There are five major Anxiety Disorders and
it is not unusual for people to experience symptoms of more
than one Anxiety Disorder at the same time.
•
Panic Disorder is the
experience of spontaneous panic attacks. The intensity of
the attack can be extremely severe and many people feel
they are having a heart attack an/or are going to die or
are going insane.
•
Social Anxiety is the
experience of fear, anxiety and/or panic in social
situations in which people fear they may embarrass
themselves in some way.
•
Acute Stress Disorder /Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder is the
experience, or witness or confrontation with an event or
events that involved actual or threatened death or serious
injury or threat to the physical injury of self or others.
•
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is the
experience of obsessive unwanted thoughts and/or compulsive
behaviours that may include rituals and can markedly
interfere with normal functioning.
•
Generalised Anxiety Disorder is
persistence and excessive anxiety or worry experienced for
six months or more about events or activities which may or
may not happen.
Spontaneous
panic attacks are
associated to panic disorder. Panic disorder is the fear of
having a spontaneous panic attack. This attack comes
without any warning day or night irrespective of what the
person is doing. The spontaneous attack is not related to
and is not induced by any particular situation or place.
Many people can be waken from sleep with this type of
attack. Many people fear they are dying, having a heart
attack or going insane or losing control.
Panic disorder strikes at least 1.6 percent of the
population and is twice as common in women as in men.
Panic disorder lead to other conditions such as depression
or alcoholism.
The
common symptoms of a panic attack are:
Palpitations, pounding heart or accelerated heart rate,
sweating, trembling or shaking, sensations of shortness of
breath or smothering, feeling of chocking, chest pain or
discomfort, nausea or abdominal distress, feeling dizzy,
unsteady, lightheadedness or faint, Derealisation or
depersonalisation, fear of losing control or going crazy,
fear of dying, numbness or tingling sensations, chills or
hot flushes.
Many people find their lives becoming increasingly
restricted by anxiety disorder and may develop a major
depression in reaction to their anxiety disorder.
Many sufferers feel a loss of motivation and helplessness
as a result.
In the past many people were being diagnosed as having
depression, while their primary anxiety disorder remained
undiagnosed and untreated.
This is still occurring in many cases.
While it is important that the depression is treated, the
underlying anxiety disorder also needs to be
treated!
Tranquillisers : Many
people do develop a prescribed drug dependence as a result
of taking medication for their anxiety disorder.
Despite the research showing the addictive nature of
tranquillisers people are still being prescribed these
drugs long term.
Speak with your doctor and again, if your doctor is not
receptive to your concerns, seek a second opinion and/or
contact your local Drug and Alcohol
unit.
Self help and alternative
medicine:
Relaxation
Exercises:
These can be very helpful. Teach yourself how to breathe
correctly. Most of us breathe from our upper chest area
instead of our abdominal area. Practice deep breathing.
Studies have found that it is impossible to have a panic
attack when you are breathing deeply and properly.
Learn how to meditate, take yoga, get a massage, and most
of all exercise.
Exercising can be the best prescription. You will have
fewer anxiety producing illnesses if you achieve physical
fitness. You can have a new and exciting lifestyle if you
are functioning at optimal levels of health. Set a goal and
become more physically fit and then commit yourself to
achieving it. Your unconscious mind will make it easier to
exercise and eat right if you program it with
visualizations and affirmations.
Homeopathy:
try
Aconite 30 for irrational fears, Arsenicum 30 for
anxiety in the evening, gelsemium 30 for anxiety with
trembling.
Herbal medicine: among
the best remedies for anxiety are: valerian, Kava-Kava,
Passiflora, Verbean
Essential oil: Chamomile,
Lavender, mandarin, ylang-Ylang
Acupuncture: a
short course of treatment is very effective
Anxiety
and panic attacks are 100% treatable. Don't suffer anymore
than you have to. Take charge and get yourself on the track
to a better quality of life. It may take some work, it will
be worth it.
