Typically, when people think of stress, they immediately think of negative things and while true, stress can be positive as well. Stress produced from negativity can virtually stop people from succeeding, building relationships, and in many cases, from functioning in daily life. In the case of positive stress, this can be used to help a person become motivated, learn, mold to life changes, or create innovative solutions.

While good stress is actually beneficial, negative stress is often too much for a person to handle. As a result, that person may experience physical or physiological symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, fatigue, depression, low self-esteem, anger, isolation, and so on. Whether negative stress is minor or major, to the individual, it can be debilitating.

The following six methods have been proven to provide relief, helping people deal with the actual stress, as well as triggers that cause it.

1. Visualization or Guided Imagery – It takes a little time to hone skills using this method but for relieving stress, it works well by helping the individual relax. While sitting in a quiet place and with the eyes closed, the person would envision a pleasurable place or experience. By switching focus to something positive and peaceful, stress begins to fade.

2. Breathing Methods – Another excellent way to prevent and control stress is by using deep breathing methods. In addition to allowing the mind to become quiet, this also increases oxygen in the blood, which helps revitalize the brain and relax the muscles.

3. Massage – A professional masseuse would use the appropriate depth of touch to reduce stress. Massages are performed in darker rooms that often include soft music, candles, and aromatherapy. By working the muscles, the individual begins to relax not just the mind, but also the body as circulation improves, tensions melts away, and a feeling of euphoria is produced.

4. Meditation– Meditation has been used for thousands of years for therapeutic and religious purposes. Using meditation helps by calming the mind and enhancing mood, but it also reduces blood pressure and heart rate, as well as levels of adrenaline and stress hormones.

5.  Yoga – This ancient form of therapy and relaxation to balance the mind and body remains popular in today’s world. While yoga was often used for religious purposes, it is now more of a tool for reducing stress. Each position associated with yoga balances different parts of the body to include the digestive system, central nervous system, and glandular system. The slow movements and strategic poses create a sense of peace.

6. Music Therapy – For all levels of stress, music therapy is highly beneficial. Numerous studies have been conducted on this method with results showing that a person’s mood improves, muscles of the body relax, and stress is alleviated.

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     1. Disorder – When a person is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, it is normal for him or her to feel fear, which is usually fear of the unknown.

     2. Symptoms of an Anxiety Disorder – For the person suffering from anxiety, symptoms vary as to type and severity of the disorder but some of the more common include heart palpitations, shortness of breath, excessive sweating, and confusion.  For this individual, symptoms evoke an overwhelming sense of fear, often associated with death.

     3. Fear or Phobia – The third scenario is the actual fear or phobia.  As an example, anxiety fear could be a fear of flying, a fear of social settings, a fear of clowns, and so on.

 No matter the type of  anxiety fear  and in mild cases, the individual typically finds it difficult to lead a normal existence.  In the back of the mind is the constant and nagging concern that something unexpected is going to trigger an anxiety attack.  This alone is fear, which can be very debilitating.  Some people have become so fearful they refuse to leave the home, visit with friends, go to family gatherings, or work, meaning their entire life has been disrupted.

 Sadly, for people that have never experienced or known someone with anxiety fear, they often view this as a mental issue, not a viable disorder suffered by millions of people around the world.  Because of this, anxiety sufferers find it difficult to maintain friendships and relationships due to a lack of trust or go to work knowing they might need to leave, putting their job in jeopardy.  Situations and environments contribute to existing anxiety, which only worsens the problem.

 What happens is that some people who deal with one or more anxiety disorders begin putting all their focus and energy on fear, which makes getting to a doctor a huge challenge.  When people are consumed by fear, coupled with anxiety, behaviors and cognitive thinking begins to change.  A once vibrant and confident person turns into someone that is withdrawn, has no self-confidence, or becomes angry.  Trying to deal with a disorder, insurmountable anxiety fear, and a miserable life is simply too much.

 Studies have been conducted over the years specific to stress and anxiety fear.  These studies have shown that people living with an anxiety disorder often focus on trying to predict when the next attack or series of symptoms will occur.  In a short amount of time, this type of thought process begins wrecking havoc, which slowly sends the person into a downward spiral leading to disaster.

 Remember, anxiety fear is a powerful force that can cause physical illness and irrational behavior.  The body is designed with a “fight or flight” response to trauma or injury, meaning some people in certain situations will respond by fighting to survive and beat the disorder but others go into a flight mode, wanting to run.  For people in flight, they are frantically looking for a means of escape, which can lead to odd or even dangerous behaviors and choices.

 The key to overcoming anxiety fear is for the disorder to be controlled.  Therefore, anyone that notices symptoms of stress or anxiety should take them seriously and seek assistance from a doctor immediately.  An opportunity for recovery is missed when the problem is ignored and without proper treatment, anxiety fear will worsen.  For this reason, the individual needs to act on symptoms and work with a skilled and compassionate doctor for treatment options and then follow medical instructions exact as ordered.

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However, people that live with a panic disorder  need to know they also have options for controlling and even preventing attacks of this type.  In this article, we provide tips on how to stop a panic attack before it gets so bad that the individual has lost complete control.

 Recognize the Onset of Symptoms – The first tip on how to stop a panic attack is about taking preventative measures.  After a person has a firm diagnosis of a panic disorder and knows all the associated symptoms, he or she can then recognize an attacking coming.  Immediately, this person should take inventory of the situation or environment triggering the attack and make appropriate changes.  For instance, if someone has panic attacks because they fear crowds, if symptoms begin, that person should look around to see if a large group of people were around and if so, moving to a quieter location would help stop the attack.

Coping Techniques– Our second tip for how to stop a panic attack deals with coping techniques available to use.  A great example would be the person that has sudden attacks.  In this case, the doctor could prescribe something such as Clonazepam, which is a fast-acting anxiety medication.  Tablets are simply placed beneath the tongue and within minutes, symptoms fade.  Cope techniques could also be using music with earphones to block out sound or other triggers.

 Stimulation – Another tip for how to stop a panic attack has to do with avoiding anything stimulating.  Because a person’s level of stress and nervousness is already peaked, anything that would enhance those senses should be avoided, which would include foods and drinks containing caffeine, chocolate activity, noise, etc.

Visualization and Breathing Methods – Another tip on how to stop a panic attack is to use tools such as visualization or deep breathing.  No matter the location of the person or the trigger producing the attack, he/she could find a place to sit off to the side and go through visualization and deep breathing methods that have proven to be highly successful. 

Support System – Often, being surrounded by family members and friends is enough to calm a situation.  Therefore, if possible, the individual should get loved ones close so the attack and fear of attack could be talked through and stopped before taking hold.

 Journaling– The final tip on how to stop a panic attack is with journaling.  Often, therapies address the value that journaling offers to people with panic disorders.  For many people suffering from stress and anxiety, being able to put emotions and feelings down on paper allows them to go back and read their words so the situation can be rationalized.

 In general, panic attack symptoms include a broad list, as shown below:

• Heart palpitations
• Excessive sweating or feeling weak or dizzy
• Nausea
• Shortness of Breath
• Tightening of the chest or actual chest pain
• Numbness or tingling of the hands
• Feeling chilled or flushed
• Hot flashes or chills
• Disorientation or confusion
• Sense of doom, loss of control, or even impending death

 To separate normal worry and fear that comes along with various life situations and experiences from actual panic attacks, it is important to understand the symptoms, as well as what they do to a person’s mind and body.  Remember, everyone feels overwhelmed, which is part of life but when anxiety, fear, and a sense of panic stretches beyond “normal”, people should be question whether the things they are feeling and thinking are actually okay or real panic attack symptoms.

For the individual that has frequent and unexpected panic attack symptons, with no connection to an environment, situation, or experience, or worries excessively after having an attack or has made significant changes to behavior and/or activity after having an attack, it is likely that a panic disorder is the culprit.  Once a disorder is suspected, a doctor could provide confirmation.

 In addition to the physical panic attack symptoms listed above, emotional and mental symptoms are also common for this type of disorder to include:

• Anticipatory Anxiety – With this, the individual is constantly stressed and uptight waiting for the next panic attack to strike.  Often, fear associated with experiencing panic attack symptoms are so overwhelming that it literally becomes disabling.  The person would have tight muscles, headaches, stomachaches, confusion, fatigue, and more.
• Phobic Avoidance – At this point, panic attack symptoms have become so frequent and intense that being in social settings, around friends or family, working certain jobs, going to school, driving, traveling, and other environmental and situational problems create fear.  Usually, the individual believes that these are the triggers for an attack and that by avoiding them, they regain control, and the attacks disappear.

The bottom line is this – panic disorders and associated panic attack symptoms are serious at any level.  Working with a reputable doctor that is an expert in the field of stress and anxiety can help identify the real triggers.  Then through cognitive, behavioral, social, interaction, and other forms of therapy, the sufferer can learn how to make adjustments, thereby reclaiming life.  This coupled with proper medication to control and prevent panic attack symptoms and the disorder help release the person from the prison in which he/she lived.

 
Overwhelming fear is always a part of every attack, although in different ways for people that have experienced attacks prior and those going through their first attack, as indicated:

 For the person that has gone through panic attacks before, fear is broken down in two ways.  First, this person lives with constant fear by not knowing when the next attack will hit and second, he or she has fear that life will never return to normalcy.

 For the individual that has never had panic attacks and goes through the first, fear is often associated with death.  Because symptoms of these attacks mimic a heart attack, people actually believe they are dying.

 There are positive considerations associated with panic attacks.  For instance, after a person is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, he or she could learn ways of identifying triggers that would produce an attack, avoiding certain situations, emotions, or environments.  In addition, with proper treatment, up to 90% of people that have ongoing panic attacks bring them under control within one to two months.

 Panic attacks are a type of panic disorder, and for a firm diagnosis the individual would need to have gone through four attacks within a one-month period.  Doctors use very specific criteria during the diagnosisphase, requiring at least four before the disorder is confirmed.

When quick action is taken, through confirmed diagnosis and proper treatment, people have a great chance of regaining control over life.  Unfortunately, too many people ignore symptoms, refuse to be seen by a doctor, or do not follow treatment as instructed.  When this happens, the effects of panic attacks can become devastating.

 Once authentic panic attacks start, they do not go away on their own.  While some people might see a reduction of symptoms over time, usually, numerous symptoms continue for months, if not years or life.  Typically, panic attacks start in the late teens to early twenties, although they can appear later.  Regardless, these attacks change a person’s life forever, and not in a good way.

 If panic attacks go untreated, an individual could face serious and possibly irreversible consequences.  As the attacks continue and symptoms worsen, people begin to distance themselves from life, which results in a loss of friends and intimate relationships, estrangement from family, job loss, leaving school, and sometimes the depression that goes with panic disorders becomes so intense that suicidal thoughts or worse begin.

It is vital for anyone dealing with panic attacks, no matter how intense, to not mistake a quiet period as healing.  Sometimes, symptoms of a panic disorder ease up but this relief is short-lived.  Along with the body being taken over, the mind is also consumed, making it difficult or impossible to make rational decisions.  For this reason, if someone suspects that he or she is having panic attacks, rather than chance it, a doctor should be seen so proper treatment could be started.

 By definition, the answer to the question, “What is anxiety” is that this is a reaction created by the body’s “fight or flight” response for survival.  When a healthy person is in a position of feeling threatened or challenged, they respond appropriate but for the person with an anxiety disorder, responses would not only be different, but also inappropriate and in excess.

 Truths about Anxiety

 What is Anxiety – Classifications

 Anxiety disorders are classified so the answer to what is anxiety depends on the type of disorder, as well as intensity and duration of attacks and/or symptoms.  The following are the most common types of anxiety disorders treated today.

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – This is a long-lasting disorder although symptoms are generally mild
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – With this disorder, symptoms may start out mild but they can become debilitating
• Panic Disorder – Symptoms for this disorder come on fast and are usually intense
• Phobias – This disorder is comprised of fears (phobias) such as fear of flying, fear of clowns, fear of death, etc, with symptoms being situation-based
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) – With this, symptoms could show up slowly or quickly, and vary in intensity from moderate to life-threatening
• Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) – While seen in adults on rare occasion, this anxiety disorder primarily affects children

 What is Anxiety – Statistics

 Statistics are another important part of the answer to what is anxiety, which shows people struggling with a disorder that they are not alone.  Experts estimate that currently close to 20 million people in the United States between the ages of 18 and 54 has an anxiety disorder, with some having more than one.

 We also know that anxiety disorders affect women more than men by about 50% for all types except for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Social Phobia, which affect both men and women equally.  Then, of the four million people living with a panic disorder, just over half have at least one actual panic attack every year.

 Myths about Anxiety

 What is Anxiety Relating to Depression

 Unfortunately, information has circulated for years that people dealing with depression as a part of an anxiety disorder can simply move on in life without complications.  The truth is that depression on any level can be devastating.  People with anxiety often have depression, which creates a sense loneliness, sadness, defeat, boredom, and hopelessness.  Although a small number of people will push through very mild bouts of depression, this is rare.

 Anxiety with or without Depression is a Figment of the Imagination

 When looking at myths pertaining to what is anxiety, nothing could be further from the truth than this.  Both anxiety and depression are very real illnesses that if left untreated can progress and even lead a person committing suicide or murder.  In both instances, not only is the mind affected but the body also responds negatively with symptoms such as insomnia, weight loss, low or no appetite, stomachaches, headaches, diarrhea and/or constipation, etc.

 Drugs do Not Cure Anxiety – Drugs only hide Symptoms

 Today, many people are completely opposed to prescription medication, choosing alternative medicine instead.  Using herbs and supplements, as well as homeopathic treatments for anxiety is fine but in many instances, the disease can only be cured, controlled, and prevented with proper medication.  Typically, doctors prescribe medication based on the severity and duration of attacks/symptoms for each type of disorder along with cognitive and behavioral therapy.  This combination has proven successful in many cases.

Stress can cause a variety of types of pain including stomach pain, backaches, leg cramps, headaches, and even joint pain. It can be frustrating since it’s difficult to accept the fact that the pain is being caused by a psychological reason and not a physical reason.

Ironically, chronic pain that is not stress-related can also lead to stress. In that way, pain and stress is almost a catch-22. Luckily, there are several ways that you can reduce your stress which will also hopefully help you reduce the pain that you experience as well.

Imagery is one of the easiest ways to manage pain and reduce stress. Focusing on pleasant events or positive imagery will not only distract your mind and take it off of the pain and stress at hand, but it will also lead to endorphins which can alleviate the pain. To do this, you should focus on an image that makes you happy, like a good memory or a peaceful scene such as a rolling hillside full of flowers. By imagining the details and putting your energy into the positive image, it could possibly help in stress reduction.

Meditation is also a common practice used in pain and stress reduction. A popular form of meditation is the “body scan.” When doing this, the person focuses on each individual part of the body and attempts to make it relax. If you’re feeling pain in a specific area, you can also do this to try to lift the pain from that part by imagining that it is going away. Meditation can also be used with positive imagery as well.

Yoga, which in some cases also uses mediation, can increase body awareness and be helpful in reducing stress and pain. It is a quiet type of exercise that focuses on flexibility and fluid movements.

Stress reduction can also be gained by practicing hobbies or other enjoyable activities as a means to manage the stress. Journaling, horseback riding, going for walks, or even painting are all good ideas to try when it comes to attempting to reduce your stress. The general idea is that once your stress level decreases, your pain will as well.

When chest pain is stress-related, it is generally not a sign of heart disease. As a matter of fact, it is usually not associated with the heart at all, as difficult as that might be to believe. For one thing, when chest pain is caused by stress, the pain tends to be located in the center of your chest. Your heart, of course, is not situated in the center of your chest.

So what causes the chest pain?

Well, the part of the spinal cord that gets pain signals is near the same area that gets signals for chest pain. One area can more or less bleed into another area, making you feel as though you are having heart pain. In actuality, it is just chest pain and not your heart.

When the body is stressed, it turns on a defense mechanism in order to fight the stress. Sometimes, the body thinks it is in actual danger when it’s not. At any rate, it’s ready to fight! When this occurs, you might notice other physical symptoms such as breathing quickly, your muscles tightening, your adrenalin kicks in, and your pupils dilating. With all of this going on inside of you, your chest can actually tighten. This, in turn, can cause the chest pain.

Oddly enough, once the chest tightens and the pain is caused, it can lead to further stress on your body. You might begin to panic at the tightening of your chest, which can actually intensify the pain.

People who experience anxiety associated with their stress are more likely to experience chest pain. Anxiety can stem from stressful situations such as trouble at work, frictions within personal and professional relationships, and big life changes like a new baby or a move. Anxiety is generally caused by fear and many people who suffer from anxiety go on to have anxiety attacks or panic attacks.

Stress is not always a bad thing. As a matter of fact, some stress is good. Stress can produce adrenalin and make us motivated. Our bodies occasionally need the stimulation that stress can provide. However, if you are experiencing chest pain with stress on a regular basis, it doesn’t hurt to check with your physician to make sure that everything is okay.

Anxiety can oftentimes be caused by an event or “trigger.” A person might feel scared or anxious to talk in front of a large crowd, for example, leading to them feeling anxiety. On the other hand, a person might feel anxiety getting behind the wheel of a car after they’ve been in an accident. Anxiety can also be produced when a person is scared for no rational reason, such as being afraid to of their loved one dying when there is no danger present.

Most anxiety is based around fear. The fear can be anything from fear of dying to fear of being stung by a bee. Sometimes, anxiety can lead to different specific phobias. A person with social anxiety might become agoraphobic and be afraid to leave the house.

Anxiety is generally triggered by stress that occurs in our life. Negative self-talk, and a lowering of self-confidence, can also lead to anxiety. Telling yourself repeatedly that something bad is going to happen, even when you have no sound proof that it is true, is one way that negative self-talk can cause anxiety.

Anxiety can have many symptoms associated with it. A person having an anxiety attack might feel stressed, a shortness of breath, have heart palpitations, feel nauseated, and even faint. The person might also have an irrational fear of dying or something horrible happening to them.

Anxiety can have a severe impact on the quality of life that you experience. While a little bit of stress is okay, after all it keeps up motivated in some cases, anxiety can severely impact your judgment. It can make you afraid to do things that you normally would enjoy doing. It can also limit the amount of fun that you have, which isn’t good at all. In severe cases, anxiety can lead to physical ailments like backaches, migraines, and even irritable bowel syndrome.

While there are ways to manage anxiety, such as focusing on pleasant events, using positive thinking, meditation, and even writing in a journal, if your anxiety becomes too severe you should seek medical attention. Anxiety can be managed with the care of a doctor and is treatable.

Children first start understanding that objects continue to exist even when you can’t see them when they are about 6 months old. That is usually around the time that Separation Anxiety can start forming. Before that, babies are fairly happy as long as they are being fed, changed, and rocked to sleep. Once they begin understanding, however, that you are a concrete person and a center point in their life, they might start reacting to your absence.

Children can show Separation Anxiety in different ways. They might throw tantrums, cry uncontrollably, and sometimes even hold their breath until they turn blue. Some things can trigger Separation Anxiety, such as changes in the child’s routine. This can occur when you go on vacation or if you move or change childcare providers.

Separation Anxiety in children is quite common, but a recent study has shown that mothers who experienced a lot of stress during pregnancy went on to have children who have Separation Anxiety.

One of the worst things that you can do when your child is facing Separation Anxiety is probably the very thing that you feel you should do-run back to them. However, if you keep reappearing when they cry for you, it will just reinforce the fact that they can cry and you will return. Obviously, if you have to work or leave you will need to go at some point.

If older children suddenly develop Separation Anxiety, it could be a different problem all together. They might be bullied or harassed at school so it worth talking to them to get to the root of the problem.

Adults can also face Separation Anxiety.  As a matter of fact, almost 7% of the adult population in the United States has some form of Separation Anxiety. Adult symptoms might include avoidance of being alone, fear, depression, and fear that something terrible will happen to the one that they feel the attachment to.

There is no known cause for Separation Anxiety in adults. However, biological factors and genetics might be causes. In addition, adults who have suffered trauma or great loss in the past might also be prone to fear of losing a loved one which could result in Separation Anxiety.