7 Proven Steps for Managing Anxiety Attacks Online

You have come to this article because you want to manage your anxiety attacks online. So let me get right down to giving you some useful and practical advice.

Anxiety attacks can cover a whole host of circumstances. Have you ever experienced the onset of sweats, rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath? You may even have thought you were having a heart attack! You were not - most likely you were experiencing an anxiety attack.

If you suffer from anxiety attacks, learning to recognise this condition and then being prepared to manage it, is the first step to overcoming these awful anxiety attacks. Anxiety can best be described as presenting an extreme reactions to perceived fearful situations.  Have you ever been in the situation where someone follows you along a dark alley? Did you experience those anxious feelings of a racing heartbeat and sweaty palms? Sometimes in these moments of heightened senses when a rush of adrenalin pumps through your body. It is believed by many researchers that this could under certain circumstance save your life. This is the fight or flight syndrome the scientists often describe.

In many cases of anxiety attacks there are fearful feelings and dread of a particular situation. Getting caught in the rush hour traffic can cause the onset of an anxiety attack. You start to worry about the consequences of being late. Going to a party where you do not know any of the other guests can bring on an anxiety attack. You don?t know anyone and that fear of that unknown can send you into a panic. You do not seem to be able to look on the optimistic side of the possible outcomes, just the downside is visible to you in your minds eye. It should be reassuring for you to know that just about everyone experiences some form of anxiety attack during their lives. Like the fight or flight example described above, it can sometimes save people's lives.

In many new situations that we find ourselves in, we get panicky and anxious, but when the outcome we fear fails to materialise, the panic and anxiety stops. Unfortunately for someone with chronic anxiety disorders, this is not the case. You must try to understand that every situation that brings about an anxiety attack is not life-threatening.  More than likely it is probably caused by an extremely stressful situation that has brought on the anxiety attack as a way of dealing with it.  Unchecked anxiety attacks of this type can lead to a form of prolonged depression. And you do not want to go there!! If you suffer from occassional anxiety attacks or indeed a more frequent anxiety disorder, then there are a number of steps you can take which have proved effective in keeping your anxiety under control:

1. I would always recommend you consult a professional. Self-diagnosis of any type of physical or mental condition is unwise and can be dangerous, as well as any kind of diagnosis from your drinking buddy in he pub!   A professional psychologist can help you understand your anxiety and prescribe medication if required or recommend a range of other effective techniques.

2. Try to get a good night's sleep. It is a well know fact that during the sleep cycle, your body repairs itself. You feel more rested after several hours of good quality sleep, reaching the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage.  Most people need at least eight hours a night which can vary within an hour or two each way in different individuals. Try to get to bed well before midnight.

3. Exercise on a consistent basis is a great recommendation.  Exercise helps you to use oxygen more efficiently also to get more oxygen to the brain.  It also increases focus which may help you see solutions to problems rather than simply worrying about them. Exercise produces valuable chemicals in the body and will help with point #2 above - getting more sleep.

4. Consider Meditating.  I know this may sound daunting and a bit "New Age", but give it a try. Try Yoga, as an exercise that involves quieting the mind and controlling your breathing, it is well woth considering. There are numerous books and dvd courses on all aspects of meditation. It may be that you simply find time to clear your mind everyday for 10 to 15 minutes. This in itself can work wonders in the fight against anxiety attacks.

5.You will need to manage the worry.  When you feel your pulse start to quicken, breath deeply and evenly and start to count backwards from fifty.  As you count, focus on the situation.  What has actually happened?  Resist the urge to read anything more into the situation.

6. Do not under any circumstances try to solve the problem with drugs or alcohol.  You might think that the glass of wine or beer is relaxing your tension but alcohol is known to be a depressant.  As for drugs - just do not go there! In anxious and frustrating situations you could begin to rely too heavily on the drugs and alcohol and gain a whole new serious problem in the process.

7. Find some relaxing activities or hobbies. Stress can rob you of your energy.  On a regular basis, do something you like such as gardening, painting, reading or listening to music.

Unfortunately anxiety attacks can come into your life at any time. It is a normal occurrance.  If the anxiety attacks become more frequent you could be at risk for more serious conditions. If you feel your anxiety attacks are starting to take over your life or increasingly causing you problems, seek professional help immediately. Do not suffer on your own. Talk over your problems with a qualified professional. In the meantime I hope this discussion of anxiety attacks online has helped, if only in a small way.

Good luck

Mike Mattews at www.anxietyattacksonline.info