What Is Anxiety Disorder?

Understanding anxiety disorder or panic disorder is the most important step in controlling it and getting back to normal life. We all know what it's like to feel anxious. Most of us experience anxiety when faced with stressful situations. We all get nervous before giving a big presentation or asking the boss for a raise. Anxiety is part of the human body's natural "fight-or-flight" response. It's our body's way of warning us of possible danger ahead and preparing us for it.
Trouble is these natural responses are designed for the lifestyle of our ancestors where natural danger was far more likely than it is now in our urban lifestyle. Because of this anxiety can become overwhelming and preventing you from living your life the way you'd like to. If this persists you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.

There are effective treatments for anxiety attacks and disorders. Therapy, relaxation techniques, and a balanced, healthy lifestyle can all help reduce your anxiety so that you can take back control of your life.

All anxiety disorders share a common characteristic of persistent, often overwhelming, fear or worry. These fears can be very distressing and disruptive to your everyday activities. These characteristics include:

• Constant, unrelenting, and all-consuming anxiety


• Anxiety resulting in self-imposed isolation and/or emotional withdrawal


• Disruption of normal activities like going outside or avoiding other people

As the anxiety disorder takes over your life, other problems can result like low self-esteem, depression, and alcoholism. Your work and personal relationships can suffer. However, anxiety disorders are highly treatable. Understanding the reasons why you suffer from anxiety disorder, or panic attacks is the first step in dealing with it. Knowing that a healthy diet and moderate exercise will further help your life improve is also important.

Effective Panic Attack Relief

You can relieve anxiety and panic attacks through a number of self help methods. This article will talk through a few which you can do in the comfort of your home, or wherever you are when anxiety gets the better of you or you feel a panic attack coming.

Breathing & relaxation techniques

Learn a relaxation technique to ease muscle tension and slow down your breathing. Slowing down your breathing is an effective panic attack relief because hyperventilation is a common cause of panic attacks.
Try to slow down your breathing to 6 –10 breaths a minute and try to breath from the abdomen. Place one hand on the abdomen and the other one on your upper chest. Breath so that your hand on the abdomen rises and falls, and the hand on your chest hardly moves.
You could practice this breathing every day. Whenever you realise you are breathing shallowly from your chest remember to take a few deep abdominal breaths. This slow and calming breathing brings more oxygen into your lungs and calms your mind.

Positive affirmations & visualisation

Most of us have a vivid imagination, anxiety and panic attack sufferers more so than most. People who suffer from panic attacks are more likely to use their imagination to conjure up disaster, illness and death.
When you feel a panic attack coming, you can use your own imagination to position yourself in a more positive environment, and create or recreate circumstances that give you a sense of peace and comfort. Try to get into a relaxing position, for example, sit on a chair with your limbs as floppy as possible, or lie down on an even surface.

Depending on your preferences, you can achieve panic attack relief either by a visualisation meant to simply relax you and help you feel good about life, or you can focus on circumstances you fear and make position affirmations.

In the first instance, imagine yourself being in a place which you associate with well-being and tranquillity. Depending on your preferences, this could be in the mountains, drifting on a lake, by the sea etc. Look around you, notice the colours, listen to the sounds, and notice any smells associated with these surroundings. Take a few deep breaths, and allow the tranquillity to entice and relax your senses.

In the second instance, visualisation can be used to deal with situations that you are afraid of. Whilst in a relaxing position, visualise a situation that you fear, notice the colours, sounds, smells etc. You can put yourself in this situation with the full knowledge that you are in control of your vision and can interrupt it at anytime if you feel extreme discomfort. Feel your own inner strength and tell yourself: “This is easy” “I am doing well” “I am in control of myself and manage the situation well” You can say these simple, positive affirmations silently or out loud.
Whilst this can bring about panic attack relief, it is worth scrutinising your way of thinking. If you found yourself thinking negatively for a significant amount of time, do these simple visualisations once a day. Train your mind to relax, and you will gradually noticed positive changes in the way you think about yourself and others around you.

Assertiveness

Some people experience panic attacks due to circumstances in their lives which undermined their confidence, and left them insecure or even fearful.

These circumstances could range from a one off event, to a number of similar occasions spanning from early childhood to adulthood which “programmed” their mind to believe they are incapable of dealing with particular circumstances.

Panic attack relief can also be achieved by regaining a positive image about yourself, learning or re-learning to love and trust yourself, and regaining your confidence.

There are a number of ways to achieve this ranging from assertiveness training, psychotherapy, cognitive behaviour therapy- to easy self help methods. For example, look at yourself in the mirror and try to focus on your good points, and tell yourself that you love and appreciate yourself.

Look into your eyes and tell yourself: “I’ve got everything I need to do anything I want, and I’ve got everything I want to do anything I need”.

Now you do, the power lies within you.

For a FREE report "Getting to Know Anxiety" go to http://www.panicrelief.net/

Each year more than 40 million Americans will suffer from an anxiety disorder and more than 19 million Americans will suffer with a depressive illness, according to a report from Medical News Today.

The report identifies the most common signs of anxiety and depression which include:

• feelings of being down or blue
• phobias
• uncontrollable worrying
• poor concentration
• loss of pleasure
• sleeping problems
• panic attacks
• unexplainable aches, pains or headaches
• obsessions rituals and,
• ongoing feelings of nervousness or tension

"Some individuals have difficulty sorting through emotional and physical symptoms. It is not uncommon for individuals to rush to an emergency room with symptoms of a heart attack only to be told they are suffering from anxiety," says Mary Guardino, executive director of Freedom From Fear, who is quoted in the report.

"Anxiety and depression cost our economy billions of dollars each year, but what is more important is the cost of human suffering, which is immeasurable. There are effective treatments that can alleviate unnecessary suffering," says Guardino.

Many people can deal with anxiety and panic attacks by gaining a good knowledge of the condition and taking simple steps to improve their lifestyle.

For a FREE report "Getting to Know Anxiety" go to www.panicrelief.net