Archive for September, 2009

How To Prevent Panic Attacks

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

There are different suggested methods on how to prevent panic attacks. The immediate and most common treatment will be drug therapy. This may greatly and immediately reduce the intensity and minimize the frequency of the panic attacks, but prescription medications usually have adverse effects that may worsen an already complicated condition. Benzodiazepines and SSRIs, as well as beta-blockers are the most common types of medications.

A better suggested treatment on how to prevent panic attack is to undergo psychiatric therapies, most popular of which is the cognitive-behavior therapy. The person afflicted with panic attacks will be taught to properly address his attacks. It alters his irrational thinking about his attacks so he can manage and take control of his life. The support of family and friends, including panic attacks support groups, play a great part in helping the person deal with his ailment as sometimes what the afflicted person needs is someone to talk to and be with him throughout his ordeal.

Combining psychotherapy with strict drug therapy proved to be most effective, with panic attack symptoms proven reduced after several months of treatment.

Other alternative, non-medicinal treatments for panic attacks are meditation, yoga, deep-breathing exercises and herbal remedies. The person should also be in constant consultation with his health care provider as every individual have different reactions to treatments.

But then even the best, most effective methods on how to prevent anxiety attack will not guarantee cure. The person has to be totally committed to recovering from panic attacks which may mean a total change of lifestyle and habits. By his willingness to change, only then can any method be effective.

Panic Attacks During Pregnancy

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Panic attacks are sudden brief periods of discomfort, uneasiness and anxiety. Symptoms may include a raging heartbeat or heart palpitations, shaking and trembling, dizziness or disorientation. The panic attacks usually lasts for several minutes, and then disappear when the person is removed from the cause of the attacks. The ailment is not considered to be medically dangerous, and some people can recover even without treatment.But in cases when panic attacks become debilitating and disruptive, then a more serious treatment has to be made.

Panic attacks during pregnancy, however, likewise, require a more serious consideration. Under normal conditions, the symptoms of panic attacks may be alleviated by taking prescription drugs like anti-deperssant and benzodiazepines. But in the case of a pregnant woman, treating panic attacks may not be as simple.

Research proves that taking prescription medications for panic attacks during pregnancy may cause infant birth defects, congenital heart diseases, cleft palate, and other complications. Pregnant women are highly advised to find alternative remedies for their panic attacks during pregnancy.

There are simple, non-medicinal approaches to relieving the discomforts of panic attacks. Relaxation, meditation, breathing techniques and light exercises. The pregnant woman may also want to check her lifestyle and her diet and assess what factors contribute to her panic attacks.

She may also want to attend therapy sessions with a licensed professional who can expertly guide her with relaxation methods that could reduce the frequency and minimize the intensity of panic attacks. Support groups can also help greatly as the woman go through her ordeal.

Treating panic attacks during pregnancy is a very sensitive process. Regular consultations with her physician will play an important part in this stage of a woman’s life. The safety of both the mother and the unborn child is at risk, therefore, non-medicinal, alternative methods will be her best option.

Good Anti-Anxiety Supplements

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Physical and mental stress often results to anxiety. These stress factors may be due to pressures from work, financial burden, personal relationship issues or threats to life. Some ailments may also cause anxiety, as well as the use and abuse of certain chemicals. Even withdrawal from these chemicals like amphetamines, cocaine, and nicotine has been found out to cause anxiety.

In turn, anxiety may result to sleepiness, listlessness, and irritability. To combat these discomforts, persons with anxiety immediately turn to prescription drugs, particularly anti-anxiety supplement. These medications may provide relief but they are only temporary and may have adverse effects. In some cases, anti-anxiety supplement seem to help especially at times when the person is so distressed that it renders him incapacitated or unproductive. They only target to cure the effects of anxiety, but the real cause remains.

If anti-anxiety supplement is inevitable it is highly recommended that these medications be under strict control as it may provoke addiction. It has to be combined with psychotherapy to address the real cause. These therapy sessions will teach the person to acknowledge his anxiety, educate himself about his ailment, and then help him to cope and manage the ailment. But when anxiety turns to an avoidance behavior, he is taught how to handle his stress in such a way that it is not disruptive to his life and to those around him.

These psychotherapy sessions will also provide him with information on the different alternative treatments and remedies so he can take charge of his life without succumbing to hopelessness.

But no amount of treatment and no matter how scientifically effective the anti-anxiety supplement is, the person has to have a full commitment towards recovery. This one hundred percent commitment is the key ingredient to any treatments that will allow the person to lead a stress-free life.

Can Panic Attacks Kill You?

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Distress, nervousness and anxiety often causes sudden, brief period of discomfort. These events are classified to be panic attacks. They last for several seconds and gradually elevate to several minutes until the person is removed from, or is removed of, the cause of the attacks.

Symptoms of panic attacks include heart palpitations, shaking and trembling, shortness of breath, or dizziness. Because of these symptoms, some people are prompted to ask – can panic attacks kill you?

Panic attacks are common reflexes of the brain as a reaction to conditions or situations that a person feels uncomfortable or threatened with. So then, can panic attacks kill you when it arises on occasions that a person fears the most? Scientific researches have proven that these occurrences are not medically dangerous. Some even recover without treatment and their attacks eventually diminish.

But when attacks become disturbing as such that the person often worry about having another attack, or that they are distressed with fear of possible having heart failure, lung or brain disorders, then this kind of attitude already merits a more serious medical attention.

Can panic attacks kill you in your sleep? If the panic attacks infuse with other ailments such as heart failure or asthma, or other congenital diseases, then they may have life-threatening effects that also require treatment and medication.

To eliminate this fear, people suffering from panic attacks have to be reassured that their feelings are not isolated cases. He is encouraged to seek professional help to better guide him to better cope and manage the panic attacks before they become uncontrollable.

Some prescription drugs may be recommended if the symptoms become debilitating and disruptive, also it has to be considered that there is usually a recurrence of panic attacks when medications are stopped. Physicians recommend that persons with panic attacks undergo psychotherapies to effectively minimize the frequency and intensity of panic attacks. They provide a more permanent solution so that they can live a stress-free life.

Natural Treatment For Panic Attacks

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

Anxiety, nervousness and distress are common reasons of panic attacks that cause headaches, palpitations, and trembling or shaking. The person suffering from panic attacks tend to seek immediate relief from prescription drugs which often have adverse effects and may even worsen an already complicated condition.

As such, natural treatment for panic attacks has been highly recommended by psychotherapists to provide remedy for these ailments. These treatments are healthy alternatives to prescription drugs, which targets the main reason for panic attacks instead of just alleviating the pain caused by these attacks.

One natural treatment for panic attacks is undergoing therapy sessions with a licensed professional. Among these therapies are Exposure Therapy, and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. Exposure Therapy, the person is encouraged not to avoid the cause of his attacks. It makes the person confront the real cause of the panic attacks so that they will learn that their fears are unfounded. In Cognitive-Behavior Therapy the person is taught to acknowledge and control their reaction to their panic attacks. These therapies are aimed toward the elimination and management of the attacks and less with just curing their symptoms.

Another natural treatment for panic attacks is meditation technique which teaches the person to condition himself to relax and calm his nerves, not allowing external factors to take over his life. Yoga exercises are also effective relaxing methods.

Regular exercises and a healthy diet also play a major part in conquering the symptoms of panic attacks. The combination of these two also makes for a natural treatment for panic attacks since they promote good blood circulation and the proper nourishment of the body which are essential for a balanced brain function.

But the most important in any treatment a person chooses is his commitment towards recovery and cure from panic attacks. Without commitment, even the best treatments and remedies will not be successful.

Herbal Treatments & Supplements For Anxiety

Thursday, September 10th, 2009

Many people nowadays have put so much pressure in their everyday lives in trying to keep up with the demands of the modern world. This causes distress, nervousness, and uneasiness resulting to anxiety. Because of their fast-paced lives, they immediately turn to the “quick fix” relief of prescription drugs. But besides being just temporary curses, these prescription drugs may have adverse effects that may cause an even greater problem.

To people who seek for alternative ways, herbal treatments for anxiety have been highly recommended. They may not have the same instant relief of prescription drugs but they also do not have any untoward side effects. They can be sourced naturally and does not cost as much.

These herbal treatments for anxiety also come in different forms. Some herbal remedies can be taken a tea drink like Catnip and Lemon, which has a soothing effect on the body; there are also those that come in capsule or tincture form like Valerean and Skullcap. Some herbs can mixed with food or drink like hop, passion flower and St. John‘s wort. The minty scents of thyme and eucalyptus in tincture form promotes relaxation.

Aromatherapy can also be a form of herbal treatment for anxiety. Herbs are available as oil or cream that can be applied directly to the skin, or mixed when taking a bath. Some aromatherapy candles are also available for relaxation, sometimes used while meditation or yoga exercises.

However, as different people have different reactions to medications, it is still best to consult with a physician or a herbalist to ensure the safety and correct dosage of these herbal treatments for anxiety. Some people have allergic reactions to certain herbs, while others have ailments that are beyond the cure of traditional herbal remedies.

This kind of treatment may be effective to some but some people might require an even intensive treatment and psychotherapy. Anxiety to a certain level may just need some attitude adjustment, while some anxiety attacks reach to a point of being considered a disorder and will therefore merit a more serious professional treatment.

Anxiety And Shaking

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

Anxiety is a normal response to stress and a coping tool to keep one’s mind focused. Some people who experience anxiety more often than others may have a difficult time trying to keep their anxiety and symptoms under control. It is caused by the increased sympathetic nervous system activity that occurs when one gets anxious. This tension can cause uncoordinated clumsy movements that do not flow as one normally would.

All over the world, a lot of people are suffering an epidemic of generalized anxiety disorder. A specific situation or fear can cause shaking and sometimes, trying to improve unnatural anxious movements only tends to worsen them. Shaking and shivering is most likely experienced due to muscle tension and is considered normal.

Everyone experiences worries, gets nervous, feels certain fears and apprehensions. Anxiousness may be healthy as it enables the body to react to certain stimuli and helps it to perform better. However, when anxiety gets severe, chronic and irrational, it may be high time to consult a physician for this might already be an anxiety disorder.

People oftentimes do their best to try hiding their anxious shaking for it is usually most noticeable. This is the main worry of sufferers because they fear that people will see their visible anxiety symptoms and may unfavorably judge them. This worry only increases anxiety levels which oftentimes only exaggerate shaking. If a person suffers from anxiety attacks, most often this leads to low self-esteem that he will start to avoid communication with other people nor engaging in some social activities.

Different people manifest different behavior and recognizing the symptoms of anxiety attacks can somehow be of help in overcoming it. As anxiety disorders are defined to a group of related conditions, it is important that one person who is experiencing it will have to consult a health professional. This is to help them reduce the amount of stress, develop techniques for reducing anxiety, and learn to deal with it so he can live a normal life.

Can I Take Anxiety Anxiety Medication During Pregnancy?

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

Typically, pregnancy is a time of joy, excitement and anticipation. But for many women, it is also a time of worries and doubts. During pregnancy, a woman spends most of her time thinking and worrying. There are a lot of thoughts that drowned her during this time. This common reaction oftentimes leads to anxiety which also triggers stress to women.

How anxiety in the mother may affect the pregnancy has been a topic in many research. Anxiety can cause physical and emotional symptoms especially to pregnant women. Several studies show that over anxious during pregnancy do not bear good results for the child. Anxiety disorders will most likely affect the unborn and worsen the pregnancy conditions of an expecting mother. This may contribute to poor neonatal outcomes, pre-mature delivery, low birth weight and childhood behavioral and cognitive problems.

To overcome such experience, most pregnant women rely on anxiety medication as a simple and basic solution. It is of utmost importance for women with anxiety disorders to receive some sort of treatment during this time. Pregnant women must immediately seek help from a trained professional not just for her own health but for her baby’s health. Thus, it is crucial that women with anxiety disorders be monitored during pregnancy and appropriate treatment may be administered. Although medications are not merely associated with any serious complications during pregnancy, note that it is always better to be careful for some medication also has a big risk both to the mother and to the baby. Therefore, it is always advised to take medications during pregnancy only if the benefit is much greater than the risk.

Pregnancy is too beautiful a time to be spent worrying and being depressed of anxiety. Even if some have tried every possible cure to get rid of such disorders and failed, there is hope. It is not fully clear however why pregnancy change the course of a woman’s anxiety disorder. The most essential thing is to communicate closely with a physician and most importantly, to be mentally stable during pregnancy and settle all the worries and doubts with close friends and family members. Some alternatives to medications may also be considered such as relaxation, meditation, regular good sleep patterns, talking with a counselor and learning more about negative ways of thinking.

Epilepsy And Panic Attacks Considerations

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

Epilepsy is classified as a type of seizure of the brain. Although the exact cause is unknown, psychologists define epilepsy as a neuropsychological condition affecting the nervous system. Many people are affected by epilepsy, and it could greatly affect a person’s life.

Epilepsy and panic attacks may sometimes be inter-related as one can be the result of another. A person can have a panic attack which may eventually turn to a seizure, or that seizures may be a manifestation of a panic attack. There are two main types of seizures: generalized and partial seizures. Several episodes of seizures are characterized as a disorder known as epilepsy. Some people who have epilepsy have observed the occurrence of panic attacks before becoming full-blown seizures. In case of panic disorder, the person experiencing an attack is most likely to escape from the cause of panic. There are treatments and methods that a person with panic disorder can learn and apply so he can manage and control a panic attack as it occurs. In epilepsy, however, the person suffering from this ailment may pass out after several minutes of the attack leaving him incapable of avoiding the episode. Panic attacks are dependent on stressors to manifest itself, while epilepsy is centralized on the malfunction of a specific area of the brain even without stressors.

To properly classify treatment between epilepsy and panic attacks it will be best for the patient to see the doctor for consultation. There are several determining factors to see if the person’s ailment is epilepsy or panic attacks, and with the doctor’s help, the patient can also be educated on how to properly handle his disorder and get the correct medication. Initial treatment for epilepsy will be drug therapy, much like that of panic attacks. Both ailments may also be treated with alternative remedies such as herbal medicines, relaxation therapies, acupuncture or chiropractic care. Though it may provide relief or alternate possibilities, it is still best to consult with the doctor what would be the best way for you depending on your capabilities.

Strategies For Coping With Panic Disorder

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

Panic disorder is a mental condition of continuously worrying about having another attacks or constantly fearing the possibility of have debilitating ailments such as heart, lung and brain disorders. It is a disease of the mind that is a great burden to the person affected. A person may feel paranoia over the panic disorder and it would greatly affect his way of life. Others shy away from other people for fear of the embarrassment in case an attack occurs. It affects a person in all aspects of his life. Work is affected, and a person’s family is also affected if a person has a panic disorder.

Different people have different ways of coping with panic disorder. Some choose to rely on prescription drugs for the relief of the symptoms of panic disorder. This drug therapy is recommended granting that they are given in monitored and controlled dosages.

Other people are coping with panic disorder with herbal medications. It is the most natural way of curing the symptoms of panic disorder. These herbal medicines can be easily sourced and are inexpensive. Herbal medicines do not have any side effects and can even promote holistic wellness, although they do not guarantee the “quick fix” relief of prescription drugs.

The best and most effective way of coping with panic disorder is to commit oneself to therapies. The methods used in these therapies are scientifically designed not only to help the person manage his emotions and reactions to situation, but they intend to cure the source of the panic disorder. The licensed therapist can properly guide him through effective steps depending on the individual’s abilities. The person can choose from either one-on-one sessions or group therapy. There are also online therapies available through the internet if a person would like to maintain anonimity. This could be the first step for some people who have fear of social interactions.

Coping with panic disorder is never an easy predicament. It is crucial that the person is 100% committed to recovery. The support of family and friends has also been proven effective for the member to realize the reason behind wanting to recover.