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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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