Cindy Heller asked:


Although anxiety is accepted as being a normal and healthy emotion, some people suffer from intense anxiety, which ends up affecting their lives and causing them to keep away from certain situations that they used to be able to deal without difficulty. If you are suffering from anxiety then you should begin on finding an appropriate and effective method of treatment.

The first thing you need to do is determining the type of anxiety disorder you suffer from. There are five main types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Effective treatments for each anxiety disorder are accessible, and new and enhanced treatments are always becoming available.

Non-medication treatments

Once you have found out the type of anxiety that you are suffering from you will be able to find the suitable anxiety disorder treatment. Mild anxiety disorders can often be treated relatively simple with relaxation and breathing techniques. Yoga, for instance, is a great type of exercise that can really help with anxiety and related health conditions. This is definitely something that should be tried prior to more serious forms of anxiety disorder treatment.

If your anxiety is more severe or constant, then therapy or counseling may become the best option. Cognitive behavioral therapy for one has been confirmed to be very effective in the treatment of all types of anxiety disorder. In this therapy you work one on one with an experienced and qualified mental health professional, who will assist you to deal with your fears in a safe and controlled environment. Over time you will be able to find out the root of your anxiety and from there work towards developing a treatment plan that will lead you to your normal life.

You can also select an anxiety disorder treatment plan that involves natural and herbal treatments. Herbal remedies such as valerian root and kava kava have over and over again proven to be effective at treating anxiety disorders and depression. You do need to keep in mind that just because these herbal remedies are natural it does not indicate that you do not still have to be careful. If taken inappropriately, these remedies can actually worsen your anxiety.

Hypnotherapy, biofeedback, and acupuncture are other options for anxiety disorder treatment. In order to determine which one is going to work best for you, you need to talk to your doctor. You may need to try a few different methods before you find the one that works best for you and your particular anxiety condition.

Medications for anxiety disorder

Generally, most treatments for anxiety disorders include at least one prescription medication. If you start taking medication as a treatment for anxiety disorder, it is important to understand that this should not be a long-term solution and you should keep working with a certified mental health professional in order to determine the root cause of your anxiety.

There are several common medications for anxiety disorder and one of them is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Serotonin is known as the brain’s all-natural happy drug. Scientists believe that a lack of serotonin is the source of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks and therefore the purpose of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors is to increase the levels of serotonin in the brain. Some familiar brands that use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are Prozac and Zoloft.

Benzodiazepines are another choice of medication, which act like minor tranquilizers. They decelerate the body’s nervous system, giving it an all-over calm. These types of medications can be addictive, so they should only be taken as prescribed. Some well-known brand names are Xanax and Valium.

Another medication that is used to treat anxiety disorder is antidepressants, which affect the neurotransmitters in the brain. Effexor is a good example of this type of anxiety disorder medication. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are very strong antidepressant drugs that should only be taken as a last resort after all other treatments have been tried. These drugs can be lethal when combined with certain other drugs and foods. One thing that need to be noted, anyone who takes antidepressants may become more susceptible to suicide, especially when they first begin to take them or when the dosage is changed.

Last important remark

Taking time to find the right treatment for your anxiety disorder is going to be vital to your success and you are going to want to work with a professional, especially if you have little knowledge on anxiety disorders in general. Remember that treatment for anxiety disorder is as different as the individuals who use them, and what works well for one person may not be effective for you. You may find relief from various sources of treatment including medication, therapy, self-help, alternative medicine or another form of treatment, and it may take some time and some trial and error in order to discover what works best for you.

One thing to remember is that support from family and friends are also very important. Many communities have organized support groups for people with different difficulties and you should be able to find a support group dedicated to anxiety disorder. These groups are typically made up of people with similar problems. Most patients find it reassuring to realize that they are not alone. Others in the group will be able to share advices, failures, and successes.



Phobia Help

Tags: anxiety children, anxiety attacks, anxiety disorder, anxiety treatment, symptoms of anxiety, anxiety help, anxiety therapy, stop anxiety attack

John Casement asked:


There are many natural ways to reduce anxiety is everyday life. There are also many non-natural, or prescription drug related, remedies to help with anxiety. While there is no full-proof way to cure panic attacks and no true cures for social anxiety, there is help for anxiety attacks and ways to relieve stress.

There are many natural remedies for anxiety and strategies to reduce anxiety. The beginning method of how to get rid of social anxiety disorders and learning how to deal with panic attacks is to speak with a professional about the problem. A psychotherapist, or a doctor who knows how to learn about a mental problem through speaking, is able to assist greatly in identifying anxiety attack symptoms and suggesting anxiety solutions. While there is no real way to cure anxiety, there is help for anxiety and depression, which is often the effect of the anxiety.

Once one speaks with the psychotherapist, one is better able to identify the symptoms of an anxiety attack. These symptoms can include, but are not limited to, rapid breathing, a rapid heartbeat, sweating, feeling jittery and nervous, dizziness, and fainting. There can also be sudden gastrointestinal problems due to the anxiety attack. These symptoms often get worse and strike more frequently if the issue is left unresolved. If left untreated, chronic anxiety can set in, crippling one’s life and hindering life quality.

There are many ways to prevent anxiety from hindering life’s joys, although there is no real way to eliminate anxiety completely. One such way is to reduce the stress the body is subjected to. This includes getting the appropriate amount of sleep that is needed by the body. The typical body needs seven to eight hours to be completely rested and relaxed. Every individual body is different though, and more or less may be required by each person. Another way to reduce stress is to eat a healthy diet and to eliminate stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine. In the process of changing to a healthy diet, alcohol should be avoided as well. Getting proper exercise can also help to reduce the physical stresses of everyday life. These exercises can be as simple as taking a walk, either in a park, around the block, or on the treadmill.

Once the physical stresses that help to bring about anxiety attacks are lowered to a reasonable level, one can work on the emotional aspect of anxiety disorders. It is important to make sure the person feels that their life is in their control. This means to have them take stock of their life and find ways to better organize it so that the control can be seen. This is one of the major ways to relieve anxiety. Once the control can be seen and felt, meditation and other relaxing methods can be pursued. These anti-stress and anti-anxiety methods of relaxation and meditation have been shown to decrease the number of attacks and anxieties of a person.

If none of this is working and anxiety threatens to cripple one’s social life, drug therapy may be recommended. These drugs are often beta-blockers and anti-depressants. These drugs are not for everyone though and can cause some serious side effects. Most doctors try to use the natural methods to control anxiety in their patients. It does work, it just takes time.

By understanding when one is having an anxiety attack and by understanding the nature of the attack, one is better able to assist in providing anxiety solutions or alleviate the symptoms of the attack. Even though the victim of the attack often knows that the fear is irrational, having someone who also knows this is a major aid to cure panic attacks.



Phobia Help

Tags: anxiety children, symptoms of anxiety, stop anxiety attack, anxiety attacks, anxiety help, anxiety disorder, anxiety treatment, anxiety therapy

Juliet Cohen asked:


Anxiety disorders are the most common of emotional disorders, annually affecting more than 20 million Americans. Anxiety which interferes with normal activities like going outside or interacting with other people. Anxiety attacks are the most extreme example of an anxiety reaction. Anxiety disorders fill people’s lives with overwhelming anxiety and fear. When anxiety reaches a level at which the symptoms cause the sufferer to experience symptoms which exceed those normally experienced during an appropriate anxiety reaction, an anxiety attack is formed. Anxiety reactions are formed in the subconscious mind by a small organ called the Amygdala. Anxiety attacks can be eliminated very simply. Because anxiety attacks and high anxiety are the result of a learning process in the subconscious mind which causes the amygdala to react inappropriately, it can be ‘un-learned’ in the same way. Anxiety attacks are strong sensations that for many people creates the feeling of dying or going crazy. Anxiety attacks, also called panic attacks, are unexpected episodes of intense terror or fear. Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. People with anxiety disorders often have a family history of anxiety disorders, mood disorders, or substance abuse.

Anxiety attacks usually come without warning, and although the fear is generally irrational, the perceived danger is very real. Symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks / anxiety attacks include racing heart, hyperventilation or breathing difficulties, as well as chest pain, nausea or dizziness, headaches, shaking and trembling, and many more. Anxiety can also exacerbate many pre-existing medical conditions, such as ulcers, hypertension, and respiratory conditions including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Furthermore, anxiety is associated with mitral valve prolapse, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic tension headaches. Behavioural therapy - performed with a mental health professional to help gain control over unwanted behaviour. Cognitive therapy - similar to behavioural therapy but dealing with unhelpful and unproductive thoughts patterns.Anxiety medications can be habit forming and may have unwanted side effects, so be sure to research your options.

Medication - A short prescription of benzodiazepine tablets, such as diazepam, may be helpful in relieving short-term stress-related anxieties. Beta blockers are the best drug class to control physical symptoms of anxiety & panic attack and are normaly prescribed to prevent rapid heartbeat, shaking and trembling related symptoms. Buspirone is another medicine that is prescribed in the short-term to relieve anxiety. Antidepressants such as paroxetine may be prescribed for certain anxiety disorders such as generalised anxiety disorder, social phobia and OCD, and when anxiety is associated with depression. Group therapy - with one or two specialised therapists, particularly helpfully for certain conditions such as difficultly relating to others or being scrutinised by others. Psychoeducation - recognition by the patient that they have a treatable medical condition, and self-education through books and websites, and mental health professionals.

Anxiety and Anxiety Attacks Treatment Tips

1. Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) is very effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

2. Medication is sometimes used in the short-term to alleviate severe symptoms so that other forms of therapy can be pursued.

3. Relaxation techniques – Relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, controlled breathing, and guided imagery may reduce anxiety.

4. Biofeedback – Using sensors that measure physiological arousal brought on by anxiety.

5. Hypnotherapy – Hypnosis for anxiety is conducted by a clinical hypnotherapist.



See Linden Method

Tags: symptoms of anxiety, anxiety help, anxiety attacks, stop anxiety attack, anxiety children, anxiety disorder, anxiety treatment, anxiety therapy

Jocelyn Snider asked:


Anxiety medications are prescribed to anxiety sufferers to relieve anxiety and depression.

Many people have experienced anxiety at some points in their lives. I have and I’m sure most of you have. It keeps us alert and helps us deal with any stressful events that we may encounter. Anxiety can sometimes interfere with our daily life activities, don’t you agree? If we worry, we often can’t concentrate on the things we do, but if we look on the bright side of anxiety, where it can help us handle a situation, I must say that it can be used to our advantage, as well. For example, in an exam, because of fear of not getting the score you aimed, you tend to give your best shot and the result could be higher than you expect. That happens to me, too. And I can tell you, anxiety sometimes can be of big help.

How we all wish anxiety gives us all the best it can do to us rather than the worst. Unfortunately, it’s not the way anxiety works. If anxiety attacks we wish there could be ways to stop it for anxiety really does affect your mood, work, and practically your daily life routine. Otherwise, people suffering from anxiety are usually left immobilized; unable to perform effectively on you regular daily routine.

Anxiety can be treated by medication or by psychotherapy. It is said that psychotherapy can be the most effective treatment for anxiety. But, anxiety medications, such as anti-depressants may be added if needed be. Anxiety medications help relax and calm the anxious person and can remove the troubling symptoms that come with anxiety.

There are several anti-anxiety medications that are available today. The preferred are Benzodiazepines such as Valium, Xanax/Zanex, and Ativan. Aside from the Benzodiazepines, other medications, like Buspirone, Beta-blockers, and Gabapentin are sometimes also taken to treat anxiety. Antidepressants are also effective for anxiety attacks and some other phobias are frequently prescribed for these conditions. They are also seldom used for generalized forms of anxiety, especially if anxiety is accompanied by depression.

Aside from Benzodiazepines, among the other anxiety medications are Buspirone, Tricylic, Antidepressants, or SSRIs, are also the preferred medications for most anxiety disorders, rarely for specific reasons. One of the following medications maybe prescribed: Antipsychotic medications, Antihistamines, like Atarax, Vistaril, and others; Barbiturates, such as Phenobarbital, and Beta-blockers, like Propranolol. All of these anxiety medications help relieve anxiety and depression and must be prescribed by health professionals for there are medications that might not good for you. For example, Benzodiazepines are usually not prescribed to people having social anxiety condition with substance problems.

But, if your anxiety only occur on certain occasion, Seredyn is good for you. Seredyn has natural ingredients and provide long lasting relief. It promotes relaxation, reduces worry, and relieves irritability and tension. Seredyn can also be taken everyday for chronic anxiety or as needed for occasional anxiety or panic attacks.

When it comes to anxiety medications, make it a point to ask your doctor what is necessary and safe for you to take. Not all anxiety medications works on your specific anxiety condition.



End Anxiety Attack Now

Tags: anxiety children, anxiety attacks, stop anxiety attack, symptoms of anxiety, anxiety disorder, anxiety therapy, anxiety help, anxiety treatment

Alien asked:


Anxiety treatment is not a “one size fits all” proposition. What is an effective anxiety treatment for one person may not work at all for another person and while there are several anxiety medications on the market today, each person reacts differently to different drugs and dosages. This is the main reason why it is so important to never take anyone else’s medication or give your medication to another person. Knowing the causes of your anxiety can also go quite a way in helping you control your anxiety, but when that knowledge just becomes to out of reach, there are therapists available to guide you through that troubled time. Especially if your anxiety attacks are becoming for severe or frequent.

When It Is Necessary To Seek Anxiety Treatment?

Anxiety treatment is all about various anxiety disorders and how they are treated and psychologists who treat anxiety disorders use group therapy and workshops as well as support groups to provide the patients with anxiety treatment. One may first of all have to find a psychologist who has excellent references and is accepted by his insurance company.

Anxiety may be defined as being a natural response that occurs emotionally and is caused by threatening situations with worrisome feelings, nervousness and unease clearly evident in the patient. Some other causes of anxiety could be upcoming exams or pressure to perform at the workplace. Most often, such feelings are reasonable and the person may not have any trouble adapting to it and sometimes the feeling of anxiety may last for weeks and for this the patient may have to request for short-term anxiety treatment.

It is believed that as many as 25 per cent of all people have experienced some form of anxiety or the other in their lives. Individual and different types of anxieties have their own specific symptoms and anxiety treatments vary from type to type and individual case to case. One should not postpone seeking help and should consult a medical professional to obtain anxiety treatment without any delay because most people who suffer from anxiety think of it as being a weakness and therefore, put off getting anxiety treatment.

Sometimes anxiety may be caused by using a substance or a particular medical condition and there may not be any need for anxiety treatment and all that the person has to do is to stop using the offending substance to alleviate the problem. In any case, there are anxiety treatments that make use of medication and those that are non-medicinal by nature, like therapy.

Different Anxiety Treatment Methods

For most anxiety disorders it has been found that a mix of medication and non-medication would be the ideal type of anxiety treatment for the patient. There are many different medications available for various anxiety disorders and the anxiety treatment can make use of these to bring the patient back on track.

There are places such as The Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders that conduct extensive research in the field of anxiety disorders and have been doing so for over 20 years. They provide anxiety treatment for a number of different types of anxiety disorders and also include depression



Easy Calm Real Anxiety Relief

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Michael Lee asked:


If you’re experiencing anxiety attack symptoms, then you have to quickly have yourself tested and treated. Recognize the signs of anxiety and take some time to cure it, no matter how hectic your lifestyle is. How do you know if regular conditions that make you worried or uneasy are just normal, or something that needs immediate attention, like anxiety attack symptoms?

Anxiety Attack Symptoms

The most common anxiety attack symptom is intense fear or phobia. This often unfounded fear may be accompanied by any one or more of the following:

• Heart palpitations and faster heartbeats

• Dizziness or nausea

• Pins and needles muscle pain

• Difficulty in breathing

• Hot or cold flashes

• Excessive sweating and/or tremors.

• Chest pain

• Having a feeling of impending doom. You may feel that something bad is going to happen to you or to your loved ones.

• Stomach problems – feeling sick to your stomach, diarrhea and sometimes even vomiting

An anxiety attack usually lasts half an hour or less. It can be a one-time event or a repetitive one. If anxiety attack symptoms are frequent and regular, you may be already suffering from an anxiety disorder. Sometimes, anxiety attacks are triggered by the fear of having another anxiety attack.

Anxiety Disorder

This disorder is characterized by chronic worrying and repeated episodes of anxiety or panic attacks.

Aside from the symptoms associated with anxiety attacks, those with anxiety disorder generally experience difficulty concentrating, change in appetite, frequent need to use the bathroom, insomnia, restlessness, lethargy, irritability, loss of interest in life, muscle tension, fatigue and others.

The most common type of anxiety disorder is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This is usually associated with a false or irrational fear that something terrible will happen in the future. This could mean being so preoccupied about the cause of your anxiety so much that you cannot focus on other things like work. Sometimes there is no exact cause for the anxiety, though feelings of dread overwhelm the person on a daily or regular basis.

Anxiety Treatments and Medication

A counselor can usually treat mild anxiety. The counselor can give breathing and relaxation exercises to deal with anxiety attacks when they occur. It also helps to do regular meditation on your own.

Some herbs like chamomile, which has a calming effect, can also help. Testimonial evidence shows that valerian and passion flower, when combined, effectively reduce anxiety. Other herbs that can be used for treatment are kava hops, skullcap, motherwort, pennyroyal, St. John’s wort, and linden.

For severe cases, relaxation exercises and herbal remedies may only be supplemental to anxiety medications. Recommended medication especially for GAD is alprazolam, which is most effective for anxiety disorders with biological basis. The right dose of alprazolam, though, differs from patient to patient. Finding the best dose for you may take time, but consulting a good doctor may make it easier.

Understanding anxiety attack symptoms and its signs may help you and others effectively deal with this disorder. With the proper treatment, anyone suffering from anxiety attacks can gradually live a happy and fearless life.



Easy Calm Real Anxiety Relief

Tags: stop anxiety attack, anxiety treatment, anxiety disorder, symptoms of anxiety, anxiety attacks, anxiety help, anxiety children, anxiety therapy

Hailey Harris asked:


a strong connection between anxiety and depression. Discovering the connection between anxiety and depression will help you to understand and overcome your disorder more easily.

Connection Between Anxiety and Depression

The terms anxiety and depression disorders are most often confused and related with each other. But in fact both have different meanings and are in fact the two different states of mental disorder. However, it is also true that sometimes anxiety may lead to depression or vice-versa.

According to a precise definition of anxiety, “It is basically a feeling of nervousness or un easiness, which creates a critical disturbance in the mental state, thus leading to the chronic or generalized anxiety.”

Anxiety disorder is a medical problem that can lead to mental illness. Such a disorder usually creates extreme terror & fear in one’s life. Besides this, it can generate a lot of mental strain on the brain. This stress if not treated well in time can tend to become a chronic stress. The common symptoms of anxiety include extreme pressure on the brain, heart palpitations and sweating. The different types of Anxiety disorders are:

Panic disorder OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) PTD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Social phobia Specific phobia Generalized Anxiety Similarly according to an accurate and precise definition of depression, “Depression is basically a medical disorder usually characterized by hopelessness, extreme feeling of sadness and irritability in temperament along with the lack of interest in life”.

Depression is categorized into three different forms:

Major Depression Dysthymia Bi-polar disease

Depending upon the varying temperaments, the mode of depression may vary from person to person. A depressed person may encounter the feelings of helplessness or he may fail to cope with this state. Thus, ultimately depression may end up with the feelings of anxiety.

Alternatively, it is the feeling of anxiety that is faced initially by a person and that tends to the state of depression. Such a situation mainly arises because a person fails to cope with these anxiety disorders. But, in fact both these disorders can lead to a serious disability factor in the brain.

Inter-Relationship Between Anxiety And Depression:

Both Depression and Anxiety are the serious mental ailments. A depressed person generally experiences low-energy state accompanied with the lack of interest in life. This ultimately results in anxiety disorder and the sufferer might face panic attacks.

Generally, both these disorders are cured in a similar way. To cure anxiety ‘antidepressant drugs’ are mostly used while ‘behavioral therapy’, often aids to overcome both these troubles.

Common Techniques To Overcome Anxiety And Depression

There are certain natural therapies which if followed appropriately will definitely help to overcome depression and anxiety disorders.

Intake of a Rich and Nutritious Diet:

It is always recommended to take a balanced diet in order to overcome depression and anxiety disorders. There are certain food ingredients that hike the anxiety level of a person. It includes sugar and some food additives. In addition to it, there are certain food supplements and herbs that help to calm down the nervous system. Some of such supplements include kava, vitamin B valerian teas and chamomile.

Follow Relaxation Techniques:

Anxiety and depression not only harm the mental state but also the physical well being of a person. Generally, it is recommended that a person should follow proper relaxation tips to overcome these troubles. Some of the significant relaxation tips include deep breathing, bio-feedback and the muscle relaxation. Regular exercising also helps in overcoming depression and anxiety. It minimizes the muscle tension, discharges frustrations & reduces the level of adrenaline in the blood, thus helps to overcome anxiety and depression.



End Anxiety Attack Now

Tags: anxiety treatment, symptoms of anxiety, anxiety help, anxiety children, anxiety therapy, anxiety disorder, stop anxiety attack, anxiety attacks

John Casement asked:


Anxiety can strike at any time, for any reason. Knowing the anxiety attack symptoms and the affects of anxiety can help one deal with the disorder. Knowing natural remedies for anxiety and ways to relieve anxiety can bring a sense of peace to a normally worrisome lifestyle. While science has yet to produce a way to cure anxiety completely, there are ways to control anxiety naturally. There are even natural ways to cure panic attacks. While none of these natural remedies promises to eliminate anxiety, they are strategies to reduce anxiety.

The anxiety attack is the body’s fight or flight mechanisms thrown into over drive. This over reaction can cause a jittery sensation, a feeling of loss of control, dizziness, sweating, a rapid heart rate and rapid respiration. All of these symptoms can be controlled with practice to alleviate the pressures of an anxiety attack and possibly prevent one from fully occurring.

One of the best ways to relieve stress and anxiety is to center one’s self and relax. Anxiety is the body’s reaction to stress. Stress is just the outside world affecting our body in a negative manner, although not often a threatening manner or overly harmful manner. This stress is usually caused by relationships, work, and the normal problems of day-to-day life such as bills and driving. It is when this stress gets an over-reaction from the body that anxiety attacks occur.

Another great way to relieve stress is to make sure to get plenty of rest and sunshine. Many studies have been done to illustrate the relationship between not enough sleep, not enough sunlight and anxiety. These studies have shown that when enough sleep is reached, anxiety levels are decreased. Sunlight also plays an impact on anxiety. If not enough direct sunlight is received by the body, a deficiency in vitamin d can occur and the chances of anxiety and anxiety attacks increase.

Anxiety can also be reduced by changing the way one thinks. Rather than deciding against an event because one feels that something bad will occur, one should look for reasons to go. By deciding to take the necessary steps to become an optimist verse a pessimist, one cuts the chance of suffering an anxiety attack.

Phobias cause a lot of anxiety and anxiety attacks. These phobias can be such things at an irrational fear of water or even the fear of being around people. Those with a lesser fear of people are often known to have social anxiety. By confronting these fears and realizing the irrationality of the fear in a controlled setting with professional assistance, one can reduce the fear and the possibility of an anxiety attack.

Physical conditions can also cause anxiety attacks and anxiety in general. If there are underlying medical causes for the anxiety, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or poor diet; correcting the condition can eliminate anxiety completely. These conditions can have a major effect on the body’s brain chemistry.



Easy Calm Real Anxiety Relief

Tags: anxiety children, symptoms of anxiety, anxiety therapy, anxiety help, anxiety disorder, stop anxiety attack, anxiety treatment, anxiety attacks

Dan Stelter asked:


 So what happens when a person first identifies that he or she suffers from an anxiety disorder?  For all of us, thousands of thoughts are pouring through our brain at the same moment.  I’m a freak!  What do I do?  What’s wrong with me?  Is there any cure?  To further worsen the situation, many of us have lives that are full of all sorts of other drama such as addiction, other mental illness like bipolar disorder, or chaotic or nonexistent interpersonal relationships!  This is indeed difficult to overcome!  What should a person do in order to turn a complete 180 and live a happy and healthy life rather than a sad and miserable one?

Counseling

  The first thing to do is to find a good counselor.  Good counseling can be a hard find, and it can also be expensive.  To find a good counselor, one simply needs to find a personality type with which he or she can work well.  Some counselors are in-your-face and confrontational, while others are very laid-back, perhaps even more anxious than the client at the first meeting.  Sometimes, a person will find that a particular counselor just is not working well with him or her for whatever reason; at this point it is important to remember that the client is the boss of the counselor.  If the client wants, he or she can fire the counselor and see another one – just make sure that the counselor is being fired for an inability to work effectively with the client, and not because of a silly superficial reason like the client disliking the way the counselor asks questions. 

 Keep in mind that the term here used is “counselor,” and that it is used for a very specific reason.  Many other professionals can treat anxiety; these include therapists, psychiatrists, and psychologists.  The reason I recommend a counselor is because a counselor typically takes in the “big picture.”  As noted earlier, those of us with anxiety struggles in our lives often have many other stressful situations co-occuring which serve to increase our anxiety level.  Therapists and psychiatrists will focus on reducing only the anxiety, while possibly psychologists, and definitely counselors, will look at the other stressful situations such as difficult parents, bad significant others, or substance dependency which may be playing an important role in increasing the client’s anxiety level.

 Finally, counseling can be expensive, but it can be made affordable.  Typically, counseling will run somewhere from $75-$125 per hour, which is way outside the range of affordability for those of us without insurance.  One thing to check into is “sliding-scale” counseling, which is where a counselor will lower his or her fee based on the client’s income.  Simply placing a call to the local NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill), looking in the phone book for counseling agencies (Counselors are more than happy to help.  Feel free to call ANY agency and they will know someone at their organization or someone else’s who can provide sliding-scale services), or asking friends and relatives who are comfortable with this topic will eventually turn up something affordable.

 Counseling is incredibly beneficial, and it does not last a lifetime-only until the counselor and the client are comfortable the client can operate on his or her own.  It helped me to completely turn my life around in a matter of months! There is no shame in it.  Everybody has problems, but most do not seek help.  It takes great courage and strength to admit one has problems and ask for help, but it can be the best decision one makes in life.

Exercise

 The next most important thing to add to one’s life, if it does not exist already, is regular exercise that increases one’s heart rate to 80% of its maximum for twenty minutes three times per week.  Exercise helps to increase one’s confidence and general feelings of well being, while simultaneously adding energy (exercise is like a natural caffeine) and enhancing the quality of one’s sleep, and most important to this article, it reduces anxiety!  Exercise is great in every way for a person’s health.  For more details on exercise’s relationship to anxiety, read ASN’s article entitled Anxiety and Exercise.

Medication

 Medication is a very controversial topic in our society, and it is very wise for each person to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of taking medication.  One thing to remember about medication is that different people respond to the same medication in different ways.  I take a low dosage of Lexapro (10 mg), and that works really well for me.  But, another person may try it and receive no benefit whatsoever, or even worse, that person may experience increased anxiety and other symptoms while receiving no benefit at all.  The best thing to do is to keep a brief journal of how one is thinking and feeling in the days after taking the medication.  Give the medication a couple of months to take full effect, and to allow the body to adjust to this new substance.  If things are not going quite right, either switch the medication or go off of it entirely.

 Another point to consider when thinking about medication is how the client would like the medication to work in his or her life.  The Lexapro that I am on is intended to be a medication that I take daily and that is working all the time.  Some people may experience low anxiety most of the time, but extreme anxiety in certain situations.  Medications exist which only have an effect for a few hours at a time, and in my opinion, the less medication that is running through the body, the better. 

 The technical aspects of medication are not my area of expertise; I know only the generalities of medication.  But, what I have given is solid advice.  The bottom line is for clients to realize that they are the expects on themselves, and if something is not working right or is causing more bad than good, it is perfectly okay to change things up or stop medication entirely.

 Finally, medication is not a requirement for recovery from anxiety, but it certainly can be helpful.  It is most effective when used in combination with counseling, diet, exercise, and supportive friends.  For additional details, read ASN’s article Medication – Don’t Believe the Hype!

Biofeedback

 Biofeedback can be another very helpful option in helping anxiety-sufferers to relax.  If a client is seeing a counselor, be sure to ask about it.  Many counselors keep simple biofeedback devices ready and available, or know where to get them for a reasonable price.  The university that I attend has a counseling center that allows students to check out the devices and use them for free, so this can be a viable option for persons in that age range.  Otherwise, I have been told that biofeedback devices that hook up to any household computer can run only about $125 or so.

 Different types of biofeedback devices exist, and the only one I know about is one that has little “caps,” for lack of a better term, that connect to the middle, index, and ring fingers.  These caps are then connected to another device that is attached to a computer.  The caps measure the electrical resistance across a person’s skin.  In this particular biofeedback system, a game, called the Wild Divine, is played that helps to teach the anxious person how to relax.  For myself, I found it moderately beneficial, and I do not have the time to do it these days.  However, it was helpful, and different things can work for different people, so if one is able to try out biofeedback and one finds it useful, use it!

Taking Risks

 The next, and probably scariest part of recovering from anxiety is taking risks.  One can read all the information that exists, go to counseling, or engage in biofeedback all one wants, however, one eventually must take the real risks and begin to approach situations that are terrifying. 

 Probably the best way to do this is to discuss the terrifying situation with a counselor or supportive friend.  People who are outside of the situation can see it more realistically and can help a person to identify his or her anxious thoughts that are not very realistic.  After actually taking the risk, report the happenings to the trusted friend or counselor, and again they will help the client or friend interpret the situation in a realistic sense.  This is the best way to help one realize that the anxious beliefs and thoughts are simply not true. 

 If a person ends up failing and not taking the risk, there is no problem!  Simply regroup, take a break, and get ready to get back at it because limitless opportunities exist for taking risks!

Supportive Social Network

 Another major key to one’s recovery is having a supportive social network.  Many of us live in families where personal problems are not to be discussed.  These persons may claim that mental conditions such as social anxiety do not exist (this is an extreme point of view), or they may simply belittle or mock the problems that other people face (as an aside, other people do this usually because they are trying to avoid problems in their own lives and want to make themselves feel better about their situation). 

 Having a supportive social network means that we can go somewhere to talk to people who have experience with anxiety.  Not only this, but a supportive social network will be made of people who will listen and try to understand what one is experiencing, and perhaps offer some useful advice or sympathy for the situation.  If a friend or family member seems resistant to understanding difficulties present in other person’s lives, one can continue to attempt to help that person understand, but ultimately, it is best to seek out other people who have common experience with anxiety, as it is impossible to force someone to understand something.

 All humans need some sort of social network and place to vent their problems; it is a requirement of a happy life.  Places that offer supportive social networks can include the Anxiety Support Network’s forum, NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) meetings (these typically only exist in larger cities), and anxiety groups that can be run in many different places such as the local library or a local counseling agency.

Regrouping During Burnout

 

 Finally, one thing that is inevitable for all of us is that we will all hit a point where we feel burned out from all the anxiety we have been facing.  This happened to me many times over the years, and I believe that it will happen again; the reason I continue to want to recover from anxiety is that the burnout becomes less frequent and less intense over the years.  In the past, it may have happened every couple weeks or so, but now it may only happen once or twice per year, and only under very stressful conditions.

 It is important to remember at this point that what we need to do is to take care of ourselves.  The temptation is to get upset about where we are in our life; that we are not making enough progress and that will always be stuck in this endless cycle of terrifying anxiety.  However, as I have noted from my own personal experience, there is an end.  At this point, the best thing that we can do for ourselves is to take a break, relax, and do something very nice to ourselves that will bring healthy enjoyment to our lives.  This can be very different for many people, but some things that some of us choose would include spending all day watching movies, taking a hot bath with scented candles, getting a massage, eating a favorite meal, playing videogames, or any other activity that brings joy to one’s life. 

 While life is challenging and difficult at times, it is a wise idea to do the things we love in order to keep our sanity.  Those people who do nothing that brings them joy find themselves to be very miserable persons.

 It may take a few hours or a few days to regroup from burnout.  During this period, it is also important to be talking to friends, and also to take a break from challenging anxiety.  So what if one is not taking anxiety-provoking risks for a few days!  Everyone needs a break at some time and it is perfectly okay to do so once in a while.  I still do it at times myself.

 The final point to keep in mind is to congratulate one’s self for any progress made, no matter how small.  Was a conversation, though full of stuttering and stammering, started with a stranger?  If so, and if this is something one could not do in the past, but now one can do it, then this is progress and a job well done!  Was one able to leave the house and just enter the local gym and just be around other people, but not actually exercise?  If so, this is progress.  This is good enough for now, and eventually, if a person sticks to it, that person will be able to start conversations with strangers without having to think about it, or that person will be able to go to the gym and exercise without worrying about what other people are thinking of him or her.

To Wrap It Up

This guide was meant as a comprehensive guide to treating anxiety.  It does not go into great detail in each section, but it gives enough of an idea so that a person can make reasonable steps towards defeating anxiety and living a happier life.  Treating anxiety can be infinitely complex, but if one follows the basic steps in this article, one will be heading in the right direction, and before one knows it, one will be living a happier life and be doing the things that he or she always dreamed of doing!

 



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Tags: anxiety help, anxiety disorder, stop anxiety attack, symptoms of anxiety, anxiety therapy, anxiety attacks, anxiety children, anxiety treatment

Hailey Harris asked:


isorder has become quite common these days because of today’s hectic life. Everyone is running to achieve success; so it is obvious for anyone to get anxious at times due to some unforeseen situations. But when does an actual problem begins? Well, it begins with the excessive increase in the anxiety level or in other words when it gets out of proportion and the person gets overwhelmed. This condition is usually termed as ‘Generalized Anxiety Disorder’.

But it certainly does not mean that diagnosis is the only most important thing if you have generalized anxiety disorder or any other anxiety disorder. On the other hand, the important thing is to know what you can do about this problem. It is quite probable that it is just an anxious phase in your life that will soon pass away. Nevertheless, there is nothing to get despaired if you have any kind of anxiety disorder as there are means that you can use to control your anxious thoughts as well as feelings. Additionally, the best about these means is that you will not need to have prescribed anxiety medications.

One such answer to your anxiety disorder is “Biofeedback Therapy’. This therapy has proved very effective in numerous cases. The best thing is that this therapy teaches you how to become more aware of the breathing. It is essential as rapid or shallow breathing is among the prominent causes of anxiety disorder. Once you are familiar with this therapy, your cognitive thoughts patterns along with psychological responses will be changed.

If biofeedback anxiety therapy is to be explained in simpler terms, it is a therapy that will help you in facing or overcoming your fears. It begins with the bottom. For instance, there are people who suffer from anxiety when driving while there are others who are deadly afraid of crossing bridges. In other words, for anyone suffering from anxiety disorder, there is an anxiety trigger that leads to an anxiety attack. With the help of this therapy you are encouraged to do those things you are most scared of. But it does not mean here that you will be compelled to sit in the car and drive if the anxiety trigger is driving. The main part in biofeedback anxiety therapy is ’self-talk’. It’s you who will command to yourself that you will not let your anxiety control the life.

Though there are various biotherapists, but it is not necessary for you to seek their help as there are several sites that provide you detailed information about the working of this therapy and how you can apply it effectively to your day-to-day life. We all know that medications do have its pros and cons and it also holds truth that they can help in lowering the amount of power of anxiety disorder symptoms, but prescribed anxiety medications should not be viewed as a cure to treat anxiety disorders. The thing that works prominently in biofeedback anxiety therapy is your ‘will power’. So, if you are having anxiety disorder, it is majorly in your hands to throw it away from your life and live a normal life. Following this therapy seriously with strong will-power will certainly result into the permanent as well as natural removal of anxiety disorder from your life and you can live a very normal life.



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Tags: anxiety therapy, anxiety children, symptoms of anxiety, anxiety disorder, anxiety help, anxiety treatment, stop anxiety attack, anxiety attacks