Grasping Anxiety Disorder

By Julie U. Stevenson

Your heart is racing, feeling like it is pounding out of your chest. Your throat feels tight and you are having difficulty breathing. Your stomach rolls with nausea. You find yourself fighting to hold down your lunch. All of this is accompanied by an overwhelming fear. You feel out of control, like death is just around the corner.

This is a common panic attack. If this sounds like an experience you've had, you may be one of the many who have a panic disorder. A panic disorder is just one of the many categories of anxiety disorder. You will find that 2-3% of anxiety sufferers are afflicted by this condition. However, around 30% of the patients will go through a panic attack at one point in their lives.

One thing to understand is that panic disorders are often misunderstood. The truth is we don't know exactly why they occur, or even what makes a person susceptible to them. We only know that it appears in the teenage years and early adulthood. On a statistical standpoint, more women are diagnosed with the disorder.

The symptoms won't always be the same between each individual either. In fact, some situations last a few minutes while others can last for 30. If you're wondering if what you're enduring is a panic attack, then you need to look at the symptoms. They are anything from chest pain, breathing difficulties, the feeling of doom or shaking and trembling to, nausea and vomiting, hot or cold flashes, or feeling faint. The important issue is that they come out of nowhere.

A good way to control your panic disorder is by avoiding the places that are associated with a panic attack. If the case is more severe, the individual may not want to leave his or her home. Instead, the comfort of familiar surrounding is more comfortable. Keep in mind this doesn't always resolve the problem, and can create other issues.

Research has found some potential causes of panic disorder. If the person previously had a bad experience, they may relate any symptoms experienced then as a harbinger of bad things to come.

There are several avenues of treatment for panic disorder. The doctor may prescribe SSRI or tricyclic antidepressants. Anti-anxiety medications may also be prescribed, but medication as pretty much been proven not too work. They just freeze your emotion, they are addictive and they also have bad side effects.

If you already deny medication, then a natural approach may be more suitable. Things like proper rest, exercise and dieting can play major roles in anxiety disorder. Did you know getting 8-10 hours of sleep each night can reduce anxiety by 50%? There are some really good self-help books worth reading regarding these benefits and solutions.

There are also experts who believe stress is a major player in panic disorder. In order to combat this you have to look at the various stress relievers available. For instance, exercise is a great choice. While it will help your stress levels, it will also help you maintain a healthy body weight, which is important for a proper hormone balance.

Food is another important area. The research over the years suggests that some foods increase anxiety. Some things you might want to stay away from are coffee, dairy products, refined, sugar, honey, and maple syrup. The best thing to do is keep a food log.

Relaxation can also be helpful. Whenever you are relaxed, anxiety and fear seem to diminish. It allows the nerves to become more stable, which in turn helps for those stressful situations and times. So you may want to try something like Yoga and meditation. Then of course there is aromatherapy, which helps you relax and keep the stress at bay.

While it may not be possible to completely cure your panic disorder, these treatments can help reduce the severity of it. This will enable you to live a somewhat normal life without the constraints imposed by the disorder.

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