Sunday, January 13, 2013

Anxiety Disorder Symptoms

By Lothair Thibodeau


So you think you might have an anxiety disorder? But which one? How can you figure it out? Well, the easiest way is to go by your main symptoms. Let's see if we can sort them out.Panic Attacks.One of the key differences between anxiety disorders is the presence or absence of panic attacks. If you have panic attacks, then the most likely disorders that you may have are either post traumatic stress disorder or a phobia. Some clinicians also consider panic attacks themselves as a separate category.

Phobias - phobic objects or situations can trigger Panic disorders. Examples include Claustrophobia or fear of enclosed spaces and social phobia.Situational Associations - Those who have had a panic attack under certain situations might associate panic attacks under that condition. Exposure to the same or similar situation could very well escalate into another panic disorder.Psychological / Emotional Causes - Major life transitions, significant personal loss, tragic experiences, and other major life changes may also lead to anxiety and panic disorders.

Emotional symptoms are mainly an intense fear that they are about to die and, often, the belief that they are losing their minds.Have you had a life threatening situation in your recent past? Panic attacks are one of the main symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD. PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused by the stress of a life threatening situation. War veterans will typically suffer PTSD when they return from combat and try to readjust to civilian life. The death of or separation from a loved one can also cause PTSD.

If you are having panic attacks and have had a traumatic incident in your recent past, PTSD is likely the cause of your episodes.Are you scared of spiders, dogs, the dark or something else?If you freak out at the thought of a specific creepy crawler or hated creature, then the likely cause may be a phobia. Phobias are anxiety disorders that center on the fear of a specific thing, like a bug or snakes. If this is what you have then you have a phobia.

Treating anxiety can take time. For mild cases, psychotherapy may be enough while more sever cases may require medication as well. It has been observed that most people respond better to a combined treatment of both psychotherapy and drugs, however this varies on a case by case basis and will be determined over a period of time. A popular anxiety therapy is cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) which helps a person recognise the role their thoughts play in their anxiety and helps them to challenge their unrealistic thinking to overcome their fears.Other anxiety disorder treatments include self-help strategies such as meditation, biofeedback, visualizations as well as getting enough exercise and dietary adjustments. Many people will choose not to seek professional help especially at the beginning of their symptoms. It should be remembered that there is no shame in seeking help when you need it. If you are suffering from your symptoms, seek help as soon as possible.

For people that experience anxiety and panic attacks on a regular basis, it's not uncommon for these issues to go untreated for various reasons. Panic attack and anxiety sufferers may be so embarrassed, paranoid, and fearful that others may think they are "crazy" that they just do everything in their power to avoid situations that cause them to become anxious. Over time, many of these people start to lose hope that they will ever stop feeling anxious, and they may lock themselves away from the life and others that they once enjoyed, a mental disorder that's referred to as agoraphobia. When this happens, there can be some serious long-term consequences that the anxiety sufferer will end up with.

Causes of Panic Attacks,Based on information from the Mayo Clinic, this is a disorder that is often misunderstood, since the actual cause can be confusing. This is because people who have these attacks will have a sense of impending danger when there are no signs of danger near them. Some physicians say it is the body's way of protecting them from dangerous situations. However, the reasons for specific attacks have not been identified.Anxiety Disorders Symptoms - The signs and symptoms of the attack are similar in many cases. However, they are not always the exact same. In fact, when someone is watching an individual have an anxiety attack, they may call for emergency assistance because of some of the physical symptoms exhibited.

Physical Concerns.In addition, anxiety can cause other health problems to become worrisome or increase in occurrence. In fact, the health problems may be at the root of their worrisome tendency - it's a vicious cycle that has no end. For example, a person who is anxious about their stomach pains may go on to develop ulcers, which are life threatening. The more they worry about dying from their stomach pain, the worse their physical condition becomes. Or the person may become so depressed from not wanting to leave the house may be so worried that they develop social phobias and then even suicidal tendencies.

Unfortunately, these attacks are not discriminative, since they come on suddenly during the day or at night when the person is trying to sleep. These attacks are not diagnosed as a disorder, however, unless the person has at least four panic anxiety attacks within a space of four weeks.Panic Anxiety Disorder Treatment For those who have been diagnosed with the illness, it is important for them to seek professional help. While some medical professionals may recommend taking prescription medicine to avoid anxiety disorder symptoms, others professionals may recommend natural treatment.

With natural solutions, the person can use specific techniques to reduce and eliminate the attacks. In fact, some of these techniques can help with eliminating the attacks within seconds. These techniques can be used anywhere (i.e.at home, in the office, or in a shopping mall) and at any time.Effective panic attack techniques can also help the person with getting their confidence back. Once the person is confident, they can start their regular daily activities and get out again. The major key to getting rid of the attacks is to break the cycles of fear.Panic attack and anxiety disorder symptoms are suffered by millions of Americans. The signs and symptoms are similar but they can vary based on the individual. Natural techniques and solutions are available now and they are often preferred to taking prescribed medications alone. In any medical situation, try to avoid self-diagnosis and always pay your doctor a visit.




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