A Jungian Psychology Approach To Anxiety

A Jungian Psychology Approach To Anxiety
By John Betts

Anxiety is a very common disorder in todays world, largely due to the fact that we feel hurried, pressured and pushed to perform, pay the mortgage, deal with kids, and on top of all that, live a full life. No wonder we have anxiety. But what is anxiety trying to tell us? From a Jungian Psychology perspective, anxiety is the psyches way of telling us that the way we are living is out of balance. Rather than view anxiety as something to be eliminated, with medication, we need to see that the psyche is giving us a clear message about our one-sided life and is gently asking us to change this. Viewed in this light, anxiety symptoms are there to guide us out of a lifestyle that is no longer working.

Carl Jung argued that anxiety symptoms are purposive, functional and have a goal the alteration of our lifestyle. When we eliminate the symptoms through medication, we deny the wisdom of the psyche in making normal, natural change. Anxiety often appears in mid-life, when many of us experience a mid-life crisis. The first half of life is aimed at establishing our identity, our relationships, our occupation, and building up the necessary resources to accomplish all of these tasks. But, there comes a time when we need to turn inwards, to encounter the contents of the unconscious (often provided to us in the form of dreams) and search out the essential meaning of life. What is my purpose in life? Why am I here? How could I be living a more balanced, natural life? It is anxiety that often propels us towards answering these questions. When next you feel intense anxiety, ask yourself what the psyche is trying to tell you? What is it that I am doing that creates the anxiety, then begin to address the causes of the symptoms, rather than the cure.

If we answer the question what is the anxiety trying to tell me we begin to address the cause. This may mean some change in the way you life your life, but this change does not necessarily mean that you become less competent, or less valued, rather, it means that you begin to value the wisdom of your psyche more than before. By addressing the causes of the anxiety and making lifestyle changes, the anxiety should diminish, having achieved its goal leading you towards a more full, balanced lifestyle.

John Betts is a Diploma Candidate at the International School of Analytical Psychology in Zurich Switzerland. He has a Jungian Analysis practice in Victoria, B.C., Canada.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JohnBetts
http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Jungian-Psychology-Approach-To-Anxiety&id=195252

7 Strategies to Overcoming Anxiety and Panic Attacks

7 Strategies to Overcoming Anxiety and Panic Attacks
By Glenda Thomas

You Can Overcome panic attacks and anxiety!

That is great news to those who suffer day in and day out, year in and year out. I have and I know that you can too.

THE SYMPTOMS
For me it started with heart palpitations. My thoughts immediately steered to fear. Then my throat would become dry so I could not swallow. Then my body would feel weird. Dizziness and blurred vision. By this time I was convinced that I was about to die. I kept waiting for the symptoms to get worse and they did. I use to suffer from panic attacks so badly that I had to go to the hospital by ambulance. I was so embarrassed when the doctor checked me and told me that there was nothing wrong with me. When I had to go grocery shopping I would get a funny feeling in my stomach before I left the house. Once I got inside the grocery store I felt like I had to run out or else I would become overwhelmed. I dreaded the thought that I might have a panic attack in public. I had to talk to myself and prayed up and down each and every aisle of the store. I knew that if I ran out, my family would not have food and I would have to start all over again. The people in the store had no idea the personal torture I was experiencing. People at church had no idea how hard it was to sit in a large crowd.

AWARENESS When the symptoms first started, I had no idea what was happening to me. One day I was watching T.V. and some people were on a show talking about the symptoms and the light went on, That's me! That's what I have been going through. That was the beginning of my healing! Knowledge is power. I thank God that He allowed me to turn to the channel and hear those people talking. I also helped me to know that I was not alone. I suppose that those of you who suffer from the effects of anxiety are glad to hear that you are not alone.

Steps to Overcoming

1) READ Read as much as possible about anxiety and understand what are some of the causes. (Email me for link to books).

2)PROFESSIONAL HELP Go to a counselor or therapist to get to the bottom of the anxiety. The physical discomforts are trying to get your attention - Pay attention to a greater dis-ease within. Pray for God to send you to the right person. He will.

3)RELAXATION Listen to a tape or CD for RELAXATION This was one of the things that helped me tremendously. I needed to reprogram my mind with positive and true statements that were life giving and empowering. Click below for CD's and cassette tapes to help you overcome anxiety and panic attacks. Breathing correctly is a part of relaxation.

4) EXERCISE Physical excercise has tremendous value. It releases chemicals that generate good feelings, called pheromones. It's good to feel good!

5) HEALING IN GOD'S WORD Meditate on scriptures that enhance your trust in God. One scripture that helps me when I really let it sink in is: Matthew 5:25-34. Am I not more than a bird to God? You better believe it and so are you! Birds don't work or store up food yet God takes care of them. Wow! The next time you see a bird think about that!

6) MAP YOUR JOURNEY Create a time line by drawing on a sheet of paper when your first signs of discomfort started. Write down what major events happened at that same time. Note the year/date. Go back as far as you can. This process helps you to take a bird's eye view of your life. When I did this exercise, I found that the first time I experienced a full panic attack was in 1984 and I had just made a major move from someone very dear to me. I also discovered that there agoraphobia before any panic attack ever appeared. Do this it will help you understand what has been going on and what triggers extreme anxiety. (You may need to use than one piece of paper).

7)God's Power to Heal
Remember,God still heals. We must let go of all the passed disappointments, and betrayals. God is not like any human being with whom we have had a relationship. God faithful and just. Jesus walked this earth so you can talk to Him about yours trials. Pray as the early disciples did, Lord, increase my faith. FAITH is the opposite of anxiety. Faith not only pleases God but keeps us trusting in God's fatherly care. I am a witness!! Praise God!

If just one person is helped by this article, I will have accomplished what God set me out to do -Help someone along our earthly journey.

Pray for me. I will pray for you.

Glenda M. Thomas, Editor of Sister 2 Sister Newsletter

http://www.glendathomas.com/editor.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=GlendaThomas
http://EzineArticles.com/?7-Strategies-to-Overcoming-Anxiety-and-Panic-Attacks&id=1726

Ways to Cope with severe Anxiety Disorder

Ways to Cope with severe Anxiety Disorder
By John Mancini

A severe Anxiety Disorder can lead to very deep depression that may lead to morbid thoughts and possible suicide attempts. These are not a cry for help they are genuine attempts at taking their own life and the patient should be treated carefully. A common mistake when people hear of an Anxiety Disorder is to push people into doing the things that make them the most anxious but this is a mistake. Until professional help can be sought the patient should be allowed to avoid circumstances that will place them under extra pressure. The more exposure to these circumstances the more likely they will develop a severe Anxiety Disorder.

Benzodiazepines are another regularly used medication that is proven to help some sufferers of severe Anxiety Disorder but again there isn't any single one that is proven to work while others don't.

Combing psychiatric assistance with prescribed medication is by far the best solution. Often the drugs only mask the symptoms and the patient can grow immune to their effects so by using a psychiatric program as well the patient will really benefit.

Medication can be prescribed that will help patients who suffer from severe Anxiety Disorder. Most trials have been conducted on monotherapy treatment, which means the use of one drug but often it is necessary to combine more than one drug to get the best effects. Antidepressants are administered although it is very much a case of trial and error as to exactly which one will prove the most effective.

Psychological treatment should be sought from a registered psychiatrist. Finding a professional who has a lot of experience with patients who suffer from severe Anxiety Disorder is the best option. A Psychiatrist will understand the problem perfectly and will help the patient work through their anxiety. Remember, a patient suffering from a severe Anxiety Disorder is unlikely to want to visit a doctor of any sort, but a Psychiatrist with the appropriate experience will know how to overcome this problem.

John Mancini has been writing about Anxiety Disorder online and offline for a long time. Visit http://stop-anxiety-disorders.net or http://anxiety-disorders-home.info to read more about matters like separation anxiety disorder and panic anxiety disorder.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JohnMancini
http://EzineArticles.com/?Ways-to-Cope-with-severe-Anxiety-Disorder&id=136728

Depression and Anxiety

Depression and Anxiety
By Robert Kokoska

Most of us do experience occasional outbreaks of anxiety or momentary depression, at least once or twice in our lifetime. Anxiousness, changing moods, shifting metal attitude and a short term depression are all so common to thousands of people allover the world. Low intensity anxiety and depression also work as positive parameters, when we can prepare for a pending task or take precious time to reflect on our actions, and regroup our effort in order to get success in life. Thus, anxiety and depression are a common part of our life, often more helpful than overtly harmful. But, when anxiety and depression seem to crop up out of nowhere, persist for many months without providing much relief, or if it interferes with daily life, then youre probably suffering from a grave illness or a permanent symptom.

Anxiety and depression are among the most prevalent and highly treatable forms of mental disease in the whole world. People who are suffering from acute anxiety display a varied degree of symptoms, which range from trembling, muscle aches, intense sweating, dizziness, extreme fatigue, jumping heart and dry mouth. But, anxiety disorder is much more serious than it is assumed to be, just because, persons who are suffering from such a malady become practically disabled, both mentally and physiologically, making the life a hell. Anxiety and its symptoms can be categorized into many types and one must realize that it is very common disorder, treatable by many modern treatment techniques.

Depression is possibly one of the most common mental conditions in the world today and almost 150 million people suffer from symptoms of depression. One in four women and one in ten men can easily be diagnosed with depression, at some point in their lives, though very often it goes undiagnosed. They may not even know that what they are experiencing are symptoms of a treatable illness. Most visible signs of depression are often associated with the daily work, when people tend to neglect even the most common of daily work like brushing their teeth. Other visible signs include intense sadness, helplessness, irritability and uncontrolled anger. One of the most dangerous side signs is probably the tendency to commit suicide. Associated symptoms like memory lapses, slurred speech and lack neuromuscular movement are not uncommon in the later stages of depression.

Anxiety and depression outbreak can occur at any age and time. Most of these patients are usually very stubborn and often never believe that they are affected by the illness. Advanced stages of anxiety and depression require frequent hospitalization and intensive medical care. Unattended depression can also lead to further serious medical complications like psychosis, schizophrenia and mental disorder. However, a proper medical care and regular counseling will help patients to recover from the ordeals of anxiety and depression.

Are you sick and tired of feeling depressed?

Elevate your mood and self-esteem naturally with MindSoothe Depression Capsules

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=RobertKokoska
http://EzineArticles.com/?Depression-and-Anxiety&id=144051

What Causes an Anxiety Disorder?

What Causes an Anxiety Disorder?
By Deanne Repich

And which of these causes do I have control over?

Here are answers to these important questions.

What Causes an Anxiety Disorder?

There are several factors that can contribute to an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder is caused by a combination of several of these factors working together over a period of time. Usually one factor alone does not result in an anxiety disorder.

Several of the contributing factors are:

-- Biological Factors
-- Stress Overload/Lifestyle Factors
-- Childhood Environment
-- Thought Patterns
-- Genetic Factors

Biological Factors

We all have an inborn fight or flight response designed to protect us from harm. When our survival is threatened, the fight or flight response creates physical and sychological changes that encourage us to act and protect our survival. These changes include rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, shallow breathing, and more.

People suffering from anxiety disorders often have a physical overreaction to stress. This overreaction occurs because your body perceives everyday events and situations as threats to survival. In an effort to protect you, your body triggers the fight or flight response even though no real danger exists.

There is some indication that an overreaction to stress is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. However, we don't know what initially causes this chemical imbalance.

It has not been proven which occurs first - the overreaction to stress that causes the chemical imbalance, or the chemical imbalance that causes the overreaction to stress.

Can I change it?: Yes. What's important to realize is that if you overreact to stress, you can learn to change it, no matter how it began. You can learn deep breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, and techniques such as the Anxiety Pyramid (all included in our course) to train your body to react more calmly.

Stress Overload/Lifestyle Factors

When you experience excessive stress over time, your body can trigger the fight or flight response and start to react to daily events as if they were dangers. Poor lifestyle habits such as overwork, lack of sleep, poor diet, and lack of regular exercise can cause unnecessary stress and promote anxiety.

Let's look at an example of how stress overload and lifestyle factors can contribute to anxiety. Donna works 70 hours a week for several years. This puts excessive stress on Donna's body. To make matters worse, Donna is so busy working that she only manages to get five or six hours of sleep a night, she doesn't exercise regularly, and she eats mainly fast food. She can't remember the last time she took time out for herself.

Do you see how Donna's lifestyle creates stress in her life and produces a negative snowball effect? Over time Donna's body starts perceiving these constant stressors as a threat to her survival. Her body eventually gets urned out from repeated unnecessary stress reactions. It is on a constant state of alert - contributing to the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety.

Can I change it?: Yes. You have the power to reduce or eliminate many of the stressors in your life. You do this by integrating healthy lifestyle habits - by making choices that promote calmness, self-care, and a balanced lifestyle. For example, sleep eight hours a night instead of six. Eat well-balanced, healthy meals. Work 40-50 hours a week instead of 70, and so on.

You can also learn to view stressors in a less anxious way so your body does not overreact to stressors when they occur.

Childhood Environment

Your childhood environment affects how you think and act as an adult. Even though the adults around you meant well, as a child you may have learned habits and beliefs that contribute to anxiety.

For example, you may not have been taught to have a sense of control over your world. You may have been expected to achieve as a way of gaining love and acceptance.

You may have been taught all or nothing thinking or were not allowed to freely express your feelings or opinions. You may have grown up in an environment that was not physically or emotionally safe. You may have been frequently judged or criticized. Or you may have grown up watching and modeling adults around you that reacted to life in an anxious way.

Can I change it?: Yes. No matter what your childhood environment was, you can change the anxiety-producing thought patterns and habits you learned then through knowledge and practice.

Thought Patterns

How you think affects how you view the world and how you react to stress. Negative thought patterns like what-if thinking, perfectionism, all or nothing thinking, and victim talk can contribute to an anxiety disorder. In fact, negative thoughts can actually create physical symptoms in your body.

Can I change it?: Yes. Research shows that you have the power to change your thoughts, which can in turn affect how you physically and mentally feel. Through healther thoughts, you can learn to view the world in a less anxious way and feel better.

How do you change your thoughts? By using the three Rs we discussed in the last newsletter: Recognize, Replace, and Reinforce.

Genetic Factors

Research shows that panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder tend to run in families. Although there is some debate, it appears that part of this family tendency is due to how you're brought up (environment) and part is due to genetics. There is some indication that genetic factors are also involved in social anxiety.

Can I change it?: No. We cannot change our genes. That's the bad news. Now here's the good news. You can positively change all of the other factors we discussed that contribute to anxiety.

And like we mentioned earlier, usually one factor alone does not result in an anxiety disorder. This is exciting news! It means that if you learn to successfully address the other factors that contribute to anxiety, you can conquer your anxiety in spite of genetic factors.

Note: If you would like to learn skills to change howyou react to stress, reduce the stress in your life, learnanxiety-fighting lifestyle habits, and change your anxiousthought patterns and behaviors, try our Conquer YourAnxiety Success Program, available at:

http://www.ConquerAnxiety.com.

Deanne Repich, founder and director of the National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, Inc., is an internationally known anxiety educator, teacher, author, and former sufferer. Tens of thousands of anxiety sufferers have sought her expertise to help them reclaim their lives from anxiety, stress, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, anxiety attacks and social anxiety. She is the creator of the Conquer Anxiety Success Program, author of more than fifty articles, and publishes the Anxiety-Free Living printed Newsletter for anxiety sufferers. She has a free e-book Anxiety Tips: Seven Keys to Overcoming Anxiety you can download immediately when you visit her http://www.ConquerAnxiety.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DeanneRepich
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Causes-an-Anxiety-Disorder?&id=186035

No More Stress Anxiety and Depression

No More Stress, Anxiety and Depression
By Craig Richard

Nowadays especially in the 21st Century, it is predicted that stress related illnesses such as anxiety and depression will become the biggest killers to human being. Despite significant advances in housing, standards of living, quality of food, and medical science, the pressures all of us have to face in todays world are as demanding as any pressures experienced by our predecessors.

Why are these illnesses on the rise? And why do some people become so sick through these illnesses, they can find it hard to function?

Well they sure dont happen overnight! You dont suddenly wake up one morning and feel stressed or depressed. It is not like flicking on a light switch! And by the same rule, if youre suffering, you cant just wake up one morning, flick off the switch and say am I feel better now? Many people who dont suffer from these illnesses often say to sufferers.

If only it was so easy! Should anyone say this to you, please forgive them as its just a lack of understanding. Its very hard for people to understand how youre feeling if they havent been reach the same level. The fact that these illnesses dont suddenly happen means we can draw some parallels with illnesses such as heart diseases, some cancers and strokes.

Because these illnesses dont just suddenly happen either.

If we look at heart disease, its often the result of damaging behaviors practised over many years. Behaviors such as smoking, lack of exercise and a abnormal diet high in saturated fat. Strokes are a result of similar behaviors and cancers too, specially heavy smoking and drinking as you knew. So how do stressful illnesses such as stress, depression and anxiety compare to?

For many of us, feelings of distress remain constant companions: About 19 million Americans suffer from serious anxiety conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder and social phobia, reports the National Institute of Mental Health, while virtually everyone else deals with less debilitating but still harmful levels of anxiety.

Stress is also the product of harmful mental habits and behaviors. These habits and behaviors are developed and practised over years since childhood in most of the cases.

Think of it like learning to drive a car. Initially, the skills required to control the vehicle needed conscious thought. It seemed really difficult didnt it? But once were performed them for sufficient periods, we drive as an auto-pilot. Were mastered the required skills by repetition.

Herere the key: if we eat healthy food, take regular exercise, cut out harmful behaviors such as smoking and drinking, we improve our health and drastically reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and strokes. We are repeating good habits, habits that will give our physical well being a huge boost.

Its exactly the same for stress. Whats important to understand is that not everyone becomes stressed or depressed even when tragic and traumatic circumstances happen to them. Just like people who lead a healthy lifestyle and avoid harmful habits and behaviors, people don't become stressed or depressed because they have learned effective habits and behaviors that prevent stress from arising.

This is very good news if you suffer from these illnesses. Because just as we can learn habits and behaviors which cause us to become highly-stressed, depressed or anxious, we can learn the habits and behaviors which stop these terrible illnesses in their tracks. And the more often we make use of them, were soon begin to perform them automatically and our mental health will benefit tremendously.

No more feeling stressed out. No more feeling unable to deal with somebody. No more anxiety and no more depression.

Im living proof of this. For more than 5 years, different kind of traumatic events sent me spiralling into an anxiety-induced depression nightmare. I came out of it by learning the natural skills that starve these illnesses. The more I used them, the less anxious I became. Theyre now as natural to me as driving a car, and I am completely eradicated anxiety and depression from my life.

Dr. Craig Richard (Community Health Councils)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=CraigRichard
http://EzineArticles.com/?No-More-Stress,-Anxiety-and-Depression&id=119249

What Help For Those With Anxiety Problems?

What Help For Those With Anxiety Problems?
By Jay Miller

Social phobia, also called social anxiety disorder, involves overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations. People with social phobia have a persistent, intense, and chronic fear of being watched and judged by others and being embarrassed or humiliated by their own actions. Their fear may be so severe that it interferes with work or school, and other ordinary activities. While many people with social phobia recognize that their fear of being around people may be excessive or unreasonable, they are unable to overcome it. They often worry for days or weeks in advance of a dreaded situation.

Social phobia can be limited to only one type of situationsuch as a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations, or eating, drinking, or writing in front of othersor, in its most severe form, may be so broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around other people. Social phobia can be very debilitatingit may even keep people from going to work or school on some days. Many people with this illness have a hard time making and keeping friends.

Physical symptoms often accompany the intense anxiety of social phobia and include blushing, profuse sweating, trembling, nausea, and difficulty talking. If you suffer from social phobia, you may be painfully embarrassed by these symptoms and feel as though all eyes are focused on you. You may be afraid of being with people other than your family.

People with social phobia are aware that their feelings are irrational. Even if they manage to confront what they fear, they usually feel very anxious beforehand and are intensely uncomfortable throughout. Afterward, the unpleasant feelings may linger, as they worry about how they may have been judged or what others may have thought or observed about them.

Social phobia affects about 5.3 million adult Americans. Women and men are equally likely to develop social phobia. The disorder usually begins in childhood or early adolescence, and there is some evidence that genetic factors are involved. Social phobia often co-occurs with other anxiety disorders or depression. Substance abuse or dependence may develop in individuals who attempt to self-medicate their social phobia by drinking or using drugs. Social phobia can be treated successfully with carefully targeted psychotherapy or medications.

Many people with anxiety disorders benefit from joining a self-help group and sharing their problems and achievements with others. Talking with trusted friends or a trusted member of the clergy can also be very helpful, although not a substitute for mental health care. Participating in an Internet chat room may also be of value in sharing concerns and decreasing a sense of isolation, but any advice received should be viewed with caution.

To read the rest of this article please visit our website at HelpingDepression.com. Here you will also find helpful articles on mental health disorders that affect millions of people today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JayMiller
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Help-For-Those-With-Anxiety-Problems?&id=107030

What is Neurotransmitter Deficiency Disorder and How Can It Cause Depression Anxiety and...

What is Neurotransmitter Deficiency Disorder and How Can It Cause Depression, Anxiety, and...
By William Nelson

Neurotransmitters (NTs) are essential chemical messengers that regulate brain, muscle, nerve and organ function. The most common NTs are serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Low levels of these important chemicals is extremely common in the general public and is due to innumerable lifestyle, environmental, and dietary factors. This article is intended to help the reader determine whether they may be deficient in NTs and how evaluation and treatment of this disorder can help.

People with neurotransmitter deficiency disorder can suffer from one or more of the following conditions: obesity, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, insomnia, attention deficit, learning disorders, panic attacks, migraines, pms, menopausal symptoms, digestive complaints and many more.

Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other drugs working on the neurotransmitter biochemistry such as Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, Celexa, Wellbutrin, etc. are currently some of the most commonly prescribed drugs. They work by artificially increasing the amount of serotonin in the synapse of the nerve which allows a temporary improvement in the chemical messaging system.

The problem with this approach is that these drugs DO NOT increase serotonin levels and in fact deplete reserves of the NT. This occurs because the SSRI class drugs cause an increase in an enzyme called MAO. It is common for people to experience only temporary improvement due to this effect.

The most effective way to correct a neurotransmitter deficiency is to perform a simple urine test to measure the NT levels. The treatment for optimizing the neurotransmitter levels is to provide the basic amino acid precursors or building blocks so the body can replenish the inadequate levels.

The true value of any treatment is the results it produces. Using this approach over the last year, I have helped coach many patients to a higher level of wellness. Patients with chronic depression, anxiety, and or insomnia have experienced a new sense of wellbeing while continuing their prescription, others have successfully weaned themselves off their prescription SSRI drugs after their symptoms have improved. Weight loss patients using slightly higher amino acid dosing consistently lose 1.5-2.5 lbs. per week without hunger while improving their lean muscle/body fat ratios.

FAQs regarding Dr. Nelsons NT program for anxiety and depression

Q. If I am already taking SSRI drugs, can I safely use this amino acid approach?

A. In my clinical experience I have seen great results with patients who have been on SSRI drugs for many many years. First, we get the person feeling better, then if the patient chooses, we slowly wean them off their prescription drugs.

Q. How does amino acid therapy increase NT levels? A. 5HTP is converted into serotonin and then melatonin. Phenylalanine is converted into tyrosine, then dopamine, L-Dopa, norepinephrine, and lastly epinephrine.

Q. How do you measure for the neurotransmitter levels in order to determine appropriate treatment?

A. The levels for epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, PEA, histamine, and many others can be measured with a simple urine test. An initial urine test can be given and then repeated after 6 to 12 weeks of therapy to determine optimal neurotransmitter levels have been obtained.

Q. Are there any side effects associated with the amino acid neurotransmitter therapy?

A. Not only are there no side effects, but there are numerous side benefits. People with depression often find relief not only from depression but also insomnia, fatigue, GI symptoms, chronic pain, pms, menopausal symptoms, obesity, food cravings, etc. In a small amount of people (less than 5%) people could have gastro intestinal symptoms such as nausea, cramping, diarrhea, etc. This occurs in people with severe neurotransmitter deficiency. This usually occurs within the first three days and is solved by stopping all amino acids. Therapy is continued at very low dosing after symptoms abate and then slowly increased to therapeutic levels over three to six weeks.

Q. How long will it take until my symptoms of depression/anxiety improve?

A. Each individual responds differently to treatment. Some patients have noticed incredible improvements in moods in a few days, others dont notice any improvements for a period of time (sometimes 3-4 months) and then notice gradual improvements over the following 3 to 6 months, most patients notice gradual improvements beginning after 1 month of treatment and then continue to improve.

Q. What should I expect during a normal course of evaluation and treatment?

A. Evaluation involves an initial office visit to determine overall health history, prescription drug levels, severity of symptoms, and any related health concerns. There is an optional urine test for neurotransmitter levels. Treatment consists of the following:

1. Conditioning Phase a one to two week period to prepare the patient for higher levels of therapeutic amino acid dosing.

2. Therapeutic Phase a period lasting anywhere from two months to 1 year+ where high levels of amino acids are given to restore the neurotransmitter levels.

3. Maintenance Phase ongoing treatment with a small amount of amino acids to maintain the levels of neurotransmitters. This provides enough amino acids to replace the neurotransmitters excreted throughout the day.

Q. Will I need to stay on amino acid therapy indefinitely?

A. Most people need to stay on a low level maintenance dose in order to continue to feel well after their 2 month to 1 year plus treatment phase. If people stop taking the amino acids, their neurotransmitter levels will slowly decrease over time.

Q. What amino acids are used in this therapy?

A. The amino acids used depend on the unique situation. The therapy will include any number of the following: 5HTP, tyrosine, phenylalanine, cysteine, mucuna (herbal L-Dopa), theanine, glutamine, taurine, methionine, GABA, phosphorylated b vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.

Q. What is the approximate cost of the therapy?

A. The cost of the neurotransmitter replacement therapy can range from $80 to $120+ during the therapeutic phase. After the patients symptoms have improved and the urine tests show optimal levels, the cost for the maintenance therapy is significantly less.

Q. Whats the success rate for anxiety and depression using this approach?

A. Anxiety and Depression are conditions that are multi-factorial. Patients that follow the dietary recommendations, take the supplements and dont give up before the neurotransmitters levels have been restored have a very high success rate. This natural therapy corrects the biochemical imbalance associated with these conditions. Patients working with a qualified counselor or therapist to address the mental and emotional aspects of these conditions have an even higher success rate.

William Nelson, NMD is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor in private practice in North Scottsdale. He specializes in the treatment of depression/anxiety and weight loss using amino acid therapy. Dr. Nelson combines time honored natural therapies with the latest advances in medical science for the treatment and prevention of all other chronic and acute health concerns. 7500 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd. A207 Scottsdale, AZ 85255 480-563-4256

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=WilliamNelson
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-is-Neurotransmitter-Deficiency-Disorder-and-How-Can-It-Cause-Depression,-Anxiety,-and...&id=19902

5 Tips to Dealing With a Severe Anxiety Disorder

5 Tips to Dealing With a Severe Anxiety Disorder
By John Mancini

Anxiety is a part of life for everyone. It is quite normal to feel anxious over certain circumstances however it becomes a problem when a person is anxious over seemingly small, trivial or non existent factors. This is known as an Anxiety Disorder and is a recognized mental illness. Recognized or not, it is still sometimes misdiagnosed as paranoia, depression or many other illnesses but they are all quite different. it is true that virtually any Anxiety Disorder can include these as symptoms but the underlying problem is a very specific one that should not be overlooked by patient or by doctor. Patients who may be suffering are very unlikely to come forward themselves and seek help because the nature of the problem means they can not approach people with this kind of problem. There is help for sufferers of even the most sever Anxiety Disorder though.

1- Psychological treatment should be sought from a registered psychiatrist. Finding a professional who has a lot of experience with patients who suffer from severe Anxiety Disorder is the best option. A Psychiatrist will understand the problem perfectly and will help the patient work through their anxiety. Remember, a patient suffering from a severe Anxiety Disorder is unlikely to want to visit a doctor of any sort, but a Psychiatrist with the appropriate experience will know how to overcome this problem.

2- Medication can be prescribed that will help patients who suffer from severe Anxiety Disorder. Most trials have been conducted on monotherapy treatment, which means the use of one drug but often it is necessary to combine more than one drug to get the best effects. Antidepressants are administered although it is very much a case of trial and error as to exactly which one will prove the most effective.

3- Benzodiazepines are another regularly used medication that is proven to help some sufferers of severe Anxiety Disorder but again there isn't any single one that is proven to work while others don't.

4- Polypharmacy is the combination of several drugs and has proven to be much more effective for people who suffer from severe Anxiety Disorder. By combining Antidepressants with benzodiazepines and possibly a mild stimulant the patient will find it much easier to face problems that would have normally led to heightened levels of anxiety.

5- Combing psychiatric assistance with prescribed medication is by far the best solution. Often the drugs only mask the symptoms and the patient can grow immune to their effects so by using a psychiatric program as well the patient will really benefit.

John Mancini has been writing about Anxiety Disorder online and offline for a long time. Visit http://anxiety-disorders-treatments.com or http://anxiety-disorders-info.info to read more about matters like severe anxiety disorder and anxiety disorder symptoms.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JohnMancini
http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Tips-to-Dealing-With-a-Severe-Anxiety-Disorder&id=111238

5 Quick Ways To Ease Stress Depression & Anxiety

5 Quick Ways To Ease Stress, Depression & Anxiety
By Chris Green

No ceremony with this article, lets go straight into five quick ways that will help you find relief from stress, depression and anxiety.

1. Take regular breaks from the firing line. Working hard without regular breaks is a great way to build up stress and tension. Make sure you have at least one 15-minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon as well as at least 20 minutes for lunch. If possible, eat lunch away from your workstation. Equally, if you have a lot to deal with in your life right now, taking a day, or a weekend elsewhere longer if you can - to get some breathing space will really help. Even just a day away from the firing line will enable you to get some distance from the problems and help you to gather your thoughts.

2. Regular exercise can help relieve stress, depression and anxiety. Exercise releases endorphins into your system and will give you a natural boost. It will also provide you with a break from brooding and dwelling upon problems and troubles but only if you perform the right kind of exercises. Avoid: Exercises that allow you to brood (weight lifting, jogging, treadmills) and perform exercises that require your full concentration. Competitive sports such as squash, tennis, badminton and circuit training are all excellent examples. It is important that you do not brood when you exercise because although you will be benefiting physically, you are still stressing yourself mentally and the stress, depression and anxiety will worsen.

3. Stop beating yourself up. Self-deprecation is a huge part of stress, depression and anxiety. Each time you beat up on yourself, you will erode confidence and self-esteem. Never tell yourself youre useless, worthless, stupid, hopeless, boring, ugly, and a loser. Never convince yourself that other people hate you, that others find you difficult to be around and that youre better off being alone. You would never deem it acceptable to say such things to other people and you must deem it equally unacceptable to say them to yourself. These words and phrases are powerful and they will hurt you. Accept youre not perfect and that you make mistakes just like everybody else does and cut yourself some slack. From this day, make a pact with me to never indulge self-deprecation ever again. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE.

4. Isolation is another problem experienced by stress, depression and anxiety sufferers. OK, there will be times when you just want your own company. During such times, you can brood over and over again on problems and events and beat yourself up for hours on end. Not good. Instead, use isolation more positively. Occupy your mind by tackling a jigsaw puzzle, a logic problem, a crossword, read a book or perform a hobby such as painting, playing a musical instrument or whatever it is you have an interest in. In this way, isolation will help you to grow instead of causing you further pain.

5. Television, radio and newspapers can all supply you with a daily hit of negativity and help lower your mood. In the main, they concentrate on the negative side of life: crime, corruption, war, scandal and natural disasters and can give you a distorted view of reality. Not to mention the amount of image manipulation they subject you to. Give yourself a break from this negative drip feed and avoid them completely for one week. You may find, like I have, that they have no place in your life after that. Trust me, you wont miss them.

Thats five, quick tips for you to help fight stress, depression and anxiety. Please give them a try, theyll all help to boost your mood levels very quickly indeed.

Copyright 2006 Christopher Green

Former anxiety sufferer Chris Green is the author of Conquering Stress, the internationally acclaimed program which will help you to permanently conquer stress, depression and anxiety without taking powerful drugs. For a free mini course, please click here => http://www.conqueringstress.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=ChrisGreen
http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Quick-Ways-To-Ease-Stress,-Depression-and-Anxiety&id=190441

5 Best Tips for an Anxiety Disorder Test

5 Best Tips for an Anxiety Disorder Test
By John Mancini

Anxiety disorders are more common than a lot of people think, a misunderstanding that has probably arisen because most sufferers feel unable to come forward about their problem or discuss there worries with other people. Anxiety disorders can be brought on by certain situations or because of certain things such as substance abuse of a traumatic experience while some forms of Anxiety Disorder may exist throughout life and only present themselves during adulthood. Anxiety disorders can sometimes be mistaken for panic attacks but as they become more and more common and more patients come forward with their problems Anxiety Disorders are becoming more recognized and more easily diagnosed.

1- Because there are a number of different areas that ascertain whether a patient does indeed suffer from Anxiety Disorder it can be difficult to give them the appropriate test. Putting them in a situation that would cause anxiety is unlikely to yield results because people who suffer from an Anxiety Disorder may have spent their entire lives finding a way to mask their worries and concerns.

2- According to the formal diagnosis for a General Anxiety Disorder a patient must have suffered from anxiety due to everyday problems for a minimum of six months. This can be shorter if the anxiety is particularly dangerous or concentrated around certain events. Proper testing for an Anxiety Disorder will, therefore, need several test over a fairly long period of time.

3- The key to diagnosing Anxiety Disorder through testing is ascertaining the level and frequency of a person's anxiety. Every person suffers from anxiety in certain situations and can actually help us perform better or react better but a person who suffers from Anxiety Disorder is always anxious and can be debilitating. It should be determined whether a person suffers when they are about to do certain things or whether they suffer on a much more general scale.

4- There are many resources for tests that you should consider utilizing. The Internet is virtually awash with self test websites. These sites let patients take the tests in an atmosphere that will create as little anxiety as possible.

5- Because of the nature of an Anxiety Disorder the patient must be aware that they will not be judged on their answers to a test. They must be put at ease and be entirely comfortable with taking the test and having someone read the answers. It is ill advised that a doctor perform this test on a patient they do not know.

John Mancini has been writing about Anxiety Disorder online and offline for a long time. Visit http://anxiety-disorders-info.info or http://stop-anxiety-disorders.net to read more about matters like anxiety disorder treatment and separation anxiety disorder.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JohnMancini
http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Best-Tips-for-an-Anxiety-Disorder-Test&id=109545

What You Should Know About Anxiety Disorders

What You Should Know About Anxiety Disorders
By Robert Thatcher

Anxiety is a natural human reaction. And contrary to popular opinion, anxiety can be beneficial because it alerts poeple to potential dangers and gives off an adrenaline rush that can help them accomplish a task in record time.

But like many things, anxiety when taken into the extreme can have disastrous results. These feelings can lead to panic attacks and chronic worrying that can slowly affect the way a person deals with other people and with normal life situations.

Anxiety disorder, as psychologists would want to call this condition, can range from something as simple as feelings of uneasiness to responses as severe as feelings of terror and claustrophobia. Fortunately, among the psychological disorders, anxiety problems are one of the most common and the most treatable. Combinations of medications and behavior therapy are often given. Symptoms of anxiety problems include fast heartbeat and palpitations, chest pains and difficulty in breathing, anxious thoughts that persist even without any concrete reason, dizziness and nausea, sweating, trembling, difficulty in concentrating, fearful thoughts and feelings of disorientation and claustrophobia.

Below are the types of anxiety disorders as mentioned in the DSM-IV.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive but unwarranted worries that a person cannot stop having. Although most people will experience these kinds of feelings every once in a while, a disorder is only diagnosed if the feelings persist for six months and start to affect work and the persons relationships with other people. Some of the common symptoms that people should watch out for are physiological reactions such as headaches, trembling, muscle tension, sweating, and trouble staying or falling asleep. There are also bouts of restlessness and sweating.

Panic disorder is another type of anxiety disorder characterized by feelings of terror that strikes so suddenly without immediate cause. Often, people who are having panic attacks feel pains in their chest with their heartbeats going fast. Some will also feel lightheadedness and even nausea. They will find it hard to breathe and may feel unwarranted fears. Although most attacks usually last for about a few minutes, there are some that last for almost ten minutes and even those that continue on for an hour. A disorder is diagnosed when the attacks happen in a time frame of just four weeks.

We fear a lot of things but there are some people who are quite irrational with their fears. These fears on things are called phobias. There is a long list of phobia forms, having a specific name for each item that is feared. A person, for instance, who is afraid of open spaces has what psychologists like to call agoraphobia. Phobias are characterized by extreme anxiety and even panic attacks when confronted by the object being feared. Many of the symptoms that are felt during panic attacks are also felt during phobic episodes.

Post-traumatic stress disorder also falls under anxiety disorders. PTSD, as it is often called, often developed after experiencing, witnessing or participating in a traumatic and terrorizing event such as death, war, torture and other extreme circumstances. PTSD is characterized by intense anxiety and nightmares at night. People who have PTSD also find it difficult to sleep and to concentrate on things. Often, anxiety attacks go to the extreme when confronted with situations that have similarities with the one experienced.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides anxiety resources on http://www.your-anxiety-resources.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=RobertThatcher
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-You-Should-Know-About-Anxiety-Disorders&id=146240

3 Words That Relieve Stress Depression & Anxiety

3 Words That Relieve Stress, Depression & Anxiety
By Chris Green

One of the most common flawed modes of behavior performed by every sufferer who enters into a harrowing episode of stress, depression or anxiety concerns the words they use to describe situations and events they are confronted with. In using powerful, emotive words, sufferers will trigger the fear response and the more they use such words, the worse their suffering gets.

Powerful, emotive words are part of everybodys vocabulary. Sometimes, we use powerful words when we lose our temper or we become angry and frustrated. In this state, we give vent to our feelings and the emotions within us have an outlet.

This is fine. For most people, once their emotions have been expressed, they return to their usual selves and life carries on as normal.

But it doesnt work like this if you are prone to stress, depression or anxiety.

In these states, sufferers will react negatively to every event they are confronted with in their lives. One of the negative reactions concerns using powerful and emotive words that can make even the most insignificant of events a major problem. Words can and do have that much power and in this article, Im going to show you how this works with three of the worst words you can use to assign meanings to events. They are:

Nothing, everything and never.

For example, lets say your relationship with your spouse breaks down. Heres how using the above words can trigger stress, depression or anxiety:

Well thats it. EVERYTHING has gone wrong in my life. Im NOTHING without him/her and I know Ill NEVER be happy ever again.

Can you see how flawed this highly emotive reaction is and can you see how these words seemingly innocuous by themselves have made one event a major, stressful episode by assigning a catastrophic meaning to your whole life?

To avoid arousing such fearful emotions, here are three better, much less emotive words you can use to lower the intensity:

For everything, use ONLY. For Never, use TEMPORARY. For nothing, use SOME.

So lets use these words to find a less intense meaning to the event in our example, the breakdown of an intimate relationship:

OK, my relationship is over, but it ONLY affects my love life. SOME things will change but other areas of my life my work, my friendships, my hobbies and my social life will carry on as normally as possible. Im hurting now, but this is TEMPORARY and things will get better in due course.

Can you see how using different words can dramatically reduce the impact and make much clearer sense of the event? This is exactly why some people never enter into a stressful, depressive or anxious episode even when they are faced with the most trying of circumstances, such as relationship breakdown.

Everything, nothing and never are just three of the emotive words used by sufferers. There are many more including expletives that are far too strong to use here but if you use the three alternatives Ive given in this article, you will drastically reduce the chances of entering into an episode of stress, depression and anxiety.

Be aware of the words you use to assign meanings mind your language!

See you soon.

Copyright 2006 Christopher Green

Former anxiety sufferer Chris Green is the author of Conquering Stress, the internationally acclaimed program which will help you to permanently conquer stress, depression and anxiety without taking powerful drugs. For a free mini course, please click here => http://www.conqueringstress.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=ChrisGreen
http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Words-That-Relieve-Stress,-Depression-and-Anxiety&id=184657

The Separation Anxiety Dog How to Protect Your Dog From Harm When You Leave Home

The Separation Anxiety Dog - How to Protect Your Dog From Harm When You Leave Home
By Kristi Patrice Carter

If you've got a dog that suffers from dog separation anxiety then you are probably afraid to leave your dog alone. After all, dogs with dog separation anxiety experience a sense of panic whenever their owners leave and are likely to act out in this anxious and panic-stricken state. Therefore, if you have a dog with dog separation anxiety, he may chew, mutilate, urinate or defecate on your furniture when he is left alone. In addition, he may seem extremely anxious and frenzied when you arrive home. With this in mind, you can protect your separation anxiety prone dog from harm when you leave home. The key to this is to engage him in a behavior modification program and to take a preventive approach to protecting your home and your pet when you go out. In this article, we'll discuss 5 ways that you can protect your pet and your home when you leave your dog home alone. Heres how:

1. Confine him. Some people think that confining a dog is inhumane; however, it is the safer thing to do. After all, dogs with separation anxiety are prone to feeling anxious and engage in all sorts of frenzied and dangerous activities. Therefore, they are safer confined. With this in mind, many people use a crate or confine their dog with a dog or bay gate. Both methods prevent him from wandering around. In my opinion, a crate is a favorite choice because it keeps your dog in one place and can even help him feel safe and secure in your absence. After all, a dogs natural instinct is to retire in his den and a crate is similar to a den. Regardless of which method you choose, a gate or crate will protect your furniture and household items and keep your dog from harm.

2. Remove dangerous objects. Dogs with separation anxiety typically experience panic when their owners leave home. In fact, many of them resort to a panicked state and they are likely to become destructive and even to put things in their mouths. Just like infants, dogs can't differentiate between good and bad things and sometimes innocent items like string, thread, floss, coins, clips, etc. can end up lodged in their digestive tract and cause them harm, so make sure that you remove these items before you leave home.

3. Remove your dogs tags. This is especially important if your dog is prone to excessive rocking, swaying or moving around in a frenzied state when you leave him alone. By removing his tags, you can ensure that they dont get caught in his crate or gate, which can cause him harm.

4. Protect electrical cords. Many dogs with separation anxiety will chew on objects (especially dangerous electrical cords) when their owners leave. To protect your dog, buy electrical cord protectors from the hardware store. These clever devices are plastic strips that conceal dangerous wires. Another option is smart power strips. These can sense if your dog bites into them and will immediately shut off power to protect your dog. Another option is to spray furniture and other items with bitter apple, which will prevent him from chewing on them as most dogs dislike the taste immensely.

5. Provide safe alternatives. Many dogs with dog separation anxiety often roam the house looking for their absent human companions. Therefore, you should close toilet seats, remove chemical cleaning products, shut doors and place bitter apple on items you don't want your dog to chew on. Instead, provide your dog with safe alternatives like a special bone or toy that is only available when you leave.

In conclusion, dog separation anxiety can be difficult and frustrating. However, if you take the necessary precautions to protect your dog from harm, you can ensure that he'll be safe in your absence and youll feel better about leaving him alone.

Is your dog traumatized when you leave him alone? Dont get mad or frustrated. He may be suffering from dog separation anxiety. Learn proven and humane tips to help him overcome dog separation anxiety once and for all! Visit http://www.dogseparationanxiety.net today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=KristiPatriceCarter
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Separation-Anxiety-Dog----How-to-Protect-Your-Dog-From-Harm-When-You-Leave-Home&id=573781

What Your Anxiety Symptoms Are Really Telling You?

What Your Anxiety Symptoms Are Really Telling You?
By John Halderman

Are you suffering from the gnawing nagging feeling of overwhelming unsettled emotional discomfort? Is it effecting your self-esteem and motivation?

Most are familiar with the general anxiety disorders that can be triggered by fears, impending doom, obsessive-compulsive, post-traumatic stress and more. But what about other not so obvious things that raise apprehension and uneasiness that you can't explain?

What is at the root of your anxiety symptom? It may be buried deeply in your subconscious, but most likely you are just not currently aware of the cause. There are many possible things that can be the source of the disharmony leading to undesirable emotional feelings. What do you feel that you can't cope with? Does it relate to the general condition of your life?

What if you are feeling anxious because deep inside you know that you are not thinking and acting in ways that support your core self? You may not even be consciously aware of what is truly important to you, but your incongruent behavior is causing internal friction that your emotions are responding to. Not being aware of why you feel the way you do supports the anxiety, you feel powerless and unsure. But why are you uncertain?

It is normally based on your perception and subsequent interpretation of something. There can be some subtle things that are the cause of stress and anxiety.

Here are 5 places to look for some possible root causes of your anxiety symptom:

1)Personal integrity is compromised --

Are some of your thoughts and behavior not in alignment with your most important values? This situation can be tough to detect until you look for it, as you may not be clearly aware of your deep values. If there is a conflict between your behavior and your deepest core values you will feel emotionally unsettled. Your thoughts and actions must be congruent with your deepest values in order to feel harmonious.

2)Less than honest interactions --

Are you less than honest and forthright in your interactions with others? If you are living even small lies you may be fooling some of the people some of the time, but never yourself. Deep within, you know what's going on and your inner self will let you know when something is not right. However, if you are not aware of your inner thoughts and feelings you may not be sure what your anxious feelings are based on.

3)Cheating Your Potential --

Are you not utilizing all of your potential? Do you make excuses for not using all your potential? Are you full of reasons and justifications in an attempt to feel right about your less than full effort? You know this inside; you can't cheat yourself and get away with it. When you are consciously not aware of it you can feel out of control without knowing why. Not utilizing your full potential can be stressful and anxiety symptoms will come from your feeling not in control.

4)Stuck in the Procrastination trap --

You know that you are not getting done what you want to get done and what you are capable of doing, but can't seem to do anything about it. Also you become unsure that you can do anything about it since you have not been able to up to this point. When you get stuck in this cycle the frustration with yourself can turn into anxiety, as you don't know what is behind it, plus worrying whether you can ever change it.

5)Fearing your future without knowing why --

This relates to the first four items, in that if any of the above conditions are present you can easily feel unsure of your future. Facing the future with self confidence requires that you be well grounded in who you are and in touch with your potential. Not being secure and feeling unsure whether you can do anything about it is stressful and can lead to anxiety.

Stress and anxiety can go hand in hand as you are continuously aware of your feelings of uncertainty and the resulting fears. It can even be the cause of depression if the situation seems like it's hopeless.

The key is to root out these base causes of your emotional feelings, reassess them and change your perception to better align with the life you want.

Anxiety symptoms are red flags your inner referee is throwing up to notify you that something is not right, out of balance. If you let it go, just like a physical ailment, it gets worse and becomes more and more established. These self-concepts originated from some perceived need to protect or satisfy in some way. Since you are feeling unsettled, they are likely no longer supporting your best interest. Your inner self is making you aware of an opportunity to change for the better.

To discover what the sources of your stress and anxiety are and what were the benefits, ask yourself some probing questions to peel open your thoughts. Once your thoughts are revealed, then reassess and establish a new perception and interpretation of the situation or idea.

Start with a blank tablet and a pen or pencil. Get yourself calm and relaxed. Write the first question at the top, then without thinking write what ever thoughts come up without analyzing or judging -- just write. For example --

~Why am I feeling this way?

~What is my biggest fear in life?

~What is the worse that could happen regarding this fear?

~Why do I fear this?

~How can I think differently about this that will better serve me today?

~What am I most uncertain about today?

~Why am I uncertain about this?

~What benefit do or did I get from thinking this way?

~Do I need to continue thinking this way?

~What can I learn from this?

~What is a better way of looking at this?

Asking questions of yourself may not be easy at first, as your mind is not accustomed to thinking in this fashion. But with diligence, you will learn to allow your thinking to open up revealing much more about yourself than you were previously aware of, but it's there.

Also useful method to help to reveal your inner thoughts is to meditate on it. Meditation helps to calm and quiet the surface chatter that keeps you distracted and separated from your inner thoughts, allowing for their rediscovery.

Another beneficial self-improvement activity is to clarify, establish and define a solid foundation for yourself. Just as a tall building cannot be stable without a strong foundation, neither can a successful life. You can solidify your place in the universe, discover your purpose, align with intention, and establish a vision and a personal mission. You can clarify your core values, your potential, your strengths and how you will support your purpose.

With establishing a solid foundation for yourself you will elevate your self-concept, self-esteem, self-confidence and self-motivation --it's how to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. You will be able to grow and change without excessive fear, doubt and worry.

Continuous self-improvement with a positive attitude leads to happiness, positive thinking and unlimited possibility.

John Halderman

Finally - Stop collecting all that information, bridge the gap between information and effective results. Self-improvement tools, tips and methods to help you live a satisfying life. Get free newsletter and 45-page guide to daily awakening.

http://www.designalifesystem.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JohnHalderman
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Your-Anxiety-Symptoms-Are-Really-Telling-You?&id=174966

When A Family Member Stuggles With Fear And Anxiety

When A Family Member Stuggles With Fear And Anxiety
By Stanley Popovich

Do you have a family member who struggles with fear and anxiety? It can be difficult to sit by and watch the person you love struggle while you are unable to do anything. Enclosed is a list of things that you can do to help the person overcome his or her own battle with anxiety and fear.

The first thing you need to do is to get the person to seek the services of a professional and/or counselor who can lead them in the right direction and give them the help they need. Even if they disagree, getting help is the first step in getting better.

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

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.

The person struggling with the anxiety must realize that managing anxiety and fear takes practice. So when experiencing an anxiety related situation, begin to learn what works, what doesnt work, and what you need to improve on in managing your fears and anxieties. As you do this, you will become better in dealing with your anxieties.

Remember that there is hope. Eventually you or the person who is struggling will eventually get better. Give it some time and be persistent in finding the answers that will help the person.

As a Layman, I realize it is not easy to deal with fear and anxiety. When a family member struggles with fear and anxiety, get them to 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 them with their 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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=StanleyPopovich
http://EzineArticles.com/?When-A-Family-Member-Stuggles-With-Fear-And-Anxiety&id=102322

10 + Ridiculous Quick Tips To Better Manage Anxiety And Stress

10 + Ridiculous Quick Tips To Better Manage Anxiety And Stress
By Di Lu

Your world may likely be overfilled with daily stresses.

Say again!

They can burn like mad and leave you sizzled instead of the steak (or veggies :).

But all you want is to enjoy the steak (or veggies :) at the end of the day and some relaxation, correct?

Lets have a look at a list of 10 + wacky tips on how to keep yourself at a safer distance from the stress grill and eat your feast with joy as well!

1. Get up earlier GET UP! If you skimp on respecting the time first thing in the morning, it will push you around all day long. Remember, time is the only commodity we can't replenish no matter how hard, how long or how diligently we work ... or play. Or, how often we mentionhow stressful it is to have so little of it.

2. If you eat your first meal at work around noon, have you ever wondered why people start liking you more ... after you had lunch? Low blood sugar can bring about anxiety-like feelings. If you cant eat a full breakfast in the morning snack during the day. Protein Complex Carbs Fats are your friends.Just like blueberries, right ;)? A balanced fuel up is the key for any day!

3. Even though men and women are apparently from two different planets, the UNI-verse is ultimately a superior way to loving co-existence.

4. If you are a male, fetch a beer for her as a speechless alternative (or wine :). So little said with so much to gain.

5. If you are a female, trust there is no way that 100% of the male species have the same name or wouldnt fit the puzzle with love that you want to attract. The BIG secret is he is still out there instead of ... with you!

6. The mega important happens (if lucky enough) only in an Emergency Room or Operating Room. Everything else is that much mega less important.If you've ever had this type of anxious experience, you know exactly what I mean.

7. Keep your word! Its unexpected, and it will pleasantly floor them! There goes your stress punch for the day if you must! :)

8. If nothing makes sense for you any more, establish a micro-sanctuary in everything you do, everywhere you go, and in every thought you have. Simplify anything you can in your life right now . Gradually, it will simply start making sense again.

9. If you have beef with someone, assess your anger carefully. Becoming a vegetarian on the issue may save you much needed energy. The T-Boner aint worth the flame.

10. You can, at times, heal better with brutal honesty then you can ever do with a sincere apology.

11. Tough love, not spoon-fed helplessness, tastes better at the end. Its superior on calorie count, too ;)!

12. Expect your dreams to hit the fan instead! Choose to join the brand new fan club today!

What if what we've learned over time has a lot more anxiety, stress and ridiculousness than what we yet need to learn?

Lu Smith co-authored (with Di) a unique book.Discover over 367 Master Techniques to outsmart stress effects on health.Receive a Free 7-part e-Course

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=DiLu
http://EzineArticles.com/?10-+-Ridiculous-Quick-Tips-To-Better-Manage-Anxiety-And-Stress&id=117095

Your Writing Anxiety 10 Ways to Bring Relief

Your Writing Anxiety - 10 Ways to Bring Relief
By Lynda Blake

Anxiety, apprehension, cold feet, consternation, dismay, distress, dread, fear, fright, horror, nervousness, panic, scare, strain, stress, tension, terror, trepidation, unease or uneasiness: whatever it's called, you've got it.

And the reason is ... you've got to write an article!

Writing anxiety or 'writer's block' happens to all writers at some point in their writing lives. It may be that you don't know what to write about or, with your topic firmly in place, you don't know where to start.

At this point, procrastination sets in.

Doing anything, rather than actually writing, seems a whole lot better than putting pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard. Even walking the dog, in pouring rain and gale-force winds, has higher priority!

Try some of these ways to restore your writing equilibrium:

1. Avoid starting with a blank page. There's nothing more daunting than beginning from nothing. Work with a template. This will help you to stay focused on your topic. Download and print out some appropriate free graphic organizers from the Internet or use graphic organizer software, like NotateIt, that will help you to rearrange and organise your thoughts in freestyle format.

2. Brainstorm your topic. Take some time out for creative thinking with a friend or colleague. You'll get some new twists on the theme, especially if they're not 'experts' in your subject matter!

3. Write an outline. Just set out a list of headings. They don't even have to be in order - you can always rearrange them later. Write each heading on a separate card or piece of paper and shuffle the result. A new order may emerge that you hadn't thought of, giving you a new slant on your topic.

4. Use a whiteboard. Fix a large magnetic whiteboard on your wall and use it to rearrange your ideas. If a whiteboard on the wall feels too intrusive, try some inexpensive whiteboard software on your PC instead.

5. Break your task down into smaller chunks. From your outline, choose one heading and write. Then go on to another heading and write. It doesn't matter which order you write in, because it can all be rearranged later. Not only that, you're achieving your larger goal in a series of smaller steps and that makes it much more manageable.

6. Write in the way that you speak. It's friendlier to read and it's an easier and more natural way for you to write.

7. Don't worry about perfection too soon. Spell checking, indenting paragraphs, changing font size - this is the icing on the cake. Just let your writing flow and, just for once, forget the grammar. Perfection can come later - at the redrafting stage.

8. Think about your readers in a different way. You may be anxious that your article is not good enough to be read by your peers. Remember, even if your audience are experts, they don't know what you think about your subject. Nor does it mean that they know everything there is to know about a subject area. Target your writing towards an intelligent, enthusiastic, but non-expert, reader and your writing confidence will grow.

9. You've completed your writing. This is your first draft. The secret, now, is to redraft and redraft again. You'd be surprised at just how many things you'll want to say differently when the sun rises tomorrow! Read your article once a day, make changes then put it aside until the next day. In a few days, you'll read your article and find nothing to change. That's when you're ready to publish!

10. Believe in yourself. The first articles you write may not be perfect but the more you write, the better your style will become. It's like learning to walk - all it takes is a little time and lots of practice.(c) 2005 Lynda Blake

You're welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered, including the About the Author info at the end.

Lynda Blake is a UK freelance writer

Resources used in preparing this article:
Whiteboard Software: http://www.notateit.com
Free Graphic Organizers: http://www.nutsinmay.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=LyndaBlake
http://EzineArticles.com/?Your-Writing-Anxiety---10-Ways-to-Bring-Relief&id=52966

1 Step You Should Take to Alleviate Anxiety When Meeting Women

1 Step You Should Take to Alleviate Anxiety When Meeting Women
By Joanne King

Has a similar scenario like this one ever happened to you before?

Youve met a pretty lady on a matcher maker website and youve both planned to hook up at a local coffee shop to meet in person for the first time. Youre quite excited by this meet and greet as you think she is quite a hottie. But once you get there, anxiety kicks in and you feel your heart about to jump out of your throat as you head to approach her.

Yes, she is even more beautiful then the pictures she had shown you, this has in turn created even more anxiety, and as you go to greet her suddenly, your mind draws a blank, you look for some words desperately to pull from your mind to say to her, youve managed to stutter out a sentence and your not even sure if it had made any sense!

Well, maybe you haven't experienced that exact same scenario; however I'm sure you've probably experienced something similar. That is just one of many examples of anxiety when approaching women.

The good news is, there are ways of eliminating this type of anxiety. I will show you one of the methods you can use right now in order to put a stop to your mind drawing a blank.

The first thing you need to do is to pre-plan some of your conversations with the lady in question.

The absolute best way to do this is to get a piece of pen and paper to write down what you plan to talk about. Writing it down, will help it sink into your subconscious so youre less likely to draw a blank when you approach her. Also, after you have written down some topics you plan to speak with her about, read it over and over again, and play the scenario over in your mind.

1.Plan Your Greeting Make sure you make eye contact and stand with good posture. Making good eye contact and standing with good posture will give her the impression that you have high confidence women are very attracted to a man that is confident. And you will feel more relaxed when you the positive reaction she will give when you exert this type of confidence.

2.Write down some questions you would like to ask her. This is good for a number of reasons. It helps you get to know her better this is quite an important detail if you want it to go further (possible relationship), you will begin to feel more at ease as you get to know her and shes going to be as happy as a sperm whale is in squid infested waters because she gets a great opportunity to speak about herself. Women love talking about themselves.

3.Prepare to tell a story. Everyone enjoys a good story and it often triggers a memory for them to reciprocate one in return. Here is one of my stories that may help you trigger some memories for yourself. So you can begin planning some of your stories.

This back dates to when I was 5. I love telling stories about my childhood; I was adventurous and really quite devious.

I had not long started school, (I wasnt particularly fond of school when I first started, in fact I even told my mother on the first day of returning home from school that they didnt need me to go anymore, I told her they already had enough kids in the class).

We were living in a house on stilts is what Id call it. But back in those days, they were pretty popular (the-in-thing). There were two stairways. One was through the back door and one through to the front door.

My brother, Daniel was a few years younger then myself so he would wait at home for me each day by the front door, but would never see me come through it. So curiosity got the better of him and he asked me how I get inside the house after I finish school each day.

I told him I had magical powers and that I could walk through walls. He was totally amazed and asked if I could give him the power to walk through walls as well. I obliged, waved my hands around a bit and said there, now you got the power too, what you got to do is run as fast as you can into the wall.

You could just imagine his disappointment when he planted face first into the wall only to discover there was no magical power of walking through walls ;-)

Joanne King - http://www.anxiety-panic-free.com/approachwomen.html

About the Author - Joanne King is a former sufferer of Anxiety & Panic Attacks. She is the author of two books How to Overcome Anxiety & Panic Attacks & How to Overcome Anxiety When Approaching Women She has helped other sufferers WorldWide to eliminate their Anxiety & Panic. http://www.anxiety-panic-free.com Get your FREE e-book The 5 Tell-Tale Body Language Secrets You Must Know about Women at http://www.anxiety-panic-free.com/approachwomen.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JoanneKing
http://EzineArticles.com/?1-Step-You-Should-Take-to-Alleviate-Anxiety-When-Meeting-Women&id=27469

How to Deal with Dog Separation Anxiety

How to Deal with Dog Separation Anxiety
By Navy T

A dog suffering from separation anxiety can cause many problems for you, your dog, and your neighbors. These dogs love their owners and they hate being away from them. You probably give your dog all the love that you can, but when you are away they become little destroyers who chew your shoes, urinate on your furniture, and bark for hours. Some breeds of dogs are predisposed to this behavior. If you are looking into getting a dog and you know that you are frequently gone, you will want to avoid breeds that have dependency problems. Many dogs that were not weaned properly will also develop a dependency on humans at an early age.

There are various symptoms of separation anxiety and it is important to note that most of these actions occur as soon as you leave your house in the mornings. Symptoms of separation anxiety include:

Scratching at doors and windows (your doors will look like they tried dig through them)
Urinating on the carpet and furniture
Chewing and destroying furniture, clothes, shoes, bedding, etc.
Excessive barking, whining and howling
Chewing or excessively licking themselves
Follows you throughout your house and demands constant attention

If your dog only exhibits these behaviors while you are gone, the dog is most likely suffering from separation anxiety. Most dogs will act fine when you are with them. They will generally only be destructive for the first thirty minutes you are gone, but may continue to howl, bark, and whine all day long. These dogs will not benefit from punishment, as they are suffering from an anxiety disorder and not intentional bad behavior. They will not be able to associate punishment with their acts, as it may have been hours since they were being destructive.

Your veterinarian may be able to direct you in how to deal with dog separation anxiety. Many dogs with severe cases may require anxiety medication. They will also require behavior modification training. The combination of medication and training is the best. Behavior modification training will teach you how to react to your dog and his problems, as well.

In changing your dogs behavior, you will first want to avoid making a big deal about leaving and coming home. Many dogs are able to recognize when their owners are leaving and their anxiety will begin to build. Avoid saying anything to your dog as you leave and come back home. Try to ignore them for as long as possible when you come home. This will help make your arrival and departures low-key events with minimal excitement. Try to find what triggers your dogs behavior. Notice your dogs reactions to you picking up your keys, purse, and briefcase. After determining what sets your dog off, repeat those actions without leaving your house, as this will help to desensitize your dog.

Be sure that your dog is receiving plenty of exercise to reduce his amount of energy. Start by gradually leaving your dog for short periods of time and then extend those time limits gradually. You may also want to give your dog toys that hold treats so that he will be busy for hours. You can give these to him as you walk out the door in the mornings. Crating your dog does not generally help, as they spend their time trying to escape and destroying their crates. You may also choose to leave a radio or television on, as the noise helps to calm these dogs. The process is a long adjustment period but, with work, your dog will become less dependent on you and less stressed.

For more information on dog training tips and tricks and latest and best dog training ebooks visit http://www.dogtrainingbookreviews.com/dog-training-book.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=NavyT
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Deal-with-Dog-Separation-Anxiety&id=527049