Top Tips To Prevent Panic Attacks

Preventing panic attacks is a serious business. If you’ve ever suffered from a panic attack, chances are that you wish you never suffered from a panic attack again.

If you can figure out what normally triggers your panic attack then you have the upper hand. Start working on whatever causes that trigger and you’ll automatically reduce the chance of a panic attack caused by it.

For instance, if you discover that one of your triggers for your panic attacks is the fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia) then you could look into getting a hypnosis session that could reduce the fear or even get rid of it completely. Once the fear has disappeared then any panic attack outbreak that would have been caused by that fear will disappear with it.

If you’re not sure what is causing you to have a panic attack, then prevention becomes slightly more difficult. It is easiest and best to work out what the root cause is. Otherwise you are in danger of papering over the cracks ? modern medication is a good example of this. Instead of finding out why people have panic attacks, western medicine offers up a magic pill that will get rid of the effects while leaving the cause untouched, possibly to develop further and require more or stronger drugs next time.

Keep a diary of when you have panic attacks. Try to work back for a few minutes or hours before the attack and see what caused it. Once you have a few examples, you will probably find the cause starts to become obvious. When you’ve found one of the causes, you can work on that cause and therefore preventing the next panic attack from that cause. You may also find that a trusted friend can help you with this identification. Friends often spot things well before we do but they can be reluctant to come forward for fear of offending us.

If you don’t yet know what is causing your panic attacks, don’t worry. You can still work on ways to prevent panic attacks by a few simple changes in how you run your life.

Start by taking up a regular form of relaxation. This can be a simple breathing technique. Or it can be something more organized such as yoga or meditation. Anything that helps you to calm down the pace of modern day life and helps you to relax is a good place to start. Search around and find which method works best for you. You may find that a regular walk is all that it takes to let you become more relaxed.

Then analyze your diet. Are you drinking lots of coffee? Is cola part of your regular diet? Do you smoke? Do you regularly drink alcohol? Is most of your food processed rather than fresh?

Start to address these dietary factors and you will likely find that you’re on your way to reducing or preventing your panic attacks.

About the Author::

For more top tips for panic attacks, visit http://remediesexplained.com You’ll find great articles and tips including information on natural remedies for panic attacks and more!

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Written by admin on January 31st, 2009 with no comments.
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Tips for Panic Attacks

These tips for panic attacks can help you when that awful moment occurs when you think the world is coming to an end. Rest assured; it isn?t. Panic attacks are very frightening, and while it may seem as if you are about to have a heart attack, or have a strong feeling of foreboding and doom, know that these are just symptoms of the condition and will pass.

Tip #1: Once the panic attack begins, you cannot stop it. All you can do is ride the wave of fear. Depending upon where you are when the panic attack occurs, this will determine how to handle it. For example: if you are in a department store, alone, your first instinct will be to get out of there. As calmly as possible, find the exit sign ? this will give you some relief. Go outside and just stand in front of the store and take deep breaths.

If you are accompanied by a friend; have the friend find the nearest exit and let him or her lead the way. You will be in no shape to find it yourself and you may be walking around in circles which will further increase the panic episode.

If you are driving in your car, alone, and the panic attack occurs; move over to the right lane. You may think you are going to faint; but you won?t. If you need to, stop at the shoulder and just sit in your car, with the windows open, and take slow breaths. It may seem like an eternity, but the panic will pass. Don?t put on the radio; it will just enhance the panic attack even more. Just sit quietly and wait.

Conversely, if you have a panic attach when passenger in car; ask the driver to either pull over or take the nearest exit ramp. You will need to exit the car and walk around. Remember, the fright and flight components associated with panic attacks will subside as long as you have control over your situation.

Tip #2: If you have a panic attack at home, the safest thing to do is walk around. Don?t try to occupy your thoughts with something else - it won?t work. With your heart pounding and your peripheral vision widening, you are in no condition to try and focus on anything. If there are family members in the home with you, they will recognize the signs. Just keep walking around until you feel that nauseousness subside.

While it may seen the attack will never end; it only lasts a few minutes. After which you will be physically and emotionally spent. In fact, your body may go into a type of shock wherein you will feel cold and exhausted. Just lie down and eventually you will fall asleep.

These two tips for panic attacks are just the tip of the iceberg when you become totally enveloped in this condition. The main thing you need to do is breathe; walk; and not try to do anything that will further intensify these episodes.

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Written by admin on January 30th, 2009 with no comments.
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Anxiety and Panic Attacks - Stop the Pain

I don’t know many things that are worse than waking up in the middle of the night with a panic attack. They come and go but when you are suffering from them sometimes you wonder if they are really ever going to subside. I have been the victim of very lengthy panic attacks that left me unable to function at all, basically leaving me on the floor until it passed. But the fact is that it did pass, but the anxious feeling, the anticipation of when that next panic attack would strike was always in the back of my mind.

For someone that has never felt the pain or anxiety and panic attacks it is difficult to describe both how they feel and the profound effect that they can have on every aspect of your life. They keep you from enjoying simple things that many people enjoy out of fear of triggering another round of anxiety. Panic attacks strike at random, when you are or are not expecting them and they leave you drained and ready for relief. So what can be done to help fix the anxiety and panic attacks?

One thing that I found very beneficial in my quest to snuff out panic and anxiety attacks was reading other people’s success stories. It was so helpful to be able to see that others were able to overcome their own panic attacks, and it held out hope to me that mine would some day be ancient history, once I got them under control.

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Written by admin on January 29th, 2009 with no comments.
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Who Is At Risk Of Anxiety & Panic Attacks?

Nearly anyone can suffer from panic attacks and anxiety - regardless of age, medical history and background. These attacks often occur when someone exaggerates a perceived danger or problem in their mind. Often these dangers and stresses are unlikely to occur, no matter how real they may seem to the person.

Experts who have studied these conditions have found that spending longer periods of time in isolation can lead to increased risk of panic attacks. In many cases, something as simple as taking part in social activities or getting outdoors and doing something with other people can relieve some of the symptoms.

Panic attacks are generally not reactions to physical dangers. They are more likely reactions to thoughts and fears. While these fears may stem from past physical or emotional events, the fears themselves often don’t manifest themselves.

As a result, positive thinking is a helpful habit for many people who suffer from mild panic disorders. Being able to mentally overcome the fears and anxiety can help to relieve symptoms of panic attacks.

It should be noted that not all people who suffer from panic and anxiety attacks are classified as having a mental disorder. In some cases, panic attacks and anxiety originate from conditions and events that are beyond the person’s control.

Regardless, if you are suffering from panic or anxiety you should consult with your doctor, no matter how minor the problem may seem. The earlier the condition can be identified and treated, the more easily it can be overcome. If left too long it can develop into much more severe problems.

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Written by admin on January 27th, 2009 with no comments.
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How to Stop Panic Attacks

I suffered from panic attacks for many years, until I finally came across a few tips that actually WORKED, and it?s been two years since I had an ?episode?. I hope these tips help you?

Tip 1- Breathe deeply, and breathe slowly-

Breathe into the diaphragm instead of the chest-tricky to begin with but easy enough with practice. There are various techniques like this shown in lots of ?How to Stop Panic Attacks? books, also teachings of Yoga and singing. Breathe in through your nose, concentrating on pushing the oxygen down into your abdominal area, and then slowly pushing it back out through your mouth. The concentration on the breathing will also aid you by removing your mind from the panic itself.

Tip 2- Positive Thinking/Subtle Changes to your internal attitudes-

The idea is not how to stop panic attacks, but how to avoid them. These are very easy to overlook but in my own experiences proved invaluable. Gentle, insistent repeated phrases internally do wonders for the psychological impact of a panic attack, and as you get more familiar with it you may be able to defuse them altogether. Say them to yourselft I?m getting stressed out, I?m going up from 1 to 2,? and continue with (either in your head or under your breath, whichever makes you prefer) as you feel an attack starting. Phrases such as ?It?s okay,? ?I?m alright? ?These feelings are not rational and they will be gone soon,? and ?These feelings I?m experiencing are not healthy, rational feelings, so I?m going to think about something healthy and more pleasant instead.? Autosuggestion techniques like these proved wondrous for me.

Tip 3- Give the attack a rating as it happens

For example: ?Okay I was feeling great bu it as things progress. Keep these measures between 1 and 10, because then you are saying to your subconscious: ?10 is the peak, so as soon as 10 comes I can start to feel better.? Categorizing and setting parameters in this fashion is a subconscious way of limiting the effect that an attack can have, and it also helps by making us understand the process of the attack. We must learn to understand panic attacks before we can learn how to stop panic attacks!

Tip 4- Distract yourself-

This worked wonders for me and hopefully for you too. You can learn to defuse an approaching attack by distracting your brain into other activities instead. For example my favourite thing to do is to sing, I just love to sing when I?m around the house on my own, so when I felt an attack coming I would put my favourite songs on the stereo and sing along with them, quite often stopping the attack in its tracks. Not practical for every situation obviously, but distraction comes from any number of sources. Something that?s popular in lots of ?how to stop panic attacks? books is to make up little counting games to distract yourself if you are out in the world and feel an attack coming, for example counting the cars they see or keeping count of how many people they see of each hair color-there are even people that run through their multiplication tables to distract themselves. Plan for it before it happens and then be ready with your distraction.

Tip 5- Preventative measures-

The most effective method of how to stop panic attacks is prevent them from ever manifesting. There are various ways to improve your mindset and avoid the danger of an anxiety/panic attack altogether. The most obvious and effective of these for the average person are- Regular exercise-Increases endorphins (feel good chemical) in the brain, and burns up excess adrenaline (excess adrenalin can lead to stress/anxiety/panic attacks due to stimulating the brain into overactivity), Remove excess sugars and caffeine from your diet-again, these kinds of stimulants can induce overactivity in the brain, SLEEP. Your body needs restful unbroken sleep to maintain itself. Don?t deny it!

Tip 6- Relax!

That can sound like a bit of a cop out, ?how to stop panic attacks? Relax!? but I don?t mean veg out on the couch watching the tube, I mean consciously put yourself into a relaxative state as often as you can. This can easily be done: Lie or sit in a comfortable fashion, and close your eyes-don?t squeeze them closed just let them shut naturally.

Picture your body part by part, starting at your toes and working upwards. For each part imagine the stress/anxiety is washing out of it as you go. This is a good place to try the autosuggestion techniques mentioned earlier-tell yourself how relaxed you are beginning to feel as things progress. As you move from body part to body part, tighten the muscles there for a second or two before slowly relaxing them-this should really help you notice the tension draining. As you begin to feel more relaxed, imagine that you are in your favourite place or somewhere you have always wanted to be (lying on a Caribbean beach is popular!). After ten minutes in this state, work through the process backward to bring yourself back gradually from the hyper relaxed state.

A combination of these tips and techniques helped me make the difference I needed in my life and get rid of the panic attacks for good. I hope they can do the same for you!

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Written by admin on January 26th, 2009 with no comments.
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How To Deal With Severe Panic Attacks

Severe Panic Attacks

As opposed to the more common milder panic attack that many people suffer from, severe panic attacks are more dangerous due to the inherent danger of the illness progressing to a more serious condition. Severe panic attacks need a different approach, and their management is often far from straightforward.

It’s quite usual for severe panic attacks to appear in a series of waves that increase and decrease every few minutes, often lasting for several hours. It’s also not surprising that this can lead to extreme physical exhaustion, which in turn can cause a chronic loss of sleep.

Severe panic attacks can involve temporary or short term dizziness during the period of distress, which can manifest itself suddenly, and disappear just as quickly. Attacks such as this can be extremely disconcerting for the sufferer, but it’s worth remembering that these symptoms are the body’s natural reaction, even though they are completely out of context.

Treatment for severe panic attacks

Any prolonged case of severe panic attacks must be treated or at least checked by your doctor as soon as possible. This is primarily due to the danger of the panic attacks becoming self-sustaining - a condition whereby the person becomes afraid of the consequences of the panic attack itself, which in turn makes the condition worse, and so on, and so on.

If not checked, this kind of condition can cause an almost inescapable spiral of anxiety and panic, with the potential to lead the sufferer into serious states of depression. With depression on top of a panic attack there is a real danger that the sufferer will take irrational steps, possibly to the extent of harming themselves, which is why medical attention should be sought as a matter of urgency.

Medication for severe panic attacks

There are many treatments available for panic and anxiety, and medication is but one of them. When considering medication for panic attacks, the need for treatment has to be weighed up against the likelihood of possible side effects.

The worst of severe panic attack sufferers may not have much choice, in which case your doctor will prescribe the necessary medication. For less severe cases, a doctor may prescribe a low dose of anti-depressant, which in addition to suppressing the symptoms will also help any sufferer see things in a more reasonable way and prevent the runaway panic.

Avoiding severe panic attacks

Although it’s impossible to predict when a severe panic attack is imminent, there are things you can do and precautions you can take, some of them which work on changing the way you perceive things. One of the tricks is not to take yourself too seriously. This has it’s own problems, but a more light-hearted view of yourself tends to produce a more light-hearted view of the world, and this leads to fewer situations in which you have the urge to feel anxiety and panic. Another method is to focus on a particular word, the more ridiculous or funny, the better, as soon as you begin to feel anxious. This has the effect of distracting you and diffusing your panic.

Analysis is another useful tool. As soon as you can after a panic attack, you write down what you were thinking about. Later, in the relative calmness, you consider what led you to feel such anxiety and fear. It’s a good way to learn about how your mind works, and exactly what happens during your own panic attacks, how one fear can lead to another.

Once you have an idea of the process your own mind goes through, you are then in a position to anticipate things and you stand a much better chance of avoiding severe panic attacks. In addition to recognising the thoughts you may feel, there are also common physical symptoms of the onset of a panic attack. These include;

* an elevated pulse rate
* increased nervousness and restlessness
* your heart begins to pound for no apparent reason
* you start to perspire
* a feeling of nausea or dizziness

If you begin to feel any of these symptoms, immediately get up and go for walk. A quick change of scenery will give your mind something new to focus on and will help to distract you from whatever caused you to feel anxious.

By reducing panic as soon as it starts, you will most likely avoid a panic attack all together. This is because you interrupt the body’s physical reaction to your emotional state, and you prevent the production of adrenalin which in turn increases your anxiety. Taking long, deep breaths and concentrating on controlling your breathing will help.

Longer term, you can try to get more exercise and make sure you are eating healthy. Try to avoid too many stimulants such as coffee and alcohol which affect your nervous system and emotional state. If your body is in good shape, there’s a good chance your mind will be too.

About the Author::

Peter Coughlin writes regular articles and reviews on health related issues for various ezines and websites. More tips to prevent panic attacks can be found at Panic Attack Tips.

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Written by admin on January 25th, 2009 with no comments.
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Disability Help: How To Overcome Panic Attacks?

Panic attacks arise of anxiety disorder and can have a life-changing impact on a person. It not only leaves a person helplessly distressed but also makes one see oneself as a lesser individual. This plays havoc with one?s confidence and self-image. It has also seen that the person who undergoes panic attacks frequently tends to stay alone and does not even try to mix up with others, which depresses the person further.

During panic attacks the person starts panting as though he or she had run miles, has a severe headache and may vomit. These attacks must not be ignored, and if they are quite frequent, a competent specialist must be consulted immediately.

However, one need not worry because the condition is very much reversible. You are supposed to choose either the medication way or the natural alternatives to it.

The medication available these days has undergone tremendous change and offers a great deal more than the medication available a few years back. However, all the drugs are considered to have some kind of side effect. Besides, the relief they provide is most temporary. Even if you have settled for the medication way instead of the alternative natural therapy, do consult a doctor before you start medication because not all drugs suit everyone. Taking the wrong drug could be plainly dangerous.

So far as the alternative cures available are concerned, you have ample. One of them is relaxation therapy, which lays emphasis on controlled breathing. It works on the fact that controlled breathing helps one calm down and relieve stress and anxiety. Since the method uses no medicines, it has no side effects and can be leaned by anyone in a very short span of time.

Another well-known alternative natural therapy that works in most of the cases is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It works on the proven assumption that our active thoughts have the capability of changing our subconscious reactions and can, therefore, cure panic attacks, as they are one?s reaction to certain kind of situations.

Once a person learns to train the brain to block negative thoughts, panic attacks can be history in no time at all. This therapy, too, does not involve any drugs, which means it has no side effects.

Therefore, there is no reason for you to suffer from panic attacks any more. Choose the right cure and you are sure to say goodbye to the problem.

About the Author::

To get more information visit http://www.about-disability.com/what-is-disability/, http://www.about-disability.com/disability-insurance/ and http://www.about-disability.com/disability-and-health/

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Written by admin on January 24th, 2009 with no comments.
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Panic Attack Treatment-Important Tips to Remember About Anxiety and Panic Attacks

One of the most important things to do when trying to eliminate your anxiety attacks is to take into consideration all of the thoughts that are going through your mind. Almost all of the best tricks for panic attacks revolve around the self talk that you have in your life. The panic attacks often begin when you are thinking to yourself in a negative manner, especially when your self talk consist of sad and frightening ideas.

When you are on the edge of having an anxiety attack, it is very frustrating to try and think with a clear head, so if you can keep your methods for helping very simple, you will have more benefits with it. Listed below are some tips for dealing with panic attacks in real time.

Technique #1 - Always keep your self talk in consideration

The way you speak with yourself and the way you process thoughts about things may have a huge effect on your likelihood of having a panic attack. One good tip is to always be conscious of whats happening in your head.

If you are focusing on experiences which could cause an anxiety attack in the first place, then you should stop and then focus all your attention on something else. For example, if you are around a large group of people and you feel that it might cause you to have a panic attack then try and adjust your thoughts from the people all around you to something calm or being at ease with yourself. In the end though, it?s simpler to say than do, but with consistent practice, this method for treating panic attacks will show good results.

Technique #2 - Maintain focus exclusively on your inhales and exhales

Try and remember to reduce the speed of your breathing, because your breath is in tune with your brain and you will see a difference because of it. Now try breathing in this fashion - Take a deep breath with a count of 7 and breathe out with a count of 10. After only a few seconds you should feel better and may have avoided another panic attack.

Technique #3 - Know all of the symptoms of panic attacks

You should already be familiar with the various panic attack symptoms so that when you begin to see yourself experiencing any of the symptoms you can take immediate action before it is an issue. There are many different indicators you can watch out for, but we are not going to get into them at the moment.

These are only a few of the many tips available for overcoming your panic attacks. Your doctor will have much more specific help when you meet with him or her as well.

(c) 2007 Anxiety-Attacks-Resource.com

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Written by admin on January 23rd, 2009 with no comments.
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How to Eliminate Anxiety and Panic Attacks Permanently

Anxiety is a common reaction to stress. Anxiety is a result of pressure at work, in school, at home and even when having a major event in your life like death of loved ones, divorce or any unexpected changes. But when anxiety became unreasonable, excessive, coupled by panic or fear and it interferes with your daily activities it becomes a disorder. Sometimes anxiety and panic attack is a result of an illness or side effects of medications which should be treated and prevented at once before it can get serious and lead to chronic anxiety and panic attacks. It is important to recognize the problem as early as possible and find the best treatment and eliminate anxiety and panic attacks permanently.

Symptoms of panic anxiety attack which could develop abruptly includes palpitations, chest pain, feeling of choking, trembling, sweating, fear of losing control or going crazy, fear of dying, desensitization, depersonalization, feeling of unreality, depression, numbness and difficulty falling or staying asleep. If you suffer from these symptoms it is best to find treatment to eliminate anxiety and panic attacks and free yourself from these symptoms.

Anxiety and panic attacks usually last for 10 minutes but more severe attacks may last up to two hours. In the course of panic anxiety attacks try to relax and do breathing exercises, inhale fully then exhale slowly to eliminate anxiety and panic attacks temporarily. Splash cold water into your face, this works to some people triggering the brain to send message to the body to slow down, talk to someone or call someone, keep walking or moving, watch a funny TV show, listen to your favorite music and tell to yourself ?I will be okay and I will feel better.? While these are not the best treatment to eliminate anxiety and panic attacks permanently, these will help you cope up with attacks once it strikes you. There are also medications for panic attacks like Fluoxetine (Prozac) and Sertraline (Zoloft) but most sufferers try not to be dependent on medications due to their side effects.

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Written by admin on January 22nd, 2009 with no comments.
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Anxiety and Panic Attacks - Are Tranquilizers the Best Remedy?

The feeling of anxiety can be hugely distressing, particularly when it lasts for a long time or comes in the form of intense panic attacks. For many, the idea of taking medication for immediate relief is tempting. Tranquilizers are a quick fix, which is what anxiety sufferers desperately want. And after all, if medication relieves anxiety so well, what is wrong with using it?

Almost everyone has heard of commonly prescribed tranquilizers like Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin. But these days, the use of medication to treat anxiety is quite controversial. Drugs like this may be helpful on a short-term basis (up to two weeks). The problem with taking tranquilizers for longer periods is that they have the potential to be seriously addictive.

Addiction to tranquilizers is characterized by an increasing tolerance to the drug. This means that a person has to take more and more to get the same positive effects. Withdrawal, the unpleasant symptoms one experiences as the traces of drug disappear from a person’s system, is the other main characteristic of addiction. If the anxiety sufferer stops taking the drug after using it for an extended time, he or she is likely to experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal from tranquilizers is not that much different from withdrawal from illegal drugs like heroin. Some of the symptoms of tranquilizer withdrawal are nausea, jitteriness, sweating, a general feeling of unwellness, and an intense craving for the drug. These symptoms may be bad enough to cause the individual to want to resume taking the drug. Because of the potential for addiction, a responsible doctor will prescribe tranquilizers for only a limited time, and will closely monitor the patient for problems.

In addition to the very real and dangerous potential for addiction, tranquilizers have other disadvantages. Because tranquilizers produce pleasant, calm, relaxed feelings, a person using them is not motivated to develop long-term strategies for controlling anxiety. When one is experiencing anxiety, the motivation to make changes and to learn new things is very high. Without that motivation, people are unlikely to learn and practise new skills that could benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Another disadvantage of tranquilizers is the relapse rate in comparison to other methods of treating anxiety. This means that many people who were helped by tranquilizers and then stopped taking them will soon experience the same anxiety and panic attacks that caused them to start taking the drug in the first place. These individuals may be no better off than they were before they started to use tranquilizers.

Conversely, when people learn targeted, non-drug methods to relieve their anxiety and panic attacks, they are less likely to experience renewed anxiety symptoms in the future. And if they do become anxious, they have a stockpile of techniques they can apply to help themselves. Anxiety and panic attack sufferers are helped by many non-drug treatments such as cognitive therapy, mental and physical relaxation exercises, desensitization work, and others. All of these methods will have a continuing benefit to a person throughout his or her life.

It’s clear to most doctors, psychologists, and counsellors that medication has its appropriate and limited place in the treatment of anxiety. However, treatments that don’t involve tranquilizers can be just as effective, but safer and longer-lasting than medication. Given the choice, most people with extreme anxiety and panic disorders would prefer long-lasting relief that leaves them stronger and more capable of dealing with the challenges that life can bring.

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Written by admin on January 21st, 2009 with no comments.
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