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Anxiety Disorder Cripples Lives

March 8th, 2008 admin Posted in Anxiety Information | No Comments »

Anxiety disorder illnesses can fill people’s lives with overwhelming anxiety and fears that are chronic, unrelenting and grow progressively worse. Anxiety disorders cause sufferers to feel a sense of constant worry, tension and impending doom.

Anxiety symptoms can become so severe that anxiety disorder sufferers are almost totally disabled, too terrified to leave their homes, to enter their office building, attend their children’s soccer games or shop for groceries. It is common for anxiety disorder to accompany depression, substance abuse (like alcohol) or another anxiety disorder.

Most anxiety sufferers experience significant physical symptoms including chest pain, shortness of breath, excessive sweating, muscle tightness and a feeling of dizziness. When anxiety is taking a toll, your body knows it. You have trouble sleeping, eating and concentrating. You get headaches, your stomach is upset and your heart races. It is often the frightening physical anxiety symptoms that prompt sufferers to seek help.

Many don’t realize that their physical symptoms are caused by anxiety until they see a doctor. Anxiety symptoms often produce a severe, unfounded state of worry about matters such as health, money, family or work. Because they are so intense, anxiety symptoms can cause a person to feel chronically tired and worn out all the time. Restful sleep does not come easily to anxiety sufferers.

Fortunately, through research supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, there are some effective treatments that can help. In fact, anxiety disorder is the most treatable form of mental illness. Treatment typically involves a combination of medication and therapy. Anxiety symptoms will vary from person to person but the common denominator is that they are all disruptive to the person’s life and negatively impact their ability to function. In addition to the severe mental anguish, anxiety symptoms often include significant physical discomfort like rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, stomach problems, muscle tension and headaches.

Many who suffer from anxiety panic attack symptoms rush to the hospital because they are convinced they are having a heart attack. People with social anxiety disorder may literally lose their voices and have breathing difficulties if faced with a situation where they have to do something as simple as introduce themselves to their coworkers. Anxiety information can go a long way toward helping sufferers and their families decide the best approach to treatment.

Many world-class facilities like the Midwest Center For Anxiety have conducted extensive research and can recommend treatment options. Many mental health professionals use the Beck Anxiety Inventory to help diagnose anxiety and find the best course of treatment. The Anxiety Disorder Association of America provides a wealth of information for anxiety suffers and their families. It is our earnest hope that this information will enhance your life and allow you to join the millions of people who have conquered anxiety disorder and gone on to live fearless, happy and meaningful lives.

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Brain Chemistry Ties Anxiety And Alcoholism

March 8th, 2008 admin Posted in Anxiety News | No Comments »

Doctors may one day be able to control alcohol addiction by manipulating the molecular events in the brain that underlie anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center report in the March 5 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

“The association of anxiety with increased alcohol use is a key factor in the initiation and maintenance of alcohol addition,” says Dr. Subhash Pandey, UIC professor of psychiatry and director of neuroscience alcoholism research, the lead author of the study. Previous research has shown that people with inherently high levels of anxiety are at an increased risk of becoming alcoholics. In addition, withdrawal of alcohol in chronic users is often accompanied by extreme anxiety.

“Alcoholics may feel a need to continue to drink alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate to reduce their anxiety and other unpleasant withdrawal symptoms,” said Pandey.

Pandey and his colleagues have discovered the molecular basis for the link between anxiety and alcohol addiction, which may help in identifying new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of alcohol addiction. The researchers found that a protein within neurons in the amygdala — the area of the brain associated with emotion and anxiety — controls the development of alcohol withdrawal symptoms and drinking behaviors in laboratory animals by changing the shape of the neurons. This change in shape affects the communication between neurons, leading to changes in behavior.

Neurons communicate by sending signals through branches called dendritic spines. The researchers found that short-term alcohol exposure increased the number of dendritic spines in certain regions of the amygdala, producing anti-anxiety effects. Alcohol-dependent animals eventually developed a tolerance to the anxiety-lowering effects of alcohol. The researchers traced the anti-anxiety effect to the production of a particular protein, Arc, in response to a nerve growth factor called BDNF that is stimulated by alcohol exposure. BDNF is vital in the functioning and maintenance of neurons.

When alcohol was withheld from animals that had been chronically exposed, they developed high anxiety. Levels of BDNF and Arc — and the number of dendritic spines — were decreased in the amygdala. But the researchers were able to eliminate the anxiety in the alcohol-dependent animals by restoring BDNF and Arc to normal levels. Pandey suggested that an initial easing of anxiety may encourage people to begin to use alcohol, while for chronic users, a lack of alcohol provokes high anxiety, creating a need to continue drinking to feel normal.

The researchers blocked Arc production in normal rats by injecting a complementary sequence to Arc gene DNA into the central amygdala. They found that when levels of Arc in the central amygdala were lowered, the spines decreased and anxiety and alcohol consumption increased. When levels of Arc were returned to normal three days post-injection, anxiety and alcohol consumption also returned to normal. In a previous study, researchers found that lowering BDNF in amygdala promoted anxiety and alcohol drinking.

“This is the first direct evidence of the molecular processes occurring in the neurons that is responsible for the co-morbidity of anxiety and alcoholism, which we believe plays a major role in the addictive nature of alcohol,” said Pandey. “This offers the possibility of new therapeutic target — BDNF-Arc signaling and associated dendritic spines in the amygdala — or new drug development.”

“These observations by Dr. Pandey’s research group provide an insight into the link between alcohol and anxiety and could be used to identify new targets for developing medications that alleviate withdrawal-induced anxiety and potentially modify a motivation for drinking,” said Antonio Noronha, director of neuroscience and behavior research at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

The work was supported by grants from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Huaibo Zhang, Rajesh Ugale, Anand Prakash, Tiejun Xu and Kaushik Misra of the UIC College of Medicine and the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center also contributed to the study.

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Is There Really a Fail Safe Anxiety Cure?

March 8th, 2008 admin Posted in Anxiety | No Comments »

There are numerous cures for anxiety, but not every treatment will work for everyone who has anxiety. However before you try any sort of anxiety cure you must discuss the matter with your doctor first.You may well find that the anxiety attacks you are having are caused by a medical problem.

Usually the first cure for anxiety that a Dr will offer is medication which he will prescribe for you. When anti anxiety medications are provided your doctor will need to regularly monitor the situation to see what effect the treatment is having upon you. If one treatment is not helping you then he will change your medication until you find one that works. However, along with medication there are other steps one can take in order to help cure your anxiety.

Firstly, if you want to help bring your anxiety under control you will need to make changes to your lifestyle along with your dietary habits. If you are taking any It is important that in the future, you eat plenty of fresh healthy ingredients and you start to take some regular form of exercise.

If you are having problems with using medication because it is causing you, unwanted side effects there are other cures that one can try. For example, your doctor may suggest you undergo a course of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The sessions you undergo each week will last for around 12 to 20 weeks and will either take place one on one or in a group. These sessions you will find help you make changes in the way that you think and act.

Another thing that you can do in order to help control your anxiety is learning some relaxation techniques. Ask your doctor if they have any techniques that they can suggest you try. Certainly one technique you should be learning is how to control your breathing. There are plenty of places online that can show and tell you what you need to do in order to get your breathing under control and so suppress an anxiety attack from occurring.

Another one of the great cures for anxiety is to ensure that you get a good nights sleep. The problem faced by many who suffer from anxiety is that they find it difficult to sleep because their mind is still racing away. Therefore, in order for you to get a good nights sleep, you need to let your body and mind completely relaxes a couple of hours before you go to do. Find some that is restful for example read a book or just run yourself a relaxing warm bath. What you should not be doing is running around do those jobs that you should have done earlier on in the evening. source

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Tips On Managing Anxiety

March 8th, 2008 admin Posted in Anxiety Information | No Comments »

Finding someone that has not suffered from a degree of anxiety at some stage of their lives is very hard. It is estimated that over nineteen million people in the U.S. alone are having problems dealing with the feelings of anxiety. The effects can range from mild sensitivity right up to full blown debilitating and frightening episodes. The good news is that with the right attitude and some practice we can limit the effect that it has on our lives. These tips are based on my own experiences from many years of dealing with anxiety.

The first thing to do is to become aware of when an attack is likely to occur and be prepared for it. Sure there will be times when you will be thrown in to a situation that is uncomfortable and you will have no immediate way out, but if we can recognize the signs early we have a chance to take hold of the situation before it becomes a full blown attack. Tuning in to your body and the way it reacts in certain situations can be the best method for early detection of the on-set of an attack.

When we start to feel anxious as hard as it may seem we need to calm down and relax and reassure ourselves that we can get through this. If you can master the art of calming yourself down before things get out of hand you will notice a huge difference in the way you are able to handle yourself. I found that once I was able to relax and have even a small amount of control over the situation my confidence rose and as a result I was able to see some light at the end of what was a very dark and long tunnel at the time.

Breathe! And then breathe some more! Not just small gasping breaths, but if at all possible take long deep breaths in and out until you feel the tension being removed with each breathe. Taking deep breaths can also help in another way, instead of focusing on the horrible feelings you are having at the time shift your focus to your breathing. Try concentrating on the air going in and out of your mouth or nose or concentrate on the rise and fall of your chest. If you can manage to take the focus off what is causing your anxiety even just for a moment you give yourself a good chance to relax and take control of your feelings.

Another great idea is the use of relaxation techniques, something that can take you away from your surroundings and let your mind slip in to neutral for a little while. This can be very beneficial in processing the thoughts and feelings that you may have had during the day that caused you grief. These techniques can work in improving your ability to handle any unwanted feelings and bring about improved mental strength so you are better prepared for the next time you get that familiar uneasy feeling. source

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Causes and Treatment of Anxiety

March 8th, 2008 admin Posted in Anxiety Treatment | No Comments »

Sometimes we cannot avoid the feeling of anxiety. All of us experience anxiety when we’re faced with traumatic events or stressful situation, like when we have a family problem or feel stressed out at the prospect of asking the boss for a raise. We worry and fret regarding of those problem. Anxiety is part of our natural response. This is the way of the body of warning us of possible danger ahead.

Anxiety is overwhelming you with fear and worry, preventing you from living your life the way you’d like to, you may be distress from an anxiety disorder. The effective treatment for anxiety disorder and attack is relaxation techniques, therapy, and a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet. It will help you to take back control of your life and reduce anxiety.

If you are considering herbal remedies for anxiety, then consider Relagen. Realgen is effective herbal remedy for your anxiety, among entire natural anti depressant or anxiety drugs, it performs effectively. Every certain amount of stress is normal, but if you are experiencing anything like anxiety or feelings of sadness or depression, like relationship problems, trouble with a relationship, money problems, sleeping issues, an addiction, and weight gain, then you are most likely to be experiencing the advance normal level of stress. Relagen can help you treat anxiety, look at a positive life, feel great, feel good about yourself, be proud of yourself, smile again the way you used to, conquer your negative feelings and enjoy the company of your friends and family.

Without knowing exactly why you’re feeling that way, you may experience free-floating anxiety. Anxiety disorders can get many forms. Strong panic attacks that strike without warning may happen suddenly. You may have a fear of an object or situation that doesn’t seem to bother other people; in this case you’re suffering from anxiety.

All anxiety disorders share one thing in common, despite their different forms, fear or worry, often overwhelming and persistent. The characteristic of anxiety disorders include interferes with normal activities like going outside or interacting with other people, anxiety which causes self-imposed isolation or emotional withdrawal and anxiety which is constant, unrelenting, and very strong. Anxiety can also unenthusiastically impact your personal relationships and work. Alcoholism, depression, and low self-esteem are the problem that may lead your life and take you to anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable.

Panic attacks or anxiety attacks, are unforeseen episodes of intense fear and terror. Without warning, anxiety attacks, and even if the fear is usually unreasonable, the seeming danger is very real. Shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations or pounding heart, nausea or stomach distress , chest pain or discomfort, ear of losing control or going crazy, trembling or shaking and hot or cold flashes are symptoms of anxiety attack.

Do not let anxiety ruin your life; treat it by using herbal remedy. Actually, there are plenty out there, just choose the right one. source

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