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Thursday, May 17. |
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A Specific Definition of Anxiety Disorder
Is your heart racing? Does it feel like it's about to pound right out of your chest? Then of course your throat is feeling tight, and your ability to breathe seems to diminish. Add in the nausea and you'll find that all of these are accompanies with overwhelming fear. You can't get control over yourself, and death is right around the corner.
Even though it doesn't always feel this way, this is a panic attack. If you've experienced any of this, you may be one of many who have a panic disorder. It's important to understand that a panic disorder is a category of an anxiety disorder. While the number may seem small, 2-3% of anxiety sufferers are affected by this condition. However, around thirty percent of the patients may experience panic attacks at some point.
The truth is panic disorders are misunderstood. We don't know how they come about exactly, or even what makes someone like yourself susceptible to them. Then again, we do know it appears in the teenage years and early adulthood. Oddly enough, more women are hit with panic disorder than men.
The symptoms won't always be the same between each individual either. In fact, some situations last a few minutes while others can last for 30. If you're wondering if what you're enduring is a panic attack, then you need to look at the symptoms. They are anything from chest pain, breathing difficulties, the feeling of doom or shaking and trembling to, nausea and vomiting, hot or cold flashes, or feeling faint. The important issue is that they come out of nowhere.
A good way to control your panic disorder is by avoiding the places that are associated with a panic attack. If the case is more severe, the individual may not want to leave his or her home. Instead, the comfort of familiar surrounding is more comfortable. Keep in mind this doesn't always resolve the problem, and can create other issues.
Research has found some potential causes of panic disorder. If the person previously had a bad experience, they may relate any symptoms experienced then as a harbinger of bad things to come.
You will find that there are several treatments for panic disorder. Whether or not they're the right one for you remains to be seen. For instance, if you head to the doctor and they prescribe anti-depressants, they probably won't work. In fact, they've pretty much been proven not to work. Instead it's more like they freeze your emotion, and come with side effects and possible addiction.
For those that prefer more natural means of treatment, there are some options. Sleep, exercise, diet and relaxation can all play a role in anxiety disorder. According to scientific research, getting eight to ten hours of sleep a night can reduce anxiety by up to 50%. They are also some very good self-help book worth reading.
Experts will tell you that stress is a major player in panic disorder. So if you're incurring several stressful situations, you have to look for the most appropriate relievers. Exercise is probably the #1 choice. Plus, even though it helps with stress, it can help you maintain healthy body weight. This will give you a proper hormonal balance.
Another area to look further into is the use of food. Research has discovered that some foods can increase anxiety. Things like coffee, dairy products, refined sugar, honey, and even maple syrup on those pancakes or waffles. So we recommend keeping a food log and figure it out for yourself.
Relaxation can also be helpful. Whenever you are relaxed, anxiety and fear seem to diminish. It allows the nerves to become more stable, which in turn helps for those stressful situations and times. So you may want to try something like Yoga and meditation. Then of course there is aromatherapy, which helps you relax and keep the stress at bay.
While it may not be possible to completely cure your panic disorder, these treatments can help reduce the severity of it. This will enable you to live a somewhat normal life without the constraints imposed by the disorder.