Beyond Anxiety and Depression - anxiety attack

5 Homeopathic Remedies for Anxiety

Gloria Goodwin — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 12:43:44 +0000

Homeopathic remedies have been used throughout the world for thousands of years and their benefits have been repeatedly documented by holistic practitioners. Remedies of this type are frequently sought by those who suffer from anxiety disorders or chronic panic attacks.

Homeopathic Remedies for Anxiety

If you have been diagnosed with such a condition and do not wish to take synthetic drugs or chemicals to combat your symptoms, you should consider one of the following 5 homeopathic remedies for anxiety:

Lycopodium

Also called Lyc, Lycopodium is an herbal remedy that may provide relief if your anxiety is the result of poor self-esteem or lack of confidence. Although also used by those who suffer from generalized anxiety disorders, Lyc is thought to be particularly useful if your anxiety comes on suddenly, especially in social situations, and is accompanied by physical symptoms such as nausea, sweating, trembling or a rapid heartbeat. Many individuals who use Lycopodium state that it seems to have a stabilizing effect on their nervous system and emotions.

Aconite

Aconite is an herb that has been used for centuries as a homeopathic remedy for panic and anxiety. It is especially helpful if your anxiety is the result of insomnia or other sleep disorders that are known to cause nervousness. In addition, if you suffer from irrational fears that suddenly arise for no known reason, Aconite may be just what you need. The remedy has been used for many years as a treatment for hysteria and various phobias as well, due to its calming effect on the brain. It is also frequently recommended by holistic practitioners as a treatment for restlessness, mood swings and nightmares.

Passionflower

Perhaps one of the most well-known remedies for panic and anxiety is passionflower. Many holistic practitioners recommend this herb as a treatment for panic attacks. If you suffer from the latter, you know just how debilitating this disorder can be, and how it can negatively affect your life and the lives of those around you. Although numerous studies have been completed on the beneficial properties of passionflower, the most impressive one was conducted in Norway in 2011: research was completed on a group of 200 people and it was discovered that herbal blends containing passionflower offered benefits similar to those seen with Ativan, Xanax or other benzodiazepines. However, if you have been prescribed one of the aforementioned drugs, it is important to refrain from adding passionflower to your diet without first speaking to a licensed healthcare practitioner, as the combination could result in excessive drowsiness.

Gelsemium

Gelsemium is another highly effective herbal remedy you may wish to consider, especially if you would describe your anxiety disorder as constant jitters. While low-level anxiety is not as debilitating as sudden panic attacks, you would probably agree that dealing with chronic anxiety on any level is highly unpleasant. Gelsemium, also called yellow jasmine, will slow down your nervous system and have a calming effect on your mind without making you excessively sleepy. Therefore, it is an excellent remedy if you wish to alleviate anxiety symptoms in social situations or at work.

Evening Primrose Oil

Used for centuries as a medicinal herb, evening Primrose oil is a highly effective remedy for all types of anxiety disorders. If you suffer from chronic nervousness, social anxiety or panic attacks, you will likely find the use of evening Primrose oil beneficial. The oil contains a nutrient called gamma linoleic acid, which not only improves nerve function, but also has a stabilizing effect on your hormone levels. For this reason, it is often prescribed by holistic practitioners as a remedy for the mood swings associated with premenstrual syndrome. However, you may need to use the supplement for up to three weeks before its full benefits are experienced. Most herbal remedies and dietary supplements are associated with few or no side effects, but it is still wise to speak to your doctor or healthcare practitioner before adding a holistic remedy to your diet. It is also important to check with your pharmacist if you are on any prescription medication to make sure the homeopathic remedy you choose is not contraindicated with any of your prescribed drugs. Regardless of the type of anxiety from which you suffer, one of the 5 homeopathic remedies for anxiety listed above may significantly reduce your symptoms.

Tags:

anxiety attack

natural anxiety relief

social phobia

Topic:

Natural Remedies for Anxiety

How to Stop Anxiety Attacks Before They Start

Gloria Goodwin — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 03:03:04 +0000

Anxiety attacks are common in adults as well as children. According to statistics 37% of the population suffers from these attacks. An anxiety attack is your body's reaction against what it assumes is posing a threat to you. Now this may be difficult to digest because an anxiety attack rarely, if ever, does anything to help you. It is considered more of a problem in its self. But the truth is it is an automatic reaction against threat. You experience an anxiety attack when the body is experiencing stress. The body releases chemicals to tackle stress which makes you panic. To avoid anxiety attacks you need to face your fears and this article shows you how you can do that.

10 Tips for How to Stop Anxiety Attacks

Tip # 1. Divert Attention

When you are faced with a situation you know will trigger an anxiety attack do not get sacred instead remain calm and in control of the situation. Divert your attention to something else. If you are scared of flying for instance, try looking out of the window and enjoy the beautiful sky instead of thinking you are in air.

Tip # 2. Concentrate

This is akin to meditation where you let yourself relax yet are aware of each part of your body. Slow yourself down and concentrate on yourself. Feel yourself breathe, feel the air going in through your nostril and into your lungs, filling them up. This process will instantly calm you down. Once you feel the stress has died down you know you have overcome the situation. Slowly go back to what you were doing.

Tip # 3. Imagine

When bogged with situations that can trigger a panic attack, close your eyes and think of happy thoughts. Think of pleasant times. Think of people who make you happy. Imagine food you love. Thinking of good things relaxes your mind and releases feel good chemicals that can contain the anxiety attack.

Tip # 4. Take a Walk

Yes, take a walk, literally so. When you walk away from difficult situations you are distancing yourself from them. The distance you put between yourself and your problem will work as a healer. When you are away from the stressful situation your brain senses it and calms down. It stops releasing chemicals that would normally have set off an anxiety attack.

Tip # 5. Make a Mind Switch

Switch over from the current stressful situation to something else. You need to fool your mind and body into believing you are somewhere else or doing something else. Start playing mental games. It could be anything to distract your brain. Play the 'I spy with my little eye' game in your mind. Think of an alphabet and see how many things you can spot beginning with that alphabet. Supposing you hate crowded places and you find yourself in one, do not panic, just relax and play a mental game. Devise a new game, start a counting game add one when you spot a female, subtract two when you spot a male, add five when you see a child. These mental games keep you engrossed and are wonderful stress busters that help you control anxiety attacks.

Tip # 6. Take Control of the Situation

Do not let stressful situations take control of your life. When you find yourself in a situation which you know will lead to panic attack, take recourse before it takes control over you. Another way to fight an anxiety attack is to face the situation. It cannot be that bad if the whole world is doing something that scares you. As long as the situation is not of any danger to you, try to learn to face it and fight it. The courage and strength have to come from within you.

Tip # 7. Look at your Strengths

There would have been many occasions in your life when you overcame trying situations. If you get manage those tricky situations you can surely fight a stressful situation and control the anxiety attack.

Tip # 8. Get Inspired

Let other people's struggles and fights be an inspiration. If you read about people who learned to control anxiety attack you will be inspired to do so the same too. Knowing about others will instill a confidence in you that can be of immense help in fighting your own anxieties.

Tip # 9. Count and Breathe

Counting to 10 while breathing slowly takes away focus from a critical situation because your mind and body are concentrating on something else. You can stop an anxiety attack if you practice this technique. This is known to work in anger management as well.

Tip # 10. Analyze Situations

This is an exercise you can do when you are not in any stressful situation. Think about situations that trigger anxiety attacks. Ask yourself why you panic. Try to analyze the situation and find answers. Speak to yourself about your fears. Walk through them in your mind and see if they are really as bad as you imagine them to be. Once you realize your fears are baseless you will learn to conquer anxiety. To stop anxiety attacks before they start you have to master the art of cheating yourself. The anxiety attack comes from within you. It is a reaction to situations you are unable to manage. Learn to overcome those fears and you will be in control. Whatever way you adopt to fight an anxiety attack remember to tell yourself you can do it. A belief in self is half your battle won.

Tags:

anxiety attack

panic attack

Topic:

Anxiety

3 Simple Tips On How To Cope With Anxiety, Today!

Gloria Goodwin — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:59:53 +0000

It is normal to feel a bit anxious sometimes, but when you find yourself in a constant state of anxiety, you are causing damage to both your physical and mental health. Our bodies weren't meant to be in a constant state of heightened alertness. Think of your body like a battery. Batteries can operate a flashlight when they are turned on, providing the extra juice, but when it is turned off they use little power at all. If someone left the flashlight on all of the time, the battery would run down quickly. The same holds true for our bodies. Staying anxious all of the time drains our physical and mental resources. Anxiety is debilitating and quickly drains quality from your life. Times you should be playful and having fun are wasted as you sit there worrying about tomorrow's presentation at work. Times you should be in the moment as your child reads you his favorite book, your mind is drifting to your checkbook and the bills you have to pay.

Tips On How To Cope With Anxiety

These 3 simple tips on how to cope with anxiety today are here to free you from the chains of feeling anxious all of the time, giving you your life back so you can start living again:

Tip #1 - Reduce The Load

Sometimes we feel we have so many things to be worried about, they all start to feel equally important and challenging. However, this is rarely the case. You can immediately reduce the stress by taking time to think about the fears that continue to dance around in your mind. Write down everything you are worried about and categorize them as things you can solve and items out of your control. Once completed, your job is to let go of the things that cannot be controlled - they are out of your hands. Think of these things as villains, here to rob you of precious time in your life. Make a promise to yourself that only worries which you can proactively tackle will be your only focus. So your job is to be consciously aware when your mind begins racing, starting today. If it is a worry you are powerless over, you will put it on your "out of my control" list. At the same time, you will feel organized and positive over the little things you can do something about. If you've needed a little extra income for expenses next month, you and your family can organize that garage sale you've been wanting to have for years - having fun while problem solving. In sum, you are reducing the load by letting go of worries you cannot change and taking action over worries within your power to change - which will reduce anxiety and feelings of powerlessness, while bringing a great sense of accomplishment, too.

Tip #2 - Breathing, To Be In The Now

If our anxieties are like a wildfire burning out of control, relaxation is the water used to douse the flames. The best way to take back the mind when it seems to be racing with anxious thoughts is through breathing. It may sound too simple, but it actually works. When anxious, you've simply let your mind runaway with thoughts and it is time to rope them back in. You merely need to close your eyes, breathe in saying "one" (in your head or out loud) and exhale saying "two." The focus and concentration involved will slow down your breathing and get you in a relaxed place every time. Your mind will come back to you, completely in the moment, instead of running away from you.

Tip #3 - Visualizing Balance

Once you've reduced your list of anxieties to only the manageable concerns, in addition to learning how to control those racing thoughts, your last step is learning how to stay in balance so you don't keep reliving the same anxious cycles. You can use any scene that you like, but we will use the example of a teeter-totter for this tip. Children love to stand in the center of a teeter-totter to see if they can keep it in perfect balance. This will be your goal, too. Visualize one side of the ride as the "past" and the other as the "future." Your job is to stay in the center, completely in the moment. If you lean too far one way or the other, you will fall and get hurt. It is the same inside of your mind. Wasting time dwelling on the past or worrying about the future will throw you out of balance. Anxious individuals often spend too much time worrying about things that could potentially happen, but haven't happened yet. It is time to let life happen naturally, and relieve yourself of the burden of trying to control the future. These 3 simple tips will help you to begin working on reducing anxiety today. The key to being less anxious is by taking control back of your mind, acknowledging only those items you can do something about to improve your life, and self soothing yourself when racing thoughts appear. Begin to see yourself as the driver of your mind, instead of a powerless passenger, and you will be on the road to life fulfillment.

Tags:

Topic:

How to Overcome Anxiety Attacks

Gloria Goodwin — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 02:55:29 +0000

An anxiety attack can be a very disorienting disorder which is usually uncomfortable and painful for those who are suffering from it. Individuals who are struggling with anxiety are on the constant battle to overcome such fears within them. They usually feel a lot of stress and nervous breakdowns which could lead to some harmful effects that are not really desirable. If you are suffering from this kind of disorder, then you are not alone.

Steps for How to Overcome Anxiety Attacks

Though frightening as this may be, it is good to know that there are several effective ways for how to overcome them. So, how exactly can you do it? I have provided here some tips which could really be helpful for you. Read on..

Tip #1. Use herbal remedies

Herbal remedies proved to be quite effective in dealing with anxiety attacks. Several studies have already shown that herbs such as Chamomile and Valerian root can dramatically lower your anxiety levels. These herbs however, are only effective for mild anxiety attacks like deprivation of sleep because of their sedative properties.

Tip #2. Practice anxiety therapies

There are several therapies which you can take part in to help lower down your levels of anxiety. It includes Yoga, massage and meditation. The best part about them is that they're not only fun, but they also provide a soothing relaxation as well. Since these forms of therapy increase your positive hormones such as Serotonin, the levels of negative hormones are otherwise decreased in the process. Given enough time for such therapies can be really effective for the relief of chronic anxiety disorders.

Tip #3. Maintain a healthy diet

If you think that anxiety comes only from your state of mind, then now is the time to crack the myth. New studies have found out that anxiety disorders could also originate from the gut. This explains why there are several people who are constantly suffering from bowel irritations and anxiety at the same time. The solution? A healthy diet of course! And that means you'll have to reduce sugar, dairy, fat and meat intakes as much as you can, and maintain your diet on fruits and vegetables instead.

Tip #4. Take some deep breaths

Okay, so this might sound a bit weird, but it actually helps. Even if you do it in public, most people around you just don't pay attention and wonder why you're doing that. Here's the good thing about it anyway. Deep breathing is actually very healthy for you even if you are not suffering from anxiety attacks. It provides an increase supply of fresh oxygen towards your brain and oxygenates the blood, which in turn provides energy and helps you in making better decisions.

Tip #5. Incorporate exercise in your daily routine

The awesome health benefits of a regular exercise aren't only limited to a healthy and firm body. In fact, it also helps in lowering down the levels of anxiety by reducing stress while increasing those "feel good" hormones inside your body. As it gets your heart pumping in a healthy rate, regular exercise proves itself to be an effective anxiety treatment that really works.

Tip #6. Find a job you love and loves you in return

It has been found out that around 40 million Americans suffer from work-related anxieties. And it might be the case for you as well. If you can't find out where you anxiety came from, then perhaps it's time to consider your job. I know this might sound impractical especially in such times of crisis. But if you think it gives you anxiety, then it would be best if you look for something new. Hear me, it might be difficult at first, but closing your door to open another one could be fulfilling in the end.

Tip #7. Decrease the amount of toxins you expose to your body

Caffeine or glutamine can be a major trigger to anxiety attacks for most people. Other than these, you might also be sensitive to certain foods which can bring you anxiety attacks. All you have to do is simply reduce your consumption of such foods inch by inch until you no longer crave for them. You might as well be surprised to see how beneficial it can be. And ultimately, find some support around you. As what I've mentioned, you are not alone, and there is no need to be such. Find all the support and help you can get, and be sure to follow these essential tips that will surely lead your way to a life free from anxiety attacks.

Tags:

Topic:

Tips on how to control anxiety attacks step-by-step

Gloria Goodwin — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 01:02:07 +0000

To the sufferer an anxiety attack can really be something that is extremely crippling and will undoubtedly have a major impact on the quality of life that they lead. It does, therefore, make sense to understand the steps that can be taken in order to control an anxiety attack before it happens in order to lessen the impact it has so that being said the following are eight tips that you should know about.

How to control Anxiety Attacks

Think about why you are having one

This may sound a very basic tip; however, by trying to understand what has triggered the attack you can actually start to control it. There will always be some reason behind it no matter if it is worrying about going somewhere, money problems, or relationship issues so being able to put your finger on the reason why will then allow you to start to work to overcome it.

Always remember that you are actually in control

It has to be said that for some people this will be extremely difficult to do during an attack as the body and mind appears to be racing and there is a feeling that everything is spiralling out of control. However, it does actually make a difference if you are able to repeat to yourself that you are actually in control and by doing this the feelings that you have inside will start to subside.

Drink some water

Drinking some water is widely accepted as being a fantastic way to control an anxiety attack and you should look at drinking some whilst telling yourself you are in control. A number of attacks are due to the body being dehydrated, which then leads to more stress so the water will help you in a number of ways as it also takes your mind off what is happening.

Get some fresh air into your lungs

If you are indoors when you have one, then you are advised to get some fresh air even if this is just standing next to an open window. One common feeling amongst people is that the world is closing in and there is a certain stuffy feeling, but by breathing in some nice clean air it does start to help calm the body down. This then takes away the idea that you cannot breathe, which is often one of the main problems people have during an attack.

Focus on your breathing

At some point depending upon your personal preference you should look at trying to focus on your breathing and work at taking long and steady breaths. Look at breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth and do try to hold it in for around four seconds in between. This will help to calm you down and it does also allow you to take your mind off other things by making you focus on one of the most basic things we do in our lives.

Visualize yourself in a better situation

By playing this form of a mind trick on yourself it will help to slow down the body as you start to visualize a situation that is a lot calmer and more peaceful for you. Look at trying to build up this image with it gradually getting nicer rather than suddenly transporting your mind to the end result as you will then benefit from it over a longer period of time.

Move

At some point you are going to need to move, but doing so in a controlled manner. This sometimes leads to people trying to dance or do some kind of exercise as it will also burn off some of the excess energy that you now have coursing through your veins and if you allow that to continually build, then the anxiety attack can often last a lot longer.

Have something that you know relaxes you

The final tip is to have an activity or some interest that you know relaxes you no matter if it is listening to a certain group of songs or reading a book. The idea behind this is that it will help you to remain calm in the aftermath of an attack and make it less likely that it will then come back straight away. Look at setting aside even just thirty minutes once you feel calm to do this before resuming whatever you were doing before. Those are eight tips on what to do when faced with having an anxiety attack and they do follow certain steps; however, people often have their own individual ways of dealing with an anxiety attack depending upon which order works best for them. The key is to know about them in advance and plan what you will do so when the next attack hits you instantly know how to deal with it and prevent it from being too bad.

Tags:

Topic: