Thursday, December 31, 2009

How to Cure Panic Attacks - Natural Techniques That Work


It is estimated that three million Americans suffer from panic or anxiety disorders each year. All these people want is to know how to cure panic attacks so they can live their life free of fear and anxiety.

Panic and anxiety attacks can happen anywhere and at any time, and if you suffer from panic or anxiety attacks then you know how difficult this problem can be. However, once you understand how to cure your panic disorders you will be able to live a normal life again.

If you want to know how to cure panic attacks, the very first thing you need to know is what triggers your fears. When you are scared or frightened your body reacts to the threat by pumping more adrenaline through your body and this triggers the fight or flight response. When you are having a panic attack, there is a malfunction in your body, and you feel the same sensations as if you are experiencing real fear without the actual threat. The panic attack response is a malfunction in your body.

What are the triggers that cause these attacks?

Some of the possible triggers are:

long term exposure to stress
Experiencing a traumatic event in the past
Alcohol, medication or drug withdrawal
Hyperventilation syndrome
Chronic and/or serious illness
Side effect of medications
Stress management techniques are also a great way to find out how to cure panic attacks. Stress management techniques will provide you with the necessary tools that will help you deal with your anxiety and stress. When you feel a panic or anxiety attack overcoming you these methods will help you deal with the stressful situation.

Some of the best stress management techniques are:

Meditation
Yoga
Exercising on a daily basis
Deep Breathing Exercises
Guided Imagery
Cognitive behavioral therapy is another great way to overcome paid and anxiety attacks. CBT will teach you how to cure panic attacks by showing you how to retrain your brain so your mind will develop new thought patterns that are designed to replace the old patterns that would lead to a panic or anxiety attack. You will be shown how to redirect your thoughts so you present, stressful situation, is no longer a threat. You will also learn how to associate positive images with stressful situations. This will make you feel calm and relaxed.

There are many ways to overcome your panic and anxiety, but the ones listed above are the best places to start. Once you understand how to cure panic attacks you will be able to control your fear and anxiety and regain your life again.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

How to Stop Panic Attacks - Face Them Head on and Be Done With Them Forever


If you want to stop panic attacks for good, confronting them head on is the most effective way. Rather than fighting against the attack, allow it to come and run its course. To put it another way, ride out the storm of an anxiety attack.

This is advised for two very important reasons.

1) The first is that fear begets fear. The more you struggle against and attempt to prevent the anxiety attack, the more fear you'll produce. Fear actually feeds on itself and causes the attack to become even more intense.

Yet if you confront the attack head on, it gradually loses its force and energy because it has nothing to feed off. A good analogy of this is riding a roller coaster. You may have noticed that fear and anxiety grow the more you resist and struggle against the movement of the ride. But, as you go with the flow of the ride, the more enjoyable the ride becomes.

There's an old saying, what you resist persists.

2) The second reason is that the more you try to steer clear of or escape the anxiety attack, all you are doing is avoiding the consequences until the next episode.

But, if you confront the attack, accept it for what it is and ride it out, you'll discover that there actually was no real danger to fear or worry about. You'll realize that your worst fears weren't grounded in reality. No harm came upon you at all.

The more you face your attacks head and come out unharmed and okay, the more you'll come to realize that your worst fears are just the product of your thoughts, not a real, clear, and present danger.

This knowledge will help you to see your attacks for what they are and will give you the faith and nerve to face future episodes. Eventually, you'll know how to stop panic attacks for good.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The Devastating Effects of Untreated Panic Attacks


Unless you are one of the lucky people who have one panic attack, never suffer another and do not need anxiety disorders treatment, it's extremely important to understand the consequences of leaving this illness untreated.

The panic attacks themselves are debilitating, seeming to grab you up and slam you down with a racing heart, chills or hot flashes, shaky hands and knees, difficulty breathing. But they do even more as you begin to worry about where and when the next one will overtake you. If you are a teenager, you are in the age group (13 - 18) with the highest onset rate. You worry about having an attack in school, at a school event, during a date, at family gatherings.

If you are an older victim and are employed, you may fear an embarrassing attack at work, while stuck in traffic, during a meeting with a client or in work-related social situations. A parent may fear an attack at a critical moment in the care of a child, in a store, during a parent-teacher meeting or during a child-related activity such as a ballgame or recital.

The constant fear of an attack can change how you interact with people around you, withdrawing and becoming less open to socializing. The worst-case scenario of this side effect is that you can develop another anxiety disorder called agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is living a life so restricted that the sufferer gives up all normal outside activities, remaining housebound, fearful of all open spaces. If panic attacks are left untreated, one in three sufferers will develop agoraphobia.

Other negative developments can include depression if the person falls into despair about his or her affliction. Addiction to drugs and or alcohol can occur as the panic attack victim tries to self-medicate, to try to escape from the unavoidability of another attack.

These results are truly devastating and they don't have to happen. Panic attack is one of the most treatable of anxiety disorders. But sometimes it's difficult to get the treatment you need as physicians try over and over to ascribe your symptoms to physical causes. It's extremely important for you to understand your symptoms and to speak to your doctor with the assurance that comes with knowledge of your condition.

Panic Away - Scam Or The Real Thing?


Panic Away is an online popular and successful panic attacks treatment guide. Panic Away, which is also known as Panic Portal, was created by Joe Barry, a former sufferer of panic attacks and a researcher in the field of Panic, anxiety, and phobias.

Panic Away is an ebook which teaches you how to break free of the cycle of fear-panic attack-fear. The discovery that Joe Barry made was that the very fear of another panic attack brings with it further and more destructive panic attacks. The key to stopping having these attacks is to stop fearing them and living in constant expectation of another outburst. This all seems very simple and straightforward, but it's easier said than done. The Panic Away program instructs you how to get out of this endless loop.

But does this program do what it says or is it a scam?

Panic Away has been used by over 25,000 in the years since it was published. There's no doubt that it helped a lot of people cure their panic attacks, so I believe that it's far from being a scam. The general disbelief people who suffer from panic attacks have towards every treatment that is offered them is part of what keeps them sick. This disbelief is unwarranted when it comes to the Panic Away ebook.

However, Panic Away isn't a 100% solution. It doesn't work for everybody. Nothing does. I don't want anyone to blame me because this didn't work for them. It works for most people; over 90% of them to be exact. But nothing works for everyone. The human mind is too complex.

There's one thing more: if you begin this program believing that it won't work, you don't stand a chance. Give yourself a break and believe that you can beat your attacks. If you do have that belief, there's every chance the Panic Away program may be the solution for you.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

7 Tips for Overcoming Panic Attacks


By Tim Lee

It is no fun to experience the feelings of anxiety that can easily escalate into a panic attack. Here are some tips for overcoming panic attacks:

(1) Recognize that that is what is happening to you. Once you realize that you're not "losing your mind" or having a heart attack, you can start to realize that it's not nearly as serious as what you thought might be happening to you. This can ultimately lead to your ability to mentally cope with the attack and overcome it.

(2) Be prepared. Formulate a plan ahead of time and you may be able to cope with your symptoms and reduce the number of panic attacks you have.

(3) Some tips for overcoming panic attacks will work well for certain people and not as well for others.

(4) Learn and practice breathing exercises. When you are able to control your breathing you may be able to lessen or avoid a panic attack.

(5) If you have trouble learning a breathing exercise, make an appointment with a behavioral therapist.

(6) Try relaxation techniques. As with breathing exercises it is important that you learn and practice them before you have a panic attack.

(7) Make lists and keep one at home and one with you.

(a) A telephone support list: This list will contain the names and phone numbers of people who you can call when you are having a panic attack.

(b) The list of distractions: This list will have all kinds of things that have helped you in the past when you were having a panic attack. You can also update the list when you try other distractions and find out that you enjoy them.

(c) A list of coping statements: Make a list of coping statements that you can read while having a panic attack. These should be statements that counteract negative thoughts that creep in during a panic attack.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Panic Attacks Information - 7 Tidbits to Keep You Informed and Prevent Future Attacks


By Lincoln Broaders

Panic attacks are a condition that impact millions of people each year. Although the cause is unknown, there is some research to support the fact that certain people are genetically predisposed to the condition. Attacks are usually brought on when a particularly stressful event takes place in life, such as graduating from college or university, marrying, having a child or getting divorced. If other members of your family suffer from the condition, then you may have an increased risk of also being afflicted and should stay up-to-date on the latest panic attacks information.

Tidbit #1: Symptoms of Panic Attack Disorder

The following are symptoms which strongly indicate that you may be suffering from an attack: racing heartbeat, difficulty breathing (the feeling of not being able to get enough air or hyperventilating), paralyzing terror, shaking and sweating, chest pains, dizziness, nausea, choking, chills or hot flashes, pins and needles sensations in the out extremities and a fear that you are either going crazy or that you are going to die. Studies are ongoing and panic attacks information regarding symptoms continues to be updated.

Tidbit #2: Are Panic Attacks Dangerous?

Although an attack can occur without warning and there is no way to predict or prevent it, you should know that it is not dangerous and it will pass. It will most likely occur quite suddenly, without any indication that it is going to occur. An episode will only last for a few minutes because it is the body's "fight or flight" response that has taken over and your body cannot sustain this response for longer than a few minutes. That being said; however, an attack can occur repeatedly for several hours.

Tidbit #3: Do You Have Panic Attack Disorder?

Most of us will experience some sort of a "panic attack" at least occasionally. It is when you suffer from repeated, debilitating attacks that you should seek some sort of help. Some people suffer from such severe attacks that they are frightened to leave their homes and interact with society. If you live in constant fear of these types of attacks, then you are most likely suffering from this condition.

Tidbit #4: Are There Side Effect?

If left untreated, panic disorder may lead to phobias. For example, if you have an attack while driving, you may avoid driving and then develop a phobia about driving. Those who suffer from severe attacks spend more time in hospital emergency rooms because they may call 911 when they are suffering from an attack. Many have a high risk of suicide and tend to try to hide from dealing with reality by using drugs and alcohol.

Tidbit #5: What Causes An Attack?

Panic attack disorder may be genetic, although just because someone in your family has the condition, does not mean that you will also suffer from the same disorder. Panic attacks may be a side effect from taking certain medications and in these cases, may be temporary. A significant personal loss such as a breakup, a death in the family or of someone close or a significant change in your life such as quitting smoking or giving up caffeine can also be factors.

Tidbit #6: What Treatments Are Available?

There are wide arrays of treatments that can assist with panic attack disorder. If your case is severe, you may consider psychological therapy in conjunction with medication. There are also diet elimination options, such as avoiding alcohol and caffeine or other substances that can worsen the likelihood of panic attacks. Deep breathing techniques and yoga are also good solutions along with regular exercise which is a known stress reliever.

Tidbit #7: Looking At Your Life Experiences Can Help

If you had a traumatic childhood and were abused and/or neglected, this could be a cause your attacks. A great way to deal with this is to make some time for yourself each day, whether it is having some time alone reading, taking a bath (relaxing) or taking a walk, it is important to take some time for yourself each day. Writing in a journal can also help to a large extent, because you can express exactly how you are feeling, and as things improve, you can read back and see how far you have come.

Panic attack disorder can be debilitating, but it does not have to be. There are many treatments available. You need to access and explore your options and decide which treatment or combination of treatments will work best for you.