Effective Anxiety Treatments That Last A Lifetime

By Sally K. Ross

Anxiety is a generalized mood condition that occurs without a particular triggering stimulus. In that sense, it is distinguished from fear, which occurs in the presence of a perceived threat.

Another view is that anxiety is a "future-oriented mood state in which the experiencer is poised to cope with imminent negative events" suggesting that it is a distinction between future vs. present threats that divides anxiety and fear.

It is marked with an intensification of physical reactions that prepare the organism to deal with the danger. Blood pressure and heart rate are increased, sweating is increased, blood flow to the major muscle groups is increased, and digestive and immune system functions are inhibited (the fight or flight response).

Attacks of anxiety do not only consist of physical signs. There are many emotional symptoms involved as well. Those are not limited to: "Feelings of dread or apprehension, trouble concentrating, feeling tense or jumpy, anticipating the worst, restlessness, irritability, watching (and waiting) for occurrences (and signs) or danger, and, feeling like your mind has gone blank." There is also, "nightmares/bad dreams, obsessions about sensations, a 'trapped in your mind' feeling, deja vu, and an overall impression like everything is scary."

Although there are many techniques to stop panic attacks, the most successful ones are listed below and include discovering your own method to calm your body down.

Daily exercise not only helps keep you in good shape, but it also offers an outlet in which to release much of your pent up stress and anxiety. Dedicating at least an hour a day to some form of fitness, whether it be walking around the block or cardio can do wonders for your tension and help to calm your panic attacks in the long run.

Discovering a relaxation technique that will calm your breathing and force you to settle down can be a key ingredient in controlling the worst part of a panic attack. Enrollment in a yoga class, which can teach you various meditation and breathing techniques can go a long way in preventing future attacks.

Believing that alcohol or other mood-altering drugs can relax you is an illusion as they will worsen your anxiety in the long run and intensify its symptoms.

There are many different prescription drugs that can help reduce your anxiety while you learn new ways to respond to events that make you more anxious. If none of these other steps work in controlling your panic symptoms, then booking an appointment with your doctor about medication alternatives is a wise step. While it is not in your best interest to become needy on this type of medication, if you need immediate help in calming yourself after an episode, this appears to be the wisest choice.

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