Control Panic Attacks http://www.controlpanicattacks.net A Step By Step Guide To Panic Attack Treatment Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:01:09 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 How To Overcome Anxiety & Panic Attacks http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-overcome-pani-attacks-part-i/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-overcome-pani-attacks-part-i/#comments Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:04:28 +0000 admin http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/?p=42 Anxiety is a universal emotion. It is normal for people to experience it from time to time for any number of reasons. As an evolutionary response to stress, anxiety helps us to cope better with unforeseen and unpleasant situations by helping us to focus better on the current situation at hand.
Sometimes, however, this anxiety/panic can manifest itself in the form of recurring anxiety and panic attacks that can make normal life difficult. In such a case, the sufferer can be classified as a patient of an anxiety or panic disorder. Unlike mild anxiety which many witness as a response to a stressful event, an anxiety disorder can last for months to years and usually has no apparent, logical cause.
Since an anxiety disorder is a mental condition, the best way to treat it is to understand it. Anxiety is essentially the manifestation of fear about future events, or sometimes, even the past memories. The patient often becomes paralyzed thinking about the future and experiences several uncomfortable symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, increased heart rate, a feeling of impending dom, etc.
One way to treat anxiety is to educate yourself about it, it’s causes and cures. A few handy tips that can help you to control or curb your anxiety completely are:
1. Relaxation Techniques – Relaxation is the antithesis of anxiety. A patient suffering from anxiety has difficulty putting his mind at rest and keeps worrying about one thing or the other. Common sense, therefore, dictates that relaxing your mind can be a very effective antidote to anxiety.
You should try meditating, preferably in a quiet environment. Light a few candles, put on some soft, relaxing music (nature sounds are very effective in this). Fold your legs under your hips (the meditative stance) and breathe in deeply with your eyes closed and try and focus on pleasant thoughts and memories. If possible, join a Yoga class – it’ll help you tremendously in relaxing your mind.
2. Breathing Techniques – One of the most commong physical symptom of an anxiety/panic attack is difficult, rapid breathing, caleld hyperventilation. Hypervantilation increases the oxygen level in the body and reduces the carbon dioxide levels, which can lead to a feeling of light headedness or even cause you to faint.
A person suffering from an anxiety condition should try and breathe through their diaphgram (this is the bony part of your chest that moves up and down as you breathe, right above the abdomen). Also, try taking in slow, deep breaths. This can help you tremendously in controling your anxiety.
3. Adjustments in Diet – Certain diet elements, such as nicotine, alcohol, caffeine or other stimulants can cause an anxiety attack since they trigger adrenaline release in the body. Adrenaline is one of the main stress chemicals. Oily, heavy foods should also be avoided. Try eating a light, protein and carb rich diet with plenty of green vegetables and fruits.
4. Exercise – Exercise can improve your mood exponentially. Exercise helps to burn stress chemicals and eases the mind. A jog through a park or a long bike ride can be a great way to improve your mood and keep anxiety at bay. Make daily exercise a part of your routine. Not only will it help control anxiety, it will also help check your weight, giving you a better self image and more confidence.
In part two of this article, I will explore other methods to control and curb anxiety, such as cognitive therapy, behavior therapy, and medication.

How to Cure Anxiety Attacks

Anxiety is a universal emotion. It is normal for people to experience it from time to time for any number of reasons. As an evolutionary response to stress, anxiety helps us to cope better with unforeseen and unpleasant situations by helping us to focus better on the current situation at hand.

Sometimes, however, this anxiety/panic can manifest itself in the form of recurring anxiety and panic attacks that can make normal life difficult. In such a case, the sufferer can be classified as a patient of an anxiety or panic disorder. Unlike mild anxiety which many witness as a response to a stressful event, an anxiety disorder can last for months to years and usually has no apparent, logical cause.

Since an anxiety disorder is a mental condition, the best way to treat it is to understand it. Anxiety is essentially the manifestation of fear about future events, or sometimes, even the past memories. The patient often becomes paralyzed thinking about the future and experiences several uncomfortable symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, increased heart rate, a feeling of impending doom, etc.

Personally, I relied on yoga, exercise and a number of advanced techniques listed in Joe Barry’s book, Panic Away. From my own personal experience, these are the techniques I would recommend:

1. Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation is the antithesis of anxiety. A patient suffering from anxiety has difficulty putting his mind at rest and keeps worrying about one thing or the other. Common sense, therefore, dictates that relaxing your mind can be a very effective antidote to anxiety.

You should try meditating, preferably in a quiet environment. Light a few candles, put on some soft, relaxing music (nature sounds are very effective in this). Fold your legs under your hips (the meditative stance) and breathe in deeply with your eyes closed and try and focus on pleasant thoughts and memories. If possible, join a Yoga class – it’ll help you tremendously in relaxing your mind.

2. Breathing Techniques

One of the most commong physical symptom of an anxiety/panic attack is difficult, rapid breathing, called hyperventilation. Hyperventilation increases the oxygen level in the body and reduces the carbon dioxide levels, which can lead to a feeling of light headedness or even cause you to faint.

A person suffering from an anxiety condition should try and breathe through their diaphragm (this is the bony part of your chest that moves up and down as you breathe, right above the abdomen). Also, try taking in slow, deep breaths. This can help you tremendously in controlling your anxiety.

3. Adjustments in Diet

Certain diet elements, such as nicotine, alcohol, caffeine or other stimulants can cause an anxiety attack since they trigger adrenaline release in the body. Adrenaline is one of the main stress chemicals. Oily, heavy foods should also be avoided. Try eating a light, protein and carb rich diet with plenty of green vegetables and fruits.

4. Exercise

Exercise can improve your mood exponentially. Exercise helps to burn stress chemicals and eases the mind. A jog through a park or a long bike ride can be a great way to improve your mood and keep anxiety at bay. Make daily exercise a part of your routine. Not only will it help control anxiety, it will also help check your weight, giving you a better self image and more confidence.

In part two of this article, I will explore other methods to control and curb anxiety, such as cognitive therapy, behavior therapy, and medication. These are covered in detail in Joe Barry’s Panic Away – the book that helped me banish anxiety attacks forever.

]]> http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-overcome-pani-attacks-part-i/feed/ 1 How to Overcome Panic Attacks – An Analysis of Available Solutions http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-overcome-panic-attacks-an-analysis-of-available-solutions/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-overcome-panic-attacks-an-analysis-of-available-solutions/#comments Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:28:01 +0000 admin http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/?p=58
From my own personal experience, I have realized that certain solutions work better than others. I am a staunch believe in the no-medication philosophy, because the kind of drugs that are used to treat anxiety and panic disorders can mess up with your body completely, and I won’t even talk about their scope for abuse.
From the top of my head, these are the five best methods I could think of that are effective in treating a panic disorder.

1. Cognitive Therapy

The focus of cognitive therapy is to force a change in set patterns of thinking and beliefs in order to remove the underlying cause of a panic attack. All forms of panic disorders have certain triggers. The aim of cognitive therapy, therefore, is to help the patient overcome anything that triggers their anxiety. Strategies to combat panic attacks include rational self-talk, cognitive restructuring, training to challenge underlying fears and beliefs, and checking the flow of negative thoughts.
2. Behavior therapy
Behavior Therapy aims to fight panic disorders by deliberately exposing a patient to his/her fears. A major cause of many panic attacks are different phobias. Through a gradul exposure to those phobias, this technique can, over time, desensitize you to your fears, letting you redefine the fear aspect of the situation or trigger.

3. Medication

 Medication should always be seen as a short term measure, to be used in conjunction with therapy. Most of the medications involved in fighting off a panic disorder are powerful concoctions of drugs that have a lot of side effects, along with being highly addictive. The tendency in patients to abuse these drugs, therefore, is very high. Some of the prescription medications used to fight panic include Valium, Xanax/Zenax, etc. Studies also show that therapy is a much better solution to controlling a panic disorder than short term medications.

4. Diet

An inadequate intake of nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals can amplify the symptoms of a panic disorder. All anxiety/panic conditions are hormone controlled, which are secreted by the various glands located throughout the body. These require vitamins and minerals to function at their full efficiency. It has been noted that an irregular and inadequate intake of vitamin B and calcium has been shown to worsen anxiety symptoms. Stimulants like nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, should also be avoided in the diet as they trigger the release of adrenaline – one of the major stress causing chemicals. One should adjust his/her diet to include a healthier variety of foods, with plenty of vitamins and minerals. Also consider taking dietary supplements that can fulfill a nutrient deficiency.

5. Self-Help

I am a big believe in self help, DIY. While I understand that for those suffering from particularly severe or debilitating forms of anxiety disorders, self help can’t (and shouldn’t) be a choice of treatment. For most others (and this is the majority of us anxiety patients), self help can be very very effective. Head over to the local bookstore and look up some titles, or go online and check out some websites (including Control Panic Attacks). There are plenty of anxiety management programs being sold on the internet, some particularly effective – like Panic Away – which I used myself, among others, like the Linden Method
]]> http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-overcome-panic-attacks-an-analysis-of-available-solutions/feed/ 0 The Best Natural Treatment for Your Anxiety Disorder http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/the-best-natural-treatment-for-your-anxiety-disorder/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/the-best-natural-treatment-for-your-anxiety-disorder/#comments Sat, 03 Apr 2010 18:40:16 +0000 admin http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/?p=91 The jury is still out on the effectiveness of prescription medication for treating panic attacks. For one, the long, long list of side-effects that such drugs makes them a pale alternative when compared to natural medicines and therapy. The best cure for any illness, whether it is physical or psychological, is something that is natural and doesn’t inject some drug cocktail into your body.

If you are suffering from an anxiety disorder or have frequent panic attacks, no doubt you have been looking for a solution that is cost-effective and safe. While prescription medication might help relieve some of the symptoms, it doesn’t erase the underlying cause of anxiety. Moreover, most of the drugs are highly addictive (since they act like depressants) and have side-effects ranging from insomnia to heart problems. In fact, the fear of taking such medications is one of the biggest reason why many people refrain from seeking professional help in treating their panic attacks.

A lot of research over the years has shown that non-traditional (i.e., non-medicinal) methods to treat anxiety are as good, if not better than prescription drugs. Most doctors, even when they prescripe anti-anxiety medication, will follow it up with therapy and eventually wean the patient off the drugs.

The best way to cure anxiety disorders is cognitive behavioral therapy. This isn’t just the best treatment for anxiety/panic attacks; it is pretty much the best way to deal with the majority of psychological illnesses. If combined with the right drugs (disregarding the side-effects), cognitive-behavioral therapy is highly effective in getting a patient rid of his anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) primarily involves educating the patient about his condition, teaching him to recognize the symptoms of his illness, conditioning his mental responses to understand and eventually remove the thoughts that lead to the illness, and finally, gaining mastery over the mental processes that lead to the mental illness.

The best part about CBT is that you don’t really need a trained professional to actively guide you through the process. This is something that, with enough dedication, can be carried out by an individual on his own. The therapy itself isn’t necessarily long; in most cases, success is achieved within 3-4 months.

Best of all, the results are permanent. Unlike medication, which can result in only temporary relief, CBT gives results that will last you forever, as it essentially reprograms the way you perceive an illness like panic attacks.

Clearly, CBT is the best way to treat an anxiety or panic disorder.

]]> http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/the-best-natural-treatment-for-your-anxiety-disorder/feed/ 0 Children Experience Anxiety Too http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/children-experience-anxiety-too/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/children-experience-anxiety-too/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:08:31 +0000 Denise http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/children-experience-anxiety-too/ Children experience anxiety as part of their everyday life, fears at a young age are common, but there is a need for parents to know what is normal childhood fear, and what maybe a Anxiety Disorder. Young children often have a fear of going to the doctors, or of sleeping in the dark, at a slightly older age they may suffer anxiety when they first start kindergarten or their first day at school. This is normal but if the anxiety interferes with their everyday life, it should be treated as soon as possible.

Anxiety can start as early as 6 months old, babies may fear large objects, loud noise or separation. With toddlers and pre-school age children the fears may include being alone and darkness. School age children may fear ghosts, failure, tests criticism and like adults actual physical harm and threats. Younger children don’t worry like adult or older children, as they don’t have the mechanics to imagine future events or bad things associated with the future.

Children quite often react to change, whether it be moving house, a break up of their parents relationship or the death of someone close. It is important parents take a child’s anxiety seriously, and help then cope with change in a caring and positive manner. Children with Anxiety quite often have the same symptoms as adults, but find it harder to express how they are feeling, and often a child will act out when they are distressed. If parents see a change in their child’s behavior they should get a professional opinion.

Even doctors can have trouble diagnosing anxiety in children, and often parents don’t recognize the symptoms either so if parents notice their child is acting differently than normal, they can talk to their child openly and see if there is anything that is stressing them. Listen and then act accordingly, because if your child develops an Anxiety Disorder they will need treatment promptly.

Children with untreated anxiety often develop poor social skills, are at a high risk of not doing well at school and as they get older may self medicate with drugs or alcohol. That’s why treatment is vital when they first start showing signs of anxiety, if necessary get more than one doctors opinion.

I remember being scared when I was younger, and through my teenage years and most of my adulthood, when I was a child anxiety wasn’t a disorder and fear was just fear. We didn’t get professional help unless it was a physical injury or illness. Mental illness wasn’t talked about like it is today, had it been I may have learned to manage my anxiety a lot earlier and had a different and happier life.

I don’t blame anyone for my anxiety, I just wish I my mother knew what to look for and had more information about mental illness. I urge all parents to look for the signs of anxiety in your child, it may just be normal childhood fear which can be helped with love and support, but it may not and can turn into a Anxiety Disorder. Even if you are not sure it won’t hurt to find out for sure from a professional.

]]> http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/children-experience-anxiety-too/feed/ 0 Anxiety and Agoraphobia http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/anxiety-and-agoraphobia/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/anxiety-and-agoraphobia/#comments Sat, 20 Feb 2010 07:48:48 +0000 Denise http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/anxiety-and-agoraphobia/ Agoraphobia is a condition that some sufferers of Anxiety or Panic Disorder develop if their condition isn’t treated. Contrary to popular belief Agoraphobia is not a fear of leaving the house, but a progressive condition that has the sufferer scared to be in a situation where escape from a Panic Attack seems unavoidable and difficult. Agoraphobia can lead to a vicious circle you may be frightened of having a Panic Attack and find yourself having a Panic attack through fear of having one, this re-occurs over and over until the condition is treated.

I avoided looking for work, going to social functions and many other situations because of this. Even getting in a car, shopping or getting on public transport was absolutely terrifying. I was very limited with what I could do and basically crippled my lifestyle for over 10 years. This very quickly stopped me from going out at all. I had one stint of 8 years of not leaving the house at all, my neighbors didn’t know I was there. They thought my partner lived alone, sadly my home became my safe place.

People who suffer from Agoraphobia have a safe place, everyone’s safe place is different. If you have your attacks in your car on a main road you may choose to only drive on quiet streets and limit where you drive. Or you may find like me, standing in long lines to pay a bill or at supermarkets waiting to pay for your groceries causes a Panic Attack. You may then get someone else to pay your bills or shop at a smaller shop with less customers. That becomes your Safe Zone, you end up being very limited in your daily life or do as I did, practically made myself a recluse locked between 4 walls.

Anyone who suffers from Agoraphobia knows only too well the intense fear that overtakes you, your mind turns to mush and your body just won’t co-operate.You sweat, your heart races, your legs feel like jelly, and you wish you were in your Safe Place. Then later on when you get to your Safe Place you wonder why this happens to you, which just makes you more anxious. It’s a confining and frightening condition.

Agoraphobia can develop without suffering Anxiety or Panic Disorder, although it is uncommon, but more often is linked to these and other disorders. The cause of Agoraphobia is unknown, but it is to be thought to be caused by genetic, chemical imbalance in the brain, environment and social situations. Agoraphobia can be treated, it’s obviously better to get treatment as soon as you experience Anxiety or Panic Attacks, but even after years of suffering, like me you can learn to control it. Once I learned to take control of my Anxiety and Panic Attacks, my Agoraphobia became a thing of the past.

]]> http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/anxiety-and-agoraphobia/feed/ 0 Claustrophobia – Another Limb on the Anxiety Tree http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/claustrophobia-another-limb-on-the-anxiety-tree/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/claustrophobia-another-limb-on-the-anxiety-tree/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:59:52 +0000 Denise http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/claustrophobia-another-limb-on-the-anxiety-tree/ There are many phobias that stem from an Anxiety Disorder, Claustrophobia is another limb on the Anxiety tree, and is one of the more common phobias. Claustrophobia is a fear of enclosed spaces or confined areas, or even a crowded room where the exits aren’t easily assessable. Being in one of these situations can bring on a Panic Attack, which in turn may lead to the sufferer avoiding similar situations in the future.

If in a room or building, Claustrophobia sufferers may constantly be checking for doorways and exits or standing close to exits even in large rooms, and feeling fear when doors are closed. Smalls spaces like cars, planes and lifts ca also bring anxious feelings. In some cases being in these situations can bring on panic attacks, in extreme cases just seeing a closed door may cause a Panic Attack.

Claustrophobia, can develop from a childhood trauma such as being locked in a small space for long periods of time, or a near drowning experience can cause this phobia. As with all Anxiety disorders the cause of Claustrophobia can be genetic or bio chemical. Whatever the cause many Anxiety Disorder sufferers will develop some type of phobia, in my case I developed more than one.

There are many things you can do to help yourself control your fears and thoughts, you can start with small goals to overcome your phobia. If you try and rush your recovery by reaching for larger goals, you may get overwhelmed and your condition may get worse, on the other hand not acting at all with just intensify your phobia. Self help programs and relaxation techniques can also be very helpful.

Try to keep positive when confronting your fears, tell yourself your are stronger than your thoughts and give yourself the power to overcome them. Becoming involved in a hobby, sport or course that helps you feel more confident, can also help you empower yourself against your phobia.

It’s very hard getting your head around having an Anxiety Disorder and or Phobia, and even more difficult to take that first step to recovery. I found as soon as I learned that my Panic Attacks and Phobias couldn’t hurt me physically, it was much easier to get on with life and control my mind and body once again. The human mind is an amazing and complex piece of machinery, and once you can understand and control your thoughts, your Anxiety Disorders and Phobias will soon be under control too.

]]> http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/claustrophobia-another-limb-on-the-anxiety-tree/feed/ 0 How to Support Someone With Anxiety Or Panic Disorder http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-support-someone-with-anxiety-or-panic-disorder/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-support-someone-with-anxiety-or-panic-disorder/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:03:17 +0000 Denise http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-support-someone-with-anxiety-or-panic-disorder/ Most of us at some stage have known someone with an Anxiety Or Panic Disorder, it my be a friend, or family member, a partner or relative. If it is someone that is very close to you for example your spouse, partner or a very close friend, you are going to need to learn how to support someone with Anxiety or Panic Disorder. For the sake of this article we will say it is your partner.

If your partner suffers from Anxiety or Panic Disorder, you will need to know how to assist them in their recovery. The first thing you need to do is take them and their disorder seriously, be very supportive as they are feeling vulnerable and frightened. It won’t be easy helping your partner get through this you may get snapped at, and when they are feeling the anxiety they may be in their own little world. Mainly all they want is someone to try and understand what they are going through.

Here are a few points that can help you support your loved one…

1. Never tell them they are crazy…that will only re-enforce what they are already thinking and retard their recovery.

2. Let them know set backs are normal and part of any recovery. Encourage them when they take a positive step towards their recovery.

3. If your partner has trouble leaving the house, don’t spring surprise outings on them. This will also make them more anxious and may trigger a panic attack.

4. When you are away from home with your partner play it by ear, if he or she is experiencing Anxiety let them guide you to what is more comfortable for them. If they want to change the plans or go home let them.

5.If you and your partner do go out together and you get separated plan before you go to have a meeting place where you can re-connect and be sure to head there as soon as you realize you have been separated, or it may again trigger a Panic Attack if he or she gets there first and finds you’re not there.

These are just some helpful tips for looking after an Anxiety sufferer, there are many more and you are not a mind reader so you won’t always know what your partner wants. All you can do is listen to what they are saying to you, be supportive and caring. Your partner will guide you and let you know what they need for their recovery.

Never tell him or her that their Anxiety and Panic Attacks are all in their mind and to get over it or stop being silly, they are not in control and can’t help what they are feeling. If your partner has an attack you can’t stop it and it will pass, hold them if that’s what they need and reassure them. Remind them a panic attack can’t hurt them and they will be alright.

Most importantly remember your are there to support your partner, you are not responsible for their recovery.Your partner has to learn to control his or her attacks and heal from within. Also look after your own health, being a support person can be mentally straining. You can’t be any help to yourself or your partner if you wear yourself out, be there for them don’t try and recover for them.

]]> http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/how-to-support-someone-with-anxiety-or-panic-disorder/feed/ 0 Social Anxiety – What is It? http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/social-anxiety-what-is-it/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/social-anxiety-what-is-it/#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:17:24 +0000 Denise http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/social-anxiety-what-is-it/ Social Anxiety is another crippling Anxiety Disorder which can bring on Panic attacks and is also known as Social Phobia. It’s a fear of social situations and being judged or embarrassed when meeting or talking to other people. Social Anxiety or Phobia can be likened to shyness but with a much more intense fear. Shyness becomes an Anxiety Disorder when being around people becomes very difficult and you may stop socializing altogether or at least avoid social situations.

You may also experience symptoms much like those of Anxiety, which include Trembling, Sweating, Palpitations. sinking feeling or an almost irresistible or to run away. You may also feel like your fears are irrational and blame yourself for feeling that way, rather than trying to understand that your fears are a disorder. This is completely normal and you shouldn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed.

The emotional symptoms you may feel can include being self conscious or having a feeling of failure, you may avoid social situations or isolate yourself from friends or family, and you might be more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol to give you more confidence to wonder out into a social situation.

Things You May Avoid Or Be Uncomfortable With, Include:

Being the center of attention

Being introduced to new people

Being watched by people when you are doing something

Meeting people in Authority

Using the telephone

All these things are completely normal for a Social Anxiety sufferer…you are not crazy and there are steps you can take to overcome all the symptoms. Try to find someone close to you for support, they can help if you can’t avoid going out and don’t want to go alone. One really important thing is to try and avoid alcohol to give you dutch courage, alcohol is a depressant and may help you at the time, but in the long term will only increase your anxiety. I know this for a fact as I used to self medicate.

One of the first steps of overcoming Social disorder is understanding your feelings and fears, reading about your disorder or joining a forum for Social Anxiety sufferers can also help you to understand your disorder. The main thing for you do do is to realize you have a disorder and takes steps to treat it and recover, which can be done either by getting therapy or using self help as I did, and by that I don’t mean self medicate. There are self help methods that can help you and none of them recommend self medication.

]]> http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/social-anxiety-what-is-it/feed/ 0 Stop the Intrusive Thoughts That Can Cause Anxiety and Panic Attacks http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/stop-the-intrusive-thoughts-that-can-cause-anxiety-and-panic-attacks/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/stop-the-intrusive-thoughts-that-can-cause-anxiety-and-panic-attacks/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:07:47 +0000 Denise http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/stop-the-intrusive-thoughts-that-can-cause-anxiety-and-panic-attacks/ Anxiety comes from many different aspects… Alcoholism, Depression, Grief and Stress etc. Whatever the cause your mind is invaded by worrying and frightening thoughts. In order to control these thoughts, you first need to understand why they affect your lives so much. So how do you stop the intrusive thoughts that cause Anxiety and Panic Attack.

Understanding that it is not the the intrusive thoughts that are responsible for your despair is the one of the steps in overcoming Anxiety and panic attacks. It’s the way you react to the thoughts that causes your mind and body to go into panic mode. Anyone who suffers from Anxiety and Panic Attacks know only to well how frightening that panic mode can be. I found it terrifying when I had a panic attack when I was out of the house, but found it extremely distressing when I found I wasn’t even safe at home.

My home was my safe place and when I found out the anxiety intruder could invade my home..it left me felling pretty helpless. It’s amazing how these intrusive thoughts can turn your life upside down and badly affect the wiring in your brain. I like to to compare the worrying thoughts the self esteem. Just like some people find it hard to except the positive words spoken to them, yet have no problems believing the negative things that people say to them.

It works very much the same with your thoughts, when you have negative or worrying thoughts, you tend to concentrate on them and not the positive and happy thoughts… and then so it goes… off into panic mode. The symptoms as frightening as they are can be controlled, it’s just a matter of understanding your anxiety disorder and learning some coping skills to help you over come the fear that Anxiety brings on.

Learning to control our thoughts is another step towards beating Anxiety and Panic attacks. In my case I learned that these attacks couldn’t hurt me, that was the hard part. I then learned that if I faced my thoughts and the things that made me anxious, I could take control again and not be crippled by my Anxiety Disorder. Anxiety can be overcome, sometimes in a very short time, for some people it might be a longer process but it’s one you can overcome with a little help.

]]> http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/stop-the-intrusive-thoughts-that-can-cause-anxiety-and-panic-attacks/feed/ 0 Anxiety Grows From Different Seeds http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/anxiety-grows-from-different-seeds/ http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/anxiety-grows-from-different-seeds/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:52:20 +0000 Denise http://www.controlpanicattacks.net/anxiety-grows-from-different-seeds/ The root of anxiety grows from different seeds, in my case the seed was alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant, as much as it can make you feel good for a time, long time use can cause mental disorders, along with the normal reduction of brain function caused by excessive use. Not everyone suffers from mental disorders from alcohol, but in my case excessive use of alcohol left me with severe depression.

After a couple of years of drinking and depression, I started having panic attacks which lead to a vicious circle of self medication. I remember my first panic attack like it was yesterday…I was on the way to pick up my youngest son from school, when the gripping fear came on followed by dizziness and a very short blackout. I had no idea what it was at the time but I new it wasn’t normal.

At first the attacks only came on very now and then, but they terrified me and lead me to start drinking each time an attack came on. The alcohol calmed me down and made feel strong and in control again. So the vicious circle begins…that’s how my life went for the next 10 years. It got to the stage I just stopped going out in fear of having an attack, instead I locked myself behind my front door and wouldn’t step outside without a drink and my partner by my side.

I learned how to control the panic attacks when I went to alcohol counseling, but I still suffered anxiety. The key to my recovery from Anxiety and panic attacks was to get my head around the fact that the panic attacks couldn’t hurt me, and that I would be ok. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was my life saver. It taught me about my feelings, why I was feeling the way I was, and how to control those feelings.

I feel so much better now than I have for years, since my attacks I went back to work, and are now capable of leaving the house without any alcohol or someone holding my hand. I hope this short article can help you come to terms with whatever form of anxiety your suffer from, and helps you understand that you don’t have to live with Anxiety. You are not crazy, even though you may feel you are. Please be aware there are many others like you and I all over the world and you can be free of these attacks for life.

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