Anxiety is a disorder that can disturb a persons mind to an extent where they lose control over their actions e.g. thinking and decision making. This sense of instability makes it hard for a patient to carry on leading a normal life. When anxiety takes hold it forces the patient into believing that they no longer have any say on matters of importance like decision making etc. All this can have a devastating effect on the sufferer as well as all concerned parties around them.
With the help of modern science we have modern medicine and treatments and if supervised by a governing body of the medical profession along with your modern way of thinking and that is to believe in yourself and recognise your illness then the help out there will certainly give you hope in having a brighter future.
It is no wonder why anxiety is diagnosed as a mental health disorder when it can cause so much havoc in the upper region. Some patients lost hope where they believed their anxiety was beyond repair. Unfortunately they became a victim of their own thoughts that was to give them the only solution to their problem and that was to commit suicide.
We all know the feeling of anxiety where the fear factor sets in and we imagine that something awful or nasty is about to happen. If faced with difficult times e.g. like an upheaval in life, divorce or losing someone close are all situations that can be identified to the cause of anxious moments.
There are different types of anxiety; therefore the importance of speaking with a doctor is imminent so the right course of medicine or treatment can be prescribed. Mild bouts of anxiety are common and present in a great many of our lives, but for the more severe cases anxiety bouts now become attacks which is a major worry.
Doctors dedicated in this field will diagnose an anxiety disorder if the patients tension level scales to high and stays with the sufferer for several months. If the patient can not pin point a reason behind his anxiety then it is right to stick with the prognosis of it actually being anxiety. The reason being is, depression stands in the way of diagnoses due to similarities of symptoms for both disorders. What the doctor has to decipher is whether the patient has depression with anxiety symptoms or vice or versa as in i.e. is anxiety the cause of their depression.
The effect anxiety has on each individual differs in many ways; some people are prone to the psychological/emotional side of things. When other people are tortured by the effects physically
The Psychological downside to anxiety comes in the form of inability to concentrate along with irritability. A patient experiences constant worry which can lead to sense of fearful anticipation. Lack of sleep is a strong symptom causing fatigue to take the whole body.
The Physical effects can be pains where the patient feels tightness in the chest. Breathing is affected. Loss of appetite, sex drive goes down hill and visits to the loo are more frequent (Urinating) sickness dizziness headaches and muscle tension are just a few to mention of the symptoms.
Anxiety if permitted will devour any thoughts you have on leading a normal life if you leave it to fester and rot inside like maggots eating away at a corpse. This can be all prevented if you seek advice early on any concerns you may have relating to your health or that of someone close.
Monday, 5 April 2010
Sunday, 4 April 2010
Did You Know This About Anxiety?
Anxiety can be defined as emotions which are typically negative in nature. It will often consist of fear and worry, and some organisms may even experience physical signs such as nausea or chest pains. Anxiety is a complex emotion, and is composed of a number of different elments. Some of these elements are somatic or cognitive, and the body will prepare itself to deal with an external threat. The heart rate speeds up, and the blood pressure is increased. The various muscles in the body will also receive elevated levels of blood. At the same time, the functions of the digestive system will slow down.
People who have anxiety will generally have a sense of dread. A number of voluntary and involuntary processes will take place in the body, and the goal of these processes is to get the organism away from the source that is causing it to have anxiety. Anxiety is an important emotion, and is designed to increase the survival rate of organisms. In humans it appears that anxiety comes from the hippocampus and amygdala, two regions of the brain. When a person senses bad odors or tastes, there will be a large amount of blood flow which will be present in the amygdala. The evidence also shows that medium levels of anxiety will be present in this situation as well.
Based on these studies, it appears that anxiety is designed to keep humans and other organisms from eating food or objects that may be harmful to their well being. While anxiety is normal, a person that has excessive amounts of it may have what is called an anxiety disorder. In extreme cases, people with anxiety disorders may have strong cases where they are terrorized. Anxiety disorders are broken down into phobias, panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, and obsessive compulsive disorders. Someone who is suffering from a phobia will have an abnormal amount of fear of a specific object or situation. People who have phobias tend to have extensive imaginations, and realize that their fear is often irrational.
When a person suffers from a panic disorder, they will have extreme panic attacks, and may have dizziness or breathing problems. These attacks will typically reach their height in about 10 minutes. Generalized anxiety disorders are common, and effect a much larger portion of the population. It is prevalent in both men and woman, and is characterized by long periods of anxiety that are not related to any specific object or situation. With the obsessive compulsive disorder, the individual with have an obsession or compulsion when it comes to specific types of behavior. People who suffer from this disorder will see the need to do something obsessively in order to reduce their anxiety.
Many people who have this disorder need to be extremely clean, and are afraid of germs. To reduce their anxiety, they will wash their hands numerous times in a single day. There are two primary methods that are used to help those who are suffering from anxiety, and this is either therapy or prescription medicaitons.
People who have anxiety will generally have a sense of dread. A number of voluntary and involuntary processes will take place in the body, and the goal of these processes is to get the organism away from the source that is causing it to have anxiety. Anxiety is an important emotion, and is designed to increase the survival rate of organisms. In humans it appears that anxiety comes from the hippocampus and amygdala, two regions of the brain. When a person senses bad odors or tastes, there will be a large amount of blood flow which will be present in the amygdala. The evidence also shows that medium levels of anxiety will be present in this situation as well.
Based on these studies, it appears that anxiety is designed to keep humans and other organisms from eating food or objects that may be harmful to their well being. While anxiety is normal, a person that has excessive amounts of it may have what is called an anxiety disorder. In extreme cases, people with anxiety disorders may have strong cases where they are terrorized. Anxiety disorders are broken down into phobias, panic disorders, generalized anxiety disorders, and obsessive compulsive disorders. Someone who is suffering from a phobia will have an abnormal amount of fear of a specific object or situation. People who have phobias tend to have extensive imaginations, and realize that their fear is often irrational.
When a person suffers from a panic disorder, they will have extreme panic attacks, and may have dizziness or breathing problems. These attacks will typically reach their height in about 10 minutes. Generalized anxiety disorders are common, and effect a much larger portion of the population. It is prevalent in both men and woman, and is characterized by long periods of anxiety that are not related to any specific object or situation. With the obsessive compulsive disorder, the individual with have an obsession or compulsion when it comes to specific types of behavior. People who suffer from this disorder will see the need to do something obsessively in order to reduce their anxiety.
Many people who have this disorder need to be extremely clean, and are afraid of germs. To reduce their anxiety, they will wash their hands numerous times in a single day. There are two primary methods that are used to help those who are suffering from anxiety, and this is either therapy or prescription medicaitons.
Saturday, 3 April 2010
Pet Lovers - Have You Thought If Using THIS To Relieve Stress and Anxiety?
A day's work ends not at “quitting time.” After a hard day's work, one cannot just rush home and immediately sit back on the sofa with feet raised. After long hours of paper sorting, tedious analysis and hours more of report writing, the average worker cannot simply relax knowing that there are are still more things to done in the house. Eight hours at the office is followed by more domestic tasks such as cleaning the living room, washing the dishes, or doing the laundry. Being at home is just like doing another work shift, but this time, without the need to wear that tie or long-heeled pair of Prada.
There is, however, a great consolation to doing housework. Unlike being in the office, doing more work at home allows one to enjoy the benefits of being in the company of loved ones. As a bonus, a pet lover can also enjoy being with a congenial companion that helps one get over all the stress and anxiety at the office. Having a pet, like having a family, can be a real stress-buster.
Medical studies show that petting an animal can act as anxiety relief. Having a pet helps lower blood pressure and soothes the emotions after a hectic day. The company of pets gives a person a state of serenity and relaxation. Endorphins, the human hormone that kills pain, are easier released when a person enjoys the company of a pet animal. Other research clearly prove that petting a dog can help reduce stress and anxiety. The act of petting is not only comforting to the dog but for the owner as well.
Studies also say that dolphin vocalizations, or the sound being produced by these continental shelf dwellers, act as anxiety relief which can also lower blood pressures and induce calm thoughts. These specialized dolphin organs located below their blow-holes can treat mild depression, psychological problems, and developmental disabilities. These carnivorous mammals that actually feed on squid and fish are not your usual household pets. Still, they are used to conduct studies on animal-assisted therapy for human beings. Dolphin vocalizations are now being fused to classical music to produce mind-relaxing audio in CD and DVD forms.
Bird songs are also natural anxiety relief as those sounds bring incomparable sense of calm to the listener. Listening to the chirping birds can also relieve one's mind from stress and anxiety. Psychiatrists and behavioral experts point out that petting such animals or listening to their natural sounds can be an effective way to promote emotional health and physical rejuvenation.
However, there are still some quarters that criticize the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy. They say that therapy using animals are not as effective as taking anxiety medications. They contend that “there is still no compelling scientific evidence that proves that animal-assisted therapy is a legitimate therapy or just an answer to a fleeting mood.”
Science may not yet hold concrete proof of the benefits of animal-assisted therapy. But it is important to know that millions have already benefited emotionally and physically by having a pet as a companion. Still, no matter how tedious and tiring your office day was, having a relaxed moment with your family and pets should be considered as an alternative “therapeutic” method to promote one's health.
There is, however, a great consolation to doing housework. Unlike being in the office, doing more work at home allows one to enjoy the benefits of being in the company of loved ones. As a bonus, a pet lover can also enjoy being with a congenial companion that helps one get over all the stress and anxiety at the office. Having a pet, like having a family, can be a real stress-buster.
Medical studies show that petting an animal can act as anxiety relief. Having a pet helps lower blood pressure and soothes the emotions after a hectic day. The company of pets gives a person a state of serenity and relaxation. Endorphins, the human hormone that kills pain, are easier released when a person enjoys the company of a pet animal. Other research clearly prove that petting a dog can help reduce stress and anxiety. The act of petting is not only comforting to the dog but for the owner as well.
Studies also say that dolphin vocalizations, or the sound being produced by these continental shelf dwellers, act as anxiety relief which can also lower blood pressures and induce calm thoughts. These specialized dolphin organs located below their blow-holes can treat mild depression, psychological problems, and developmental disabilities. These carnivorous mammals that actually feed on squid and fish are not your usual household pets. Still, they are used to conduct studies on animal-assisted therapy for human beings. Dolphin vocalizations are now being fused to classical music to produce mind-relaxing audio in CD and DVD forms.
Bird songs are also natural anxiety relief as those sounds bring incomparable sense of calm to the listener. Listening to the chirping birds can also relieve one's mind from stress and anxiety. Psychiatrists and behavioral experts point out that petting such animals or listening to their natural sounds can be an effective way to promote emotional health and physical rejuvenation.
However, there are still some quarters that criticize the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy. They say that therapy using animals are not as effective as taking anxiety medications. They contend that “there is still no compelling scientific evidence that proves that animal-assisted therapy is a legitimate therapy or just an answer to a fleeting mood.”
Science may not yet hold concrete proof of the benefits of animal-assisted therapy. But it is important to know that millions have already benefited emotionally and physically by having a pet as a companion. Still, no matter how tedious and tiring your office day was, having a relaxed moment with your family and pets should be considered as an alternative “therapeutic” method to promote one's health.
Friday, 2 April 2010
Have You Ever Acknowledged That You Suffer From Depression?
Depression is an illness and needs to be acknowledged as such. It is not a reason to be ashamed. The reason so many people fail to seek help for their depression is that they are ashamed. Unfortunately, this is one of the feelings associated with depression anyway and makes the illness difficult to acknowledge.
If you are constantly feeling particularly low, well-meaning friends might tell you to “snap out of it” or even start to get irritated by your mood. Your depression will feed off this negativity and you start to wonder why you can’t just “snap out of it”. You then start to feel that there’s something wrong with you because it should be so easy and it’s just “not right” that you feel so bad all the time. Well, it’s not right and there is something wrong with you. You have a medical condition and you deserve treatment in the same way as any other patient. If you had a cold for six months would you ignore it and hope it would pass? No, you would dose yourself up with anything you could find and maybe see a doctor to find out if there’s an underlying reason for it to last so long.
Depression is sadness that lasts too long. Everyone is sad at some point in their lives but depression is more than that. It is a feeling that you can’t bring yourself up from the bottom. In the end you give up trying. People start to avoid you. You feel worse. You need to find external help to treat the problem in the same way as you would if you had a long-lasting cold. You could try herbal remedies – there are some in your pharmacy – or you could see your doctor. There may be an underlying physical cause for your depression.
If your doctor cannot help you they may refer you for counselling. Don’t be embarrassed to go for counselling but do make sure you are comfortable with your counsellor. If not, try another one. Counselling should not be discounted because you don’t feel comfortable with your first choice of practitioner. In everyday life you will naturally find that you get on with some people and clash with others. You cannot afford to have a personality clash with your counsellor. On the other hand you must be sure that it is a personality clash and not just that you don’t agree with what they are saying. A general rule is to go with your instincts. If you like the person and seemed to get on well in the first couple of sessions then stick with it because they might just have touched on the root cause of your problem.
In some cases, acknowledging depression may be difficult because you have lived with it so long that you don’t know whether it is depression or not. If you have grown up with depression it is possible not to realise that you are actually depressed because you have no concept of how normal people should feel. You may feel angry all the time or you may feel like going to the middle of an empty field and simply screaming. You may feel anxious, have trouble sleeping or even sleep too much. You may think that your family would be better off without you (and actually believe that to be true) and may have considered running away or suicide. You may worry about death all the time (yours or someone else’s) and not let yourself be happy just in case…… (or even “I must enjoy this now in case………..”). If you are feeling any or all of the above then you need to consider talking to someone. Even if it is just a friend or family member to start with, they may be able to advise you and encourage you to seek professional help.
Once you have acknowledged that you have depression please remember that it is a medical condition and can be cured. You don’t have to feel this way for ever. Nobody actually thinks of you the way you think they do. Talk to someone. Seek and accept help and you will find that there is a different way of seeing life.
If you are constantly feeling particularly low, well-meaning friends might tell you to “snap out of it” or even start to get irritated by your mood. Your depression will feed off this negativity and you start to wonder why you can’t just “snap out of it”. You then start to feel that there’s something wrong with you because it should be so easy and it’s just “not right” that you feel so bad all the time. Well, it’s not right and there is something wrong with you. You have a medical condition and you deserve treatment in the same way as any other patient. If you had a cold for six months would you ignore it and hope it would pass? No, you would dose yourself up with anything you could find and maybe see a doctor to find out if there’s an underlying reason for it to last so long.
Depression is sadness that lasts too long. Everyone is sad at some point in their lives but depression is more than that. It is a feeling that you can’t bring yourself up from the bottom. In the end you give up trying. People start to avoid you. You feel worse. You need to find external help to treat the problem in the same way as you would if you had a long-lasting cold. You could try herbal remedies – there are some in your pharmacy – or you could see your doctor. There may be an underlying physical cause for your depression.
If your doctor cannot help you they may refer you for counselling. Don’t be embarrassed to go for counselling but do make sure you are comfortable with your counsellor. If not, try another one. Counselling should not be discounted because you don’t feel comfortable with your first choice of practitioner. In everyday life you will naturally find that you get on with some people and clash with others. You cannot afford to have a personality clash with your counsellor. On the other hand you must be sure that it is a personality clash and not just that you don’t agree with what they are saying. A general rule is to go with your instincts. If you like the person and seemed to get on well in the first couple of sessions then stick with it because they might just have touched on the root cause of your problem.
In some cases, acknowledging depression may be difficult because you have lived with it so long that you don’t know whether it is depression or not. If you have grown up with depression it is possible not to realise that you are actually depressed because you have no concept of how normal people should feel. You may feel angry all the time or you may feel like going to the middle of an empty field and simply screaming. You may feel anxious, have trouble sleeping or even sleep too much. You may think that your family would be better off without you (and actually believe that to be true) and may have considered running away or suicide. You may worry about death all the time (yours or someone else’s) and not let yourself be happy just in case…… (or even “I must enjoy this now in case………..”). If you are feeling any or all of the above then you need to consider talking to someone. Even if it is just a friend or family member to start with, they may be able to advise you and encourage you to seek professional help.
Once you have acknowledged that you have depression please remember that it is a medical condition and can be cured. You don’t have to feel this way for ever. Nobody actually thinks of you the way you think they do. Talk to someone. Seek and accept help and you will find that there is a different way of seeing life.
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Time To Learn About The Different Types Of Anxiety Disorder!
Anxiety is a common occurrence when a person faces potentially problematic or dangerous situations. It is also felt when a person perceives an external threat. However, chronic and irrational anxiety can lead to a form of anxiety disorder. There are different types of anxiety disorder depending on their causes or triggers.
Common forms of anxiety disorders
Generalized anxiety disorder
A person who has this type of anxiety disorder usually experience prolonged anxiety that is often without basis. More accurately, people with generalized anxiety disorders cannot articulate the reason behind their anxiety. This type of anxiety usually last for six months and often affect women. Due to the persistence of the anxiety, people affected with generalized anxiety disorder constantly fret and worry. This results to heart palpitations, insomnia, headaches, and dizzy spells.
Specific phobia
Unlike someone with generalized anxiety disorder, a person who has a specific phobia experiences extreme and often irrational fear of a certain situation or object. When exposed to the object or situation they fear, people with specific phobias exhibit signs of intense fear like shaking, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and nausea. Common specific phobias include fear of heights, enclosed spaces, blood, and animals. The fear a person with phobia feels can be so extreme that he or she may disregard safety just to escape the situation.
Panic disorder
Also known as Agoraphobia, panic disorders are characterized by recurring panic attacks which are often unexpected. Symptoms are usually shaking, chest pains, dizziness, fear of losing control, and reluctance of being alone. People with panic disorder are aware that their panic is usually unfounded and illogical. This is why they avoid public situations and being alone. A panic attack can be so severe that people may lose control and hurt themselves.
Social phobia
Alternatively called social anxiety, a person with social phobia may exhibit similar symptoms like those of panic disorder especially in social situations. Shaking, dizziness, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations may ensue when a person with social phobia finds his or herself at the center of attention or in the company of many people, regardless whether they are strangers or not.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder experience anxiety caused by a persistent obsession or idea. They tend to avoid experiencing anxiety by resorting to repetitive actions or behaviors that prevent anxiety. For example, a person who is obsessed about cleanliness may experience anxiety at the mere sight of a vase placed slightly off-center. To prevent anxiety, he or she will clean and organize everything compulsively or without reason.
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder may occur after a person experienced a severely traumatic event. He or she may relive the experience in his or her mind which causes stress and anxiety. If a person with PTSD comes into contact with stimuli (any object, person, or situation) that he or she associates with the traumatic event, he or she may literally re-experience the event by crying uncontrollably, panicking, or losing control. Subtler symptoms include insomnia and avoidant behavior. PTSD may manifest itself immediately after the traumatic event or even years after.
Determining the type of anxiety disorder a person has is crucial to seeking treatment and recovery. Techniques and methods that are used to help a person cope with a certain anxiety usually target not only the management of symptoms but coping mechanisms when exposed to triggers. Only after thorough diagnosis can treatment and recovery for anxiety disorders really commence.
Common forms of anxiety disorders
Generalized anxiety disorder
A person who has this type of anxiety disorder usually experience prolonged anxiety that is often without basis. More accurately, people with generalized anxiety disorders cannot articulate the reason behind their anxiety. This type of anxiety usually last for six months and often affect women. Due to the persistence of the anxiety, people affected with generalized anxiety disorder constantly fret and worry. This results to heart palpitations, insomnia, headaches, and dizzy spells.
Specific phobia
Unlike someone with generalized anxiety disorder, a person who has a specific phobia experiences extreme and often irrational fear of a certain situation or object. When exposed to the object or situation they fear, people with specific phobias exhibit signs of intense fear like shaking, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and nausea. Common specific phobias include fear of heights, enclosed spaces, blood, and animals. The fear a person with phobia feels can be so extreme that he or she may disregard safety just to escape the situation.
Panic disorder
Also known as Agoraphobia, panic disorders are characterized by recurring panic attacks which are often unexpected. Symptoms are usually shaking, chest pains, dizziness, fear of losing control, and reluctance of being alone. People with panic disorder are aware that their panic is usually unfounded and illogical. This is why they avoid public situations and being alone. A panic attack can be so severe that people may lose control and hurt themselves.
Social phobia
Alternatively called social anxiety, a person with social phobia may exhibit similar symptoms like those of panic disorder especially in social situations. Shaking, dizziness, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations may ensue when a person with social phobia finds his or herself at the center of attention or in the company of many people, regardless whether they are strangers or not.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
People with obsessive-compulsive disorder experience anxiety caused by a persistent obsession or idea. They tend to avoid experiencing anxiety by resorting to repetitive actions or behaviors that prevent anxiety. For example, a person who is obsessed about cleanliness may experience anxiety at the mere sight of a vase placed slightly off-center. To prevent anxiety, he or she will clean and organize everything compulsively or without reason.
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder may occur after a person experienced a severely traumatic event. He or she may relive the experience in his or her mind which causes stress and anxiety. If a person with PTSD comes into contact with stimuli (any object, person, or situation) that he or she associates with the traumatic event, he or she may literally re-experience the event by crying uncontrollably, panicking, or losing control. Subtler symptoms include insomnia and avoidant behavior. PTSD may manifest itself immediately after the traumatic event or even years after.
Determining the type of anxiety disorder a person has is crucial to seeking treatment and recovery. Techniques and methods that are used to help a person cope with a certain anxiety usually target not only the management of symptoms but coping mechanisms when exposed to triggers. Only after thorough diagnosis can treatment and recovery for anxiety disorders really commence.
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