Survive a panic attack

Waking up on Monday morning, it crosses your mind that it is the day where performance reviews are conducted at your work.  Brushing your teeth, you begin to remember all of the different times you feel like you failed at your job, scrutinizing each of your own mistakes.  Your cereal gets cold as you sit, blank-eyed, imagining the possibility of going another year without a raise, and how you need the money to support your family.  Anxiety and stress is all rolled into one panicking experience, as your heart begins to race, your head gets dizzy, and you begin to sweat.  Other than having to change your clothes, you show up to work late in mess of stress and anxiety, to the surprise of your co-workers.

Now, it should be said that a panic attack is not often a very serious occurrence, in terms of overall health.  That being said, having a panic attack can be a very frightening and uncomfortable experience.

A panic attack is a a fight or flight response of the body, usually reacting to an overload of stress and anxiety.  In a panic attack, a person is unable to cope with extreme cases of stress and anxiety.  The overwhelming anxiety causes a heavier display of symptoms associated with stress and anxiety.  Very often, one will suffer an increased heart rate, have trouble breathing, sweat, shake, and become dizzy as a result of a panic attack.  Stress is another trigger strongly correlated with anxiety.

Stress can manifest itself in many ways on a daily basis.  As people need to deal with many responsibilities, any bumps in the road can cause stress.  Anxiety and stress, when at a high level, can cause a panic attack.  Many people who suffer from panic attacks, likely a product of their already high levels of anxiety, overreact and believe that they are suffering from a heart attack.

Almost everyone will experience a panic attack at some point in their lives, as every person deals with their own version of stress and anxiety.  Understanding that it is only a panic attack and knowing how to deal with it can help you manage any future panic attacks.

There are a few things you can do to manage your panic attacks, some of them are listed below as tips:

- Remind yourself that you are experiencing a panic attack.  Knowing the symptoms is important, as they are commonly confused with heart problems.  If you understand that you are only experiencing a panic attack, remind yourself that it is not fatal.

- Keep your mind free of the stress and anxiety that may have caused the attack.  The last thing you need while you are having an attack is to be worried even more!

- Distract the mind while your body deals with the symptoms.  Take deep breaths, meditate, or count backwards from 100.  Do whatever you can to avoid more panic or anxiety.

- If you are in public, find a place to sit down.  Close your eyes and breathe deeply, as it can be very stressful to see a slew of people running around.  If you see somebody else experiencing a panic attack, offer your services carefully, as you may have the ability to help them with their stress.

Depression relates to anxiety disorders

Anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways to affect every type of person.  People who suffer from an anxiety disorder may experience stress, panic attacks, or irrational fears.  It is not uncommon for those suffering from an anxiety disorder to also feel depressive symptoms.

Anxiety disorders and depression have always gone hand in hand.  Statistics show that people who suffer from an anxiety disorder are much more likely to experience depression.  As expected, people who suffer from depression are also much more likely to suffer from an anxiety disorder.  Almost one-half of individuals diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

There are also many differences between depression and anxiety disorders, mainly the symptoms.  While many of the symptoms may be shared between the two disorders, each disorder has separate causes and unique symptoms.  There is no proof that one disorder causes the other, but there is a definitely connection between depression and anxiety disorders.

Fortunately, there are many treatments for both anxiety disorders and depression.   This article will focus on depression and its three major types:

Depression

People who are depressed feel sadness, hopelessness, and disinterest in life.  While many people suffer from these symptoms, a prolonged case of these feelings that impair an individual’s ability to function is considered clinical depression.  The common symptoms of a depressive episode include:

- Persistent sad or anxious mood

- Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness

- Insomnia, oversleeping, fatigue, and restlessness

- Difficulty concentrating, loss of interest in typical activities

There are three typical types of depressive disorders: major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disorder.

Major Depression

This type of depression is characterized by significant display of the symptoms listed above for a two-week period of more.  People suffering from this type of episode will have trouble functioning as a member of society.  They may occur often or not at all, depending on the person.  Such an episode can occur due to a traumatic experience, and some people may consider committing suicide.

Dysthymia

A less severe form of depression, dysthymia displays similar depressive symptoms as other types, but is long-term and often chronic.  People suffering from dysthymia may be considered pessimists, as they may be overly stressed, irritable, or unpleasant.

Bipolar disorder

Also known as manic-depression, bipolar disorder is characterized by a constantly changing mood cycle, ranging from severe highs to severe lows.  During a severe high phase, the individual may experience inexplicable elation, grandiose notions, increased talking, more energy, or inappropriate social behavior.  An individual in a severe low stage may suffer similar depressive systems as other forms of depressive disorders.

Treatment

Treatment for depression and anxiety disorders may differ, but some treatments may be similar due to similar symptoms.  Psychotherapy and medications are both treatments that work for the treatment of anxiety and depression.  In particular, cognitive-behavioral therapy works well for both disorders.  Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are medications often used to treat both disorders as well.

Treatments for anxiety disorders

Entering college for the first time, you may have felt a pounding heartbeat or a uncharacteristic sweat.  Excited to start your 4 years of procrastinating, partying, and disappointing your parents, you are likely feeling the effects of anxiety.

Anxiety can affect all types of people in many different ways.  For example, a student may experience anxiety before taking a final exam.  A fighter may feel anxiety before a big fight.  A mother may experience anxiety when taking her child to the doctor.  Anxiety can come from any part of life, and cause a disturbance in your ability to function as a member of society.  Anxiety can also come in the form of fears, or phobias, ranging from the fear of gravity to the fear of colors.

An anxiety disorder is a mental disorder often characterized by high levels of anxiety.  This usually causes a multitude of emotional and physical symptoms.  These symptoms include headache, sweating, spasms, fatigue, and exhaustion.  There are many different categorizations of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder.  The aforementioned phobias are also considered a sub-type of anxiety disorder.

Treatment for an anxiety disorder usually lies in therapy, medication, and relaxation techniques. However, as with many different disorders, there is an abundance of alternative treatments.  This article will focus on the natural treatments used as alternative treatments for the treatment of an anxiety disorder.

1.  Relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques are not alternative treatments for anxiety, but are definitely natural, which is why it made this list.  These techniques, usually involving diaphragmatic breathing, meditation, and light exercise can reduce stress and anxiousness, leading to a natural control of an anxiety disorder.  The relaxation response triggered by these techniques can quell the nasty symptoms of an anxiety disorder.  Try breathing deeply, doing yoga, or meditating the next time you are experiencing a fit of anxiousness.

2.  Valerian

Valerian is an herb most commonly used to treat insomnia, and sometimes used to treat anxiety disorders.  While there is no scientific proof of its efficacy, there have been positive reports of its supposed benefits.  It is usually taken an hour before bedtime and takes a few weeks to work.  It can cause complications when mixed with alcohol or other medications, however, and therefore is not highly recommended to be used often.

3.  Kava

Another herb, kava is found in Polynesia, and has been found in the past to treat anxiousness in humans.  Unfortunately, the FDA has issued an advisory to consumers about the possibility of severe liver injury, and kava is no longer recommended for use.

4.  Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the use of plant essential oils in baths, oil, or infusers.  Lavender is the most common plant used for relaxation and the treatment of an anxiety disorder.

5.  Passionflower

An herb used in folk medicine, passionflower was once used to treat insomnia and anxiety.  It was found in a clinical study to have similar effects to benzodiazepine drugs.  It was also found to increase job performance and induce less drowsiness than other antianxiety drugs.  It may not be fully safe for pregnant women, children, or people with liver disease.

Disorders

People suffering from an anxiety disorder will all tell you the same thing.  Anxiety is no fun.

Anxiety can affect all types of people in many different ways.  For example, a student may experience anxiety before taking a final exam.  A fighter may feel anxiety before a big fight.  A mother may experience anxiety when taking her child to the doctor.  Anxiety can come from any part of life, and cause a disturbance in your ability to function as a member of society.  Anxiety can also come in the form of fears, or phobias, ranging from the fear of spiders to the fear of long words.

The truth is, anxiety affects every human being at some point in their lives.  A person who suffers from constant or severe fits of anxiety is said to have an anxiety disorder.

An anxiety disorder is defined as a mental disorder characterized by high levels of anxiety, and often causing emotional and physical symptoms.  Some of these symptoms include the presence of a headache, sweating, spasms, fatigue, and exhaustion.  There are many different categorizations of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder.  The aforementioned phobias are also considered a sub-type of anxiety disorder.

An anxiety disorder can be a very real threat to an individual’s ability to function.  Fortunately, there a number of treatments proven to help with dealing with anxiety disorders.  Most people will find success in these treatments, some of which fit certain individuals better than others.  The rest of this article will describe several treatment options for anxiety disorders; finding the one that fits you the best will make the treatment that much more effective.

1.  Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioral therapy is a combination of cognitive and behavior therapies, and is often referred to as CBT.  Cognitive-Behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on behavior patterns and how emotional changes follow them.  It teaches patients skills to deal with anxiousness.  Specifically, cognitive therapy is used to change thought patterns, while behavior therapy aims to identify and change unwanted behavior.

2.  Relaxation

These relaxation techniques are often used for relieving stress as well as anxiety.  Taking deep breaths through the nose and exhaling through the mouth can be very relaxing.  Light exercise such as palates and yoga can also be very relaxing.  Meditation can cleanse the mind and offer a mind state conducive to relaxation.  These different forms of relaxation can aid in your treatment of an anxiety disorder.

3.  Medication

There are many medicines that can be useful in treating an anxiety disorder.  It is usually used in supplement to other methods of treatment.  There are antianxiety medications and antidepressants that can treat anxiousness.  There are 4 major classes of antianxiety medication:  Benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrone reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).  Each of these categories have their own pros and cons, ask your doctor for the right medicine for you.