Thursday, December 2, 2010

Does Panic Away System Really Work For Your Panic Attacks?

You become anxious every time you speak in front of a large crowd and you often feel alarmed and frightened when you walk alone on unlit roads. What you feel is natural. Anxiety and panic are the body's normal response to threatening situations. However, it can be unreasonable if you feel stressed and worried all the time that you can no longer control your fear and can't focus at work. If you always experience uncontrolled fear you may be suffering from panic attacks. Some of the painful symptoms of panic attacks are restlessness, difficulty in breathing, nausea, headache, chest pain, and dizziness.

Most people suffering from panic attacks are advised to take antidepressant drugs such as Prozac, Paxil, and Lexapro. However, taking drugs to relieve anxiety can lead to addiction. It also has many adverse side effects if you don't take the right dose -- so it is safer if you find another remedy. The panic away program developed by Joe Barry is the best and most reliable cure for panic attacks as it aims to completely eliminate the root causes of the dreadful condition.

According to scientific researches, when a person experiences anxiety, the activities of the brain are shifted from front brain to mid-brain. Since the mid-brain is associated with the survival mechanism, you become excessively wary of your environment. The panic away program uses the one move technique to bring all mental activities back to the front brain -- the more rational and positive part of the brain. One of the features of the course is to welcome the suffering and assuring yourself that it can never harm you, because it is not actually happening. Researches have proven that panic away is one of the most efficient ways to treat panic attacks and restore calmness in the brain. In fact, it has cured over twenty-five thousand people suffering from everyday stress and pressure. It even helped them enjoy a wholesome and more pleasurable life.

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Article Submitted On: November 20, 2010


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Stress Management Strategies

Stress management strategies are should be an essential part of our natural armoury. Many of us may consider stress as being inherently a bad thing. However, it is not always necessarily the case. Without some stress in our lives, we would become passive and inert. You could say that some stress is essential to life itself. Nevertheless, excessive stress, when it becomes 'distress' can eventually cause us emotional and even physical damage

Of the stress management strategies I teach my clients, the following has proven to be extremely effective. It is the recognition that a major stressor in our life is caused by simply neglecting tasks. You may wonder what this has to do with stress management strategies. In fact, this method does not come strictly under stress management strategies as much as the adaptation of a mindset.

This omission of not taking care of business is one that can have serious repercussions in your life if it is to become habitual. Constantly putting off every unpleasant task will impact your life on more than one level. First, there is the distinct possibility that, if you are employed, your employer will very quickly come to realise this neglect. If it becomes a habit, you will soon be looking for new employment. If you perhaps fail to keep up with paperwork in your own business, your business will soon suffer the consequences of this neglect. Further down the road, the taxman may very well be asking for data and records that you will not have.

The results of the above actions or lack of them will surely land you in financial straits. This, in turn will impact on your very life style as well as your relationship with others. And during all of this will be the ever growing unease in your own mind that something bad is about to happen. Of course, this is more than a distinct possibility and, however much you attempt to make trivial of the situation in order to enable yourself to continue the avoidance, the neglected business grows steadily into a spectre that haunts your days. It is always there like the sword of Damocles, hanging above your head ready to fall.

'Over dramatic' you may think? Maybe, but it happens to millions of people every day who may, ironically, be practicing other stress management strategies and wondering why they are still stressed.


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Anxious Point Of View

Anxiety has specific patterns in the brain and mind. Joy has specific patterns too, as does every other emotional and physical state. The big insight is that deliberately changing those patterns you can pull yourself out of anxious states quickly, safely & easily. It's your brain & mind; you have choices.

Think about slow, deliberate, restful and relaxed breathing (like a baby sleeping) and being in the midst of a panic or anxiety attack. It's like thinking about cooking ice cream and sardines together for dinner. They don't go together. So, if we could control our breathing as a panic or anxiety attack began we could get ourselves out of a jam, right? Yes...but the problem is that's a very challenging task and usually doesn't work. It's simpler, easier and smarter to control other things to pull down an anxiety attack.

Using your brain & mind is much easier, faster and powerful to change your state. Awareness is the key. Let's learn how to do the basics now.

Where is your current awareness located? Are you noticing the world from your eyes, your head, your chest or big toe. Just notice where you are aware of the world from in this moment. Don't worry about making a mistake. It's your subjective experience so you can't possibly by wrong.

Now pick a very different area of your body and shift your awareness there (your big toe is good or the back of your left knee) and notice the world from this vantage point. The further away from "normal" this new perspective is the more powerful the effect you'll notice. So if you normally view the world from your head if you move to under your feet you'll notice big changes.

You're deliberately practicing changing your point of view so you can apply this idea before and during a panic or anxiety attack. Most folks who suffer with chronic anxiety experience their world (during the attacks) from their chest/belly area. And the experience there is just awful with thumping blood, short breaths and sweating. Nasty stuff.

So when we feel the beginning of anxiety (the best time to nip it in the bud) you can opt to move your awareness to a safe, comfortable but different place in your awareness. You can find places that you like and see the world from this place. Your panic will try desperately to pull your attention back to the place of the panic. If you stay vigilant you can keep your awareness in safety...and that consistent action pulls down anxiety safely, quickly and easily.

The nasty truth is that anxiety MUST have you orient your attention to the place in your system when it is wired to exist. It cannot exist in other places. Really.

Here's a super-advanced tip that I teach healers and body workers: the place where your awareness feels safe does not have to be in your physical body! Test out for yourself the area between your shoulder blades, but not on the body. Make the space two feet behind you in the air. Or, test out the space three inches below the bottom of both feet. Sounds crazy, but your brain & mind need new (and safe) input. They need a new map of where the safe place is to go during anxious times. When it does, anxiety fades fast.

Test it out in your own experience and find out for yourself.

Copyright 2010 by Rudy Hunter. All right reserved.

Rudy has spent nearly 30 years helping dogs & people back to health and happiness using essential oils and energy work. He works long-distance helping people & pooches; often getting great results where other techniques have failed. His website, http://www.rudyhunter.com/ has lots of FREE healing resources for both species.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rudy_Hunter

Rudy Hunter - EzineArticles Expert Author

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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Panic Attack Treatments - Pills Don't Work and The Cure Lies Within Yourself

If you've been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks for a very long time and have not yet found a cure maybe it's time to think about alternative treatments.

If I say so is it because I guess that you have most probably tried the usual medication that is given when someone suffers from general anxiety disorders. Now, let's get this straight. I'm not against anti-anxiety medication but I have to warn you that they don't work long-term and only cover up the symptoms. This means that once a quick relief given by the pills has subsided, your anxiety episodes will come back.

Okay, this is for the bad news but I assume that you knew that already. Now, for the good news you must understand that they are several different other methods in order to get rid of your anxiety and panic attacks naturally.

Some people have chosen to treat their anxiety with herbs and the results have proven quite worth it. Others have chosen to resort to specific therapies such as CBT or exposure therapy.

Both therapies focus on helping you understand the mechanisms of anxiety and how to cope with it. As far as exposure therapy is concerned for instance, the patient is put face to face with the exact same conditions and feelings of a real panic attack but in a safe environment. The patient is then given practical tips to help understand how the brain functions and how it is possible to be in control of the attack instead of it being in control of you.

The real key to treating GAD or general anxiety disorders lie within yourself and most importantly within your own mind where it starts. All anxiety and panic attacks are fictional and although they appear to have been triggered by some external events are in fact created by yourself. This I why re training your brain remains the most effective panic attack treatment and should always be considered if you really want to free yourself from this debilitating condition for good.


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Fear Of Driving Over Bridges - A Terrifying Experience Most People Do Not Understand

Sweaty palms, trembling and dizziness are just a few of the symptoms that appear for people who have a fear of driving over bridges. For most people driving over a bridge is something they don't even think about. But for people who fear driving over bridges, it feels like a life or death situation.

Here's the typical scenario for someone who fears driving over bridges. Know there is a bridge on the route they need to take, they will drive miles out of their way to find an alternate way of getting to their destination. It is not uncommon for these people to add an extra hour to their trip by doing this.

If they have no choice but to drive over the bridge, many people with this fear will drive in the center stripe of the road just to get as far away from the edge as possible. I have even heard of people getting so terrified they don't even remember crossing the bridge after they've accomplished the feat.

Getting help to conquer this fear is not as difficult as you might think. Generally people will seek the help of a psychiatrist, then after an endless number of sessions and medication thinking they have conquered their fear all panic erupts when they come face to face with a bridge they need to drive over.

The medications prescribed to help conquer panic attacks are dangerous and have long term side effects. These medications become addictive and additional medications will be prescribed to help with their addiction problem.

To conquer your fear of driving over bridges you need to follow in the footsteps of someone who has experienced what you have. Someone who has learned the safe and proper way to cure these panic attacks so you can get back to living a normal life.


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Can Stress and Anxiety Cause Hemorrhoids?

Stress and anxiety can be a root cause of hemorrhoids developing. Natural home remedy cures, over the counter products, and surgery are effective ways to treat, cure, and remove a hemorrhoid. To prevent piles from returning it is important to understand how to stop stress and anxiety from causing inflammation in the anal region. Internal and external hemorrhoids are often caused by high stress levels and anxiety.

It is frustrating after having treatment done to have hemorrhoids return giving the sufferer discomfort, itching, pain, and in some cases bleeding. There is a way to avoid this by taking steps to reduce stress and anxiety.

Stress and anxiety are not the only contributing causes to hemorrhoid symptoms. However, they are near the top of the list of leading causes. When the body is under stress and anxiety tension it constricts making bowel movements very difficult. This causes blood vessels in the anus to become inflamed until a painful pile develops.

Hemorrhoid medication and treatments are great for instant relief from anal itching, pain, and bleeding. It is still very important to manage stress and anxiety to prevent piles from returning. After medication, natural treatments, or surgery it is time to take action to reduce stress and anxiety. Here are a few proven methods that will help remove tension from your body.

Meditation is a wonderful solution to gently reduce stress and help control anxiety that can lead to painful hemorrhoids. There are many methods available from guided imagery audios to calming music. It can be done in your home or office in as little as 15 minutes. Controlled breathing is a very relaxing part of meditation.

Yoga has many amazing benefits for the body and is very low impact. Stretching in yoga is a proven way to help natural body functions, like bowel movements, flow much better. Straining when having bowel movements often leads to internal and external hemorrhoids returning. Yoga is fantastic for improved blood circulation and stress reduction.

Living hemorrhoid free does not have to be only dream. It can become a reality by taking steps to reduce stress and anxiety in your life. After your piles are treated and healed, reducing tension will prevent them from returning. Explore meditation and yoga techniques to prevent hemorrhoids.

Ignoring a hemorrhoid will not cure it. You have to be proactive when it comes to finding relief and eliminating them. The only way to regain your life is by reducing stress and anxiety that can cause piles to reappear, even after having extensive treatment done. When you are able to get to the root cause, you can prevent future piles from developing.


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Feeling Stressed and Anxious? Blame It on Your Nervous System

Why does emotional distress leave me in such physical pain? Well, blame it on your nervous system.

The nervous system in the human body is comprised of two main branches, the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Together, they control all movements, thoughts, activities, senses and emotions in our bodies. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and the spinal cord and is the central communicator throughout the body.

The peripheral nervous system is sub-divided into the somatic (voluntary movement) and autonomic (involuntary movement) systems and the autonomic system is then sub-divided into the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems, which ideally, are intended to work in harmony to create equilibrium in the body.

However, as we well know, the ideal rarely happens in the mind and body of the average human who remains perpetually perched in that highly agitated state of feeling over stressed, over scheduled, over worked, over stimulated, over tired and of course, under appreciated.

When confronted with danger, our minds have to instantly evaluate whether we should flee or confront the threat before us. In order to prepare for action, the body activates the sympathetic nervous system prompting the release of hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline, also known as the stress hormones. These hormones serves us well in short bursts as they trigger essential survival systems while suppressing non-essential functions. Just like a race car driver at the start line, we are revved for action; our pupils dilate allowing us to see better, excess sugar is released into the blood stream for increased energy, our hearts speed up increasing circulation and the flow of oxygen to the brain, lungs and larger muscles. We need to be smarter and move faster than whoever or whatever is threatening our survival.

Meanwhile, our bodies are smart enough to know that while we are instinctively fighting for survival, we won't be interested in non-essential functions such as eating, digesting and eliminating.

Ideally, once the threat is no longer present, the body will automatically activate the parasympathetic nervous system, frequently referred to as the "relax and renew" system. Basically, this system helps restore the body to a state of homeostasis as soon as the threat is over.

However, the problem we create for ourselves is that our minds don't differentiate between a real threat and a perceived one. These perceived threats are manufactured in the deep caverns of our overly creative imaginations and are limitless in scope and intensity. This creates really big problems for us because unlike genuine threats that are acute and short lived, mind induced threats are frequently exaggerated and can last indefinitely allowing our bodies and minds to become a sewer of physical and psychological toxins.

As long as the mind believes the body is in a state of threat, the sympathetic nervous system will remain in active mode and while we remain in this heightened state of arousal, symptoms of stress and anxiety will continue to plague us. Common symptoms include; feeling a tightening or pounding in the chest, difficulty breathing, tight, achy muscles, clammy skin, difficulty swallowing, poor digestion, irritability. Left unchecked for months and years, more serious conditions can occur such as high blood pressure, migraines, chronic anxiety, irritable bowel, insomnia, panic attacks and more.

If our bodies can't return to a state of equilibrium on their own, we can help nudge them along by initiating mindful practices, such as slow, deep breathing, that will trigger the parasympathetic nervous system. Mindful awareness when we practice yoga, meditation or breathing can help us override the lockdown mode our bodies get stuck in providing the relief we crave and the restoration we need for recovery.

We do not voluntary invite stress into our lives, but we do not need to resign ourselves to being its victim, either. We can go on the offensive and opt to make healthy choices that can help us combat these unwelcome and debilitating physical and emotional sensations. When we are in the grip of our fears and anxieties, it can feel hopeless. That is why committing to a routine practice of meditation, yoga, and mindful breathing is so essential. We must first learn to become comfortable with our practices when we are in a place of relative calm and equilibrium if we hope to use these skills when in physical or emotional crisis.


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Panic Cure - 3 Top Secrets That Will Eradicate Your Anxiety Effectively

If you have been battling with panic and anxiety attacks for months or years without getting any respite and without finding a proper panic cure, then you ought to read this article to find out about the 3 top secrets that will help you get rid of your anxiety for good.

You may have heard before that medication is usually prescribed in the first instance but as you probably know their side effects counter-act their benefits and it is not advisable to take anti-anxiety medication for too long.

Some people have sought out help from trained psychologists and it has worked but the price tag is usually quite hefty and not everyone can afford to go on such treatment.

People who study anxiety disorders have come to the conclusion that the most effective solutions to treat general anxiety disorders are first of all self-hypnosis.

Self-hypnosis is by far the best tool to change your thought patterns in order to help you control your panic attacks.

Learning self-hypnosis takes some practice but once you understand how it works, you can easily achieve a state of calmness and little by little your thought patterns, which will have tremendous effects on your well-being and help you eradicate your anxiety problem.

The second secret to treating your anxiety disorder is undoubtedly meditation. Like self- hypnosis, meditation can have a very beneficial effect on your mind and teach you how to control your thoughts in order to prevent panic attacks from even entering your mind.

What you must remember is that panic attacks start in your mind and that you are therefore the only person able to stop it from forming in the first place. Meditation allows you to sink into a profound state of calmness, which can have very positive effects and prevent the triggers that lead to anxiety episodes from kicking off.

Finally, the third secret and one of the most effective long-term treatments remains natural herbs. Natural herbs such as camomile, essential oils, and passion flower or gingko biloba are extremely powerful in reducing the symptoms of general anxiety and most importantly won't produce side effects because they are natural.

Some of these herbs have the same natural molecules used in traditional antidepressants but have no side effects and are unlikely to produce withdrawal symptoms, which you usually experience with conventional treatments.

Finding a good panic cure also depends on the severity of your anxiety disorder but these 3 secrets cures can undoubtedly help you eradicate your anxiety for good in a short time and without having to resort to heavy medication.


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Anxiety Cures That Work - How You Can Get Your Control Back

Finding an anxiety cure that works is a major problem for millions of people worldwide. As over 17% of the adult population suffers from some form of anxiety disorder, and most are desperately looking for a reliable cure for anxiety that works for them.

Many sufferers of anxiety disorders have become very disheartened by the treatments offered by their Doctors. They are feeling desperate to escape the vicious circle of anxiety attacks, which is ruining their lives.

Which anxiety cures really work?

Medication to treat anxiety simply does not work. They suppress the emotions and feelings of the sufferer, masking the true anxiety problem. Medication for anxiety will never cure anxiety.

Lifestyle changes, such as exercise, change of diet or taking up yoga, can make a difference on a day-to-day basis. However, they only help the sufferer to cope they do not cure anxiety.

The most effective anxiety cure that works is the based upon Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT can help you to change how you think (Cognitive) and how you react (Behavioural). It works to retrain your mind and body to stop the panic reaction.

After years of research by Psychologists and counsellors, working daily with sufferers of anxiety, the theories of CBT have been fine-tuned and revolutionary new methods have developed. That means that this type of anxiety cure has a success rate of over 95%. That success rate hardly varies between sufferers sitting down face to face with a therapist for 12 sessions, or a person working at one of the excellent online anxiety cures.

The most important thing to consider when looking for an anxiety cure that works is that you have to be prepared to put in some work yourself. Because unfortunately, none of these anxiety treatments are created by Harry Potter and his magic wand. They all take effort on the sufferers' part, but they do work to cure anxiety disorders.

Before you start to cure your anxiety, you need to ask yourself if you are in the right frame of mind, open-minded and positive, to take back control of your life.


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What Is Agoraphobia Really?

Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder that few people really understand. Even the word "agoraphobia" has a mysterious sound to it, as if it speaks of strange and secret fears. Let us look at the two words that make up this larger one. The word "phobia" is common in our culture; most people know it refers to an irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation that is actually harmless. A truly phobic person will alter his behavior; for instance, if he is phobic about bridges, he will drive far out of his way to avoid driving over one.

But the word "agora" is not so well known. This is a Greek word that means "marketplace." So now we can get close to the meaning of agoraphobia by saying it is a fear of going to a market, such as a shopping mall or grocery store. This is basically true, except the "markets" actually include any place where lots of people are gathered in a closed-in environment. This would include a sports event, church service, concert, restaurant...anything of this nature. A person with agoraphobia is afraid of being in these places and in these situations. He or she (usually a she) may become so afraid that she rarely leaves home.

The questions is "why?" Where does this fear come from?

The key to the answer to this question is in the panic disorder that underlies agoraphobia. In other words, agoraphobia does not exist in a vacuum; it is actually an outgrowth of the disorder that creates panic attacks. A person who has experienced several frightening and debilitating panic attacks usually lives in fear of another attack happening. And the worst place to have a panic attack is any place where a lot of other people are gathered. Being noticed or watched by a crowd of people that you can't easily get away from would add tenfold to the misery experienced by a panic attack sufferer. So that person may become terribly afraid - phobic - of those situations, and avoid them at all cost. At that point, the person is suffering not just from panic attacks, but from agoraphobia, as well.


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