Thursday, January 29, 2009

Medication for Anxiety Disorders – The Various Options

by: Greg Frost

There are many different anxiety disorders, but their one common underlying characteristic is the overwhelming and incessant worry and fear experienced. For those who suffer from anxiety disorders, there is a variety of treatments available to help you overcome this illness and live a normal life free from panic attacks. These range from medication to therapy and alternative medicines. Often, the different treatments can be combined together, depending on each individual’s needs as well as the particular anxiety disorder experienced.

Medications is a common treatment of anxiety disorders used to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety disorders and panic attacks, and are consisting of anti-anxiety drugs, beta blockers and antidepressants. Whilst this may seem ideal, it is always better to cure the problem at its roots – identify the cause of your panic attacks and overcoming it through behavioral cognitive therapy. Medication is a quick fix but it does not cure the problem. Also, it may cause a myriad of severe side effects, such as nausea and dizzy spells.

Anti Anxiety Drugs

Benzodiazepines are sedatives used to treat symptoms of panic attacks by slowing down the nervous system. They have few side effects, but the human body adapts to the intake of this drug and with time, higher dosages are necessary to see any effect. Generic brand names often prescribed are Clonazepam, Lorazepam and Alprazolam, anti-anxiety drug used for social anxiety disorders, GAD and panic disorders. There is a high danger of being addicted to these drugs, and it is necessary to slowly wean off it as you may experience withdrawal symptoms if you halt medication consumption.

Azapirones are a newer variety of anti anxiety drugs which take a longer time to take effect, ranging from 2 weeks to a month. They are usually prescribed for GAD and obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), and are less addictive with minimal withdrawal symptoms.

Anti Depressants

Anti depressants have been used for treating anxiety disorders, and take a longer time to see the effects, ranging from 4 to 6 weeks. They are often prescribed in place of anti anxiety drugs as there is less risk of addiction, but they have severe side effects including suicidal thoughts and agitation. They may also increase depression.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are used to assist neurotransmitters by acting on the serotonin in the brain. They have severe withdrawal effects as well as side effects, although these are of a lesser magnitude than the older varieties of anti depressants. They are commonly prescribed for OCD, GAD and panic disorders.

Tricyclics and Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are older classes of antidepressants. Tricyclics can be combined with SSRIs for anxiety disorders except for OCD. However, MAOIs should not be taken with SSRIs as they react to produce hallucinations, seizures and blood pressure changes.

Beta Blockers

Beta blockers are used to treat heart conditions, but are also prescribed for anxiety disorders. By blocking the effects of norepinephrines, it is able to alleviate symptoms of panic attacks such as tremors and heart palpitations. They are hence useful for situations where the user is aware of the possibility of panic attacks occurring, such as before public speaking.

Anxiety disorders are treatable via medication, and usually treatments are a mix of different medications and combined with therapy. You should always seek your doctor’s advice in determining the type of anxiety disorder, and the appropriate medication that is suitable. Do not give up on medication if you do not see immediate effects, as it is possible that your body takes more time to react to the drugs. Alternatively, you may feel that another variety of treatment may be more suitable as well.


About The Author
Greg Frost is a leading innovator in the field treating anxiety attacks and the director of http://www.AttackAnxiety.org which specializes providing a whole range of Anxiety Treatment topics to assist you in your life.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Finding Help For Anxiety Attacks

by Floyd Dorrance


HOW TO GET AVAILABLE HELP Are you looking for some inside information on ANXIETY ATTACKS? Here's an up-to-date report from ANXIETY ATTACKS experts who should know.

As Easy as 1-2-3: Finding Help for Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorder can be very difficult to understand and treat. However, with a bit of help, you can truly overcome any type of anxiety disorder you may have. While it might be impossible for you to fully "cure" anxiety disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or phobias, you can learn how to deal with these medical conditions in order to live a fully normal and productive life. The key to living with anxiety disorders is finding help. There are three main types of help you should get, and luckily this help is readily available to everyone!

First, find help from medical professionals. A doctor will be able to diagnose your problem, suggest treatment options, and help you learn to be safe and happy. You may also work with a therapist to talk about your problems and learn behaviors that can help you through the day. Overall, this is the most important type of help you can get because an anxiety disorder can physically be dangerous. Only a medical professional can make sure you get the best care possible.

Another crucial kind of support can be found in the form of support groups. Hospitals, religious organizations, and community centers often sponsor support groups, which can be led by professionals are self-led. In both cases, this type of support system allows you to be in contact with others dealing with the same disorders, so you can see that you are not alone. Together, you can also help one another learn tips and tricks to dealing with anxiety. A good support group can really become a second family.

If your ANXIETY ATTACKS facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don't let important ANXIETY ATTACKS information slip by you.

However, the third group is your actual family, as well as close friends. When you develop an anxiety disorder, it may be difficult for some people to help you through this rough period of your life. Your true friends will be there, though, to help you through the recovery process and to support your decisions. If you do not find this type of support within your group of friends, they are probably not the friends you should have. When you know someone with an anxiety disorder, your life may be more complicated, but sticking by his or her side can make all the difference when it comes to recovery.

Asking for help is a key step in dealing with anxiety disorder. If a disorder is ruining your life, you truly need to find people who can help you overcome the disease and live a happy and healthy life instead.

Those who only know one or two facts about ANXIETY ATTACKS can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you're learning here. < ANXIETY RSS FEED News widgets and RSS feeds on Feedzilla.com

About the Author

Floyd Dorrance is a professional researcher of articles on a variety of subjects. Some of his other articles can be found at: http://articles.myinfohut.info

A well recommended book on Agoraphobia {anxiety attacks} can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/bwqyjv

Monday, January 26, 2009

Guide to Five Natural Herbal Sleep Aides

by Bridgett Raffenberg

Are you having trouble sleeping at night - tossing and turning, wishing you could just fall asleep? It is mentally painful to lie in bed, knowing you are not going to get enough sleep again tonight, even though you ARE tired.

If you're looking for a natural cure, herbal sleep aides may be your answer. They offer many advantages over chemical based sleep aides. Herbal sleep aides avoid the risk of addiction. And you won't need to worry about harmful drug interactions with herbal sleep aides.

Here are five of the more popular herbal sleep aides:

1. Chamomile: one of nature's finest sleep aides. It is often found in tea. It is known for its ability to induce a sense of calm and relaxation. It can be taken with no reason to worry about dependency. As an added bonus, it has anti-inflammatory properties and even calms stomach upset too!
2. Valerian: this sleep aide actually comes from the root of the perennial valerian. People who take valerian claim they feel less nervous and have less anxiety, resulting in better rest at night.
3. Lavendar: you'll know this as the purple flower that smells like spring. Use it as a room freshner before you go to bed. Laundry softeners often are scented with lavender. Bath oils are made with lavender oils. The scent is the calming effect with this one.
4. Lemon Balm: This aromatic plant is one of my favorites… and in an odd way. My "Burt's Bees" cuticle cream that I use every night right before bed has lemon balm. Double duty - a sleep aide and pretty nails all in one application! Seriously, lemon balm can be found in tea and also in pill form.
5. The Passion Flower: used by the ancient Aztecs to induce sleep. It helps relax the mind and body. It can be ingested in pill form or in tea.


To learn more about Insomnia Symptoms, join others at http://www.InsomniaSmptomsFAQ.com where you will find this and much more, including the topic of Herbal Sleep Aides.

About the Author

Bridgett is a former technology teacher who loves to bake and cook. She enjoys internet marketing, real estate investing and volunteering.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Fear Of Public Speaking- Beat The Fear Anxiety And Win

by James H
The fear of public speaking and the anxiety it creates is widespread all over the world. Ever since the first ancient Babylonian thousands of years ago had to get up and give a speech fear of speaking before other people is a common phobia and can even cause panic attacks in modern man.
The fear of public speaking is a fact of life but the ideal way to do it is to be relaxed and confident in front of people and to lose that nasty overwhelming feeling of anxiety.
I know how fear can hold you back from better speaking. Here are some fear beating tips you can use for speaking success.
* Know your material like that back of your hand. One famous public speaker once said, "If they want me, they get my subject, I only talk about what I know." There is a great lesson here. It is a practical way to fight public speaking fear and anxiety.
Only talk about what you know. This way you can communicate with strength and clarity. Powerful speakers always have informative content they know extremely well. Once you have mastered your content, that is what you are going to say, you can develop your delivery.

* Personal appearance. A clean well presented appearance gives you confidence. People judge you by the way you look. The way to do it is to look good so it matches your public speaking message. Good clothes support what you are presenting.
A nice appearance boosts your self confidence when you stand before a group of people. It gives you confidence to fight against fear and panic attacks. Dress for success. It is an important part of public speaking.

* Have a strong desire to communicate your message. Very often fear and anxiety can be pushed into the background by a strong desire to share your message. Public speaking is about sharing information and ideas. Often it is about expressing your point of view on a particular subject. A focused desire to express yourself overcomes a lot of fear and phobia and makes for better speaking.

* When you speak combine facts and figures with emotional appeal. The best public speakers use a combination of heart and intellect. A good speech is a combination of clear thinking ad strong feeling.

If you like these tips you can get more free practical tips you can use right now in your Free Report .


About the Author

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