mark B

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Statistics in the past year, indicated between 10 to 12 % people suffered some form of panic attack. Some the most common related terms are given in the list below.

- General Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Attack Disorder
- Anxiety Panic Disorder
- Peformance Anxiety
- Anxiety Disorder
- Social Anxiety Disorder

Panic attacks make up the number-one problem facing men and women and is second only to alcohol and drug-related problem. As a reponse to stressful situations, like examinations, public speaking, worry of layoffs, up goes anxiety. Such heightened disorder, has become a normal occurrence affecting one out of three persons in the past year.

Symtoms of Anxiety Panic Disorder
Panic attack disorder symptoms include shortness of breath, a choking feeling, heart palpitations, sweating, shaking and trembling, chest pains, dizziness, hot flashes or cold chills, feeling of unreality (such as being in a fog, on the moon, in mid air), and fear of dying, or losing control.

Panic attacks which can come unexpectedly, with at least six or seven of the symptoms you have just read, escalates quickly will subsides within minutes. On the other hand, anxiety panic disorder builds up gradually and is not sudden and unexpected, symptoms are fewer and milder.

Anxiety Panic Disorder is an emergency response

In general anxiety disorder is not that bad though. It keeps us primed, as if it trains us to be always on our toes. It also keeps us psychologically alert, an emergency response. Proper exercises can be good to ensure things may start to get nasty.

When we are engulfed in our ‘panic room’, we have one of two choices. We can either face it or get away from it. This is better known as the “fight” or “flight” response. Given a choice, would you face it and experience its full impact, or would you rather retreat or run away from it?

If we equate panic to fear (the two are similar in a lot of ways), the easy way out is to avoid it. But there is always a great chance (and you can be sure of it) that it will haunt you again and again. Whatever that fear is, literally speaking, this will keep you on the run and you will always be checking and looking behind you, cowering from it. The more you run away from it, the more it will chase you and make fun of you. It will be like a ghost running after you!

Given this kind of a situation, it is apparently more logical to face panic attacks. But do not “fight” the symptoms of any attack. Try to “flow” with the symptoms and allow yourself to become calm. Keep reminding yourself that what you are experiencing is a natural emergency response.

The more experiences you get out of it, the more confident you become. And when you are confident, what you used to fear will not make you fearful anymore. You will get immune to it. The more instances you are able to handle it, the more capable you will be each time it occurs, like practice. Practice makes perfect. In the end, you will perfect the art of handling your condition, from fearing it to handling it remarkably in a positive way. That’s an achievement.

Now, let’s go back to the point where you still dread panic attacks with a question you might raise that goes: “Just how am I supposed to face a anxiety panic disorder knowing all too well it might subdue and eat me out of my guts?” The answer: “You don’t do anything about it. Just let it be. Let it run its entire course and just experience it”. But then you may ask: “What if I don’t survive it?” The answer: “You will definitely survive it.

Keep this in mind. This experience is a state of mind, an apprehension. It is just imagined. There is no way a person will experience a brush on something like a heart attack, a coma, or even death because this condition is not life threatening. There is never a recorded case of a person who has died as a result of anxiety. Rest your mind to the fact that this condition is not a physical ailment, even with the physical manifestations like sweating, palpitations, stomach cramps, and all that. You will be able to face and experience its full impact without any life-threatening effects. Bring it on”. This is the attitude you must adopt the next time you have a bout with it.

Say silently inside your head “I am becoming calm….It’s a matter of minutes only. I can handle it as I have handled it before. . .I am calm and steady. ” Like we must always believe, “if you think you can – then you can”.

Thank you for reading.

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