Each of us has at some point in time had a depressing and sad moment. Depression is a normal human reaction associated with a loss, with the turmoil of everyday life (particularly in light of the present world recession) or with a stressed relationship. Sometimes the sensation of sadness  passes and sometimes it doesn’t.  It only becomes more persistent, possibly leading to a nervous breakdown.

Diseases of the nervous system are very serious and that is why it is important not to ignore them.  Get proper help when you realize you can’t handle them alone. There is no shame in having depression but do get the help you need.

Fear is an emotion that can have a significant impact on your life. Animals and humans alike have this emotional response to an event in the environment that poses potential danger.  This danger can be physical, mental, or emotional. The effect that fear has on a person is important because it can potentially alter your life and how you deal with the environment.

Regardless of its cause, there are common physical indicators of fear. These are:

•           an increase in heart rate and blood pressure

•           tightened muscles

•           an inability to focus your senses

•           dilated pupils

•           sweating

There are various forms of fear but its effects can be similarly devastating to the person involved. There are different triggers for these fears but all have the potential to impact on your ability to think clearly and respond to situations logically.

Below is a list of the different kinds of fears:

•           Places: crowds, enclosed places, below ground, or heights

•           Animals: rats, snakes, mice, spiders, etc

•           People: strangers, homosexuals, feeling over-responsible for others, talking to a group of people, etc

•           Events: war, crime, public speaking, etc

•           Family member/loved ones: death of family member, getting ill

•           Disaster: hurricane, lightening, injury or pain, blood, death, earthquake, etc

•           Other people's reactions or responses: rejection, disapproval, being humiliated, being ignored, pretension, insecurity

•           Feelings about your own ability: taking the leadership role, speaking to a large crowd, stage fright, embarrassing yourself

These are only some of the categories of fear and people will respond differently. Some are able to use the fear they experience in order to sharpen their responses to a given situation while others do not have control over the level of fear they are experiencing.  This often leads to panicking and experiencing anxiety attacks. 

Panic Away can help you overcome the symptoms and resulting anxiety.

 

 How do you know you have anxiety fear? Of course, it is important to identify the symptoms for this condition because only then can you make the proper diagnosis and take steps to improve your condition. Here are some common symptoms shared by people with anxiety fear:

 

•           intense sweating

•           feeling of nausea

•           breathlessness

•           incontrollable shaking

•           dry mouth

•           heart palpitations

•           loss of touch with reality

•           inability to think clearly or focus

Your thoughts can have a lot to do with how you feel. Thinking negative thoughts are one of the things that will make you feel anxious so here’s a few tips to positive thoughts and help you to overcome anxiety.


1. Take Good Care of Yourself

It's much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.


2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For.

Stresses and challenges don't seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.


3. Look for Proof Instead of Making Assumptions

A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member's bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Don't waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.

 
4. Practice Loving, Touching & Squeezing (Your Friends and Family)

You don't have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn't touch!


5. Increase Your Social Activity

By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!

 

Did you know that the trick to ending panic and anxiety attacks is to want to have an attack? This may sound odd but think of the saying "What you resist persists." If you resist a situation out of fear that fear will persist but if you actually look out for a panic attack you find that you won’t have one because you have stopped resisting the fear.

Your real security is the fact that a panic attack will never harm you and that is a medical fact.
 

The following natural anxiety remedy tips are only a few of those available.  Please feel free to add your own or make comment on what has been helpful to you.

* Herbal remedies include Kava, Motherwort, Passionflower, Skullcap, St John’s Wort and Valerian.

* Herbal teas – many and varied include teas made from the above list as well as Chamomile and Lemon Balm.

* Learn to laugh – laugh every day, even if you need to fake it.

* Massage can relieve tension in muscles and relieve stress and anxiety. It can cause your body to release natural painkillers.  Combine with essential oils.

* Get your finances sorted.  Particularly in the current economic climate stress and anxiety is an issue and it is important to take hold of finances.

* Soak in a warm bath with aromatherapy oils added.  Essential oils such as Bergamot, Cedarwood, Geranium, Lavender, Lemon, Sandalwood and Sweet Marjoram.

* Exercise every day.  Try walking, yoga or any physical activity that you enjoy.

* Learn to breathe deeply.  When we are stressed and anxious we tend to breathe shallowly which exacerbates the problem.  Learning correct breathing techniques is invaluable.

* Meditation. Research shows that meditation can significantly lower anxiety. Do some sort of meditative activity for at least 15 minutes, three or four times a day.  Find a place of quiet surroundings, clear your mind, and actively relax.

Herbal and other natural remedies are becoming increasingly popular as a substitute to prescription drugs for the treatment of anxiety.Using a natural anxiety remedy makes a far safer alternative to anti-anxiety medications which can often be habit-forming or can cause side effects.

Although the terms panic attack and anxiety attack are used interchangeably when describing symptoms there is a difference. Read “The difference: Anxiety Attacks and Panic Attacks” to find out more.

In summary panic attacks are more intense but of shorter duration than anxiety attacks.

You are not alone.  While we would never wish phobias, anxiety and panic on anyone it is somewhat comforting to know that famous people suffer too.

Celebrity chef Paula Dean, actress Kim Basinger, director Woody Allen, and Nobel laureate for literature Elfriede Jelinek have all suffered from agoraphobia.

Footballer David Beckham, winning writer, actor and director Billy Bob Thornton, actress Jessica Alba and even the twentieth century billionaire aviator and entrepreneur Howard Hughes ("The Aviator") all suffered from OCD.

Many refer to anxiety attack and panic attack as being one and the same but there are some differences. The main difference being the duration of the attack and the intensity.  Whilst anxiety attack symptoms are less hi-stress, they tend to last longer than the power-packed panic symptoms -- which are far more intense. Usually an anxiety attack comes on more gradually than a panic attack which is sudden and without warning.

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Depression is a serious medical condition affecting the mind and body.  It is a state of mind characterized by a negative sense of inadequacy and a visual lack of activity. Mentally the affected person experiences feelings of gloom and downturns in mood with feelings of sadness, despair, low self-esteem, self-reproach and discouragement.

We have all experienced depression at some time in our life, such as when someone close has died or a misunderstanding has occurred in our family situation, but depression becomes an illness when the mood state is severe, lasts more than two weeks and interferes with our ability to function normally.

It is important to get professional help if your symptoms of depression are severe and affecting your daily life.