Archive for the 'Depression' Category
The onset of anxiety can be a very frightening experience a shock to the system. One day you are fine the next you are struggling with anxiety and all the horrible symptoms it brings.
Anxiety leaves you questioning yourself as to whether you are going mad or have some severe mental illness.
Your life, your every day living is thrown into turmol, you dread waking up everyday with the same feelings of fear. All you can think about in anxiety are your thoughts, you become introverted and concerned with your scary thoughts struggling to find a way out, wondering why and how you can think a certain way.
My first experience of anxiety left me totally scared, I was frightened to talk to anyone about what was happening to me, frightened they might think I was mad or confirm to me I was mad.
The most frightening feeling for me was the feelings of unreality of feeling like not being here in the present this sensation was frightening I thought I would eventually get into this unreality state and remain there living within a wall that I could not escape from.
Each day would involve new sensations, new thoughts I would hold on to myself for dear life afraid to think. Anxiety is such a lonely and scary illness, an illness of watching everything about yourself, however it is possible to recover from anxiety. I have recovered and happy to say I can enjoy life again.
One of the ways I view our scary thoughts in anxiety is as follows:
I am sure at some point in your life you have had a tune play over in your head a tune that you could not get out. Somehting you heard off the radio that is now playing over and over in your head.
Very annoying and irritating to say the least but this did not make you anxious? This to me is like Anxiety Fear playing over in you head (but of course in this case Anxeity Fear playing without its fear). How did you manage to get rid of that tune you heard on the radio playing around in your head?
Think about it for a moment? How did you get rid of that annoying song/tune? You thought it, you let that tune play on because there was nothing else you could do and bam during the day or night at some point that tune left you.
You did not wake the next day wondering if that tune will come back playing in your head, you probably did not even give it a second thought. Why do you think it left you?
It left you because you did not give it meaning, it did not frighten you, it was not important, it did not scare you, you did not have to think about why you were singing that tune in your head. You did not and this is very important go away questioning and analyzing why you were singing that tune.
Now if you have the same approach to your anxious thoughts (Anxiety Fear) and you do not pay them attention, you do not give them any meaning, any importance, you just stood and watched them play out, they would evenutally just become that annoying tune and leave you because you are not adding any of your natural fear and response to it, not questioning it.
My Name is Bisola, married and a mother of 3 wonderful children. I suffered with anxiety for 20 years and I am now fully recovered. I have written an ebook about my experience and cure from anxiety and ocd.
http://anxietythoughts.com/
[tags]Anxious thoughts, anxiety thoughts, scary thoughts, thoughts playing in your head,[/tags]
While a lot of people who suffer from serious panic attacks or anxiety attacks are initially prescribed medications to ease their troubles, the goal of every therapist is to let their patients deal with their attacks without the drugs. This is only possible with cognitive-behavioral treatment or CBT. Unlike panic attack medications which help the patient avoid with his/her panic attacks and fear triggers, CBT helps the patient become the master of his/her anxiety.
Traditional psychotherapy vs. CBT
Traditional psychotherapy approaches the patient’s issues by uncovering the past. CBT, on the other hand, lets the patient deal with the problem in the present tense. While the two could work hand-in-hand, CBT is considerably a more proactive approach of dealing with the psychological issue. This is also largely because anxiety come out of nowhere, and they can be related or not to a traumatic past experience.
CBT approaches panic attacks in two ways: by identifying the thought that triggers the panic attack (cognitive approach) and by making the patient immune from the panic triggers (behavioral). They’re called panic attacks primarily because the thoughts that trigger them propose danger that is actually unreal. For example, some people have anxiety attacks over public speaking. While it’s unpleasant to stand in front of so many strange faces at the same time, it shouldn’t seem like a great danger worthy of racing heartbeats or shortness of breath.
Therapists usually work on the patient’s unrealistic fear by telling them how irrational their thoughts are. Take note, though, that this condition isn’t cured immediately. Patients usually take an average of 8 sessions before they can manage their anxiety on their own. There are many CBT approaches to panic attacks, and your therapist will have his/her own suggested “exercises” or home works for you.
Most of the time, sufferers of recurring panic attacks are asked to write down the sensation they feel during a panic attack, and to separate this from the thought that triggered the sensation. This helps them to later on identify the real, rational cause of the panic attack. In time, they’ll be able to do this in their minds, and they’ll be able to put a leash on their own anxieties.
Physiology
While your mind frame plays a big role in how you deal with your symptoms, your body’s physiological state is also partly responsible. Studies show that most panic attacks are caused by too much caffeine and sugar in your body. When you’re already suffering from panic attacks, you should start substituting chamomile tea for coffee. Regular cardiovascular also helps most sufferers from dealing with their attacks. Aside from letting them get used to the sensation of racing heartbeats, regular exercise also releases serotonin in your brain. When your brain chemicals are stable, you’re least likely to suffer from unwanted anxiety symptoms.
You Are About To Discover The Secrets About How To Get Rid Of Panic Attacks And Banish Anxiety Without Any For Of Drugs Or Medications. Follow this link Control Panic Attacks To Cure Your Anxiety Disorder Naturally.
[tags]panic attacks medication,panic attack medication,medication for panic attack,medication for panic[/tags]
It is suggested that one in three women will suffer from postpartum depression after having a baby in their lifetime. The change in hormones, coupled with shock to the system in birthing the baby, and even the adjustment to having a new baby at home can all contribute to postpartum depression. Many women are ashamed that they have it, or don’t want to seek help.
However, it is extremely important to mention to your health care provider if you are feeling sad, depressed, or even just different from how you used to feel. All of these can be PPD. Dealing with PPD can be done with or without medication, and it’s up to you and your doctor to decide how you would like to treat it. Here are some suggestions for treatment.
Exercise can be as, if not more, effective than medication in the case of PPD. It is shown that exercise increases endorphins, which can make you feel happy. If you have trouble finding time to exercise, find ways to do so around your home.
Climb stairs while holding your baby in a baby sling, do some crunches or leg lifts while down on the floor with him, or follow a workout DVD. You don’t have to go to the gym to reap the benefits of exercise, which would be nearly impossible with baby in tow anyway.
Make sure to take time to bond with your baby. Bonding is important and must happen with all parents, yet with some it doesn’t happen as naturally as they’d hope. Spend time with your baby and get to know your new little person.
You may even want to try skin-to-skin therapy. Skin-to-skin therapy is when you rest your baby on your bare skin. You can do with while your baby is in a baby sling. It has been shown that skin-to-skin therapy can help your baby to grow, and help you to bond with him.
Mention to your healthcare provider if you do think you might have PPD. There are a variety of medications that are available to treat it. Some are stronger than others, and it is not a one size fits all diagnosis.
Make sure that you try a variety of things along with your medication to combat your PPD; getting outside more, picking a hobby, taking more “me time”. All of these can have you back and feeling like yourself again.
Kat Hafen is a veteran mom of three who created and designed the HugaMonkey baby sling. Kat is an avid baby sling supporter because of the positive impact it can have on babies. HugaMonkey has $25 baby slings and offers free shipping. Get your baby slings at HugaMonkey.
[tags]baby sling, baby slings[/tags]
Understanding panic attacks is very important, especially if you’re in a profession where you can’t afford to lose control. Even if you were never prone to panic attacks as a child, it can just sneak up on you without warning while you’re driving your car or delivering a very important report for work.
Whether the anxiety attack is caused by a health problem like lack of sleep or depression, or it’s triggered by stress and work worries, it doesn’t really matter at the moment that you’re having the panic attack. The important thing for you to do in this situation is to take the leash out, control the sensations you’re feeling in your body, and counter the thought or idea that provoked your panic attack.
First aid
When you find yourself short of breath all of a sudden, or suffering from extreme chest pains for no reason, you need to force yourself to relax. Because very few people actually understand how panic attacks work, they end up trying to “run away” from the situation. Only, you can’t, because your body has betrayed you, and you’re now unable to move yourself from your imagined harm, whatever it may be.
Ideally, you shouldn’t try to run away from the “triggers” of your panic attacks. These are usually thoughts that are just exaggerated. Instead, you should try to close your eyes, regain your normal breathing pace, and try to scrutinize what made you nervous in the first place. If it’s the unbearable thought of being all alone in a crowd and being around people you don’t know, think about the situation of the other people around you.
They don’t know anyone either, and they’re completely fine. In fact, while being alone can cause you to be uneasy, it should cause you so much fear. At the end of the day, you’re just around fellow strangers too, just as unsure as you are, and they’re also just trying to run their lives. They mean you no harm because they don’t really mind your presence as of the moment.
Other remedies
As we’ve said earlier, panic attacks are caused by a lot of things including stress, lack of sleep, unhealthy diets, or traumatic experiences in the past. If your panic attacks are triggered by unrealistic fears related to a certain object, event or place, you should try to see a therapist. S/he can administer CBT or cognitive-behavioral treatment that can help you get over your fears.
If you suspect that it is caused by your unhealthy lifestyle, then you should try to live a better life. Remember, your brain is an organ too, and when it manifests chemical imbalances that make you think illogical thoughts, it just means you’re not taking proper care of yourself.
You Are About To Discover The Secrets About How To Get Rid Of Panic Attacks And Banish Anxiety Without Any For Of Drugs Or Medications. Follow this link Control Panic Attacks To Cure Your Anxiety Disorder Naturally.
[tags]understanding panic attacks,how to understand panic attacks,tips to understand panic attacks[/tags]
Let’s face it, we can’t always run to the shrink whenever we feel a panic attack coming. This is the reason why we need to know basic panic attack solutions because this can come to anyone of us without warning.
One out of 75 people in the whole world will experience serious and life threatening panic attacks at any point in their lives. These panic attacks are never planned or predicted. This is why even if you’re not really prone to panic attacks, it’s important for you to know what to do when you find yourself in that situation.
Causes
Panic attacks are triggered by unrealistic notions of danger. For example, it can be a sudden and unexplained fear of being alone in a crowd. You can go to a place that’s alien to you, and without warning, anxiety can creep up on you and snowball into an uncontrollable panic attack. It can also happen when you’re driving, and if you’re alone in the car, you can cause serious danger to yourself and to other people.
Anxiety is a normal reaction to doubtful circumstances, or possible but not really life threatening dangers. However, a panic attack happens when this fear of the “unknown danger” is magnified. In other words, panic attacks happen when we panic about panicking. Indirectly, it can be caused by traumatic past experiences, unhealthy lifestyles, stress, or lack of sleep. Whatever the indirect cause may be, you need to understand tat panic attacks are only caused by unrealistic, most times exaggerated thoughts. When you let the fear overcome your sense of control, you can be in serious trouble.
Mind frame
The only thing you can do when you’re facing a panic attack is to try to regain your normal breathing. People usually complain about blocked thoughts or racing heartbeats. While these involuntary body reactions may seem impossible to control under these situations, a lot of sufferers find that they’re better able to cope with the attack when they have a stress ball on hand.
Try to keep a stress ball with you when you lack sleep or you feel that you’re most likely to become anxious. Once your heart starts to race inexplicably, press on the stress ball and try to counter the thought that triggered the bodily reaction. If the thought happened to be the fear of having to speak to so many strangers about something important, try to imagine your audience in their underwear.
The key here is to never let anything intimidate you enough that you’re unable to function as a professional or a student. If you sense your panic attacks recurring whenever you’re in this situation, try to look for a good therapist who can help you master your fears better.
You Are About To Discover The Secrets About How To Get Rid Of Panic Attacks And Banish Anxiety Without Any For Of Drugs Or Medications. Follow this link Control Panic Attacks To Cure Your Anxiety Disorder Naturally.
[tags]panic attacks solution,solution for panic attacks,panic attack solution,solution for panic attack[/tags]
There are many palliatives for constant panic attacks just as there are pain relievers for headaches. However, a quick fix panic attack relief like medication of evasion won’t solve your problem in the long run. The best panic attack relief there is, in reality, is a CBT therapy. CBT also stands for cognitive-behavioral treatment, and this particular treatment deals with the present problems of the patient. Unlike psychotherapeutic treatments, it won’t try to look at the “roots” of your panic attacks from your past experiences. It will basically deal with the here and the now.
CBT approach
The CBT or cognitive-behavioral approach deals with your panic attacks in two methods. Firstly, it tracks down the actual “thought” that triggered your body to go into panic. Secondly, it teaches you how to deal with panic head-on instead of trying to avoid it. According to studies, the “thoughts” that trigger your attacks are actually unrealistic or exaggerated.
For example, it could be an unexplained fear of riding the train on your own. When you experience a panic attack, this fear can snowball into an unmanageable emotion, until the sensations of panic in them selves cause you to panic even more. In other words, these conditions are the end results of vicious fear cycles.
According to studies, too, when you simply try to dodge these panic triggers from crossing your path, either by drugging yourself to remain calm, or avoiding a situation or a place, you eventually limit your world and encourage these panic attacks to worsen. The CBT approach teaches you that the best way to conquer your fear is to understand your fear. When you have a fuller understanding of your panic triggers, and you realize that you’re just overreacting and you’ll be able to handle your thoughts and your body better.
Physiological effects
Panic attacks or sometimes anxiety attacks are also caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. In the worst case scenario, it may just be the side effect of a bigger mood disorder. In which case, the patient will have to get this particular mood disorder treated to get rid of high levels of anxiety.
However, milder cases of panic attacks may also be caused by lack of sleep, poor diets (too much sugar or caffeine), and lack of exercise. If you truly want to get rid of your panic attacks, you need to try your best to live a healthier lifestyle.
You Are About To Discover The Secrets About How To Get Rid Of Panic Attacks And Banish Anxiety Without Any For Of Drugs Or Medications. Follow this link Control Panic Attacks To Cure Your Anxiety Disorder Naturally.
[tags]panic attack relief,panic attacks relief how to relief panic attacks,how to relief panic attack[/tags]
The most popular panic attack therapy used today is the CBT or cognitive-behavioral therapy. Psychotherapeutic approaches in the past used to deal with medication and counseling that focuses more on the patient’s past experiences. CBT, on the other hand, is more proactive, in a sense that it teaches the patient to deal with his/her present problems, in this case panic attacks.
When the panic attack is not a mere symptom of more serious mood instabilities, it can be treated with CBT alone. However, if the panic attacks are caused by these mood instabilities, it may need to be treated with medication first.
Cognitive CBT
When a patient undergoes CBT, his/her therapist tried to treat him in two ways: cognitive and behavioral. With the cognitive approach, the therapist basically helps the patient track down which thoughts trigger his/her panic attacks. Based on experience, these thoughts are all exaggerated, and they magnify the possible threats in whatever situation the patient experiences.
For example, s/he may be worried about speaking in front of high profile strangers for a project proposal. It’s normal for anyone to feel nervous about this situation, but when one is experiencing a panic attack, s/he may respond to the situation as if his/her life was under threat.
Through the cognitive approach of the CBT treatment, the therapist will then try to explain how the patient’s “thoughts” were actually unrealistic. The therapist will then teach the patient how to practice rationalizing these thoughts whenever s/he experiences a panic attack. Although the patient might have a hard time actually doing these exercises during the first few panic attacks, s/he will eventually get the hang of it.
Behavioral CBT
The behavioral aspect of the CBT is similar to other phobia treatments. If the panic attacks are caused by a certain situation or object, then the patient is exposed to these panic triggers. The CBT treatment basically teaches the patient to approach his/her panic attacks head on. It discourages the patient to depend on medicines or other people whenever a panic attack happens.
The CBT is a popular panic attack remedy because, in general, it is a safer and more affordable treatment compared to chemical mood stabilizers.
Other aids
Of course, the CBT approach would be to no avail if the patient refuses to lead a healthier lifestyle. Panic attacks occur more often in people who drink too much coffee and intake high levels of sugar. As much as possible, the patient should also make sure that s/he has enough sleep, and has at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise daily.
You Are About To Discover The Secrets About How To Get Rid Of Panic Attacks And Banish Anxiety Without Any For Of Drugs Or Medications. Follow this link Control Panic Attacks To Cure Your Anxiety Disorder Naturally.
[tags]panic attacks therapy,panic attack therapy,therapy for panic attacks,therapy for panic attack[/tags]
When I read books on anxiety I would skim through pages quickly to see if my particular fear was mentioned.
It had to be my own particular fear; otherwise I would conclude that the treatment they are talking about would not work for me. If the book had not recognized or mentioned my own fear I would think perhaps this fear was exclusive to me.
I needed to see my exact fear on paper to confirm to myself that I was suffering from anxiety and not something worst or something that had not yet been discovered.
Feelings & Sensations I experienced during anxiety:
Light light-headedness
Head pressure
Fogginess
Fuzzy ears
Twitching of eye lids & lips
Waking feeling frightened & anxious
Sometimes aware of my legs whilst walking, like they became heavy
Feelings of unreality (depersonalization & derealization)
Looking in the mirror and not connecting to my image
Feelings of Dejavu
Exhaustion
Can’t think straight
Can’t cross the street unless people were either side of me
Heart beating faster
Stomach churning
Cloudiness
Jumpy
Shaky hands when holding a drink in front of people
Not being able to make decisions quickly
Loss of confidence
Sometimes not being able to make eye contact
Awareness of self
Foreboding feeling
Mind going blank
Fear of my thoughts
Dizzy
Sometime not able to concentrate fully in conversation
Worrying about symptoms
I will list a few fear thoughts I had during anxiety.
Fear of harming my child
Fear of throwing myself in front of an oncoming train
Fear of pushing someone in front of an oncoming train
Fear of going mad or becoming hysterical in front of people
Excerpt from my eBook
I was always mentally exhausted and always woke up with a heavy head and those dreaded feelings, the thought of facing another day was daunting.
My thoughts were certainly frightening; I would think things like, for example, standing by a platform in a train station. I would think gosh I could just throw myself on to an on coming train or in fact push someone on to an on coming train.
To these thoughts I would step back, completely away from the platform frightened I could think like that.
I would sometimes think that my food was being poisoned, and would battle with myself for thinking like this. I had so many thoughts like this that I was sure I had a very severe mental illness because how can you think like this?
Looking after my son (I was a single parent at that time) I would get thoughts of oh dear what if I harm him. I was very afraid of this particular thought, although deep inside I knew that this was not possible but the fact that I was thinking it was hard to handle and again I questioned myself.
I became aware of myself talking to people, too aware of what I was thinking that I could not concentrate on what they were saying. I was watching my thoughts all the time and whilst in the middle of a conversation, I would forget what I was saying and be unable to respond to the person I was communicating with.
This soon became a problem for me, because it now made me nervous to hold conversations with people. This led to not being able to eat in front of people and not being able to talk on the phone. I would also be very nervous if I had to sign a cheque in a bank or in fact anywhere else.
My illness started with anxiety and because I became extremely mentally exhausted OCD followed. The way I recovered from my OCD was by the same principle as my recovery from anxiety.
I am glad to say that I am now fully recovered and enjoying life once again.
My Name is Bisola, married and a mother of 3 wonderful children. I suffered with anxiety for 20 years and I am now fully recovered. I have written an ebook about my experience and cure from anxiety and
http://anxietythoughts.com/
[tags]Anxiety symptoms, Symptoms of Anxiety, Anxiety[/tags]
St. Johns Wort (Hypericum Perforatum) is also known as Klamath Weed or Tipton’s Weed and is widely known as an effective herbal remedy for depression and sadness.
I have personal experience with this herb. A few years back I was in a low period where I was feeling overwhelmed and very sad. I tried a St. Johns Wort supplement and found that it worked incredibly well. In the end I had to actually cut my dose back due to its effectiveness.
There are at least 370 different species of this amazing plant in the plant genus, Hypericum, discovered to date. This herb thrives in subtropical areas of the world. These include Asia Minor, North America, India, Russia, China and Europe.
This perennial herb flowers yellow and is traditionally harvested on June 24. This is where it got its name; June 24 is St John’s day. St. Johns Wort is easy to identify. The yellow flowers are normally about twenty millimeters across and are found late in the Spring to early summer. If you smash the seeds or yellow flowers you will discover a purple/red colored liquid.
This herb is not all glamor and glory. Many countries consider it to be a noxious pest of a plant. When it is consumed by livestock it can cause many problems from depression of the nervous system to photosensitization. It can even cause death among
ranging animals.
The Cochrane Review, which conducts research on medicine and gives reports based on evidence, claims that St. Johns Wort is similar to antidepressants that exist on the market, today. It is considered very effective for treating both depression and major depression.
The beauty of this herb is that compared to antidepressants that are manufactured today it has half the side effects. Compared to older, trycyclic, antidepressants it has 5 times fewer side effects. To me that’s a major event. One of the single largest problems with prescriptions is the overwhelming amount of side effects they cause.
Some countries, such as Germany, often prescribe this herb to treat depression symptoms. It is dosed out in several ways including: capsule, tablet, tincture and tea (loose or teabag) forms. It works wonderfully in children and is very cost effective.
The cost of medicine in North America has people constantly seeking out a cheaper alternative and this natural plant is often found to be the solution.
The only type of depression that St. Johns Wort is not effective in, according to studies, is dysthymia. Dysthymia is termed as chronic depression which is not as severe as major depression or depression.
Although it has been found to be most effective in treating depression there are other ailments that it is often used for. Hyperforin is a chemical in the plant that is thought to help treat alcoholism.
It is also used to holistically treat ADHD by inhibiting the reuptake of norepinephrine. The studies on these two uses of the plant have not been thorough nor conclusive.
Check with your local herbalist to see if they have any recommendations. You can often combine St. Johns Wort with other herbs to achieve the results you are looking for.
Dee Braun, a single mom of 6, is a Certified Aromatherapist and natural health practitioner. Click now to visit Remedies4.com at http://www.Remedies4.com/ - a large directory full of free natural health ebooks covering common ailments, illnesses, health conditions and natural healing techniques.
[tags]st johns wort,depression,depression remedies,depression remedy,depression herb,depression help[/tags]
I suffered with anxiety for 20 years. Please do not let this scare you. The only reason I remained in anxiety for so long was because I did not seek help.
I was scared I had some really awful mental illness and had a fear that as I had a child, I was scared he might be taken away from me.
I had my first Anxiety Fear at the age of about 17.
My first attack was horrible and left me very frightened. My whole body was shaking with fear. Was I about to have a heart attack? Was I going mad? What was going on?
I felt so much fear but was not sure what I was fearful of; it put me on alert afraid to even think! This of course made me start watching myself, my thoughts, one day led to another and I became even more fearful.
It felt like I was not here in the present, I was too aware of everything around me like an out of body experience, like I was watching myself. Everything just seemed too real or maybe unreal.
I became aware of my hands, my legs, everything, like they were not part of me. I would look at myself in the mirror and not connect with the imagine staring back at me. It was almost like I did not recognize this person. It was like someone else, I would run away scared.
On occasions while I was out and about I would suddenly get confused as to where I was and how to get home, I would lose my sense of direction (I had taken this route for years).
Reading books on anxiety I would skim through pages frantically to see if my fears were mentioned. If the book had not recognized my own specific fear I would worry this fear was exclusive to me and not one of anxiety.
When I was going through anxiety I would get insights of the real truth. I could see the real truth behind my anxiety thoughts. I could see that these anxiety thoughts were NOT, as I always knew deep down inside, my true thoughts
I had read a lot of books on anxiety. I was disappointed as each book sounded so much like the one before and the message was more or less the same in all of them: exercise, breathing techniques, relaxation, meditation, etc.
I am not saying that these techniques cannot be implemented and help with the overall anxiety. They definitely will help you relax and build strength; however for me at that moment in time I needed something more effective.
I needed immediate results! Eventually however on my road to recovery, I did implement exercise and relaxation techniques, which helped a great deal
When I did decide to get help, I went privately. Four counselors later all that money spent and time wasted I was no better; I was still fearful and filled with anxiety. I was in hell and needed a way out!
The type of counseling I received from all 4 counselors was delving into my past, talking about my childhood. They were trying to find out what had brought me to anxiety in the first place and perhaps the clue for recovery was there.
Counseling certainly helps with anxiety. However, for me at that precise moment in time I needed immediate relief from my frightening symptoms!
To me the answer, the way out is simple, when I tell people about the way I got out of anxiety and give them the explanation, they think this can not be the way out because it seems too simple.
Simple but not easy, however it does become easier as you practice. They feel the cure lies in a much deeper routed way. I think we feel to get out of anxiety we need to go through some huge rollercoaster
I have now recovered and so glad to see the world in a different and relaxed light. No more looking around checking to see if my anxiety is still with me.
I sincerely hope that my own experience will help you on your road to recovery
My Name is Bisola, married and a mother of 3 wonderful children. I suffered with anxiety for 20 years and I am now fully recovered.
http://anxietythoughts.com/
[tags]Anxiety, Anxiety thoughts, Anxiety fear, Ocd[/tags]





