September 13, 2008

Anxiety and Depression- How Anxiety and Depression Are Related

There is a strong connection between anxiety and depression. Discovering the connection between anxiety and depression will help you to understand and overcome your disorder more easily.Connection Between Anxiety and DepressionThe terms anxiety and depression disorders are most often confused and related with each other. But in fact both have different meanings and are in fact the two different states of mental disorder. However, it is also true that sometimes anxiety may lead to depression or vice-versa.According to a precise definition of anxiety, “It is basically a feeling of nervousness or un easiness, which creates a critical disturbance in the mental state, thus leading to the chronic or generalized anxiety.”Anxiety disorder is a medical problem that can lead to mental illness. Such a disorder usually creates extreme terror & fear in one’s life. Besides this, it can generate a lot of mental strain on the brain. This stress if not treated well in time can tend to become a chronic stress. The common symptoms of anxiety include extreme pressure on the brain, heart palpitations and sweating. The different types of Anxiety disorders are:Panic disorder OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) PTD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Social phobia Specific phobia Generalized Anxiety Similarly according to an accurate and precise definition of depression, “Depression is basically a medical disorder usually characterized by hopelessness, extreme feeling of sadness and irritability in temperament along with the lack of interest in life”.Depression is categorized into three different forms:Major Depression Dysthymia Bi-polar diseaseDepending upon the varying temperaments, the mode of depression may vary from person to person. A depressed person may encounter the feelings of helplessness or he may fail to cope with this state. Thus, ultimately depression may end up with the feelings of anxiety.Alternatively, it is the feeling of anxiety that is faced initially by a person and that tends to the state of depression. Such a situation mainly arises because a person fails to cope with these anxiety disorders. But, in fact both these disorders can lead to a serious disability factor in the brain.Inter-Relationship Between Anxiety And Depression:Both Depression and Anxiety are the serious mental ailments. A depressed person generally experiences low-energy state accompanied with the lack of interest in life. This ultimately results in anxiety disorder and the sufferer might face panic attacks.Generally, both these disorders are cured in a similar way. To cure anxiety ‘antidepressant drugs’ are mostly used while ‘behavioral therapy’, often aids to overcome both these troubles.Common Techniques To Overcome Anxiety And DepressionThere are certain natural therapies which if followed appropriately will definitely help to overcome depression and anxiety disorders.Intake of a Rich and Nutritious Diet:It is always recommended to take a balanced diet in order to overcome depression and anxiety disorders. There are certain food ingredients that hike the anxiety level of a person. It includes sugar and some food additives. In addition to it, there are certain food supplements and herbs that help to calm down the nervous system. Some of such supplements include kava, vitamin B valerian teas and chamomile.Follow Relaxation Techniques:Anxiety and depression not only harm the mental state but also the physical well being of a person. Generally, it is recommended that a person should follow proper relaxation tips to overcome these troubles. Some of the significant relaxation tips include deep breathing, bio-feedback and the muscle relaxation. Regular exercising also helps in overcoming depression and anxiety. It minimizes the muscle tension, discharges frustrations & reduces the level of adrenaline in the blood, thus helps to overcome anxiety and depression.—Hailey Harris is an expert in Anxiety after dealing with anxiety and other health problems for more than 8 years. Now free of panic attacks and severe anxiety she teaches others to do the same at www.ridmyanxiety.com/squeezer.html . For free anxiety tips visit www.ridmyanxiety.com/articles.html .

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July 19, 2008

Anxiety Disorder-A Brief Introduction

Various Symptoms/Signs Of Anxiety DisorderIn a medical terminology, anxiety disorder usually refers to a state of nervousness or uneasiness. Anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental health disorders. It is basically defined as a critical disturbance in the mental state that can ultimately lead to chronic anxiety. It usually arises due to work pressure, highly constrained work schedules which tend to disturb the mood or behavior of a person. However, if proper anxiety treatments are not followed well in time, it can even harm the mental state of a person.A person suffering from anxiety disorder often experiences a long-drawn-out feeling of distress or fright and discomfortness. This disorder can further create a bad impact on relationships with friends, family and the colleagues.Various Symptoms / Signs of Anxiety disorder:So far researchers have conducted an in-depth study to determine the precise reason for anxiety disorders. Finally, they have concluded that this trouble mainly arises due to the biological factors along with various personal situations faced by an individual. This disorder not only affects the individual’s behavior, thoughts, action, emotions but also the physical health. It is so common that individual anxiety disorder can be seen. Moreover, an individual can suffer even more than one anxiety disorder at a time. Anxiety disorder is accompanied by a series of other troubles as well including depression, substance abuse or eating disorders.Various symptoms/signs of anxiety disorder include:Panic Disorder: Panic disorder is basically a type of anxiety disorder. Such a type of disorder is usually experienced in the unexpected panic attacks that come along with the feeling of fear. This attack can also affect the physical health of a person, thus resulting in breathing problems, severe pain in chest, heart strokes, and fear of death as well as acute pain in the abdomen.Agoraphobia , with or without panic disorder: This is basically a condition in which a person fails to avoid or escape from a panic attack. OCD or Obsessive ‘Compulsive Disorder: This is an uncontrollable condition in which an individual suffers from constant unnecessary thoughts, commonly termed as obsessions and compulsions (or rituals). A typical instance of obsessions includes doubtful temperament, serious concerns regarding contamination and much more. The various instances of compulsions include counting, checking and the systematic organization of things.PTSD or Post-Traumatic stress disorder: Post-traumatic disorder is usually the consequence of a horrible or a terrific experience that might have took place in one’s life. Most often the victims of war, natural disaster or child abduction may experience this stress disorder. The general symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, rudeness in temperament, feelings of fear as well as frustrations.Phobias:Such an anxiety disorder is usually categorized into two groups:Social Phobia: It is also sometimes termed as social anxiety disorder, in which a person fears to deal with social situations. Not only this, but he may also feel conscious & embarrassed to deal with gatherings and also fails to lead a normal life.Specific Phobia: In this type of anxiety disorder, a person is often beset with unreasonable fears that are quite impossible to control. The extreme stage of specific phobia is one when a person designates his fear as illogical one. The typical instances include terror of heights, open spaces as well as the fear of flying.GAD: An acronym GAD stands for Generalized Anxiety disorder. The general symptoms include headache, loss of fatigue & nausea. The exaggerated worries related to daily routine activities & events disorder are the main reason behind this type of anxiety disorder.—Hailey Harris is an expert in Anxiety after dealing with anxiety and other health problems for more than 8 years. Now free of panic attacks and severe anxiety she teaches others to do the same at www.ridmyanxiety.com/squeezer.html . For free anxiety tips visit www.ridmyanxiety.com/articles.html .

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March 13, 2008

Medication For Anxiety Disorders 0 The Various Options

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 individual0s 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 0 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 DrugsBenzodiazepines 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 DepressantsAnti 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 BlockersBeta 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 doctor0s 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 www.AttackAnxiety.org which specializes providing a whole range of Anxiety Treatment topics to assist you in your life.

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