Anxiety attacks can be debilitating - both mentally and physically. If you have ever had the misfortune of suffering from one or more anxiety attacks in your life, take comfort in the fact that there are steps you can take to alleviate or prevent these attacks from reoccurring. Let's take a look at the many steps you can follow if you feel an anxiety attack coming on -- no matter where you are.
Anxiety attacks typically start with a feeling of complete and total anxiety. This is usually followed by rapid heartbeat, sweating, ,shortness of breath, and lightheadedness. Panic attacks can even cause you to faint or pass out if they are extreme enough. When any of these symptoms begin, it is in your best interest to try to breathe deeply and slowly. Doing this will prevent your heartrate from skyrocketing. It will also prevent lightheadedness.
Next, to prevent a bad anxiety attack, you should try to focus your mind and attention on something positive -- even though it may seem like an impossible thing to do. People who have panic attacks often have a hard time focusing on anything other than what is bothering them at that moment. And for some, an anxiety attack may come out of nowhere. Therefore, if you feel an attack coming on, one of the best things you can do is to think of something happy and focus on positive thoughts. Perhaps you can recall a favorite childhood memory, or you can think of being in the warm sunshine on the beach of a tropical island.
Although thinking positively helps some anxiety patients, it does not help all of them. For some people, trying to focus on the positive can seem completely impossible, In these cases, it is best if you try to surround yourself with people who can help you to take your mind off of everything. Being around others can help some anxiety patients preoccupy themselves. In this way, their panic will not be at the forefront of their minds. Talking, joking, and laughing with friends and family can do wonders for the stressed mind. This is one of the best ways to alleviate anxiety. If there is no one around, you can always pick up the telephone or sign online to an Internet chat program to talk to people. If you have no family or friends online, you can always join an anxiety chat group, and talk to people with the same problem. This can be highly beneficial to your mental health.
Another thing you may want to consider to alleviate a panic attack is to take anti-anxiety medication. If you take the necessary step to visit a doctor who is a mental health professional, you can get a prescription for one of a variety of medications used to treat panic attacks. Some of these medication types include Xanax, Lorazepam, and Valium. Taking these medications on an "as needed" basis (i.e. when you feel an attack coming on) can be extremely helpful. These medications work quickly to calm your nerves and your anxiety. Your doctor will evaluate your specific case and be able to prescribe the correct medication and dosage of it that you will need. Only with a doctor's prescription can you get such medications. After you are prescribed an anti-anxiety medication, your doctor will monitor how well it works for you and if you have any unwanted side effects. Because this medication can sometimes be abused or addicting, your doctor will want to make sure that you are using it correctly.
A last way to deal with anxiety attacks is to seek the professional help of a therapist, also known as a psychiatrist. This mental health doctor will be able to talk to you one-on-one and give you personalized suggestions of how to end your anxiety. This will mean that you have to open up to your therapist and tell him or her exactly what is going on in your life, and your insights on it. If you are open and honest with your therapist, you will be able to receive the best help possible.
So if you suffer from sporadic and recurrent anxiety attacks, don't lose hope. Simply following these few steps can make your life easier and much happier.
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Frequently Asked Questions
He wants to die young.
By: worriedfriend | 03-08-2008
i've made friends with this very friendly man. as i've got to know him better, i have noticed somethings that do not sound healthy to me such as him wanting to die by the age of 40 max. he doesnt want to get married or have children because he has claimed to have tried it once and things didnt work out. he actually wasnt even really married but just dated this girl for a really really really long time. he doesnt visit the doctor even when he is in severe pain and says that he deserves it. he almost never sleeps and claims that his daily 5 mile run keeps him going... he doesnt really open up. he talks about what has happened, but doesnt express his deep feelings about it. he has been through some great challeneges in life. i feel like there is something he is not over. and im very worried about him. when i try and point out that maybe he needs help or his way of thinking is not normal, he tells me that im wrong because he wouldnt lie to himself or "i love being outside of the norm". it seems as if he is in denial about the whole thing... and also that he is very weak emotionally. he breaks down and takes things very hard. he expresses no hatred or negative feelings towards anyone but god and he claims thats because he would rather god take him away than the people he keeps taking out of this life. it seems as though he is trying to run from the reality of life. i've done research on depression but i havent gotten any real results. i dont know what i could do to help him. i am very worried to a point where im thinking about this situation all the time. i have to find a way to get to him and make him understand. i believe he has been goign through this for a while now, not sure exactly how long. but i know its been over three years for sure. any advice? i am willing to do whatever it takes. and is something even wrong or am i over analyzing the situation? there is a lot more to his behavior than i expressed earlier ... i tried to sum it up to the best of my ability. otherwise he is a very very friendly person. one of those friends that you cant help but cherish. always there. always willing to go out of his way for you. i mean, you couldnt ask for more from a friend. he claims to not have very many close friends and has told me that he considers me one. he is very close with his family and does whatever he could for them. but he says that right now its all about them but later in life "i want to be selfish for once" and that's when he wants to end his life ... i really dont get it... please give me any advice or feedback you may have.
What plants are poison for Soay and Icelandic sheep?
By: eweing | 01-08-2008
I heard that leaves and fruit from cherry trees are poisonous to sheep. Is this true? Are cherry trees poisonous to Soay and Icelandic sheep? What other plants are poisonous for Soay and Icelandic sheep?
My one year old suddenly decided that she does not ...
By: Cat | 21-07-2008
My one year old suddenly decided that she does not want to nap or sleep at night. As long as I am holding her she will sleep. I feel like maybe it is seperation anxiety, but she just started this out of the blue. She just spent a few days with a family member but was sleeping fine there. She came home and slept the first night with no problem. Then the next day this began. Any idea's?
When I get really nervous I break out in hives all ...
By: TAG | 17-07-2008
When I get really nervous I break out in hives all over my neck. what can I do to stop this?
Anxiety
By: Jazzy | 07-07-2008
I have anxiety and I want to take the natural way out of this what are some thoughts of magnesium pills?
Im pregnant with anxiety and stress.
By: trewhukuo56 | 05-07-2008
i am 5 months pregnant with my first child and im always going threw stress. it gets so bad sometimes that i have a major anxiety attack, im crying for hours and then my entire body goes numb all in my neck up to my eyes and my shoulder to the tips of my fingers and from my hips to my toes. and when it gets that far i cant even lift a simple can of soda or hold my own head up or even walk!! if im not this bad into anxiety im crying til i feel it coming... it seems like something always gets me stressed either my boyfriend my family or just something small like my mom not getting what i needed from the store. i am so scared for my baby. i want to know what type of damage can be done (if not already) and what i can do to try and reduce the stress in my life with out talking to doctors or taking medication..
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