Anxiety And You

April 17, 2008 on 3:45 pm | In Health | No Comments

Does the word panic attack ring a bell? Or maybe the word general anxiety? For many of us, workplace anxiety is a common experience with imminent deadlines, not to mention our constant texting and messaging devices that keep us on “available” mode 24/7.
Incidentally, anxiety is also linked to depression. Most people who suffer from one tend to suffer from the other as well. The good news is that a cure is often common to both conditions. Examples include lifestyle modifications and hypnosis.
The body itself is well-equipped stressors and the perception of anxiety as it goes into a state of autopilot described as the Fight or Flee reaction. Anxiety can include a myriad of disorders like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The emotional strains emanating from these conditions gradually give way to depressive feelings.

If you’re unable to concentrate, or experience constant loss of appetite or insomnia, maybe it’s a good time to see your doctor. You might be hesitant to accept this medical condition, but remind yourself that approximately 20 million Americans are going through the same illness.

According to statistics, about 40 million suffer from numerous types of anxiety disorders. Although taking pills for anxiety is not necessarily a cure, they do work well with behavior therapy. The way the medication works is that it alleviates some of the symptoms so that the therapy has a better effect on the patient.
Common antidepressants used to treat anxiety include Prozac and Zolaft. They may be used to reduce symptoms temporarily, while the patient works on modifying his/her behavior through some time of cognitive therapy. Antidepressants may also have unpleasant side effects as well as withdrawal effects. They also tend to induce hostile thoughts, create a feeling of restlessness and nervousness. Other types of anti-anxiety medication include tranquilizers and beta-blockers. The point to keep in mind if you or someone you know is suffering from anxiety or a related condition is that these pills are not a cure in itself.

On a more practical level, it may be a rude awakening to acknowledge that there is no cure to anxiety or for that matter, ‘worry.’ We live in times of irony, where rockets barrage hotspots in the Middle East and children go hungry or are maimed every day. But that’s also not to say that a deep fear or panic concerning an issue in your live should go untreated or that one should deny his/her feelings of anxiety.

One good place to begin is self-discovery and to find out what’s causing the feelings of fear and anxiety. Once the specific issue has been spelled out, you may want to use a technique like relaxation to counter your negative thoughts. Perhaps listening to your favorite music will do the trick. When you’re hit by thoughts of worry, you may want to try positive self-imagery or talk to someone who cares for you so you feel accepted. Why, some people say that drinking your chamomile tea or aromatherapy may do the trick to soothe your flared emotions. And if that doesn’t work, there’s always aromatherapy massage and a host of alternative medicines to tackle anxiety.