The Physical Symptoms Of Anxiety

The physical symptoms of an anxiety attack are immediately
recognizable to anyone who has experienced this in the past.
Among other symptoms, the person may experience difficulty
breathing, sweating, chest pain, numbness in the
extremities, and uncontrollable shaking. Any combination of
these symptoms, or even experiencing other unusual symptoms,
can accompany an anxiety attack.

Physical symptoms of an anxiety attack can mimic those of a
heart attack or even nervous breakdown. Many people wind up
in the emergency room of a hospital as a result. Although
this step is not really necessary for the panic attack,
people may still benefit from professional care. People who
suffer from severe anxiety may need other alternatives in
dealing with the anxiety.

Researchers believe that the full-blown physical symptoms of
an anxiety attack are linked to the survival 'fight or
flight' response that is an instinctive survival reaction in
most creatures, including humans. In humans, when the brain
perceives a dangerous situation, it releases stress
hormones, primarily cortisol and adrenaline. Physical
manifestations include an energy rush, increased sensitivity
to surroundings and marked aggressiveness. These changes
allow the body to react quickly to a situation and repair
itself quicker if it is injured in some way. However during
an anxiety attack, these manifestations occur for no
apparent reason and the body often absorb or defuse this
change in it's homeostasis. Hence the physical symptoms of
an anxiety attack, as described before.

Recent research suggests that recurring panic attacks are
related to an increased incidence of future stroke or heart
attack. Those who experience a single instance of the
physical symptoms of an anxiety attack without a prior
record of anxiety disorder are not necessarily prone to
cardiovascular issues or any long-term issues. But further
study is needed to determine if repeated panic attacks
actually cause heart problems or are only related to them in
some way.

Doctors speculate that medications commonly prescribed for
anxiety disorder can put the patient at risk of a
cardiovascular event. No matter what, physical symptoms of
anxiety attacks are an indication that something is not
right, and the underlying problem needs to get taken care
of.

Anxiety attacks can be difficult to deal with. Although any
physical symptoms of an anxiety attack may be treated from a
medical standpoint, people still need to address the
underlying cause of the anxiety attack. There are various
therapies available to help people discover and deal with
the stress that is causing the attacks. One effective
therapy that can help a person control their reactions to
stress through sheer willpower is cognitive behavioral
therapy.

Deep breathing, advanced relaxation techniques,
aromatherapy, acupuncture, or massage therapy can help
people address the physical symptoms of an anxiety attack.
Regardless of what others may tell you, it is not easy to
relieve an anxiety attack by simply talking yourself out of
it. Anxiety should be treated as the medical condition that
it is. With proper treatment, people can alleviate the
effects of anxiety.

How To Manage Your Stress

By Lillian F Tighe

Stress and tension are part of most people lives and
threaten your health in many ways. Stress can come in the
form of accidents, financial difficulties, problems at work,
family issues, and poor health. The way to manage stress has
a lot to do with your mental, emotional, and physical
health. The following are some ways that you can manage the
stress in your life:

1. Try to find out what is causing your stress.

2. Examine your life and see if it is possible to make changes
in the areas that are causing you stress.

3. Relaxation techniques such as massage, deep breathing,
meditation, or yoga may help to relieve your stress.

4. Exercise or other physical activity will help you deal with
stress.

5. When you feel overwhelmed by everything you have to do,
create a checklist and arrange your priorities. You will
get satisfaction when you complete the tasks you have set
yourself.

6. Avoid sugar, fats, tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol to help
your body and mind to cope with stress.

7. Getting enough sleep is really important.

8. Find someone to talk to if things are bothering you. You
can talk to family, friends or find a support group.

9. Volunteering can give you a sense of purpose and increase
your self esteem and reduce your stress.

10. Relax by reading a book or watching a movie, listening to
music or working at a hobby you enjoy.

11. Practice anger management. If you feel that you have
problems dealing with you anger find a support group that
you can join.

12. A vacation from your regular life, even if only for a
weekend, will help you deal with stress.

13. Don't take on too much at one time. Learn to take it easy.

14. Don't try to be perfect in everything that you do.

15. Remember that being judgmental is likely to do you more
harm than the people you are judging.

16. Always try to see the amusing side of any situation.
Laughter is the best medicine.

17. Move your head from side to side and rotate you neck in a
circle to reduce the tension in your neck and jaw.

18. Set small and smart goals for yourself and then work
carefully and realistically towards achieving them. Keep in
mind that unrealistic goals never seem to be reached and
this can add to your stress level. Try to set a goal for
yourself this week by using the SMART approach:

SPECIFIC: Choose one little goal and write it down.

MEASURABLE: How will you know when it is done?

ACHIEVABLE: Make sure it is not too big.

REWARDED: When you have finished, how will you reward
yourself?

TIME-LIMITED: Can you set an achievable deadline?


Lillian F Tighe is an authority on healthy living and has
written a book (http://www.besthealthylives.com)
10stepstohealthyliving which you can obtain for free on her
(http://www.besthealthylives.com) healthyliving website