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Anxiety is part of our self preservation mechanisms and is there to protect us.
As with anything else to do with human beings, there will be a wide variance between the manner in which different human beings respond to normal anxiety appropriate situations.
So what is an anxiety appropriate situation?
Continue reading Anxiety? Is It Good or Bad? →
We saw that the problem could be looked at as a mechanical issue that needed chemical intervention to fix it. We saw that the problem -which obviously involved feelings and thoughts – was considered a psychological one and need addressing from the point of view of reprogramming the mind.
And we looked at the third option where we saw that the mind and body are considered to work together and therefore a holistic answer – treating both the mechanical side and the psychological side is the way to go.
Continue reading What causes anxiety and panic attacks? Part 4 – Conclusion →
Does the arising chemical imbalance cause the unfortunate psychological and behavioral symptoms or is it the other way round?
Or is this debate necessary at all?
Continue reading What causes anxiety and panic attacks? Part 3 →
In Part 1 we looked at the theory that anxiety and panic attacks are due to chemical imbalances in the brain. Now we will look at the theories which are at the other end of the continuum
The Anti Chemical Imbalance lobby argues that the underlying cause is not a chemical problem but a psychological problem. Here there are a number of theories. Repressed emotions in the subconscious part of the mind, inherited behaviours, ineffective coping strategies, ineffective thinking patters and behaviours. Personality come into it as does parenting and the environment the person experienced as a child.
Continue reading What causes anxiety and panic attacks? – Part 2. →
What causes anxiety and panic attacks? At this moment,the exact cause is unknown but current theory suggests that there could be a hereditary factor, and that other factors may be involved. Things like lifestyle, personal development, diet, upbringing, personality characteristics are some of the ideas that are put forward.
What is known is that there is a mental side and a physical side to anxiety. The mental side refers to the feelings of discomfort, worry, terror that people may experience. The physical side refers to the body changes such as increased pulse rate, various aches and pains, nausea and stomach upsets, etc.
This uncertainty has given rise to different theories on how to treat anxiety and panic attacks – which are often influenced by the professional’s own training.
We can divide these different theories into 3 broad groups. The Pro Chemical Imbalance theorists, The Anti Chemical Imbalance theorists and the Mind/Body theorists which fit in between the other two groups. Continue reading What causes anxiety and panic attacks? A discussion in 4 parts. →
Panic attacks are part of the distressing condition known as anxiety. Today worldwide, millions of people suffer from various degrees of anxiety and from panic attacks. Symptoms of panic attacks can be extremely disruptive in a person’s life. The sufferers are not always well understood and the economic consequences are rarely taken into account. In today’s economic climate it is likely that the incidence of anxiety will rise.
In the current recession many people’s entire lives have been turned upside down and they just don’t know whether they are ready and equipped to face their future and when and if circumstances will improve. Many people are experiencing an increase in the anxiety that they are feeling about their present circumstances and about their future – and may well be trying to hide it from friends and family. Our society is changing and our economies are venturing into the unknown.
Panic Attacks are one of the debilitating complications of anxiety. They can be crippling in their impact. You may not understand that unless you have had one or know someone who has. They are debilitating because the terror that people experience has all kinds of unfortunate consequences. People wind up constantly worried that the attacks will recur and gradually their lives become more and more restricted. The only place they feel safe is at home. We do know that Panic attacks are triggered by changes in the brain and that they are related to anxiety but exactly why these changes take place is still not widely understood.
Effective answers are needed and are available, Sufferers need to know what they are experiencing. They need support. Often they do not find their answers. And so I dedicate this blog not just to panic attack sufferers but also to providing useful information and tips for people who need to find strategies for coping with anxiety.
A crisis in the family can affect the entire family and possibly close friends as well. They probably have a lot of questions that need to be answered:
What causes panic attacks? Are other family members at risk? What do you say to the children to reassure them but be honest? What do you do if you feel you cannot cope with the other person’s panic attacks? How do you deal with someone who has agoraphobia and wont leave the house. These are questions the families ask and it is not easy to find the answers.
Continue reading Panic Attacks and the Family →
One of the biggest myths surrounding anxiety is that it is harmful and can lead to a number of various life-threatening conditions.
Definition of Anxiety
Anxiety is defined as a state of apprehension or fear resulting from the anticipation of a real or imagined threat, event, or situation. It is one of the most common human emotions experienced by people at some point in their lives.
Continue reading Causes of Panic Attacks →
These speaking engagements do not necessarily have to be the traditional “on a podium” events but can be as simple as an office meeting where the individual is expected to express an opinion or give verbal feedback. The fear of public speaking and panic attacks in this case centers on having an attack while speaking. The individual fears being incapacitated by the anxiety and hence unable to complete what he or she is saying. The person imagines fleeing the spotlight and having to make all kinds of excuses later for their undignified departure out the office window….
Continue reading Public Speaking and Panic Attacks →
Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks by Joe Barry. Joe Barry is an international panic disorder coach.
There is phobia that is linked to the experience of panic attacks, and that is agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places such as shopping markets. It is a fear associated with leaving a safe zone, such as the home.
Because of a feeling of being vulnerable, people who experience this fear often suffer from panic attacks in these “open” situations. It is true to say many people who have regular panic attacks experience different degrees of agoraphobia. Some have a lingering background anxiety about being away from home should they experience a panic attack. Other people are so immobilized by this fear that they find it very difficult to leave their home for even a short period.
Continue reading Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks →
