Suffering from Anxiety and Panic Attacks??

I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks for many years. I know the personal hell of it all. When I had my first attack, I raced to the emergency room thinking I was having a heart-attack. This was a real threat! I went so far as to tell my kids goodbye, etc. Once evaluated, I was told by the Dr. I had a Tachycardia. I had no idea what that was until he told me in layman's terms that it was a Panic Attack. I have been medicated, went through therapy, relaxation classes, self talk classes, etc. While the above helped me to ease my mind a little, it did not STOP the attacks. They still came, I still suffered, I still felt like I was going crazy. Ok, I had a panic attack, now what was I to do Post Panic Attack? I was informed, I knew what they were, I was told the standard self talk to stop them, but what went through my brain was something like this:, "What if it isnt a panic attack this time? What if Im really having a heart attack this time? What if I am having a heart attack and dont get help because I think it's just anxiety?" Sound familiar?

1. The first step in anxiety treatment is to recognize that your job, when experiencing anxiety, is to make yourself as comfortable as possible while the feeling passes. Anxiety will pass.

While you are waiting for the anxiety to pass, remind yourself that this feeling will go away, and concentrate on making yourself comfortable physically and emotionally. To increase physical comfort, find a comfortable position, stretch your muscles, and loosen any tight clothing you are wearing.To increase emotional comfort, continue with the rest of these 5 anxiety treatment methods - starting with positive, calming self-talk.

2. Use calming self talk. Much of what we say to ourselves when experiencing anxiety in fact causes us to feel more anxious. Tell yourself calming phrases such as:

"This feeling will pass.", "I will get through this.", "I am safe right now.",
"I am feeling anxious now, but soon I will be calm.", "I can feel my heart rate gradually slowing down."

3. Acknowledge and accept the anxiety. Fighting the anxiety makes it stronger. Paradoxically, accepting that you are feeling anxious causes the anxiety to go away.

If you are feeling brave enough to try the following, it is one of the most powerful anxiety treatment strategies:

For 10 minutes, try to make yourself as anxious as possible. Think anxious thoughts. Try to get your anxiety to increase to the highest imaginable level. When your anxiety reaches a 10 out of 10 - good! - now try to keep it there for at least 5 full minutes.

You will probably find that you are not able to keep your anxiety at a high level. This is a type of exposure technique, in which you face your fears and, paradoxically, they vanish.

4. Distract yourself. Distraction is an effective way of putting your mind on something other than the anxiety symptoms you are experiencing, and is a surprisingly effective anxiety treatment. It is difficult for the mind to focus on more than one thing at once. If you find something to focus on intently, your mind will not be able to maintain the anxiety for long.

5. Relaxation techniques. Start using quick relaxation techniques to induce the relaxation response. This will counter the body's stress response and reduce anxiety symptoms. See the relaxation response page to learn how to quickly achieve relaxation.

Or End Anxiety and Panic Attacks before they happen

Quiz helps dispel myths about panic disorders

By DR. JOYCE BROTHERS
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST

Many people get nervous or feel anxious during unfamiliar situations or novel experiences. Some people, however, are struck with such irrational fears during daily life that their panic becomes debilitating. This true or false quiz helps you test your knowledge about the symptoms, causes and treatments of these common disorders.

1. Most experts agree that about 10 percent of people suffer from panic disorder.

TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

2. Agoraphobia, or an intense fear of public places, is a disorder that can commonly occur along with panic attacks.

TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

3. Oftentimes, a panic attack can be triggered by a person's physical symptoms, such as heartburn or a headache.

TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

4. Medication is considered the best way to treat panic disorders.

TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

5. Physical symptoms of panic disorder can include nausea and vomiting, chills or sweats, feeling of choking or shortness of breath, fainting, trembling and numbness or tingling sensations.

TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

6. There is only one type of anxiety disorder, and it has similar symptoms in all people.

FALSE ( ) FALSE ( )

7. People with severe social phobia may fear being judged or watched by others so much that any interaction with another person can cause them to experience debilitating broad physical and psychological symptoms.

TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

8. Anxiety disorders can be present from an early age or can begin suddenly. They are most prone to appear during times of high stress.

TRUE ( ) FALSE ( )

ANSWERS:

1. FALSE. Most studies have found that 1 percent to 2 percent of people suffer from panic disorders. The Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that about 0.7 percent of Canadians between ages 15 and 64 suffer from panic. While many people have experienced panic attacks in their lives, panic disorders leave people in constant fear that an attack will strike again at any moment.

2. TRUE. Agoraphobia stems from a fear of being unable to escape to a safe location during a panic attack. Agoraphobics tend to try to avoid the situations that they think may have initiated the panic attack, and thereby close themselves off to new or unusual experiences as well as public locations.

3. TRUE. It is hard for those suffering from panic disorders to recognize the physical triggers that can set off attacks. Instead they associate the attack with the activity they were doing or the location where they were when the attack struck. This can lead them to avoid these circumstances.

4. FALSE. Cognitive behavioral therapy is thought by most in the field to be the most effective treatment for panic disorders. This method encourages those suffering from panic attacks to expose themselves to different experiences in a safe environment. Patients are taught to control their thoughts and actions during panic attacks. SSRI medications can be helpful in certain circumstances, but taking a pill that has short-term anti-anxiety effects every time a panic attack strikes can be counterproductive.

5. TRUE. All of these symptoms can be felt during panic attacks, either alone or in combinations. The physical symptoms go along with the emotional and mental symptoms usually associated with feelings of panic, such as nervousness and fear.

6. FALSE. There are five major types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive- compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and social phobia. All five of these exhibit slightly different symptoms, and are brought about in different settings.

7. TRUE. Because this disorder can strike anytime a person is in a social setting, it can severely interfere with work, school and other necessary daily activities. This can lead to more extreme forms of the disorder, including agoraphobia.

8. TRUE. Anxiety disorder can be chronic. A family history of mental distress or trouble dealing with anxiety can be signs that you may have an anxiety disorder. Additionally, stress can bring out physical and emotional symptoms usually associated with panic attacks.

If you were able to answer six of the eight questions correctly, you're more informed than most on this subject.
Write to Dr. Joyce Brothers via King Features, 888 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10019.

Click Here for more info on Panic Away

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (or GAD) is characterized by excessive, exaggerated anxiety and worry about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for worry. People with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder tend to always expect disaster and can't stop worrying about health, money, family, work, or school. In people with GAD, the worry often is unrealistic or out of proportion for the situation. Daily life becomes a constant state of worry, fear, and dread. Eventually, the anxiety so dominates the person's thinking that it interferes with daily functioning, including work, school, social activities, and relationships.
What Are the Symptoms of GAD?

GAD affects the way a person thinks, but the anxiety can lead to physical symptoms, as well. Symptoms of GAD can include:

* Excessive, ongoing worry and tension
* An unrealistic view of problems
* Restlessness or a feeling of being "edgy"
* Irritability
* Muscle tension
* Headaches
* Sweating
* Difficulty concentrating
* Nausea
* The need to go to the bathroom frequently
* Tiredness
* Trouble falling or staying asleep
* Trembling
* Being easily startled

In addition, people with GAD often have other anxiety disorders (such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias), suffer from depression, and/or abuse drugs or alcohol.
What Causes GAD?

The exact cause of GAD is not fully known, but a number of factors -- including genetics, brain chemistry, and environmental stresses -- appear to contribute to its development.

* Genetics: Some research suggests that family history plays a part in increasing the likelihood that a person will develop GAD. This means that the tendency to develop GAD may be passed on in families.
* Brain chemistry: GAD has been associated with abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are special chemical messengers that help move information from nerve cell to nerve cell. If the neurotransmitters are out of balance, messages cannot get through the brain properly. This can alter the way the brain reacts in certain situations, leading to anxiety.
* Environmental factors: Trauma and stressful events, such as abuse, the death of a loved one, divorce, changing jobs or schools, may lead to GAD. GAD also may become worse during periods of stress. The use of and withdrawal from addictive substances, including alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine, can also worsen anxiety.

How Common Is GAD?

About 4 million adult Americans suffer from GAD during the course of a year. It most often begins in childhood or adolescence, but can begin in adulthood. It is more common in women than in men.
How Is GAD Diagnosed?

If symptoms of GAD are present, the doctor will begin an evaluation by asking questions about your medical history and performing a physical examination. Although there are no laboratory tests to specifically diagnose anxiety disorders, the doctor may use various tests to look for physical illness as the cause of the symptoms.

Panic Attack Symptoms

Panic attacks are sudden feelings of terror that strike without warning. These episodes can occur at any time, even during sleep. A person experiencing a panic attack may believe that he or she is having a heart attack or that death is imminent. The fear and terror that a person experiences during a panic attack are not in proportion to the true situation and may be unrelated to what is happening around them. Most people with panic attacks experience several of the following symptoms:

* "Racing" heart
* Feeling weak, faint, or dizzy
* Tingling or numbness in the hands and fingers
* Sense of terror, of impending doom or death
* Feeling sweaty or having chills
* Chest pains
* Breathing difficulties
* Feeling a loss of control