Friday, May 8, 2009

Managing The Anxiety Of Making New Friends


Some people get very anxious when they try to make new friends. Meeting new people for the first time and trying to develop new friendships can be very stressful if you are shy or not outgoing. Here are some suggestions on how you can make new friends without getting anxious and fearful.

The most important thing is to be yourself. Do not pretend to be someone you are not because it will eventually catch up to you. Even if you are not the most popular person, being yourself will go a long way. You want your potential friends to be your friend for who you are and not for what you have or do not have.

Find people of similar interests to help increase your chances of making friends. Go join the local golf club if you like to golf or go to the gym if you like to exercise. Meeting people with similar interests will make it easier to make friends because you will both have something in common. It will also make it easy to start a conversation with someone.

To help reduce your fear or anxiety of making new friends, use good judgement in who you associate with. Try to use commonsense in who your companions are. If you are a person who is looking for someone who is involved in the church, you will most likely not find that person if you go to the bars.

In order to have a friend, you got to be a friend. Be outgoing and considerate when you are around people. Do not rush or force a friendship. Just be friendly to everyone and eventually you will find someone who will want to be your friend.

Consider what the other person wants. Try to show some interest in the people you meet. Talk to them in terms of their needs and wants. Do not just talk about yourself.

Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem.

Making friends can be stressful if you are shy or not outgoing. Just be yourself and go out and do something you like to do. Eventually you will find someone who has similar interests. If you still have trouble then talk to a professional who can give you more tips.

Stan Popovich is the author of, A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear, an easy to read book that presents a overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Do Not Let Fear And Anxiety Stop You From Dating


Dating can make some people anxious. Some people get really nervous when they go out on a first or second date. As a result, here are some techniques a person can use to help overcome the anxiety of dating.

Remember that dating someone does not mean you have to marry the person. Dating should be enjoyable and a good way to meet different people. When going out on a date, remind yourself that you do not have to commit to a long-term relationship. This should help reduce your anxiety.

Dating is a way to meet new people. When going out on a first date, just be yourself. Talk to your date as if you were talking to your other friends. If you start to feel nervous, take a deep breath remind yourself that there is nothing to be nervous about.

What is the worse that can happen? Learn from your mistakes if the date does not go well. Try to learn what you did wrong and try to improve on your next date. Also ask your friends for advice or read some books on how to date. There are many helpful books on the right ways of dating.

Take it one date at a time. Do not look too far ahead into the future. Focus on the present. If you start to focus on what will happen next week or next month, you will start to become anxious. Concentrate on your current date.

If dating makes you nervous, then try to get to know the person better through different group activities. Get some friends together and invite your person of interest to come along in a group setting. This will help you to get to know the person better without getting stress and anxious.

Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your anxieties of dating. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future.

Once you get into the habit of dating, then your anxiety and fears will go away. Dating is just a way to meet someone. You asked this person for a date because you had an interest in that person. Use that motivation to decrease your fears and anxieties.

Stan Popovich is the author of, A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear, an easy to read book that presents a overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Is Alprazolam Effective For Treating Anxiety Disorders?

Do you have sudden bouts of anger or nightmares? Are you a worrier? Do you feel out of control? Do you get so nervous that it causes dizziness? If you have any such symptoms then chances are you are suffering from anxiety disorders. Anxiety is, in one way, very normal: everyone experiences it. It is also a very unpleasant experience, which results from psychological problems.

Anxiety attacks happen when stress levels go out of control. Pressure from situations affects different people differently. When your own limit is crossed, you start feeling anxiety.

Alprazolam is one drug that can help you to deal with this problem. It was invented by Pfizer and is available under the brand name Xanax. It belongs to the class benzodiazepine.

While Alprazolam is very effective with anxiety, certain doctors are hesitant to use it due to the possibility of dependency and interdose anxiety. Alprazolam is very short acting. Alprazolam can be taken as needed although normal dosage should not exceed 4-6 times a day due to danger of dependency.

It can be used for long-term treatment of anxiety, but only if other therapies do not work. In this case, Alprazolam can be taken for 4 months or so. A qualified psychiatrist must make this decision, after taking into consideration every factor of a patient?s life and current medical status.

SSRIs like sertraline or fluoxetine are normally taken along with Alprazolam at the beginning of long-term SSRI anxiety treatment. This is done to avoid the anxiogenic effects of any SSRI course. Tricyclic antidepressants and busprione can also be used along with Alprazolam in some cases.

Sometimes, it can also be used in order to cure extreme cases of Borderline Personality Disorder.

While the actual working of the drug is not fully known, it is rapidly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. Peak concentration is normally achieved in 1-2 hours. The drug is mostly bound to the plasma protein albumin. In the liver, it gets hydroxylated. The side products are excreted through urination.

There are many reasons as to why people experience anxiety or panic attacks. It can be mental response to intolerable stress resulting from severe emotional concerns that might be related to the individual or the surroundings. The individual's lifestyle plays a big role in this. Anxiety orders usually take some time to develop so early diagnoses can really help much more than drugs. Unfortunately, there are very few symptoms to monitor until the problem has fully grown.

The good news is that managing anxiety disorders is now possible. Anxiety or stress related issues, with normal everyday life no longer requires drugs to be treated.

Alprazolam really helps you to manage anxiety and insomnia and is usually preferred over other benzodiazepine drugs. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) can also be treated with Alprazolam.

Disclaimer - The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to your doctor for more information about Alprazolam.
Copyright ? 2006, Heather Colman. Find more Alprazolam resources at alprazolam-hub.info.


Monday, April 13, 2009

Overcome Anxiety


If you suffer from severe anxiety you are not alone. Over 19 million Americans today, are overwhelmed by anxiety and fear that significantly interferes with their daily lives. When this occurs, it is known as an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders are very real and not something that you can just "snap out of." Anxiety can manifest itself in the form of emotions like fear, panic and depression as well as physically in the form of headaches, nausea, and dizziness. The cause is sometimes physiological for others psychological but often a combination of the two. In any case, although anxiety disorders are serious and can be terrifying, the good news is simple mental exercises offer relief.

Findings by Harvard, Columbia, and other medical researchers show that by using a skill like letting go or releasing, anxiety symptoms can be lessened and in many cases eliminated altogether. Releasing is a mental exercise similar to prayer or meditation but independent of religious and spiritual teachings. The skill is easily learned. It has been taught to children as well as adults and once learned can be used during a stressful event or in quiet reflection.

Releasing is different from repression where feelings such as anxiety are pushed down inside, stored in the psyche and often expressed at a later time. Instead the anxiety or other feelings are let go, or released from the mind, and when done properly, the result is permanent. As with any skill the results get better with practice as has been shown by the many users of this skill.

Releasing was popularized by a 42 year old scientist named Lester Levinson after a near death experience. Lester had a massive heart attack and was given very little hope for survival. He was sent home to be on bed rest indefinitely. What he discovered following his heart attack and subsequent death sentence allowed him to cheat death and open the doors to effortless success, happiness, and life for many, many people.

You probably know some famous people who have learned this exercise. Joan Collins of the television show Dynasty, Tom Hopkins a nationally known sales trainer, Shaun Cassidy the music and television star, and John Wooden the winningest college basketball coach of all time, and many others have benefited from learning to let go and release.

For more information about releasing and learning the skill visit ZeroLimitLife.com. You can view a copy of the releasing white paper and you'll get an opportunity to take a Free 5 part mini-course on releasing.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Fun and Easy Ways to Anxiety Attack


If you have always wanted to know more about this topic, then get ready because we have all the information you can handle.

Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with anxiety attack? This informative register can give you an insight into everything you've ever wanted to know about anxiety attack.

Your breathing abruptly accelerates, yet you're scarcely able to mend your breath. sickness and giddiness combine with a manic inflated sympathy rate. The surroundings appear to be collapsing around you. You're shaking and trembling. A hooligan headache and throbbing begins. You're destabilized, and concern and uncertainty crunch heavily across your mind.

The anxiety panic attack has just begun.

From what you have read so far, determine if this article has answered any of the questions that you had on this complicated subject.

Women have almost twice the charge of anxiety panic disorder than men, with an estimated 2 to 3 million Americans exploring techniques for overcoming anxiety. Anxiety panic attacks typically commence in early adult living and, except identified and treated with also psychiatric counseling or medicinal or herbal intervention, can enlarge and intensify into profoundly life-altering phobias and ritualized and self-limiting behavior.

What Are "Typical" Anxiety Panic Attack Physical Symptoms? What others see, and what sufferers experience, is the gnawing crush of concern and uncertainty...immediately unwilling social and immediate actions as the anxiety panic attack drives the sufferer to request refuge.

Anxiety attack "triggers" could be anything. Spiders, crag edges and heights, elevators, water immersion, divorce, known speaking, operation into somebody you abhor or who has provoked you. First response? Avoidance. trice and third responses? Instant-on anxiety attack, with full-on physiological play of stress signaling as mind tempo rises, breathing becomes difficult, dream goes awry, faintness kicks in. By now, simply "thinking" of the stress provoking position triggers a full-on force of stress hormones counting cortisol and corticotropin.

Isolation and defiant social manners is not so greatly externally directed as self-directed in order to coin a "safety margin" where stress factors can be detained at bay.

Now that we've roofed those aspects of anxiety attack, let's transform to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

Sources Of Stress Lead To Anxiety Panic Disorder. By the time obsessive compulsive deeds sets in, the anxiety disorder sufferer is well on the way to a sustained chronic condition. Obviously, deduction of key "triggers" is dangerous to overcoming anxiety.

What about "underlying causes"? Depression, alcohol and drug addiction and abuse, sustained stress, indigent sleep and digestion generate the optimal conditions that make a qualities vulnerable to an anxiety panic attack.

Natural Anxiety Remedy Options. For many panic attack victims, the aggressive substance overlaps of prescription drugs, their gross interference with so many bodily functions and hormonal balance, move people to take alternative solutions with acupuncture, meditation, problem and even alleged anxiety herbs.

Natural serotonin and norepinephrine supplements have been exposed to be productive in creating long call inhibition to anxiety panic attacks and depression. receiving serotonin levels balanced induces restfulness and enhanced sleeping.

Anxiety Meds. There's Big Money in anxiety disorder medication, especially when the intense need of sufferers intersects with speculative psychiatric concept and high-margin pharmacological drugs. although a litany of plane effects with drug dependency, mental sluggishness, impacted speech, confusion, disrupted bodily functioning, sexual dysfunction and even the "rebound" contact of intensified anxiety panic attacks if unwilling anxiety medicine is beyond or discontinued, prescription drugs are aggressively handed out to "help people get through the day".

The best programs for sufferers are professionally managed, united psychiatric intervention along with tenderly balanced dosages of FDA official anxiety meds with recognized cast names like Prozac, Indoral, Xanax, Valium, Librium, Serax and others.

Explore additional data regarding depression, anxiety panic attacks and inborn options for running your intellect health and moods while promoting inborn relax and life cycles.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the newest on anxiety attack. balance what you've educated here to coming articles so that you can adjourn alert to changes in the sphere of anxiety attack.

This article is meant to both inform and entertain those who read it. Hopefully, we have (will) accomplished both goals for you.

Ohyounew M. is the owner of Anxiety Attack Info How to find the best Anxiety Attack , to protect family and yourself, even if you know nothing about Anxiety Attack http://www.acne-proactive-treatment.com/anxiety-attack/.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Four Excellent Tips To Avoid Panic And Anxiety

There are moments in a person?s life that just leads him to feel overpowered by an uncontrollable fear of something that hinders him to do what he is supposed to do. He is then led to worry too much, lose focus and concentration, and leave him immobile for a certain instance.

These moments are things that cause panic (uncontrolled fear) and anxiety (over-worrying).

These moments cannot be totally removed from the human way of living, but there sure are ways on how to avoid experiencing panic and anxiety in these situations by following some lifestyle changes.

Here are some tips to follow to avoid panic and anxiety attacks.

1. See a doctor for anti-depressants or anti-anxiety Prescription drugs.

Medicines are proven effective in preventing anxiety and panic attacks by calming the nervous system. Unnecessary worrying or fear is minimized this way.

However, some medicines have side effects too, so it is best to consult with a doctor first to find out what is best for you.

2. Know more about panic and anxiety.

The best way to fight anxiety and panic is to know more about it. There are a lot of references available online. Here are some of the things that you need to know.

- What is anxiety and panic? What are the symptoms?

Most people try to deny what they are going through because of wrong notions about panic and anxiety. But the more you know about the attacks, the easier it is for you to get past the denial stage. And the more you accept things as they are, the easier it will be to address them properly.

- What are the remedies?

With these facts, you will be more informed when you consult with a doctor. You will also understand more about what the doctor will be telling you. In that way, it will be easier for you to know the pros and cons of the remedies.

3. Seek help.

Some people prefer to keep these problems to themselves, thus making the situation more complicated.

You may be able to push yourself through the anxiety and panic attacks a day at a time. But if you are seeking for a long-term solution, you need to ask for help.

Here are some of the persons that can help you overcome panic and stress attack.

- A Doctor
- Support Groups
- A close friend
- A guidance councilor

4. You must cope with stress by changing your lifestyle.

Some lifestyle modifications must be made to avoid panic and anxiety attacks:

- Find ways to relax

You must adopt physical and mental activities to release tension. You can try doing yoga, pilates, regular exercises, muscle contractions, and simple deep breathing.

- Get ample sleep

Sleeping is the best and easiest way to prevent build-up of tension.

- Avoid alcohol and caffeine

These things will just make things worse. Instead of relaxing, or giving focus, they will just add up to the tension build-up.

- Control and confront

You cannot live your whole life running away from things that give you fear or worry. In the process of learning how to control your worry and confronting the issues, you must equip yourself with a stronger personality that will overcome panic and anxiety attacks.

These things will help you cope up with anxiety and panic attacks. Follow the tips and start looking at things positively; and surely, panic and anxiety threats will be part of history.

Jeff Miles shows you on his free website how to stop panic and anxiety attacks: little-Known, safe and powerful techniques to totally eliminate panic and anxiety out of your life, even if the doctors have given up. To find out more just visit the website: http://www.panic-anxiety-attack-guide.com

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Pets Home Alone - Separation Anxiety


Once again, a new school year has begun. Consequently, some parents are dealing with separation anxiety issues with their children. And, with busier school and activity schedules, it's also the time when pet parents may begin to notice separation anxiety symptoms in their companion animals, too.

The most common definition of separation anxiety is that when left alone, your pet exhibits destructive behaviors. There are differences of opinion among pet professionals regarding the diagnosis and treatment of this complex behavioral issue, but all are trying to achieve the same result - the reduction and/or elimination of these destructive and harmful behaviors. The information presented here is intended to help you identify whether your companion animal might be suffering from your absence, and to provide some idea of available treatment options.

Although more common in canines, separation anxiety can be exhibited in both dogs and cats. In dogs, the destructive behaviors can include: constant barking; destroying furniture; chewing doors or the walls; ripping apart books; urinating and/or defecating in the house; and self-abuse (like chewing their paws raw). In cats, separation anxiety manifests itself in any of the following ways: indoor spraying; urinating or defecating in closets or on clothes; refusing to eat or drink; and hiding from you when you are at home.

Professionals attribute separation anxiety to a wide array of internal or external causes, or a combination of both. External causes range from changes in the environment, a lack of exercise or stimulation, and changes in behavior of the pet parents. Internal causes can include illness, persistent pain, nervousness, being in season and negative physiological changes due to poor diet.

To determine whether your companion animal might be suffering from separation anxiety, ask yourself these questions:

* Does your pet exhibit unusual behavior when you are getting ready to leave the home?

* Does the destructive behavior occur only when you are not at home?

* Does your pet greet you frantically, following closely wherever you go when you are home?

If all of these are true for your pet, you could be dealing with separation anxiety. Once you have established that your companion might be experiencing separation anxiety, it's critical that you are aware of the following:

* Do not punish your pet when you arrive home and discover the damage - this will only aggravate the problem.

* Do not bring another pet into your home. Introducing another being at this time will only add additional stress. Although it seems logical (i.e., your anxious pet will now have a companion), the separation anxiety is due to your absence.

* Do not make a big production out of leaving or entering your home. There is strong support for a relationship between your displays of heightened emotion at these times and the destructive behavior of your companion animal.

There are numerous training techniques that can help you deal with this pressing issue. These usually incorporate desensitization strategies as well as changes in your own behavior. We advise consulting a professional trainer or animal behaviorist for the best way to deal with your unique situation.

As with all training, affecting behavioral changes takes time. Here are some short-term solutions that can help to alleviate these symptoms while you are away from home.

* Have a friend or relative care for your pet.

* Place your pet in a day care facility.

* Bring your pet to work.

If none of these options are available to you, there are other stress reducers you can try on your own. When leaving your home, give your dog a toy (be sure it's one that's safe for him or her to have without supervision) like a treat ball - this will keep your dog occupied and provide a source of pleasure and gratification that your dog will learn to associate with your absence. For cats, make sure they have unobstructed views through windows, use a water fountain, play soft music or a DVD with birds and butterflies to engage their attention. For both dogs and cats, try leaving a pillowcase or a recently-worn article of clothing in an area where they commonly stay - just the smell of you may bring them some comfort.

The time you spend now addressing this issue could save you and your companion animal grief and distress in the future. If you suspect that your companion animal is experiencing separation anxiety, we strongly recommend you speak with your vet and a trainer with whom you feel comfortable. With patience, persistence and a lot of love, you can help your pet overcome this syndrome.

Lori Matthews studies health, nutrition and wellness. Enjoys writing articles on health for both people and pets. Please visit Premium Dog Food for more information.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Four Fake Anxiety Attack Symptoms - Avoid The Trap


If you have experienced any anxiety attacks, you have for sure seen that they come with a variety of symptoms affecting your body; they range from difficult breathing to a strong chest pain, to a "like you are dying" feeling. The most popular anxiety attack symptoms are also the fake ones, i.e. they're not the real expression of the problem you are experiencing. Let's see why this is true.

Shortness of breath is the most frequent anxiety attack symptom. Its popularity is due to the fact that many people feel other anxiety symptoms and this make them panic. This panic then expresses itself as shortness of breath. The simple advice here is that if you are experiencing shortness of breath, realize that this is just part of an anxiety attack and your world is not caving in. Shortness of breath is just expression of everything else you are already experiencing with your panic attack. This should help you to regain control more easily.

If you are in a crowded area you could experience another anxiety attack symptom: becoming lightheaded. This comes often from an underlying phobia about being in crowds. Even if you could think you are having a major problem, this is usually just one of the symptoms arising from anxiety attacks. So gain awareness and recover a little bit of more control, as with the previous symptom.

When you have an anxiety attack you'll find yourself with a pounding heart. Sometimes you could think you are going to have an heart attack, however this won't happen as you will be experiencing just anxiety.

Finally, fear of losing control is for sure another anxiety symptom winner. This is typically result of a mind game: you experience other symptoms, you start to feel nervous, then you realize that symptoms are not relieving, and finally you start to think you have a problem. Than you see that this problem is not solving, as your symptoms are not lighting, and finally you feel that you are loosing control. Now the game is done and you start to feel fear. And guess what? This fear will increase all the other symptoms. This is because usually the fear symptoms are really the same than the anxiety ones.

The short version of this story is that the major anxiety symptoms will often be the result of lighter anxiety symptoms and your mind games. And this will build into an anxiety snowball that increases in time with the upsetting condition if this is not resolved. So the previous four symptoms are at the end "fake" symptoms. This doesn't mean they don't exist. They're totally real. However the more you'll try to solve them, the more you'll feel anxiety as they are expression of an underlying lack of control and you won't able to control them directly. You have to recover control on what is behind these symptoms instead.

This is for sure a feasible task. Remember that anxiety can be treated and once you learn to control your attack, you'll have your life back.

You have four main action items to start with: 1) Remember that your big symptoms are just a snowball result of small starting problems. Remembering what happened when you started to feel anxious could help you much more than anything else. 2) Do small actions that help you to regain control. 3) In the meanwhile, visit your physician and with his help define if your anxiety attacks require serious treatment or just a behavioural approach, just like the two above tips. 4) Know more about your anxiety and use this knowledge to regain control.

Discover more about the importance of correctly evaluating your anxiety attack symptoms at http://anxiety-panic-attack.thesolution2.com/Main/Anxiety-and-Panic-Attack-anxiety-symptom.php

Do a step further to solve your anxiety and panic attacks getting more at Mark Tern's Anxiety and Panic Attack Website (link: http://anxiety-panic-attack.thesolution2.com/), where you can find more resources and tips on dealing with panic and anxiety attacks.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Using Hypnosis for Job Interview Anxiety

For many people, the very thought of a job interview can cause an attack of the nerves: butterflies in the stomach, dry mouth, and weak knees. Sometimes, the thought of a job interview can even trigger a panic attack. If this happens to you, you might be interested in some tips on using hypnosis for job interview anxiety.

If the thought of a job interview makes you nervous, you have what is called anticipatory anxiety, and it is very common. Many people have it over all sorts of situations. You need to try to relax and calm down, and there are several ways to do this.

First, make sure you are completely prepared for the interview, down to the fine detail of knowing exactly how to travel to the interview and contingencies in case of being delayed. Have your clothes picked out, any materials you are bringing ready, and make sure you get a good night?s sleep beforehand. Also remember that life goes on after the interview, so try to keep it all in perspective. Even if you don't get the job, you will have learned something worthwhile from the experience which you can improve upon in your next interview.

You should also practice some deep breathing exercises, breathing from the diaphragm and not your chest. This will trigger a relaxation response that will soon become second nature to you - it's called 7-11 breathing. You breath in for a count of 7, and out for a count of 11 and repeat this slow, deep breathing for a few minutes until your body quietens down. This forces your body to move out of the 'fight or flight' state, into a more useful, calmer state.

Now, if you do all of these things and you still feel nervous, you might want to consider using hypnosis for your job interview anxiety. Hypnosis is really no more than a way to get into a deeply relaxed state, during which you are able to access your unconscious mind, where your fears and anxiety are stored. You will be able to replace any negative thoughts you are having about your job interview with positive thoughts. For example, you can practice hearing you talk confidently, and answer tricky questions without being flustered. As a result, you will find that your anxiety over the interview is greatly relieved, and you'll go into your interview with an abundance of energy and confidence you canl give it your best.

Copyright 2006 Lyndsay Swinton

Article by Lyndsay Swinton of 'How Hypnosis Works' http://www.hypnotics.co.uk This site explains how hypnosis works for all sorts of everyday problems and more unusual human troubles and challenges.

Curing Anxiety Without Medication: What the Professionals Don't Want You To Know

As a psychotherapist in private practice for over a decade, I certainly have seen it all: watching my clients suffer through anxiety and stress, watching them go from medication to medication looking for "the right pill", and rarely finding it, spending inordinate amounts of money desparately trying to find the correct method to make their stress go away.

Can Anxiety Be Cured By A Pill or through Mental Health Counseling?

Anxiety is a complex issue...not just something that can be cured through popping a pill, or through one or two visits to a mental health counseling professional. And while a combination of both medication and counseling can be effective, unfortunately it can take years to see results...and often a lot of money.

If I Do Decide To Take Medication And See A Therapist, What Is The Best Type Of Therapy And Medication I Should Take To Help My Anxiety?

I can't answer that for you specifically, because every one is different (for example, you may have an allergy that precludes you from using a certain type of medication; Or you may not take well to a specific model of psychotherapy). That said, I can say that I have seen many of my clients do pretty well with what is known as "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy", in combination with a medication that their psychiatrist prescribed.

Isn't There Any Way To Get Rid Of My Anxiety Right Away, Instead Of Waiting The Years It Can Take For Medication and Counseling to Kick In?

Yes. For every year it takes to go through therapy and anti-anxiety medication, people can actually learn to make their anxiety disappear in 10 to 15 minutes. That doesn't mean that counseling and medication aren't viable options...but they are not the end-all cure-all for anxiety...they are merely supplements to help you get better. The majority of the work is done by "you". Not to mention...you save a great amount of your money and time.

Why Don't Psychiatrists Ever Tell You That You Can Learn to Make Your Anxiety Disappear On Your Own?

Bottom line: Because they need to make a living. Yes, they want to help you...and there are some darn good professionals out there in the field. But, the fact is, if the docs and shrinks let you know that you can learn to cure anxiety on your own in 10-15 minutes, they would lose a great deal of income.

Alexandra Mannock, MA, CAGS is a former psychotherapist who offers an amazing FREE "cure anxiety" 5-Day Mini-Course. If you want to know more "anxiety" or "stress"... and if you want to find out the secrets to curing your anxiety, you can access Alex's free mini-course at this site: http://www.anxietyzapper.com You can tell Alex what you think of this article and any other anxiety-related topic, by checking out http://www.power-over-anxiety.com and sending her an email! She would absolutely love to hear from you! You can also participate in her "blog!"

Monday, March 16, 2009

Separation Anxiety in dogs: the Signs


If your dog shadows your every movement around the house when you're there, and sleeps on or near your bed, and IF it has trouble doing any different, it may have separation anxiety. Any destructive behavior will occur about 20 minutes to a half hour after you leave, so another way to figure it out is to plan on returning after that time on a few occasions. A dog with separation anxiety will not likely tolerate even being left in a separate room from you with a door closed between you.

Also the things they chew or destroy are most often "escape routes," such as doors or windows (they believe may lead them directly to you). Also, they may munch items that they associate with you by smell. Although it can seem like a vindictive reaction, I assure you it's usually more a nervous one.

If you return home to find that your dog pees or poops in a number of different locations in the house, AND they do not appear guilty about it when you return home, they may be manifesting their separation anxiety. The dog in question may be beyond the house training stage, and the fact of the different accident locations is a sign that they are not continually returning to a scent "marked" location and confusing it with an appropriate place to go.

A dog that barks or whines continually when you are away is also admitting - to your neighbors if not to you - that they have a bad case of separation anxiety.

Separation anxiety is one of the most common problems dogs develop, and is an unsurprising result of our practice of domesticating them. They are social animals, and they crave a pack environment. The good news is there are simple and proven solutions.

Martin Olliver has over 12 years experience in dog training and is a proud member of the Kingdom of Pets team (http://www.kingdomofpets.com). For more great articles on dog training, including "Separation Anxiety: some Solutions," visit: http://kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/articles/separation_anxiety_in_dogs.php.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Separation Anxiety in dogs: First Things First


There is a fine line between a dog having an acute case of separation anxiety and an acute case of boredom, especially for puppies. You need to make sure that your dog is getting an adequate amount of exercise before you leave it for a period of time. Consider a 15 to 20 minute walk, fetch session, or playtime as an absolute minimum. Beyond the puppy stage, most dogs will function - and behave - best with about and hour and a half of physical activity each day.

When you are away, also ensure your puppy has something to do - chew toys, rawhide treats, or even their favorite slimy ball. If it's at all possible, and your dog does not habitually bark or growl at passing people or dogs, give your dog a view so they can watch the world pass by when they can't be romping around in it.

You also need to rule out any sort of medical condition first; for example, a physical condition may be the main cause of the toilet accidents, and a neurological condition could be the real source of the anxiety, especially if it occurs at times outside of your absences.

Finally, you MUST puppy-proof your home. This means making sure all garbage containers are sealed off and inaccessible. Any food on your kitchen counter is cleared away (you'd be surprised at how agile dogs can be when no one is watching). Any household items that are at risk should be put away.

There are items that you can't protect easily, such as doors and carpets. If you do return home to find these damaged, remember that they are repairable and replaceable. You should never punish your dog after the fact. They will not associate the punishment with the crime. And the fact that they may now also fear the one person they're longing for, it will make their separation anxiety much much worse.

Martin Olliver has over 12 years experience in dog training and is a proud member of the Kingdom of Pets team (http://www.kingdomofpets.com). For more great articles on dog training, including "Separation Anxiety: some Solutions," visit: http://kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/articles/separation_anxiety_in_dogs.php.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Separation Anxiety in dogs: What exactly is it?


There was the usually mild-mannered Pit-bull puppy named Savannah who chewed through the bottom of a door and part of the hardwood floor just underneath it. There was Jasper the Corgi who was kept in a pen on a deck and managed to push it to the edge, chew through a pair of wooden bars, and leap to freedom. And there was my own first pup, an adopted Labrador-Rottweiler cross named Lea, who chewed 40 pages right from the book I was reading after I had left for work one morning.

These are of course a few of the most extreme and most memorable cases of separation anxiety that I've addressed over the years. Separation anxiety is not simply a dog making trouble in the house when you are not in it. It is a condition that puts the dog in a heavy state of panic when you depart, and can manifest itself in various ways: destructive behavior, toilet accidents inside, or excessive barking, howling and whining.

It can also manifest itself in severe depression (inactivity), and incessant panting, shaking, and drooling when the owner is away. Upon return, hyperactivity, and an excessive and uncontrollable greeting are also strong indications. While medications are sometimes an option, it is almost always remedied through training, and some quality time.

The source of this condition is no real puzzle. If you consider that puppies are typically taken from their mother when they are several weeks old, and brought into a home in which their master may go off to work for much of the day, anxiety should come as no surprise. For adopted or pet store dogs, the situation can be much worse. These dogs have been through a succession of care-takers in a very short time, and don't trust anyone to stick around. Who can blame them?

Martin Olliver has over 12 years experience in dog training and is a proud member of the Kingdom of Pets team (http://www.kingdomofpets.com). For more great articles on dog training, including "Separation Anxiety: some Solutions," visit: http://kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/articles/separation_anxiety_in_dogs.php.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Anxiety Symptons Are Common

Anxiety is a type of mental state that is the result of combination of negative emotions such as fear, apprehension and worry. The people suffering from it have physical reactions like palpitations, chest pain, breathlessness, nausea etc. However contrary to popular thinking a normal amount of anxiety is very important for the survival of any organism.

When anxiety crosses the normal limit and hinders normal functioning of a person it results in a mental state termed as anxiety disorder. There are a variety of anxiety disorders. The common ones are social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, panic disorder, separation anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. These disorders have different symptoms and characteristics, however generally anxiety has the symptoms mentioned below.

Cognitive Symptoms: Increase in blood pressure, increased heart beating, palpitations (irregular heart beat), sweating, increase in blood flow in the body, immune and digestive functioning is inhibited, irritated bowel movement, head aches, tingling, chest pain, rubbery legs, etc.

Somatic Symptoms: Paling of skin, sweating, trembling, dilation of eye pupils, dizziness, twitching of facial muscles, stuttering etc.

Emotional Symptoms: An expectation of threat, dread, panic, nausea and chills, irritation, insomnia, isolation, feeling overly self conscious, strong desire to escape, jumpiness, feeling that you will die etc.

Behavioral: These are voluntary and involuntary reactions such as screaming, running, jumping etc to escape or avoid the source or perceived source of anxiety. Symptoms differ according to the disorder.

Social Anxiety: It is a type of extreme shyness where the person avoids social situations causing disruption in social and professional relationships.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A person suffering from this feels continuous apprehension to vague and diffused threats. The physical symptoms like fatigue, sleepiness, stomach upsets etc are usual.

Phobia: It involves extreme and unrealistic fear of an object, activity, situations (example, spider, swimming or confined spaces). The person tries to avert the fear by any measure.

Panic Disorder: It has the symptoms of repeated and sudden panic attacks.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Its symptoms include unwanted thoughts and behavior like frequently washing hands, thinking of accidents to near ones etc. Separation Anxiety: The fear of separation from parents, siblings, spouse and children etc.

If you are suffering from any of the symptoms above, you should consult a doctor. Also a variety of treatment/therapies/techniques are available to cure anxiety like medicines, cognitive behavioral therapy, proper diet, exercise, laughter therapy, yoga, breathing techniques, relaxation methods etc. Many experts believe the fundamental cause behind anxiety is boredom and the search for a meaningful purpose in life.
Keith George always writes about valuable news & reviews. A related resource is Anxiety Symptons Further information can be found at About Health

Friday, February 20, 2009

Getting To Know Anxiety

Have you ever been in a situation, where you felt uneasy because of something you think you may have forgotten to do, such as switching off an appliance at home, or perhaps a feeling that you annoyed someone whom you wanted to get along with really well. If you have experienced such feelings and worse on a regular basis, then you most probably are a victim of anxiety attacks.

All of us, to some extent, have experienced anxiety and at different levels. There are some things you may know about anxiety, and some things that you may not be familiar with. So in order to be prepared for your next encounter with a feeling of anxiety, you need to get to know what anxiety is before it escalates into a panic attack.

Anxiety is simply the feeling of discomfort, uneasiness and or fear of what may eventually happen resulting from a perceived, imagined, or a real threatening condition. On the extreme end panic attacks can occur due to heightened feelings of anxiety.

There are two main categories of symptoms during an anxiety/panic attack and these are physical and emotional symptoms. Physical symptoms include difficulty in breathing, shaking , sensations of heat, rapid heartbeat and fatigue. Whereas emotional symptoms deal with excessive worrying, depression, fear, irritability and lack of focus.

Now you may be thinking, that anxiety is only caused in situations where you are faced with an impeding threat and have no other option but to face it. In reality, this is not true as anxiety can occur in unthreatening conditions too . For example, imagine that you have been chosen to speak in front of a large audience and the reason you were picked amongst your other hundred colleagues is because you are regarded as the best. In such an encounter, you will feel proud that you were picked from a hundred other people but at the same time the thought of having to speak in front of a large crowd can trigger anxiety. In such cases you get a mixed feeling of both positive and negative anxiety.

In spite of the negative impression we have for anxiety, it is not dangerous in any way what so ever. If you thought that anxiety is dangerous and will threaten your health then you need to think again, because all this is merely a false perception of anxiety. Feeling a little shaky and or having a feeling of ?butterflies in the stomach? is pretty normal.

Panic attacks however, are far more dangerous and should be a concern to your health. Panic can sometimes result in dizziness, blurred vision, difficulty in breathing due to a tight chest and in extreme scenarios a victim can feel faintish where they may or may not, end up unconscious. The major problem with panic attacks is that most victims think they are going through a stroke and this further aggravates the current condition. So the best way to differentiate anxiety from any serious illness is to consult a medical expert on a regular basis.

So all in all you must understand that the feeling of anxiety is not bad in any way, in fact it?s more of a defensive inherent feeling which protects us from possible danger by engaging a response within us in fight or flight situations. So it?s not the ?bad guy,? you just have to learn how to control it.

Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs - Visit Hapa Health for more articles.

 

Monday, February 16, 2009

Anger and Stress: Can Confronting A Mean-Spirited Person Reduce Your Anxiety?


One of the major points I make in an "anxiety self-help" ebook I just released is that if you are nice to others, it will come back to you in incredibly positive ways! And conversely, if you are mean to someone, remember...as they say..."Be careful of what you think or say to others. It will come back to you three fold."

I must elaborate on this...

Listen, when someone is not very nice to you, it doesn't feel particularly good. Doesn't it just make ya want to say all sorts of horrible things to that person??!! Getting angry and wanting to spout off to that particular individual is a natural response...so, don't worry.

Here's the thing...remember how outrageously awful it feels to have someone criticize, belittle, devalue, or undermine you. Now, hold that thought for a moment...

This is the difficult part:

...I ask that you walk in that "mean" person's shoes for a moment...think about how low their self-esteem must be, for them to have to say such nasty things to you...try to feel their depressive state. Think about how injured their ego must be...how sad and insecure they must feel inside. The key is to to make a sincere effort to empathize (i.e. walk in their shoes) with that person. Try...as difficult as it may be...to feel what they may be feeling.

Next...Let go of these thoughts...release any thinking of this person's experience.

Now...Whether you are alone in the room or seeing a counselor, bring thoughts into your mind of how horrible YOU felt when they said these distasteful and uncalled-for things to you. Feel your own pain...let yourself experience feeling angry...cry...emote...or punch a pillow if you must! Write your feelings down if ya have to! Personally, I'm a big fan of writing down one's feelings in a journal. (Note: Sometimes anger can really overwhelm someone. If you feel more comfortable thinking about and expressing feelings of anger with a counselor present, then by all means, do so!)

Next...think...take a huge breath, come into your rational state of mind...get out of your "reactionary" mode and into a more "proactive" mode. Consider the appropriate words you might like to say to that person without being totally cruel, relentless, and stooping to his or her level.

Then, wait until the next day (usually it helps to wait a day or two) in order to be refreshed, think logically, and feel calmer. Remember...you were A LOT more anxious at the moment that person verbally tore you apart, than you are when you are relaxed and refreshed the next day. That's why it's important that you take the time to sleep it off, get relaxed, and feel calmer.

Next, take a pen to paper and write down what you'd like to say to that person...how you'd like to express yourself. Perhaps you'd like to tell that that person how much he or she hurt you. It may take awhile to come up with the words. But you must determine a way to say what you need to say to that person, in a firm but non-abusive manner.

Now...here's the weird part...

Did you know that expressing your feelings in a cruel, unbridled, uncensored, reactionary way actually GIVES you MORE anxiety!???

Yep! It does! And so that is why I emphasize "thinking things out" before you speak or write to that person..."rationalizing" and using logic while in a calm state of mind, when expressing your retort to that not-so-nice individual!

You see...even though you are saying something distasteful to that individual, you are stating it in a way that won't make you MORE anxious/stressed...you are being the responsible, character-filled, "bigger" adult in this scenario...and that means a lot!

Conclusion...

So...bottom line...when you find yourself in a confrontative situation where someone is mistreating you or is even downright verbally or mentally abusive toward you, take a step back, breath in, become logical, say what you have to say, but take the high road!

You'll find that your conscience will be clear...and that you are the better person! And most importantly, that your anxiety-level is significantly decreased.

Alexandra Mannock, MA, CAGS is a former psychotherapist who offers an amazing FREE "cure anxiety" 5-Day Mini-Course. Anxiety and "Anger" often accompany one another, so if you want to know more "anxiety" or "stress"... and if you want to find out the secrets to curing your anxiety, you can access Alex's free mini-course at this site: http://www.anxietyzapper.com

Friday, February 13, 2009

How to Get Rid of Panic and Anxiety through Self-help


In our lives, we all want peace and happiness. We hope for a happy and pleasant environment around us all the time. However, to have all this we must be living in an ultimate world. However, we all know that our world is not ideal and tensions, panicky situations and anxieties arise every now and then.

However, we should not be afraid of them and whenever these situations arise we must be armed to deal with them in the most efficient manner possible. For this, we must first be able to examine our emotions and accept them as they are. Understanding the emotions can help you to learn to control the emotions without allowing the devastating feelings and emotions take control. As the last step, we must try to transform all such negative emotions like anxiety and panic into encouraging ones. Anxiety has often been connected with worry and both are understood as the same emotion. Nevertheless, this is not true because although both are forms of fear but anxiety is related more to time and resources constraints whereas worry is a result of an anxiety that something we plan will not work out well.

Anxiety occurs because sometimes we need to complete a tight-string project and we fall in a rush. The project is of greatest importance and because of shortage of time or any other contributing factor you will not be able to terminate it to perfection or on time.

Often worry also results from the same reasons. Nevertheless, the major difference here that we must recognize is that it may not just be a result of lack of resources but may be also due to some problem with your child or spouse or any other personal issue. Worries are a result of our personal attachments with certain beings or things.

Since childhood, all these feelings are absorbed by our mind. We see the way people react to certain situations and emulate them. While some people behave in appositive manner to situations other don't. Whichever affects us more determines how we behave to those situations.

To throw away all these anxieties and worries one must follow a proper system and diet. In helping you to reduce anxiety and panic situations, the below mentioned points will go a long way.

1. Regular exercises like an early morning walk, jog, or aerobics. 2. Try yoga. It helps in getting better your blood flow and reduces hyperventilation. 3. Whenever a panic situation arises, try to concentrate with deep breathing. 4. Try meditation as a solution searching method. 5. Follow a healthy low fat and high vitamin diet.

Following the aforementioned routine and steps will help you in freeing yourself from negative thoughts and emotions and creating a positive atmosphere around you. Try these positive countermeasures to anxiety whenever it strikes.

1. We must accept that whatever is happening to us has no purpose to harm us. We must give whatever we do, our best shot but it is useless to worry about the results. Once you have given it, your best shot there is no reason why you should fail, so why panic. 2. We must have self-belief in ourselves. We must tell ourselves that nothing is impossible unto us and that we can face all the problems of life without giving up on them. 3. We should never think low about ourselves. Like everyone else, we are all humans and have equal rights to life. We should never worry about what others think about us because at the end of the day you are your best judge. 4. You must be reminiscent yourself at all times that life is meant for being lived every moment and not for worrying every moment what the next will bring about.

Summary:

Understanding the emotions can help you to learn to control the emotions without allowing the devastating feelings and emotions take control. To throw away all these anxieties and worries one must follow a proper system and diet. Here are some points that will help you reduce anxiety and panic situations.

Nishanth Reddy is an author and publisher of popular Self Help Blog. For more information on anxiety, panic and how to get rid of anxiety & panic situations visit:http://www.selfhelpzone.com/category/anxiety-panic/

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

When A Relative Struggles With Fear And Anxiety


You have a relative that struggles with fear and anxiety. What can you do? The first thing you need to do is to get the person to seek the services of a professional who can lead them in the right direction and give them the help they need. In addition, here are some other techniques you can use to help your relative cope.

Learn as much as you can in managing anxiety and depression. There are many books and information that will educate you on how to deal with fear and anxiety. Share this information with the person who is struggling. Education is the key in finding the answers your looking for in managing your fears.

In every anxiety-related situation you experience, begin to learn what works, what does not work, and what you need to improve on in managing your fears and anxieties. For instance, you have a lot of anxiety and you decide to take a walk to help you feel better. The next time you feel anxious you can remind yourself that you got through it the last time by taking a walk. This will give you the confidence to manage your anxiety the next time around.

Be understanding and patient with the person struggling with their fears. Dealing with depression and anxiety can be difficult for the person so do not add more problems than what is already there.

Another thing to remember is that things change and events do not stay the same. For instance, you may feel overwhelmed today with your anxiety and feel that this is how you will feel the rest of the week or month. This is not correct. No one can predict the future with one hundred percent accuracy. Even if the thing that you feared does happen there are circumstances and factors that you cannot predict which can be used to your advantage. You never know when the help and answers you are looking for will come to you.

Challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking. When encountering thoughts that make your fearful or anxious, challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense. For example, you are afraid that if you do not get that job promotion then you will be stuck at your job forever. This depresses you, however your thinking in this situation is unrealistic. The fact of the matter is that there all are kinds of jobs available and just because you do not get this job promotion does not mean that you will never get one. In addition, people change jobs all the time, and you always have that option of going elsewhere if you are unhappy at your present location. Changing your thinking can help you manage your fears.

When your fears and anxieties have the best of you, seek help from a professional. The key is to be patient, take it slow, and not to give up. In time, you will be able to find those resources that will help you with your problems.

Stan Popovich is the author of, A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear, an easy to read book that presents a overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Four Immediately Applicable Tips to Avoid Panic and Anxiety


There are moments in a person's life that just leads him to feel overpowered by an uncontrollable fear of something that hinders him to do what he is supposed to do. He is then led to worry too much, lose focus and concentration, and leave him immobile for a certain instance.

These moments are things that cause panic (uncontrolled fear) and anxiety (over-worrying).

These moments cannot be totally removed from the human way of living, but there sure are ways on how to avoid experiencing panic and anxiety in these situations by following some lifestyle changes.

Here are some tips to follow to avoid panic and anxiety attacks.

1. See a doctor for anti-depressants or anti-anxiety Prescription drugs.

Medicines are proven effective in preventing anxiety and panic attacks by calming the nervous system. Unnecessary worrying or fear is minimized this way.

However, some medicines have side effects too, so it is best to consult with a doctor first to find out what is best for you.

2. Know more about panic and anxiety.

The best way to fight anxiety and panic is to know more about it. There are a lot of references available online. Here are some of the things that you need to know.

- What is anxiety and panic? What are the symptoms?

Most people try to deny what they are going through because of wrong notions about panic and anxiety. But the more you know about the attacks, the easier it is for you to get past the denial stage. And the more you accept things as they are, the easier it will be to address them properly.

- What are the remedies?

With these facts, you will be more informed when you consult with a doctor. You will also understand more about what the doctor will be telling you. In that way, it will be easier for you to know the pros and cons of the remedies.

3. Seek help.

Some people prefer to keep these problems to themselves, thus making the situation more complicated.

You may be able to push yourself through the anxiety and panic attacks a day at a time. But if you are seeking for a long-term solution, you need to ask for help.

Here are some of the persons that can help you overcome panic and stress attack.

- A Doctor - Support Groups - A close friend - A guidance councilor

4. You must cope with stress by changing your lifestyle.

Some lifestyle modifications must be made to avoid panic and anxiety attacks:

- Find ways to relax

You must adopt physical and mental activities to release tension. You can try doing yoga, pilates, regular exercises, muscle contractions, and simple deep breathing.

- Get ample sleep

Sleeping is the best and easiest way to prevent build-up of tension.

- Avoid alcohol and caffeine

These things will just make things worse. Instead of relaxing, or giving focus, they will just add up to the tension build-up.

- Control and confront

You cannot live your whole life running away from things that give you fear or worry. In the process of learning how to control your worry and confronting the issues, you must equip yourself with a stronger personality that will overcome panic and anxiety attacks.

These things will help you cope up with anxiety and panic attacks. Follow the tips and start looking at things positively; and surely, panic and anxiety threats will be part of history.

Abbas Abedi--Attain immediate stress relief and permanent stress management skills. Visit:Stress Relief

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Anxiety And How To Overcome It

Feeling anxious every now and then is normal for everyone. What is not normal, is if it controls your whole life and it affects your choices in a negative way. If this happens, then you should seek professional advice as Anxiety is a condition that needs medical attention.

Anxiety can be healed non-medically but for some advanced cases, either a physician or a psychiatrist may need to be summoned. To free yourself from anxiety, you can try the good old method of easy and correct breathing. If you feel that you are close to succumbing to anxiety, breath as calmly as you possibly can. Do it until you can sense that your breathing and heartbeat becomes normal again.

Making decisions during the early phases of your anxiety can be dangerous. Your decision at that point may not be correct and certainly may not be the wisest. Try clearing your mind. If you are gripped with anxiety, you may act overly impulsive. Try to calm down and free your mind. Whisk away all your worries and try to focus more on the problem at hand.

You have to slow things down as an anxious person will have a tendency is to hurry things up. Anxiety triggers adrenaline that can make a person have the necessary power to think and work in a single snap. This may affect a person in a positive or negative way but it its best to think before you act.

Do not heed the anxious voice you hear at the back of your head. Most of the time, anxiety arises in the way you perceive things. Anxiety is both felt and thought. Try not to think of things that will make matters worst and exaggerate things all the more.

Solicit the help of your family and friends. When anxiety strikes, that?s the time you needed somebody the most. They should be able to lead you towards the right path. During this time, your own judgment is not that accurate, so you cannot really trust it. Shift your trust to somebody you deeply know.

Anxiety has to be taken out of your senses because it could just lead you to a situation far more dangerous situation than you could have ever imagined. Be mentally sound at all times and there is never a need to be anxious.

Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs - Visit Hapa Health for more articles.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

21 Things to Expect When Being Treated for Anxiety


As a psychologist and counselor practicing in the Cary-Algonquin-Crystal Lake area of Illinois, I find that there are 21 essentials you can expect in your treatment for anxiety here.

But first, what are the symptoms of anxiety? 1. Excessive worry that is disproportionate to the situation 2. Muscle tension, restlessness or shakiness 3. Palpitations, butterflies, or nervousness 4. Being on edge, concentration problems or insomnia

If you have these symptoms you should seek counseling or psychotherapy. But if you begin treatment, what will your counselor do- how does therapy work?

1. Your therapist will ask you to explore your thought processes-the way you think. In many cases the type of thoughts you have cause your anxiety. Fearful, dreadful, pessimistic thoughts are, what I call, anxiogenic. That is they lead to anxiety.

2. You will be asked to identify major life conflicts, past and present, to determine how they may be affecting your anxiety. Often history still lingers in your present.

3. Your therapist may train you in various relaxation techniques to subdue the butterflies or worries. One such technique is the therapist guiding your imagination to condition more pleasant relaxed feelings to the anxiety-provoking stimuli.

4. The therapist may train you on how to sculpt your anxiety-provoking thinking patterns so your thoughts are not so pessimistic, scary or catastrophic.

5. You may be asked to identify a list of negative consequences resulting from your your anxious thinking processes which interfere in your life.

6. The possible benefits of herbs or medications might be explored to assess whether or not one or more might be helpful in making your life more comfortable.

7. You might be asked to consider that your anxiety has its own subconscious sales pitch which tricks you into believing that it is necessary and helpful. Some of these sales pitches convince the patient that without the active worrying, his life will be ambushed by a terrible event or catastrophe that will be unmanageable.

8. Once the sales pitch has been figured out your therapist will teach you how to dispute it so that your mind believes your disputation rather than the deceptive pitch of your anxiety.

9. Your therapist may hypnotize you so that your subconscious mind learns that you do not have to worry to protect yourself. When your subconscious believes it, so will your everyday conscious mind and the anxiety will disappear

10. The therapist may prescribe that you read and study some pamphlets or articles about anxiety and ask that you select relevant concepts to discuss with him in the session.

11. Your therapist will likely help you to develop an awareness of your relapse triggers and constructive ways to manage them.

12. You may be required to verbalize how your current living situation contributes to your anxieties and may act as a hindrance to your recovery.

13. If your living situation is seen as aggravating your anxiety, other interventions, such as marriage or family counseling, may be introduced to deal with it.

14. Your therapist will assist you in developing insight into the personal or career changes that may be needed in order to prevent a relapse of serious anxiety.

15. You may be encouraged to increase your awareness of how your upbringing may have affected you psychologically. Remember that often a traumatic past may linger or even lurk in your present.

16. Your therapist will likely support and encourage you when you begin to express relevant fear, rage and rejection relating to any abuse or neglect that you may have experienced.

17. In helping you to manage a traumatic past, your therapist may help you identify the role you played in your family,the feelings associated with it and its impact on the present.

18. The therapist may help you to identify self-defeating patterns relevant to your anxiety that exist in your present family or career situation and suggest ways of modifying them.

19. The therapist may prescribe psychological testing to expose any factors that may be neglected in isolating the causes of your anxiety.

20. You will be helped to identify sources of ongoing support and reassurance to effectively curtail and manage your anxiety.

21. If you are taking any related medications, their clinical and side effects will be monitored to be sure that they are contributing efficiently to a therapeutic outcome and not hampering it in any way.

Dr Shery is in Cary, IL, near Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Marengo and Lake-in-the-Hills. He's an expert marriage counselor and psychologist. Call 1 847 516 0899 and make an appt or learn more about counseling at: http://www.nextdayappointment.com

Monday, January 12, 2009

How Parents Can Beat School Anxiety In Teens

Anxiety is such a gripping reality not only to people who are stressed out in the workplace, but it is something that teenagers also experience a great deal. School anxiety can even cause slight depression among teens. One major cause of anxiety in teens is comes from school. The different environment and the diverse people can cause a lot of pressure on a student. Add these up with tedious schoolwork and hectic curriculum activities; one can really say that school can cause a lot of severe anxiety.

Social exclusion is a serious issue among teens. This is also one cause of school anxiety. Having someone to talk to is very crucial during this stage. This is where parents should play an important role. Anxious teenagers need a lot of cheering up and someone to boost their morale; no other person can do this but their parents.

It is important that parents acknowledge the presence of anxiety in their children. They need to talk to them and try to understand the cause of their anxiety. Never underestimate their problem, even if it means just getting something done for a science project.

Always encourage your kids to make friends at school. This way, if parents are unable to be there in case they need them then their friends can lend a listening ear. Trust kids judgment in choosing their own set of friends.

Parents have the tendency to take matters in their own hands. If you feel that your kid is in an anxiety causing situation, allow them to work things out themselves. If things go over the line, for instance a teacher overloading students with impossible work loads, then that is the time to take needed action.

Don?t add to the pressure your kids have about school, this can cause them added anxiety. Never judge them outright because of their worries and let them know that you always have your shoulders for them to cry on. Having enough patience and understanding would definitely help you cope up with your kid?s anxiety. Teaching them the values of will power and confidence would eventually help beat anxiety themselves
Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs - Visit Hapa Health for more articles.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Anxiety Attack Answers -Pills And Potions?


We all get anxious sometimes. It is perfectly normal to feel anxiety on some occasions-giving a talk, dealing with a phobia such as flying, going for a job interview. It is when we feel anxious for no apparent reason and this anxiety attack persists and interferes with our normal life, that it becomes a disorder. That is when we need to seek the help of a doctor.

Doctors have found that different types of anxiety attacks respond to different types of medication. The clinician has a major responsibility in two areas: before prescribing, to carry out a thorough assessment of the patient's condition; and after prescribing, to monitor the response and whether side effects occur.

So which drugs might the doctor suggest? Broadly, they fall into two categories: anti-depressant drugs and anti-anxiety drugs.

There are three main types of anti-depressants. The first is SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). These are often the drug of choice for anxiety disorders because they correct the chemical imbalance in the brain that is the cause of anxiety attacks. They can include Calexa, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft. They can have side effects-mainly nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, nervousness and sexual dysfunction. Most of these do not persist, but if they do, the dose needs to be adjusted.

The second type of anti-depressant is Tricyclics. These work by helping neurotransmitters such as serotonin work more effectively in the brain, and are especially effective for panic attacks. They are more likely to have side effects than SSRIs-the most noticeable being weight gain. Others can be drowsiness, dry mouth and dizziness.

The third main type of anti-depressant is MAOIs (monoamine oxidose inhibitors). These involve dietary restrictions so doctors prefer to try the others first. Anyone taking an MAOI must avoid wine and beer and any food containing tyramine such as cheese. They must also be very careful before taking any other medications, as these can interact with the drug to cause a sudden dangerous rise in blood pressure.

The other category is anti-anxiety drugs.

For an acute anxiety attack, the first choice is often short-term treatment with benzodiazepines. These relieve this condition by acting on the limbic system- the part of the brain from which our deepest emotional responses come. Common benzodiazepines include Ativan, Valium and Librium. Possible side effects can include agitation, confusion, drowsiness and impaired memory, though many patients escape these. However, the main problem is that some patients can become dependent or addicted. If a patient is known to have had a problem with addiction, such as drugs or alcohol, doctors sometimes prefer to prescribe a different medication such as BuSpar (not a benzodiazepine but an effective anti-anxiety agent that is not addictive).

It is essential that the patient understands that taking any sedative, particularly alcohol, in combination with benzodiazepines is potentially lethal. Of course, suffering from an anxiety attack makes it very tempting to drink alcohol and many do, resulting in serious and costly problems. Consequently the prescribing of benzodiazepines is restricted or monitored in many states.

For some patients, physicians may prefer to prescribe beta-blockers. These are drugs that are often used for heart and circulatory conditions like hypertension. However, because they work by preventing stress chemicals from increasing the heart rate, they are effective for patients with symptoms like palpitations, sweating and tremors. They are also helpful for social phobias and are useful when facing stressful social situations like public speaking.

If you think you are suffering from an anxiety attack disorder and feel the need to consult a physician for a prescription, remember that you have some responsibility, too. Do not just leave it all to the doctor. Do your own homework. Find out the drug's potential side effects and consider whether you could live with them. Be sure that your doctor is aware of other medications you are taking, including over-the-counter medicines. And take your doctor's advice on continuing or stopping the drug and what not to take in combination with it.

Finally, remember that solutions to anxiety attacks do not all reside in a bottle. There are other ways you can be helped-counseling, talk therapy, group therapy. Ask yourself if your lifestyle has contributed to the problem-for instance, diet, irregular sleep patterns or overwork.

And do not lose heart. Most anxiety attack disorders have a solution. Your doctor can help you find the one that is right for you.

Summary: We all get anxious sometimes due to some reason or the other. But if you get an anxiety attack without any apparent reason, it spells trouble. Then you know that you have to consult your doctor and start taking anti-anxiety prescription drugs to help you deal with the problem.

Author: Brooke Hayles
Check Out More Helpful Information About Anxiety Attack For FREE!
Visit {a rel="nofollow" href= http://www.anxiety-attack-free.com/}Anxiety Attack Free now!