When Anxiety Has A Life Of Its Own

According to the National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, anxiety disorders affect about 40 million people a year. The numbers are staggering especially for women who suffer from anxiety and stress almost twice as much as men. More and more children and seniors are also struggling with anxiety.

The symptoms of anxiety vary and can mimic illness, so you should always be checked out by a medical professional. Anxiety can mimic heart problems with symptoms such as a racing heart, fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle tension, trembling, fidgeting and light headedness. Mentally it can mimic psychological disorders with symptoms such as brain fog, ruminating thoughts, obsessive 'worst scenario' thinking, sleep issues and difficulty concentrating. It can play havoc on your emotions with moodiness, overwhelm, fear, panic and anger. Generally you feel out of control.

When experiencing these symptoms the tendency is to think something is physically wrong with you and when you seek medical confirmation you are disappointed when told that "nothing is wrong with you". Some people start to hide out so people won't notice. They put a huge effort into hiding the symptoms and avoiding anxiety triggers, resulting in the burden of keeping secrets and avoiding the pleasures of life. Then some will self-medicate by using prescription or illegal drugs, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine or sugar. In other words, anxiety has a life of its own and it can trap you and take over your life.

When you understand that the mind controls the body, what you feel and what you think, it makes sense to work with the mind to alleviate anxiety. Some people try medications first to alleviate symptoms and sometimes they work. However, hypnotherapy is the perfect adjunct tool to medical treatment, or the stand alone method of choice because you can go directly to the source of the problem, explore it, understand it and eliminate it. It is effective and delivers fast results.

After a while the repetitive symptoms of anxiety become expected and when you expect to experience anxiety most likely you will. Once anxiety reaches its claws of control into you and you have been dealing with it for some time, the approach to manage anxiety and eliminate it has to be two-fold.

First the stress must be addressed and that is where hypnotherapy comes in. Through relaxation techniques, you learn to unwind on all levels, physically, mentally and emotionally. The result is a better handle and control over your symptoms and your thoughts, with relief being the major benefit.

The next part of the healing approach is to look at the cause. Of course, if you knew the cause you could fix it yourself. Right? Wrong! What we think is the cause may be so on the surface level, but deep down in the subconscious level of the mind it can be something entirely different. When you understand the motivation for a behavior (or symptom), you gain an upper hand and the ability to alleviate it.

It is called reframing, a technique that allows your mind to 'see' things differently, resulting in the alleviation of anxiety symptoms.

Relief is what you want and managing anxiety is the goal. Anxiety does not have to have a life of its own. With the appropriate help and support you will take back your power and your life!

How Do You Treat General Anxiety Disorder?

There really isn't any difference in us today than there was 20-odd thousand years ago. Our worries and concerns are different, of course. 20,000 years ago you'd hardly be sitting in your cave with The Wall Street Journal, sweating over whether a particular stock had gone through the roof, or had plummeted.

But really there's no difference in our actual brains today than there was 20,000 years ago. The difference is that the concerns we have today aren't the same as those we faced all those years ago. We'll answer the question of how do you treat General Anxiety Disorder in a minute, but first we really ought to learn what it is.

Let's suppose that your wife's in hospital and you're having a few minor problems at work. You'll probably have the same sort of feeling that our old ancestor had when he was separated from his tribe. He doesn't hear anything, but he's on his own and his imagination starts to run riot. Suppose a savage animal is on his trail? It's all caused by a stress build-up and this feeling of anxiety is perfectly normal after his imagination has taken hold.

Now, these days, you should be physically safe. However, if you aren't, then take immediate steps to make yourself so.

But as I've pointed out, we still re-act to modern threats, (dropping the cell phone down the loo while talking to our boss), as if they were the age-old ones. With an onset of G.A.D., think back to when it started. Why, now, are you anxious? What made you anxious to start with? Was it an actual event, or merely a build-up of your imagination? And why should your imagination lead you astray in this fashion? Also, remind yourself that you're in no physical danger, so why be so anxious?

Probably the most important thing to remember is to face your anxieties head on. Do not, under any circumstance, try to brush them under the rug. If you do try to pretend that they aren't there, that's probably the surest way to build your anxiety and stress levels to unacceptable limits.

Are you overdoing it? Are you putting in too many hours at work? As a young person, you can get away with this, up to a point, but as you grow older, all these extra hours will catch up with you and stress will set in. So the two most important things to do. Firstly, cut down your work load. Secondly, learn to relax. And quite frankly, one of the best exercises you can take up is walking.

But without your cell phone!

Probably, one of the best treatments for anxiety, or indeed most mental disorders, is hypnosis. It'd be a very wise move to go and have a look at Mike Bond's website, http://www.wealthyoldman.com. There you'll find a treasure trove of knowledge about hypnosis and psychology.

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Is Alcohol Good For Anxiety?

The consumption of alcohol, is dangerous at the best of times, but as a cure for anxiety, it can be fatal.

Alcohol's definitely a wolf in sheep's clothing. Let's say something is making you very anxious. You're very worried about something.

Let's assume your dog rushes out into a busy road. Naturally, you're terrified he's going to be hit. Cars are dodging around him, horns are blowing, but by some miracle, the little monkey comes charging back, tail wagging, 'aren't I clever?' You make it very plain to him/her that you're very far from delighted at what he did. But in the end, all's well. So you go inside and allow your body to do the work of relaxing you.

The point here, though, is that you've been on high anxiety, probably for about 5 or 10 minutes at most. The dog's all right, so your anxiety motor powers down quickly. You sit down, and allow your body to totally relax for 10 to 15 minutes. By doing this, not only will you find yourself back to normal, you should find yourself energized and feeling a great deal better

But let's have a look at the type of anxiety that doesn't seem to go away. You wake up in the morning, and you have butterflies in your tummy. You go off to work, still with the butterflies doing their little dance, and so on throughout the day. In other words, you never seem to be without this anxiety. It's always with you.

Finally, you become sick and tired of it all and you decide to have a drink when you come home from work. And--magic! No more anxiety. Yes indeed, a drink really seems to knock it on the head. But while you think it's doing you good, in fact you're now on the slippery slope to oblivion. So for the next few evenings, you have a drink when you return from work and it does seem to keep the anxiety at bay, except that after a few days, you notice that you aren't quite so anxiety-free, even after your drink. The truth is that you're living in a fools paradise.

Well, you decide to have two. Everything's marvelous again. But you see where I'm going with this, don't you? It goes up to three in the evening. Then you decide to try one or two in the morning before going to work. Then you start to buy quarter or half bottles to take around with you, so that you can have a swig whenever things start to become a bit rough. There's no paradise about your foolishness now. The alcohol's combined with the anxiety and they have you by the throat.

From this point, there is only one way to go and that's into the psychiatric department of a good hospital.

Turning to the bottle could kill you.

Probably the best way to treat anxiety is with hypnosis. An excellent idea is to go to Mike Bond's website, by clicking on http://www.wealthyoldman.com. You'll find an enormous amount to read and learn, all of it written in a most entertaining way by top professionals in the fields of Psychology and Hypnosis.

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Why Am I Always So Anxious?

I used to wonder at this. Why am I always anxious? Indeed, I used to think, many years ago, that everyone felt as I did. But of course they don't and if you think that way, please dispel the thought from your mind. The reason for this feeling goes back many, many thousands of years, back to the time when we were running around in skins and living in caves.

Grab a nice cup of tea or coffee, sit back in your favourite chair and let your imagination travel back to a young man of probably around 18 years of age, who decides to go out with a number of his companions to hunt.

This is in the Paleolithic period, so we're probably looking at about 25,000 years ago. Now, this chap wouldn't be a Neanderthal; those poor old fellows had died out a long time before then. No, he'd be very similar to us, and in his own way, just as intelligent.

Suddenly, he sees the tracks of a small deer. He kneels and examines the hoof-marks. There's a bit of a breeze, but the edges of the tracks are razor sharp, so they're obviously fresh. He forgets everything else, including the whereabouts of his friends. He follows the tracks, but suddenly hears the howl of a wolf.

Now, how would you feel? Remember, he doesn't carry anything as sophisticated even as a bow and arrow. All he has is his spear and skinning knife. It's a sunny day and he looks up to find the sun past its zenith. It really doesn't matter where he goes, the wolves will track him and take him down. Climb a tree? Could do but there are some pretty nasty things in trees, too! A cave? Same reasoning. Goodness knows what he'd find in a cave.

Another howl, this time closer. Why didn't he think of his companions? Why did he just wander off like that? He lives in an area which is warm and the dusk is relatively short. Now he hears the wolf even closer and this time, its playmates have joined it.

He's terrified. Sweat pours off him when all of a sudden, he hears the sounds that make his heart sing! His companions have come to find him. He hears them calling his name and he follows the sound until once more he's united with them. Although of course he'd never label it as such, he's just suffered a bout of anxiety.

These days, we aren't too likely to find a pack of real wolves chasing us in Times Square! Plenty of human wolves, but they aren't going to kill us, unless we've been very silly indeed.

The real unpleasantness about General Anxiety Disorder and the reason so many wonder why am I always so anxious, is because so much of it comes on through your imagination. For no sensible reason, you may take it into your head that you're in danger of losing your job.

If this does happen to you, stop. Sit down, and ask yourself just how rational is this thought? When you face anxiety head on like that, and allow the rational side of your brain to take over, you find that these thoughts will soon vanish.

You'll find that a visit to Mike Bond's site, http://wealthyoldman.com, will give you the opportunity of learning so much about psychological disorders, as well as hypnosis. Just click on here, Bundles, and you'll find all manner of subjects about which to read and learn.

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Why Is Anxiety So Common Nowadays?

I'm extremely lucky. My wife and I live in the countryside of Eastern Kentucky and no longer do we have to put up with commutes and all the hurley-burley of everyone trying to arrive at their various destinations on time.

I've lived in the United States for very nearly thirty years now, and since I always worked from home, commuting never bothered me. But of course so many people do have to commute.

It takes my son one hour to arrive at his place of business and one hour to find his way home. And I'm sure that so many people have to go through commutes that make his look like a gentle walk in the park.

You'd think that with all these cell phones, many of which are highly complex, jobs which once took days to complete, could be accomplished in an hour or two. The remainder of the time could be spent relaxing, playing golf, tennis or squash or whatever you choose. Perhaps read, write, contemplate the magnitude of the universe. This answers the question nicely; ""

But no. In this brave new world, the cell phone is king. It rules our lives. Personally, I've never learned to use one. My son and grandchildren are, of course, masters of the thing. All through a maze of "Apps" it appears. Now I believe this stands for "Applications." Enough said about this, because I'll find myself way over my head in no time.

But life shouldn't be lived in this way. I'm all for these modern conveniences, but they ought to be used to make us happier, more carefree. Give us more time to study and enjoy the arts. Instead, we make these computers, cell phones and goodness knows what else, rods for our own backs. We always have to chase the almighty dollar,(or pound, or yen, or whatever your currency may be). Enough is never enough.

Provided you have a nice house to live in, a decent car to drive and enough money for food, what more is there? Oh, you need enough to service the inevitable repairs to your house and car, but provided you can earn enough to live in this manner, isn't that enough?

I used to think that if only I could earn vast sums of money, then I could consider myself a raging success.

How about your health? Arguably, the greatest robber of health is stress. Now, half the people you see out these days have something sticking into or out of their ear. If this was during normal working hours, then at least there'd be a reason for it.

It's when they've finished their normal 8 to 10 hours of work and they decide to go for a jog, an excellent way to unwind, by the way. But so many of them still have these things in their ears, and they're talking business even while they're undertaking a healthy bit of exercise. And that, to a large extent, answers the question; Does this question really have to be asked?

When you read the newspaper these days, it's quite alarming to read of the number of deaths of people, men especially, between the ages of 35 to 55. And why, in the main? Stress. Finish your days work at a sensible time, go for a jog or a nice walk.

But for goodness sake, leave that wretched cell phone at home.

Hypnosis is probably the best way of ridding yourself of anxiety. We strongly recommend a visit to Mike Bond's website, http://www.wealthyoldman.com. There, you'll find all manner of methods of self improvement, everything written by highly qualified hypnotherapists and psychiatrists, which will give you the chance of learning all manner of methods of learning to enjoy life lot more.

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5 Symptoms of Anxiety and Tension

It seems that General Anxiety Disorder causes people the following problems. There are others, but these five are the main ones.

1. They have difficulty sleeping.

2. They think that something is imminent.

3. Relaxing seems out of the question.

4. Great difficulty coping, due to feeling exhausted.

5. Don't wish to eat.

I would like to point out a problem that can very adversely affect some people. When the patient finally asks the psychiatrist why they feel the way they do, and the answer comes back that they're suffering from G.A.D., a lot of people are simply relieved to know that there is indeed something wrong with them, and that there's something that can be done about it.

However, there are those who become terrified. Their re-action may be to leap out of the chair with a yell, and then walk around the room muttering; "Oh my God, I knew it. I knew I was going insane. It's my wife, (mother-in-law, dog)."

This feeling of anxiety is a most ancient response. These days, of course, we're not chased by sabre toothed tigers. All those ancient dangers and worries have been replaced by other concerns, but the way our brains work today is precisely the same way they did all those many thousands of years ago.

The point is, though, that the 5 conditions I named above are exactly what our ancient ancestors would have experienced. The causes would be different, naturally, but the basic fears and worries they suffered all those years ago, are still experienced by ourselves today.

1. We find we're having trouble sleeping. Years ago, it could have been that the winter was coming on all too quickly, and the food situation wasn't too good. These days, it could be arguments with our spouse, our boss, the risk of a pink slip.

2. They hear noises outside the cave at night, and when they go out in the morning, there are great big prints of a carnivore. Today it could well be unknown. We just have 'a feeling.' Now this is an article in itself, but try to think back to any event, however small, that might have started to make you anxious.

3. We find it very difficult to relax. The majority of us can pick up a book and providing it's by an author we like, the chances are we'll become totally absorbed in the book. If there is anything worrying us, it'll be put on 'hold', while we're reading. But there are those who are unable to switch off or relax. It doesn't matter how good the book might be, it just can't override their concerns.

4. This is self-fulfilling. Being agitated and restless will inevitably make us tired, simply to the point of not caring.

5. Stress, worry, anxiety. All these conditions will play havoc with our digestion, thereby making eating a decidedly unattractive prospect.

I would suggest that any one of these conditions is a good reason to seek professional help.

I no longer suffer this most unpleasant condition, but I certainly wish I'd known about hypnosis when I was in its grips. I strongly recommend a visit to Mike Bond's website, where you'll learn all manner of facts about various mental conditions, Hypnosis and Psychology. Simply click http://www.wealthyoldman.com

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What Is Anxiety Disorder?

ByTom Tait

If you're wondering what anxiety disorder is you've probably already had your first episode of it. It was pretty scary huh? Well not to worry. You've come to the right place.

Anxiety disorder-some times called panic attack disorder, is a psychological condition that usually manifests itself in the form of intense panic attacks. These attacks are so intense that the sufferer is likely to believe that they are having a heart attack.

What are the symptoms of anxiety disorder?

There are both physical and psychological symptoms. The physical symptoms are increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, trembling, hot and cold flashes, head ache and nausea. Often you will also feel intense chest pain/constriction. Many people when they first experience these conditions will believe that they are having a heart attack.

The physical symptoms often obscure the psychological ones. The main psychological feature-the essence of the panic attack-is intense fear. The sufferer typically feels they are about to die or that they are "going crazy". In some severe cases the sufferer may also have an intense sense of unreality.

Are there treatments for anxiety disorder?

Yes. It is typically treated by one of many forms of behavior therapy. The therapies help the sufferer to come to better terms with the underlying conditions of their anxiety disorder. Often, though not always, there is a precipitating event that caused the anxiety disorder in the first place. By reliving and talking through the event with a therapist, the sufferer can often defuse the panic attack's power.

Even in the cases where there is not an initial event that began the panic attacks, behavior therapy can still be very helpful. By coming to a better understanding of the triggers that cause your panic attacks, you can learn how to both avoid these triggers and to begin taking actions to lower your heart rate and regulate your breathing in the early stages of your panic attack so that the episodes are not so intense.

Can I take medications for anxiety disorder?

There are several types of medications that can be prescribed. If you go to a licensed medical professional they are likely to give you a drug (often an anti-depressant) during the initial stages of your therapy. These drugs are not recommended without therapy or for long periods of time however, since many are addictive and have severe side-effects.

What causes anxiety disorder?

Scientists believe that anxiety disorder is a sort of malfunction with our natural fight or flight response. If you have taken psychology, you may already know that the fight or flight response is our reaction to a mortal threat. When we are faced with a wild animal or some other form of extreme danger, our bodies jump into a heightened state of being in which we either turn to face the threat (e.g., attack the bear) or turn and make a run for it.

A panic attack is this natural state of being divorced from the actual external threat. In other words, your body acts as if you are about to be eaten by a bear even though there is no bear present.

Often, a life threatening event initiates this disorder. So a person might be in a car crash and afterwards finds that anything that reminds him of the car crash will bring on panic attacks.

But, it is also possible to suffer from anxiety disorder simply because of your genetic make up. Many people who suffer, do not report an initial life threatening event. Scientists believe that these people simply have a genetic predisposition to anxiety disorder that starts to bother them once the stresses of everyday life bring them beyond the threshold of the disease.

Now that you have some sense of what panic attacks are, you are ready to move on to more research. You will find that there are some very good books on the subject and the web is chock full of helpful information for determining exactly what type of anxiety disorder you are suffering from.

Tom Tait is focused on helping those with panic attacks. Here is more information on Panic Attacks Information.
There is even more information about Panic Attacks on the website Panic Attacks.

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