Types Of Anxiety Disorders

Common Anxieties and Their Symptoms

There are numerous types of anxiety disorders − all of which manifest themselves through different symptoms and can be triggered by multiple causes. This article outlines a few common types of anxieties and their symptoms.

Panic Attacks

Have you have ever found yourself getting ready for an interview, standing in front of an audience, or preparing to present a big speech? Then suddenly your heart is pounding; your palms are sweaty; chills are running down your spine; your knees are trembling; your face and ears are bright red; your mouth is dry, and your mind has drawn a complete blank. All this happens despite all your careful preparations. If this happens, then you are probably suffering from a panic attack.

PTSD

Traumatic events and emergencies cause anxiety as well; waiting outside a hospital emergency room or a delivery room can create symptoms of anxiety. People find themselves pacing restlessly, acting hyperactive, nervous, or tense and irritable. As the time spent waiting grows longer, they may also end up losing sleep or their appetite, and end up exhausted and fatigued.

Victims of a major life trauma, a serious accident, or other tragedy may exhibit these symptoms over a prolonged time, which could lead to serious psychological and physiological problems. They may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, symptoms which include: hallucinations, insomnia, nightmares, flashbacks and intense physical pain (such as chest pain), sweating, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, fainting, frequent urination, or weakness. Emotionally, they may experience difficulty concentrating or focusing on work; they display radical mood swings, bursting into tears for no apparent reasons; experience emotional numbness, develop a phobia to certain places, people, or situations; or lose interest in activities they used to enjoy. They can feel lonely, even in a crowd. All these symptoms can lead to clinical depression.

Separation Anxiety

Children who suffer from separation anxiety throw tantrums, cry endlessly, refuse to go to sleep, refuse to go to school, or cling to their parents or care giver. Teenagers who suffer anxiety tend to be shy, overly irritable and argumentative with their parents, and may have a hard time concentrating on school work. They may suffer from physical symptoms such as headaches, upset stomach, trembling or tense muscles, or fatigue.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Another type of anxiety disorder is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. OCD symptoms include a number of different categories:

Washers (compulsively washes hands)
Checkers (repeatedly checks to see if the doors are locked, or oven is off)
Doubters (doubts if anything is ever done correctly or perfectly)
Counters (obsessed with numbers, arrangements, colors)
Hoarders (hoards useless things in the fear that something bad may happen if they throw it away)

Social Anxiety Disorders

People suffering from phobic or social anxiety disorders exclude other people from their lives or avoid social gatherings or certain objects, events, or places in order to avoid “triggers” — reminders that could cause their anxiety. These phobias cause them to become aloof and reclusive.

Women often experience symptoms of anxiety more often than men and are more likely to develop anxiety disorders. Some attribute this to their biological hormonal fluctuations, such as menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. Some women show physiological symptoms of anxiety such as shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness, derealization, excessive worrying, headaches, sleep disorders, ennui, elevated blood pressure, fatigue, and mood swings.

While all undergo stressful periods in their lives, there are times when the stress and the symptoms they manifest can become overwhelming and debilitating. When this happens, don’t ignore the resulting anxiety; there are actions you can take to relieve both the symptoms and the causes of the stress. This website is here as a guide to help you through this process.

Treat Anxiety Yourself

How to Overcome Anxiety without Medication

We all worry on occasion. In fact, stress and worry can benefit us in certain situations: it can motivate us to meet critical deadlines, to study harder, or to take action on important problems that need addressing. But there are times when too much worrying can interfere with our ability to function on a daily basis. If you worry for hours and hours in a day, stress out every day, if it keeps you up at night, or if the stress prevents you from doing the things you normally enjoy, then such worry could be interfering in your life more than is healthy. Here are a few tips to try to treat anxiety yourself relief from anxiety.

Write it Down

If you find yourself agonizing over something that is worrying you, try to write it down. Self-observation and reflection can help you understand better the underlying issues that are causing your anxieties, which can help you create plans to overcome them. After a few days of this reflection, you may discover that the problems that are worrying you are not as big as you thought they were. You may even find that you don’t worry about them as frequently as you were before, which can further reduce the grip they have on you. Many people find that keeping journals or writing down their thoughts help them through anxiety-generating situations by letting them “release” the tensions they’ve created.

Put Things In Perspective

Once you have taken the time to write down your problems, put those anxieties into perspective. Ask yourself how probable it is that the problems you’re concerned about will actually come to pass. Ask yourself if you have really done all that you can to solve the problem. You may discover that you have more control of the situation than you realized; you may find out that you’ve exaggerated the negative aspects. These realizations help you focus on the deeper issues behind your anxiety, allowing you to gain a more positive perspective on things.

Make a Plan

Take control of your stress by writing down a concrete plan to address it. For every worry, write down two or three action items that you can do that let you overcome the stress or prevent the anxiety from starting. Just by outlining a plan, you can feel better and more in command of the situation.

Relaxation

Finally, relax. The physical symptoms of stress, such as headaches, muscle tension, or stomach upset, can be controlled by a variety of relaxation techniques. Practice a few of these simple ones, which can work wonders in relieving the physical symptoms of anxiety:

Deep breathing: Breathe in through your nose for a count of five. Hold for a count of five. Exhale through your mouth for a count of five. Breathing this way for five minutes helps your body release pent-up tension.
Progressive muscle relaxation: This is a technique in which you contract and hold tight each muscle for ten seconds. Then relax each subsequent muscle in your body. Start with your toes and feet, moving up each muscle in your body all the way to your face.
Visualization: Close your eyes and picture a calm, peaceful scene. Be as vivid and detailed as you can, complete with sounds and smells.
Yoga: Enroll in a yoga class to learn other exercises and meditation techniques that help teach you how to relax and calm your body.

If none of these suggestions help, or if your stress is too overwhelming, it may be time to seek professional guidance. A therapist can help you find clarity and perspective as well as help change negative thoughts into constructive, positive ones. If the anxiety is really severe, you may be suffering from generalized anxiety disorder. GAD is a condition that is best treated with a combination of medication and therapy. Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder include:

Having problems concentrating
Problems sleeping
Overwhelming anxiety
Restlessness
Muscle tension
Fatigue
Irritability

Most everyday anxieties can be resolved without medical intervention. But it’s important to recognize when you can treat anxiety yourself versus when symptoms become debilitating and you need to seek real help.

Holistic Alternatives For Anxiety

Holistic Alternatives to Ease Your Anxiety

Anxiety can make sufferers miserable and interfere with their everyday lives by making social situations difficult or a by a loss of self-esteem. Attacks can occur without warning and can even appear without an apparent trigger. Fortunately, there are numerous remedies for anxiety, and if you know the cause, dealing with it is even easier.

Not everybody reacts to remedies in the same way. One type of remedy may be a lifesaver for one person, but have no effect at all on another. Individuals have to find the right solutoion best suited for them. This may mean experimenting with different types and combinations of therapies and strategies. If you can find out what the root cause of your anxiety is, you may be able to avoid it. You may find that the amount of anxiety you suffer is greatly reduced.

For most people, the anxiety solution that comes to mind first is drugs. Some commonly used antidepressant medications are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs and benzodiazepines. This option is only available while under a doctor’s care and by prescription since it’s important to obtain the proper balance of positive results against the negative side effects.

Your doctor may also recommend therapy. One of the more common therapies for anxiety is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is often used in combination with medication. CBT helps users transform negative, destructive thought patterns into positive, proactive ones as they work to address the underlying cause of their anxiety. This is most often performed by a trained psychiatrist or psychologist, but you can also find online courses and materials.

Natural Alternatives

If you are wary of drugs and doctors, there are a wide variety of natural and holistic options including:

Relaxation Exercises
Herbs
Acupuncture
Breathing Exercises
Massage

Herbal Remedies

Herbs such as Kava, valerian or passion flower have been used to great effect for centuries as a way to combat anxiety – particularly in Eastern cultures such as China. Although the side effects are much less severe than prescribed medications, herbal remedies do contain some side effects and should be taken with caution. In particular, be careful with Kava as it can cause liver damage, even when used short-term.

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation exercises such as yoga and QiGong, balance the chemicals in your body and help both your body and mind relax. Breathing exercises help increase the body’s intake of oxygen. Both Yoga and QiGong are known to be effective in lowering anxiety as well as the intensity and frequency of anxiety-caused panic attacks. Going to a massage therapist or an acupuncturist on a weekly basis may also help reduce anxiety levels – not to mention an enjoyable and relaxing experience in itself.

Exercise

Exercise is another way to treat anxiety at home without a prescription. Thirty minutes of exercise a day not only distracts your mind from the issues and problems causing your anxiety, it also has the added benefit of making you healthier overall.

It may take a bit of experimenting with different techniques and combinations to find the therapies that are most effective for you. A holistic approach is usually more effective than relying on one treatment only. For instance, a person with work-caused stress might attempt to lower the amount of work related responsibilities they take on, go to a yoga class or gym after work, practice meditation and deep breathing exercises, as well as seeing a psychologist for therapy and taking prescription medications (if the natural methods aren’t working). The most important factor in allowing therapy to work for you is having a positive attitude.

Believing that the treatment you decide will be successful, often times, bring success. Likewise, if you’re convinced your treatment will fail, it probably will. Perseverance and confidence are the keys to positive results.

Anxiety Cure: Drugs Or Therapy

The Anxiety Solution: Drugs vs Therapy

As many as 40 million Americans show symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, modern medicine has yet to find a cure. It’s most common for people suffering from anxiety disorders to combine medication with therapy to manage and treat their symptoms. What ultimately helps “cure” the anxiety is therapy, along with the patients’ hard work.

Treatment Method

Which cures anxiety, drugs or therapy? Here is a longstanding debate over which treatment method is most effective, be it medication or any of the various therapies. There are positives and negatives to each mode of treatment. Every individual who struggles with anxiety has his or her own preferences and style. Medications can be effective. However, they really only address the symptoms. Yet once those symptoms subside, patients are better able to tackle the underlying core issues.

This is where therapy comes in. Some people prefer a drug-free method because of the risks of side effects and potential dependence upon medication. But for others, it just seems so much easier to take a pill. Understand, however, that anxiety symptoms can return after you stop taking medication. Symptoms do not typically come back after therapy ends, so it would appear that therapy is a more effective long-term treatment choice.

Types of Therapy

The most common types of therapy used to treat anxiety are cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure therapy. When patients confront their anxiety-inducing issues, they learn how to better cope and manage those issues.

In cognitive-behavioral therapy, patients learn how to replace and “turn off” negative anxieties with more positive thoughts.

Exposure therapy gradually exposes patients, in a controlled, safe environment, to the situations that caused their anxiety. By experiencing this slow exposure to the stressful setting, patients discover that negative consequences do not always result from the situation, and their anxiety diminishes naturally.

Results

These kinds of therapy are time intensive — that is, you don’t see immediate results overnight. They definitely won’t work without enormous effort by the patient. It doesn’t happen, as often seen in movies and television, where a patient talks to a therapist for one hour a week — although talk therapy is certainly a component of the treatment.

For therapy to have positive results, patients have to practice what they learn after they leave the therapy session. Whenever they feel an anxiety coming on, the patient has to remember the techniques he or she learned in therapy and employ them to prevent the anxiety from taking over. These techniques can include breathing exercises, meditation, or writing exercises. Each method is designed to make stressful situations appear less threatening and stressful.

Currently, an actual cure for anxiety remains to be found, but scientists continue to discover the underlying physiology and psychology behind the anxiety symptoms. Medications and therapy techniques continue to be improved. Hopefully, someday, a cure may be found.

So which is the ideal course of action to deal with anxiety, drugs or therapy? Ultimately, the best way forward is to combat the symptoms with medication, address the root causes with therapy and for the individual suffering from anxiety, to work hard and persevere.

Anxiety Causes

Causes and Symptoms of Anxiety

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is our body’s natural reaction to a perceived threat or danger. This response may include feelings of worry, fear or nervousness, and over time may lead to depression. Within moderation, anxiety can be useful: it helps us to focus, spurs us to action, and helps us solve looming problems. Persistent or overpowering anxiety can lead to serious conditions, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD. Understanding anxiety causes can help detect the symptoms of anxiety.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Physical symptoms of anxiety may include:

Trembling
Upset stomach
Muscle tension
Headaches
Diarrhea
Nausea
Heart palpitations
Sweating
Flushed face

The emotional symptoms of anxiety include:

Irritability
Trouble concentrating
Restlessness
Nervousness and apprehensiveness
Insomnia
Feeling as though your mind is going blank
Believing only in the worst possible outcomes

Causes of Anxiety

There are multiple theories about how anxiety and its causes develop. It is usually a combination of genetic, psychological, physical, biological, and life experiences. External factors that can trigger anxiety include:

Stress from personal relationships, whether marital, family, or friendship
Emotional trauma from a death or separation from loved ones
Workplace stress
Having been victimized by a crime
Financial stress
A serious or chronic illness
Medication side effects
Intoxication or chemical dependency

Our body’s reaction to these events is what triggers the anxiety. The amygdala, an almond-sized organ within the brain, performs a primary function in forming and storing memories connected to emotional events. This organ triggers the body’s flight or fight response to threatening situations and controls our anxiety.

An imbalance of chemicals and neurotransmitters in the brain may be the cause of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Two of these transmitters, noradrenalin and serotonin, are believed to influence anxiety. When the levels of these chemicals are out of balance, they may cause mood swings or increase the chances of an anxiety-related condition like GAD.

Types of Anxiety

Experts have identified six major kinds of anxiety disorders. Each has its own distinctive symptoms. These disorders are:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic Disorder (or anxiety attacks)
Phobias
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Separation Anxiety
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: People suffering from GAD worry endlessly and are constantly nervous and panicked about every possible activity or event.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: This is a disorder that causes sufferers to have unwelcome or recurring feelings, thoughts, or sensations which drive them to compulsively repeat certain behaviors. Examples of these obsessive behaviors include worrying about germs or keeping items in a precise order. Examples of compulsive behavior include counting objects, zealously avoiding cracks in the sidewalk, or fanatically refusing to touch doorknobs.

Panic Disorder: This anxiety disorder causes an individual to suffer recurring episodes of intense fear that things are going wrong or that something terrible is going to happen.

Phobias: A phobia is an irrational fear that results in the sufferer deliberately avoiding the feared object, situation, or activity in a way that interferes with their ability to function. Some common phobias and anxiety causes include fear of heights, open spaces, air travel, insects, and social anxiety.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): This is an intense anxiety disorder that occurs following a life-threatening or traumatic event.

Separation Anxiety Disorder: A disorder normally experienced by children, Separation Anxiety Disorder occurs when a child becomes exceedingly upset at the thought of being separated from their care-giving adults, typically a parent.

Social Anxiety Disorder: An overwhelming, persistent fear of a possible embarrassing, humiliating interpersonal situation. Extreme shyness can be considered to be Social Anxiety Disorder. In severe cases, people with SAD may avoid social situations entirely.

Do Supplements Work For Anxiety?

Vitamins & Supplements to Treat Anxiety

Some specialists refer to anxiety as being mental. Others believe it to be physical. Currently, the popular opinion is that it may be connected to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Herbs are now being viewed as anxiety treatments.

How Can A Vitamin Deficiency Result In Anxiety?

Truly, deficiencies may or may not cause anxiety. As for an official verdict, well, we’re still waiting on that one. However, current studies on herbal supplements for anxiety seem promising, and they may be possibly introducing one more method in handling panic issues.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies could potentially bring about anxiety, or may add to the existing anxiety of someone who already suffers from panic attacks.

The functions that permit a person to experience anxiety, and then relax, are multifaceted. If a single element of the system isn’t performing correctly, a person may have too much or too little of a reaction to a given situation. In addition, brain synapses rely on the correct amount of vitamin and mineral consumption and utilization in the body.

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

Most vitamin and mineral supplements aren’t usually used to fix a deficiency. Rather, most vitamins and minerals help with anxiety by generating an effect, such as a feeling of composure and tranquility.

Vitamin D

Commonly known to be effective in the avoidance of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), vitamin D potentially eases anxiety as well.

Vitamin D, which is so often referred to as “the sunshine vitamin,” is a prerequisite to a hormone. Because we live so much of our life indoors, there are a lot of people today who suffer from a vitamin D deficiency.

Until now, studies connecting vitamin D to anxiety are incomplete and haven’t been broad enough to draw a conclusion. However, there does seem to be a link. You can go to the doctor for a very simple blood screening in order to tell if you have a vitamin D deficiency. If you do, taking supplements can assist with that tremendously.

B Vitamins

Vitamin B is a forerunner in supplementation studies for anxiety. The B vitamin is not just one single vitamin, but rather a clan of vitamins, which includes B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacinamide), B6 (pyroxidone), and B12 (cobalamin). There are even more components of the B vitamin family, but these four have the biggest potential in fending off anxiety.

B vitamins stabilize the body’s level of lactates, which are related to the cycle of feeling anxious and then feeling calm. They also work directly on the nervous system.

B vitamins must be taken daily in order to generate a general soothing effect.

Magnesium

Because so many foods have their crucial nutrients removed during processing, it’s not uncommon to have a magnesium deficiency. What’s worse is that magnesium is used up during stressful times. Consuming magnesium supplements can create a feeling of peace.

Actually, magnesium is often suggested by health practitioners when someone is having trouble sleeping. The feeling of tranquility it produces can help provide better sleep.

However, remember that consuming too much magnesium can result in a laxative effect. This should be a supplement that is taken in slow doses, starting with the smallest recommended dose. To see how it affects you, take magnesium on a daily basis.

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)

Normally, GABA is formed within the body from glutamic acid. Vitamin B assists with this conversion.

If you aren’t producing enough GABA, your brain’s neurotransmitters potentially won’t function properly, and the consequence of this is anxiety. Slight drowsiness may be a side effect of GABA. If you find sleepiness to be a side effect, try taking it right before bed.

Ademetionine (SAM-e)

Another chemical physically produced in the body, SAM-e is an amino acid that appears to amplify the amount of serotonin, also known as the “feel-good” chemical, in the brain.

Consuming SAM-e supplements has been reported to lower anxiety and even ease some types of muscular pain.

Keep in mind that large doses of SAM-e have been linked with irritability and anxiety, so use caution when taking supplements. If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, SAM-e is not a supplement you should take. You should also not mix SAM-e supplements with any other anti-depressants.

5-HTP

5-HTP, a building block of serotonin produced in the body, has been reported to reduce anxiety by increasing the level of endorphins in the body. This creates a feeling of comfort. 5-HTP supplements are removed from the seeds of the griffonia plant.

Since 5-HTP may cause drowsiness, exercise caution when consuming this supplement. There isn’t a lot of information on how 5-HTP interacts with other medications, so be sure to discuss this with your doctor before beginning any sort of treatment.

Herbal Supplements

St. John’s Wort extract is thought to increase serotonin levels in the brain if taken daily. While taking St. John’s Wort, wear extra sunscreen and be cautions with sun exposure, as it can cause sensitivity to the sun and may even generate dark patches on the skin. St. John’s Wort should not be taken in combination with other anti-depressants.
Kava Kava is an herb that causes serenity and tranquility. It does not have to be taken daily in order to have this effect. Kava kava can be used for anxiety attacks or for daily, common anxiety.
Valerian Root creates a sedative effect. It is often used as a natural sleep aid and should only be taken before bed.

Before Taking Supplements

Always do your research before beginning any supplement regimen. You should always begin by taking the minimum dosage and take more if necessary. Be sure to inform your doctor if you are using any supplements to combat your anxiety.

Click here to learn about our Top Anxiety Products

Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety Disorders: GAD & OCD

Many people suffer from stress and anxiety, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they suffer from an anxiety disorder. The primary distinction between true anxiety disorders and everyday nervousness is that an anxiety disorder impedes a person’s ability to have a normal life. Anxiety disorders make common situations unbearably stressful or cause the person to avoid situations that may cause them anxiety.

What is an Anxiety Disorder?

An anxiety disorder is a blanket term used to describe a variety of interrelated conditions. Some different kinds of anxiety disorders include:

Panic disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Phobias
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Common symptoms of anxiety disorders include an all-consuming panic or fear, obsessions, nightmares, or physical symptoms such as a racing heart, upset stomach, muscles, or jumpiness. It’s not clear what causes these disorders, but some researchers believe that the area in the brain that manages fear could be the culprit and that brain chemistry may have a role. Anxiety is also considered to be genetic.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by a persistent, intense tension that makes the sufferer unable to carry on daily life activities. This constant, overpowering worry can result in insomnia, an inability to focus on work, and tense, tight, muscles. People with GAD can often be irritable, which negatively impacts their social and personal relationships.

People suffering from this panic disorder suffer from panic attacks. Someone in the midst of a panic attack feels as though he or she is experiencing a heart attack or other critical illness, which can make the episode worse. Panic attacks typically display more than two of the symptoms below:

Racing, pounding heart
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
A feeling of being disconnected
Nausea
Sweating, hot flashes, or chills
Shaking or trembling
Numbness
Fear of losing control
Feeling like you are “going crazy” or about to die

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), perhaps the most well-known anxiety disorder, is often laughed at, but it is no joke. People suffering from OCD can’t control their habitual irrational obsessions. Some common obsessions include a fixation on cleanliness, a phobia of dirt or germs, a compulsive need to have things in a precise order, or constant, nagging doubts. Often, people with OCD try to control these obsessions by continually repeating whatever action they think will get rid of the obsession. For instance, those fanatical about germs may wash their hands constantly but they never believe they get clean enough. These compulsions make it difficult to conduct normal day-to-day routines or experience normal relationships.

What Are Phobias?

Phobias are irrational and relentless fears. Most people with phobias will go to extreme lengths to avoid that which they fear. There are three types of phobias: social phobias, agoraphobia, and specific phobias. Someone with a social phobia may get nervous or stressed about awkward behavior or being judged in social environments. Agoraphobia is a fear of being unable to escape from an unfamiliar or uncomfortable setting or of getting a panic attack in a crowded, public, or wide open environment. Specific phobias are irrational fears of things or situations that are not necessarily harmful or threatening.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often ensues after a traumatic or terrifying experience. PTSD symptoms often involve flashbacks of the experience and nightmares. Those with PTSD will avoid at all cost any situation that might remind them of the incident. Other symptoms of PTSD include irritability, insomnia, and feeling detached from reality.

Anxiety disorders are the most common type of emotional illness: more than 25 million Americans suffer from some type of anxiety disorder. Yet many individuals suffering from anxiety fail to seek help. Many are not even aware that their condition can be treated. Help is out there, typically through medication and/or therapy. With a psychiatrist’s help, many people suffering from anxiety disorders may at least find relief from their worst symptoms.

Anxiety Symptoms

What are the Symptoms of Anxiety?

There are many kinds of anxiety disorders – each manifesting itself with different symptoms and each triggered by a variety of causes. This article outlines a few common types of anxieties and their symptoms.

Panic Attack Symptoms

If you’ve ever found yourself standing in front of an audience, preparing to present a big speech, or anticipating an important interview and your mind suddenly goes completely blank, despite all your careful preparations, then you may be having the symptoms of a panic attack. Some of the symptoms of panic attacks include:

Pounding heart
Sweaty palms
Chills down your spine
Trembling knees
Dry mouth

Traumatic events and emergencies also create anxiety. Whether you are in a hospital emergency room waiting for a doctor, or waiting by a phone for news about a loved one, this can create anxiety. You may find yourself pacing restlessly, feeling nervous, hyperactive, or tense and irritable. As the wait time grows longer, you may end up losing sleep or loss of appetite and end up exhausted and fatigued.

PTSD Symptoms

Victims of a major life trauma, a serious accident, or other tragedy may exhibit the symptoms described above over a prolonged period of time. These could lead to serious psychological and physiological problems. They may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

People suffering from PTSD may experience a variety of symptoms including:

Hallucinations
Insomnia
Nightmares
Flashbacks or intense pain
Sweating
Nausea
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite
Fainting
Frequent urination
Weakness

Emotionally, they may experience:

Difficulty concentrating or focusing on work
Radical mood swings
Bursting into tears for no apparent reasons
Emotional numbness
Phobia to certain places, people or situations

People with PTSD may lose interest in the activities they used to enjoy. They can feel lonely, even in a crowd. All of these symptoms can lead to clinical depression.

Separation Anxiety

Children who suffer from separation anxiety may exhibit the following symptoms:

Temper tantrums
Cry endlessly
Refusing to go to sleep or go to school
Clinging to their parents or caregivers

Older children and teenagers who suffer from anxiety can be shy, overly irritable, and argumentative with their parents. They may have a hard time concentrating on school work. They can suffer from physical symptoms such as headaches, upset stomach, trembling/tense muscles or fatigue.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Another type of anxiety disorder is Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD symptoms include a number of different categories:

Washers (compusively washes hands)
Checkers (repeatedly checks to see if the doors are locked or oven is off)
Doubters (doubts if anything is ever done correctly or perfectly)
Counters (obsessed with numbers, arrangements or colors)
Hoarders (hoards useless things in the fear that something bad may happen if they throw them away)

Social Anxiety Disorders

People suffering from phobic or social anxiety disorders exclude other people from their lives or avoid social gatherings, certain objects, events, or places. This lets them avoid “triggers” – reminders that could cause their anxiety. These phobias cause them to become aloof and reclusive.

Women often experience symptoms of anxiety more often than men and are more likely to develop anxiety disorders. Some attribute this to their biological hormonal fluctuations such as menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. Some physiological symptoms of anxiety include:

Shortness of breath
Heart palpitations
Dizziness
De-realization
Excessive worrying
Headaches
Sleep disorders
Ennui
Elevated blood pressure
Fatigue
Mood swings

While all undergo stressful periods in their lives, there are times when the stress and the symptoms they manifest can become overwhelming and debilitating. When this happens, don’t ignore the anxiety. There are actions you can take to relieve both the symptoms and the causes of the stress.

This website is a guide to help you through this process.

Anxiety Attack Basics

Anxiety, it’s Symptoms, and How to Treat it

Stress is a natural human emotion – a survival mechanism that enables us to cope with threatening situations. Sometimes, however, our brains overreact to a non-threatening stimulus, causing us to respond to ordinary stimuli with panic attacks or anxiety.

Many situations can trigger our fight-or-flight response, from stressful events (an interview or speaking in public), physical trauma (an accident) or dietary causes (too much caffeine, alcohol or sugar). Every individual responds to these triggers differently.

Anxiety’s Toll On The Body

The physical manifestations of an acute anxiety attack or panic attack are often characterized by the following symptoms:

Irrational fear
Pounding heart
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Shaking and trembling

The heart pounds faster as the body pulls blood away from the extremities in order to direct it towards the heart, lungs, and other vital organs. The lungs must now work harder in order to oxygenate this extra blood. This causes our breathing to become labored. Anxiety can also impact the gastrointestinal organs. Many people, when under stress for a long time, suffer from stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Even our skin can react to anxiety and stressful situations. You may find yourself sweating excessively, or having clammy palms or even hives. Hives frequently appear as red blotches on the face, back neck or arms.

Anxiety attacks can take a toll on our body. Those under a great deal of stress may spend their nights lying awake for hours worrying – making it hard to sleep. Too many restless nights can cause fatigue and drowsiness during the day, which may result in a decline in performance at work or school. This also impacts the sufferers mood, making it more short-tempered and irritable. Severe anxiety and stress can also cause headaches and muscle tension in the neck, back and shoulders.

Common Treatments

Doctors who treat anxiety will commonly prescribe medication. While these medications can help with the physical symptoms of anxiety, they don’t address the underlying issues that may be causing the symptoms.

In addition, these drugs often come with harmful, even dangerous side effects. Because of this, we recommend drug-free, alternative therapies and treatments. For most people, the most effective method of combating anxiety attacks is to combine a regimen of medication and some of the following behavioral therapies:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) involves transforming negative thought processes into positive ones. CBT helps the patient work out the underlying issues causing the anxiety. It is often a lengthy process, but if combined with medication to control the immediate symptoms, such therapy can be an effective long-term treatment option.

Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and yoga, relax the mind and the body as well as help to lessen the physical tension that accompanies anxiety attacks. Hypnosis and acupuncture are also popular, whether as an alternative remedy or as a complement to conventional treatment.

Stress and anxiety manifests themselves in all kinds of ways, and can put quite a toll on our bodies and our minds. By taking a multi-pronged approach, we can alleviate some of the physical and emotional damage that anxiety can inflict.

Anti-Anxiety Diets

Foods that Lower Anxiety and Keep You Calm

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 121 million people throughout the world suffer from depression. About 500 million people suffer from various kinds of excessive stress or anxiety. There are numerous methods to help us avoid anxiety and to reduce its intensity and its effect on our bodies.

The most widely recommended and the simplest remedy lies in the foods that we eat. When we are conscious about paying attention to the variety, quality and quantity of the foods we eat, we notice miraculous changes in the way our body functions. This article discusses anti-anxiety diets and their impact on our body and emotions.

Water

Our brains need a sufficient supply of water to function properly. Water reduces fatigue, flushes toxins out of the body, transports nutrients to cells, and encourages a balanced emotional state. Water also dilutes excess hormones and enzymes, which neutralizes their effects. Experts recommend drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.

Fruits and Vegetables

Leafy green vegetables are high in nutrients and low in calories. Leafy vegetables contain vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin K, magnesium, and vitamin B – a natural stress reducer. Foods rich in vitamin B include low-fat milk, soybeans, liver, yeast extract, lean meat, and cereals. These foods are excellent for lifting spirits.

Try to consume vegetables and fruits in their natural state instead of processing them by heating and cooking, which can destroy the useful enzymes. Eat a wide variety of berries such as cranberries and raspberries that contain flavonoids that promote a healthy heart. Grape skins contain resveratrol, which prevents artery plaque buildup.

Milk

Drinking a glass of warm, low-fat milk can lower stress and tension – regardless of the time of day. Milk contains tryptophan, which produces serotonin – a chemical in the brain, that is essential for its calming effect and ability to enhance mood.

Acid vs. Alkaline Foods

Acidic foods such as spicy chili, peppers, garlic and turmeric, pickles, dairy products, eggplant, tomatoes, caffeinated beverages (cola, coffee and tea) and alcohol, can reduce our body’s ability to absorb magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that helps relax muscles and shuts down adrenaline. When magnesium is low, muscles tighten, adrenaline levels increase and stomach acids surge – causing indigestion, which may lead to anxiety.

On the other hand, alkaline foods such as smoothies made from fresh fruit are the ideal way to reduce acid levels in the body.

Excess salt lowers potassium levels and may lead to high blood pressure. It’s important to cut down on your salt intake.

Complex Carbohydrates

Foods such as potatoes and whole grains take longer to digest, causing you to feel full and satiated for a longer time. This helps control blood pressure as well as sugar levels, and also helps reduce anxiety.

In addition, oats aid the nervous system and hazelnuts are valuable for healing raw nerves. Try dissolving honey in warm milk or lime juice for a calming effect.

Sugar

Sugar can impact blood sugar levels which may cause mood swings and anxiety. Too much sugar also negatively impacts the brain’s ability to function.

Avoid sugary junk foods like carbonated soda, chocolate, pastries with refined flour and candy. In addition, try to lower your intake of high-fat foods such as ice cream, cheese, chips, butter, and deep-fried foods.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Numerous studies have linked diets deficient in omega-3 fatty acids to anxiety and depression. Foods high in omega-3 include fish, walnuts, winter squash, flax seeds, and shellfish.

Green Tea

Green tea is full of compounds that help with digestion and weight loss. It produces antioxidants that fight a variety of illnesses such as cancer. Green tea increases the production of alpha-brain waves, which helps us relax.

Chamomile, a member of the sunflower family, is thought to calm the central nervous system and stimulate healthy sleep patterns.

Indian Ayurvedic Herbs

The use of these herbs for medicinal purposes dates back to as early as 1500 BC. Ayurvedic herbs have been proven to show positive effects.

Ashvagandha (White cherry) contains hypnotic properties and is used as an anti-stress adaptogen.
Tagara (Indian Valerian), shilajeet (mineral pitch) and tulsi (holy basil) have all been found to contain anti-stress properties which relax the mind, promote better sleep, and aid with emotional issues.
Saffron is considered to have anti-stress, anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, anti-heart disease, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties as well as enhancing sexual performance.

Anti-anxiety diets play a critical function in how our body reacts to stress. A well-fueled body, free of chemicals, preservatives, and empty calories, found in so much of our modern junk food, can help clear your system and your emotions of unneeded toxins that hamper your ability to function properly.