Information on Panic and Anxiety Disorder
A certain amount of anxiety is not in itself, unhealthy.
It helps us avoid dangerous situations, makes us alert and motivates us to deal with problems.
An excess of anxiety however can cause disruption of our lives by its effect on our emotional health.
Persistent and unhealthy stress is what leads to a increase in anxiety which can then show itself in different ways.
Sometimes it is just a feeling of depression or general apathy, or maybe difficulty sleeping or feeling irritable.
Sometimes, though the build up of anxiety causes the body to over react by triggering a panic attack.
The panic attack is when the body suddenly goes into emergency mode as a response to a threat of some kind but when there is in fact no actual threat.
It is a misinterpretation if you like, which causes the body to exhibit its "fight or flight" response which is a physiological change in the body affording it maximum performance to combat or to escape from danger.
A panic attack can start for no apparent reason, and build up extremely quickly, overwhelming the person in sudden fear, sometimes of death itself.
Sometimes the attack occurs so quickly it is difficult to control and you have no option but to let it run its course.
It's important to understand that this is a normal physiological process and not an illness or impending heart attack.
It is just that the process is inappropriate, often caused by underlying chronic anxiety which seems to make the "hair trigger" for an acute panic attack more sensitive.
A panic usually begins with a sudden outpouring of adrenalin, rapid breathing and a raised heart beat.
There can follow on very quickly any or all of the following: sweating, dizziness, feeling of faintness, nausea, unsteadiness, pain in the chest, tightness in the muscles of head and shoulders, headache and blurred vision.
Unless you know about these symptoms and are prepared for them, they can instill of themselves, even more fear in the individual and prolong or worsen the attack.
Understanding the situation is key to overcoming it.
You need to accept that panic attacks are accentuated versions of normal reactions and cannot harm you.
By letting your mind go with the attack rather than fighting it is a way of reducing its effects.
Once you overcome the fear of feeling fear during an attack you are all ready on your way to recovery.
You say to yourself "let it do its worst - it cannot harm me and will soon be over" and this mindset of going with the flow takes the sting out of the situation.
You can certainly help yourself over come panic attacks in several other ways too.
Try to reduce the general levels of stress in your daily life as much as possible by not taking on more work or responsibility than you can comfortably handle.
Ensure that you are eating a healthy and varied diet and getting plenty of sleep.
You should also take plenty of exercise as this has been proven to positively affect brain mood by releasing the right sort of natural brain chemicals.
Some 3-5 periods of short duration aerobic exercise each week are very beneficial.
In between times try to find a way of relaxing that works for you, whether it be listening to music, reading in bed at night, or some form of meditation.
The art of relaxing is one that can be learned and is most beneficial in reducing anxiety and allowing a positive state of mind to build.
These changes in life style will help to reduce the frequency and force of panic attacks, but there are also measures to counter an attack when it occurs.
There are breathing exercises that you can learn which you can implement at the first signs of attack when you sense your breathing becoming more rapid.
By concentrating on deep abdominal breathing you can help slow or reverse the carbon dioxide loss which seems to be responsible for a lot of the effects of an attack.
There are medications available that can help to reduce your general levels of anxiety and make you less prone to sudden attacks of panic.
In addition it is possible to take drugs that reduce the effects of an attack such as the shakes or tablets that you can dissolve under the tongue if you feel you are entering a situation which could trigger an attack.
Your doctor will be able to advise you with this.
Do not allow yourself to become enslaved by anxiety or panic attacks but rather take hold of the situation and help yourself as well as getting help from your professional health advisor.
It helps us avoid dangerous situations, makes us alert and motivates us to deal with problems.
An excess of anxiety however can cause disruption of our lives by its effect on our emotional health.
Persistent and unhealthy stress is what leads to a increase in anxiety which can then show itself in different ways.
Sometimes it is just a feeling of depression or general apathy, or maybe difficulty sleeping or feeling irritable.
Sometimes, though the build up of anxiety causes the body to over react by triggering a panic attack.
The panic attack is when the body suddenly goes into emergency mode as a response to a threat of some kind but when there is in fact no actual threat.
It is a misinterpretation if you like, which causes the body to exhibit its "fight or flight" response which is a physiological change in the body affording it maximum performance to combat or to escape from danger.
A panic attack can start for no apparent reason, and build up extremely quickly, overwhelming the person in sudden fear, sometimes of death itself.
Sometimes the attack occurs so quickly it is difficult to control and you have no option but to let it run its course.
It's important to understand that this is a normal physiological process and not an illness or impending heart attack.
It is just that the process is inappropriate, often caused by underlying chronic anxiety which seems to make the "hair trigger" for an acute panic attack more sensitive.
A panic usually begins with a sudden outpouring of adrenalin, rapid breathing and a raised heart beat.
There can follow on very quickly any or all of the following: sweating, dizziness, feeling of faintness, nausea, unsteadiness, pain in the chest, tightness in the muscles of head and shoulders, headache and blurred vision.
Unless you know about these symptoms and are prepared for them, they can instill of themselves, even more fear in the individual and prolong or worsen the attack.
Understanding the situation is key to overcoming it.
You need to accept that panic attacks are accentuated versions of normal reactions and cannot harm you.
By letting your mind go with the attack rather than fighting it is a way of reducing its effects.
Once you overcome the fear of feeling fear during an attack you are all ready on your way to recovery.
You say to yourself "let it do its worst - it cannot harm me and will soon be over" and this mindset of going with the flow takes the sting out of the situation.
You can certainly help yourself over come panic attacks in several other ways too.
Try to reduce the general levels of stress in your daily life as much as possible by not taking on more work or responsibility than you can comfortably handle.
Ensure that you are eating a healthy and varied diet and getting plenty of sleep.
You should also take plenty of exercise as this has been proven to positively affect brain mood by releasing the right sort of natural brain chemicals.
Some 3-5 periods of short duration aerobic exercise each week are very beneficial.
In between times try to find a way of relaxing that works for you, whether it be listening to music, reading in bed at night, or some form of meditation.
The art of relaxing is one that can be learned and is most beneficial in reducing anxiety and allowing a positive state of mind to build.
These changes in life style will help to reduce the frequency and force of panic attacks, but there are also measures to counter an attack when it occurs.
There are breathing exercises that you can learn which you can implement at the first signs of attack when you sense your breathing becoming more rapid.
By concentrating on deep abdominal breathing you can help slow or reverse the carbon dioxide loss which seems to be responsible for a lot of the effects of an attack.
There are medications available that can help to reduce your general levels of anxiety and make you less prone to sudden attacks of panic.
In addition it is possible to take drugs that reduce the effects of an attack such as the shakes or tablets that you can dissolve under the tongue if you feel you are entering a situation which could trigger an attack.
Your doctor will be able to advise you with this.
Do not allow yourself to become enslaved by anxiety or panic attacks but rather take hold of the situation and help yourself as well as getting help from your professional health advisor.
