The Anxiety Disorder Child - When Should You Be Concerned?

Children Get Panic Attacks Too: How to Help an Anxiety Disorder Child

It is a common misconception that stress, anxiety and panic attacks only happen to adults, when things like work, family security and monthly bills give them reason to be tense and to worry. Kids, though, also have ample reason to be stressed. Exams, puberty, as well as the yearning to be liked and to be accepted in school can all contribute to a child's anxiety and tension. Most of the time, like the rest of the adult world, children can cope with different stressful situations and rarely do these instances develop into full-blown panic attacks. But there are times though, when we do encounter an anxiety disorder child and the attacks he experiences may even be more damaging than those experienced by adults.

The years before children and adolescents reach their teen years can be a very challenging period. Besides the different physical changes they are undergoing, children are just beginning to learn about the real world and are also wrestling with different new emotions such as jealousy, love and the need to be accepted by their peers. Often, kids are able to handle these emotions well and grow up into confident, successful adults. Sometimes, though, since children still don't have enough experience to properly deal with different stressors, anxiety disorders can develop and they can turn into an anxiety disorder child. If not treated right away the child may grow up bearing more serious disorders and phobias (fears).

An anxiety disorder child also exhibits the same symptoms as adults who experience anxiety attacks. He may have palpitations, feel flushed, have cold sweats and hyperventilate. His attacks may prevent him from enjoying the company of his friends, can interrupt his schoolwork and even make him moody and unpredictable. Early detection of an anxiety disorder child is the best way to help him fight anxiety attacks and prevent them from becoming more frequent or more serious. The following are some signs you can refer to, to see if your kid is developing an anxiety disorder.

• Separation anxiety. Most kids are scared of going to school for the first time and being separated from their parents, but these fears soon vanish when they meet other children and become comfortable in the school setting. Some children, though, still remain clingy and won't allow their parents to leave them in school by crying or by throwing a tantrum. This behavior, called separation anxiety, also occurs whenever the parents leave the child at home or any other place. Crying, tantrums, yelling and screaming are some ways by which a child tries to make his parents stay. A lot of events may cause separation anxiety such as a divorce, changes in routine or the fear of being alone.

• Social phobia. An anxiety disorder child with social phobia is extremely shy to a point that even speaking in front of the class causes him great distress. Sometimes, children with social phobia beg parents to let them stay at home just so they miss school presentations and other events that require them to be in front of a group of people. The symptoms of a panic attack often set in when the child with social phobia is with a group of people or if he is at the center of attention: he starts to shake, his heart races and he feels nauseous or dizzy.

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Because children have a different perspective of the world, they often do not realize that they worry excessively about simple things. An anxiety disorder child with GAD might stay up all night stressing over a first date or he may fret too much over an exam that is still a month away.

• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Certain unfortunate events may set a harmful cycle for children. An ugly divorce, for example, may cause kids to avoid and be scared of certain places that they used to go to as a family. A traumatic car accident may cause children to be extremely fearful of riding any kind of vehicle. Still others who were abused as children may experience recurring nightmares and might be unresponsive to and fearful of adults.

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This is a common disorder in both children and adults characterized by recurrent fears or thoughts that in turn, cause them to do a particular behavior pattern or action repeatedly. An anxiety disorder child who is fearful of germs, bacteria and of getting sick, for instance, may insist on washing his hands every hour. Children with OCD develop certain rituals, believing that these rituals can keep something bad from happening.

Just because children face seemingly less stressful situations than adults, doesn't mean that they don't have panic attacks. Anxiety and stress can cause as much harm in a child as in an adult. But with enough love, care, respect and proper treatment, even an anxiety disorder child can grow up to be a happy, well-adjusted adult.

What Are Common Panic Attack Symptoms?

You're pretty sure you've had a panic attack. Whatever it was, it was pretty scary and you'd like to know more about it and how to stop it from coming back. One of the first things you'll need to understand a little better are the various symptoms.

While each person suffering from panic attacks may have slightly different feelings or chain of events they go through leading up to their attacks, there are a few fairly common symptoms or combinations that most people will experience.

These symptoms include:

• Hyperventilation or some difficulty with breathing

• Tingling feelings in some or several parts of the body

• An extremely rapid heart beat or irregularities of the heartbeat

• Tightness throughout the chest area

• Dizziness or feelings of losing consciousness

• Feelings that are variously described as quivering, quaking or shuddering

• A queasy stomach

• Feeling of being disconnected from the body or mind

• Sweating even though the surrounding temperature seems normal

• Excessive fear of dying

• Fear of losing control of the body

Panic attacks are a little strange in that they can occur at almost any time and in any situation. That's what makes them such a challenge to beat. They usually only continue for a few minutes. Sometimes they can last up to as long as half an hour, but rarely longer.

Lots of times, for whatever reasons a person will only have one or two panic attacks and then never have another. Perhaps, the issue that was causing the extra stress in their life is settled and things become fairly normal again.

But, if the attacks continue they will probably come at shorter intervals and can be tied to particular events or situations. The repeated attacks will more than likely lead to constant concern about having more panic attacks which will have a major impact upon a person's behavior and outlook on life. If the attacks continue to elevate then the development of panic disorder is a possibility.

The symptoms of panic disorder include:

• Repetitive and unanticipated attacks not related to any one condition or location

• Continual concern about having more attacks leading to increasingly higher and higher levels of fear with less time where there are feelings of normalcy

• Fairly sweeping changes in behavior because of the attacks-including avoiding situations and locations where panic attacks have happened in the past because there is a feeling these situations or locations are the cause of the attacks

These are the symptoms of panic attacks and panic disorders. If you believe you, or someone you know, are suffering from any of these symptoms take the steps to more fully understand the symptoms and get some tools to help deal with them.

Preventing Panic Attacks - 5 Secrets to Preventing Panic Attacks

Learn Five Simple Secrets To Preventing Panic Attacks.

1) Diet

I'm sure you've heard it said that: "you are what you eat - from your head down to your feet." And maybe that didn't make a whole lot of sense as kid, but it sure makes sense when you grow up. If you want control anxiety attacks, a great place to start is with your diet. Right off the bat, eliminate or limit the intake of alcohol and caffeine. Sure, I know, this may seem much easier said than done, but it's worth the effort and you can start small.

Next, incorporate fruits and vegetables into your daily eating habits. The goal is to calm your nerves and alkalize the body and what is being recommended is the blueprint of how it's done.

Finally, take in as much protein as possible. Protein is the source of the body's neurotransmitters.

2) Regular Exercise

Do this on a regular basis. Exercise helps to keep the mind and body centered and calm. There are two types of exercise - calming and vigorous forms. Most doctors advise getting in both.

My experience has taught me that both forms are complimentary. As an example, some days I'll start with a run or weight lifting, and then move on to yoga.

This is many people's secret for staying calm and balanced. By alternating vigorous and calming form of exercise, you are working both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The active and passive, yin and yang, of this method will make you solid as a rock.

3) Emotional Lifelines and Support

No man is an island. What is life without someone else to share our experiences with?

We all need social interactions and friends. So, go out today and make some new friends and renew ties with old ones. Get outside of yourself and share your thoughts, hopes, and desires.

See if you don't feel more calm and connected after committing to this simple step.

4) Stay Busy

When someone is full of anxiety, doing nothing is the worst thing that can be done. The reason is simple. If you sit around the house and mope, your subconscious brain will easily find ways of placing increasingly negative thoughts in your head.

But, conversely, if you keep yourself preoccupied and busy, your thoughts will remain on the tasks at hand and your brain will have very little room left for conjuring up negative thoughts.

This often-overlooked technique is one of the most effective techniques in preventing panic attacks.

5) Behavioral Cognitive Therapy

This involves training the brain. Maybe you didn't know that the brain actually has the ability of being trained.

Neither did I until I learned a technique called "The One Move Technique". It's a simple but powerful method that demonstrates how to transfer brain activity from the overly emotional midbrain to the purely logical forebrain.

By doing this, you are taken away from a place of heightened panic and anxiety to a state of calm. I learned this last technique from the product referenced below. It has literally been the saving grace in my life and the key in the battle of preventing panic attacks.

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.

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.

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.