minor anxiety/panic attacks 31

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4/1/2008 8:38:09 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
akashaman Brunswick, OH age: 29	Fluharty, it would love to talk with you. If you ever see me online just send me a note. does not matter to me if you have a difficult time reading and writing.
4/1/2008 1:05:29 PM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	hey flu its ok...I saw somewhere online and it really is true..as long as you are able to get the beginning and ending of a word its very easily read. So go ahead and give it a whril All you can do is try your best.. thats all we can do to
4/4/2008 11:33:57 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder The symptoms of anxiety range in intensity from feelings of uneasiness producing trembling and sweaty hands, to bouts of diarrhea, heart palpitations and full-blown panic attacks. Anxiety can cause complete, but temporary, memory blocks, or cause entirely inappropriate behavior. Long term severe worry, tension, irritability or depression, for no clear reason. Excessive or unwarranted worry (usually over work, finances, relationships, and health) Heart palpitations (rapid or irregular heartbeat) Sense of impending doom Difficulty or Inability to concentrate or mind going blank Muscle tension especially in the neck, shoulders, and chest; muscle aches; trembling or twitching in the muscles Diarrhea Chest pain Dry mouth Sweating or hot flashes Excessive sweating, sweaty palms Abdominal pain and/or diarrhea Undereating or overeating, loss of appetite Insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep, nightmares) Irritability Fatigue, headache, Easily fatigued Trembling or feeling shaky Rapid and shallow breathing, or feeling short of breath (hyperventilation) Loss of sex drive Being easily startled Occasional panic attacks Restlessness
4/4/2008 11:35:00 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Types of Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders, like other mental illnesses, reflect dysfunctions within the brain. We are beginning to understand the specific circuits in the brain that underlie post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and perhaps panic disorder. We are on the path to discovering genes that make people vulnerable to anxiety disorders. "Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in America, yet many people who have them are suffering in silence and secrecy, inappropriately ashamed or unaware of the availability of excellent treatments," according to Steven E. Hyman, M.D., Director of National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). "Most people with anxiety disorders, depression or other mental illnesses face great difficulty receiving appropriate treatment due to widespread lack of understanding and stigma." Anxiety disorders consist of a group of illnesses: obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, panic disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. Panic Disorder - Characterized by panic attacks, sudden feelings of terror that strike repeatedly and without warning. Physical symptoms include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, abdominal discomfort, feelings of unreality, and fear of dying. Panic disorder afflicts approximately 1 to 2% of the U.S. population with women being twice as likely to develop it. It typically strikes in young adulthood with roughly half of all sufferers developing the condition before age 24. Agoraphobia is the fear of being in places or situations from which escape may be difficult or embarrassing or in which help may not be available in the event of a panic attack. Agoraphobia is intimately related to panic disorder, and the two frequently occur together. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) afflicts about 2% of the U.S. population in a given year. People with OCD suffer intensely from recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) or rituals (compulsions) that seem impossible to control. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - Post-traumatic stress disorder affects about 7.8% of the population. It is often associated with war veterans. However it can occur in anyone who has experienced a severe and usual physical or mental trauma such as war, rape, child abuse, natural disasters or crashes. The severity of the disorder increases if the trauma was unanticipated. People who suffer from PTSD re-experience the event that traumatized them through nightmares, psychic numbing, excessive alertness and highly sharpened startle reaction, and in generalized anxiety, depression, and inability to sleep, nightmares, flashbacks, numbing of emotions, feeling angry, irritable, and distracted. Phobias - Extreme, disabling and irrational fear of something that really poses little or no actual danger; the fear leads to avoidance of objects or situations and can cause people to limit their lives. Phobias afflict approximately 13 to 15% of Americans who may experience one or more phobias in a given year. Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Chronic, exaggerated worry about everyday routine life events and activities, lasting at least six months. Almost always anticipating the worst even though there is little reason to expect it; accompanied by physical symptoms, such as fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache, or nausea. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) afflicts about 3 to 4 % of the U.S. population in a given year.
4/4/2008 11:39:02 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Conventional Medical Treatment Conventional medical treatment for anxiety consists of Medication (drug therapy) and Psychotherapy Medication (drug therapy) Drug Therapy depends on the complaints of the symptoms presented by the patient and associated psychiatric conditions. There is a notorious comorbidity between generalized anxiety disorder and major depression. They are so common that psychiatrists often advice the medical students that if they see GAD to look again, and they will probably find major depression. According to Martin Keller, MD, chief of psychiatry, Brown University Program in Medicine, Providence, R.I., 14% of patients whose GAD is accompanied by major depression have attempted suicide at least once. Even in those who were not diagnosed with depression, 11% have attempted suicide, he noted (JAMA 1989;262:2654). Clinically, Dr. Keller said the percentage of patients whose GAD is being treated with benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, anxiolytics and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors has not changed markedly since 1989. Unfortunately, he commented, patients are more likely to be treated with subclinical doses of whatever medication their physician prescribes. According to many psychiatrists, benzodiazepines have not fulfilled their promise, although they are a great improvement over barbiturates. Here are some common drugs used in the treatment of GAD. Venlafaxine XR Venlafaxine XR is effective as an antidepressant as well as for the treatment of GAD. It is the first antidepressant that is indicated for both depression and GAD. In clinical studies Venlafaxine XR was found to be more effective than buspirone in patients with GAD but without comorbid depression. In another study comparing venlafaxine XR with fluoxetine (Prozac) in patients with depression and comorbid anxiety venlafaxine XR showed a greater magnitude of effect in both depression and anxiety. David Sheehan, MD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Medicine, in Tampa, USA. is a great believer in venlafaxine. In the 1999 annual meeting of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Dr. Sheehan said that venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR, Wyeth-Ayerst) has been shown to lead to a mean 10-point improvement on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) when taken at 75 mg/d, and a 12-point improvement when taken at 225 mg/d (Int Clin Psychopharmacol 1996;11:137-145). This compares with patients in the placebo group, who experienced an eight-point improvement. Patients taking 225 mg/d showed a statistically significant improvement in six out of seven domains for the HAM-A. Even at 150 mg/d, patients showed a statistically significant improvement in two out of seven domains. Clinical improvements were seen in the study group within the first one to two weeks, with only 28.2% relapsing by the 26-week mark. By contrast, those taking placebo only saw an improvement up to week 10, after which there was a loss of efficacy, with 52.3% relapsing by week 26 (P<0.001). Buspirone (Buspar) Typically administered in a dosage range of 20-60 mg/day, buspirone has been shown to be effective and safe in the treatment of GAD. It is however slow to take effect - usually there is a lag time of 3 to 4 weeks before it efficacy is achieved for GAD. This slow action may be a problem for people suffering from acute anxiety. Buspirone is more effective than benzodiazepines for the psychic symptoms of GAD, such as apprehension and worry, as well as depressive symptoms. Buspirone is particularly useful in treating elderly patients who are more sensitive to benzodiazepine use. It is also given along with benzodiazepines where the combination is very effective. Buspirone has the virtues of not being addicting, having minimal side effects, and not causing withdrawal symptoms. It also does not interact with alcohol. Side effects associated with buspirone include dizziness, headaches, and nausea. Benzodiazepines Benzodiazepines include: Xanax (alprazolam) Klonopin (clonazepam) Ativan (Iorazepam) Valium (diazepam) Although these medications act rapidly and effectively and relieve panic attacks and general anxiety, they can be addictive, impair memory, and increase tiredness. When carefully used, however, these medications can be quite helpful for a short time. They often lose their effectiveness over the long term. Benzodiazepines are useful in relieving somatic and autonomic symptoms more effectively than psychic symptoms of anxiety. Benzodiazepines will not prevent depression from emerging and may even exacerbate or precipitate depression. Since anxiety is frequently found in association with several other psychiatric illnesses, most notably depression, the use of Benzodiazepines alone is limited. It is often used in combination with other drugs. Nefazodone Nefazodone is a newer antidepressant with anxiety reduction potential. In a small, 8-week trial of nefazodone in patients with GAD, 80% reported their symptoms as being at least "much improved." Common side effects of nefazodone included fatigue, drowsiness, headache, and insomnia. Overall, nefazodone was effective and well tolerated. The recommended dosage of 375 mg/day for treating GAD is similar to effective nefazodone doses used for treating depression. Although nefazodone has been proved effective as an antidepressant, its potential for the attainment and maintenance of remission in the long-term treatment of GAD needs further investigation.
4/4/2008 11:41:13 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Panic Disorder Panic disorder is a common, chronic illness associated with considerable suffering and social cost. Although panic symptoms have been well described for over a century, only in the past decade has it has become widely recognized as a distinct psychiatric illness. People with panic disorder can feel frightened, distressed and uneasy for no apparent reason. Left untreated, panic disorder can dramatically reduce productivity and significantly diminish an individual's quality of life. Fortunately, 60-80% of panic disorders can be effectively treated. Imagine yourself sitting at home comfortably watching TV All of a sudden, with no apparent provocation or cause, you get a horrible sensation of dread. Your heart begins to race, and you don't know why. You think that you are having a heart attack. You start sweating. You have trouble catching your breath, feel dizzy, and are frightened to death. You feel as if you need air. You feel as if you need to move around and to do something/anything to stop these terrible feelings. You try to calm yourself, with no success. You are rushed to the hospital. But, by the time you get to the emergency room, your symptoms have disappeared. This is a typical example of a panic attack, suffered by more than 3 million people in the United States. In panic disorder, brief episodes of intense fear are accompanied by multiple physical symptoms such as heart palpitations and dizziness that occur repeatedly and unexpectedly in the absence of any external threat. These "panic attacks" are believed to occur when the brain's normal mechanism for reacting to a threat--the so-called "fight or flight" response--becomes inappropriately aroused. Victims of panic disorder frequently worry about the possibility of having another panic attack. They often avoid situations in which they believe these attacks are likely to occur. Anxiety about another attack, and the avoidance it causes, can lead to disability in panic disorder.
4/4/2008 11:43:02 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Causes of Panic Disorder Factors such as heredity, other biological factors, stressful life events, and thinking in a way that exaggerates relatively normal bodily reactions in catastrophic events are believed to play a role in the onset of panic disorder. Currently, the exact cause or causes of panic disorder are unknown. Suffocation Alarm Theory Panic attacks are often associated with rapid, heavy breathing (hyperventilation). This kind of respiration absorbs oxygen quickly for emergency purposes. Some researchers believe that during a panic attack the brain is falsely signaling a shortage of oxygen or an increase in carbon dioxide and setting off a suffocation alarm in a person with a low threshold. Because both excess and shortage of carbon dioxide are associated with panic, most experts suggest that a panic attack may occur in a susceptible person who develops any imbalance of gases in the blood sufficient to cause intense physical sensations. Lactate Sensitivity Theory When the chemical sodium lactate is injected into a subject, it produces the physical symptoms associated with panic. These symptoms precipitate panic itself in about four-fifths of people with panic disorder but only one-fifth of the general population. The muscles of the body produce lactate (in the form of lactic acid) during vigorous exercise. Its presence is a sign that the body is straining to meet oxygen needs. Lactate sensitivity might be a sign of genetic susceptibility to panic attacks. It is often found in otherwise healthy members of the families of people with panic disorder. Underlying Biological Mechanism Researchers are looking for evidence for an underlying biological mechanism in panic disorder, resulting from the malfunctioning of a natural alarm system. The underlying mechanism may involve irregularities in the synthesis and release of norepinephrine (NE), one of the neurotransmitters released by the brain in emergencies. Stimulants that alter NE transmission (including cocaine, amphetamines, and even caffeine) can precipitate panic attacks, and many drugs used to treat panic disorder act in the same pathways. Other brain systems associated with the disorder make use of serotonin (5-HT) or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Hypersensitivity of receptors for one or more of these neurotransmitters could be one cause of the physiological crisis that results in panic. In studying the effects of stress on brain activity in animals, Elizabeth Abercrombie, Ph.D. of Rutgers University, found that chronic stress increases release of norepinephrine in the hippocampus of animals subjected to a subsequent acute stressor. Dr. Abercrombie also showed that stressful stimuli result in substantial increases in dopamine in three brain regions believed to be involved in the anxiety response. Dr. Abercrombie is hoping to show how stressful life events in humans translate into disturbances of neurotransmitter systems. Heredity and Stress Response The risk of panic disorder is probably influenced by heredity. Identical twins are matched for the disorder at a rate of 30%. The risk for a father, mother, brother, sister, parent, or child is 10% to 20%. About 40% of people with agoraphobia have a close relative with agoraphobia. Relatives of patients with both panic attacks and agoraphobia have the same 10% to 20% risk of panic attacks as the relatives of patients with panic attacks alone, but their risk of agoraphobia may be as much as eight times as high. Phobias are genetically related to panic disorder, but depression and generalized anxiety are not. Dr. Jerome Kagan of Harvard University believes that shyness and sociability are enduring temperamental traits that have a biological basis. He demonstrated that shy children differed from the outgoing children in their physical (biological) responses to new situations. The shy, inhibited children seemed to have a much higher baseline heart rate and more rapid increase in their pulse in response to the stress of a totally new situation or object than did the outgoing, sociable children, suggesting that they had an overly active stress response. If these biological differences are long-lasting, then the shy children might be more vulnerable (and outgoing children relatively immune) to developing anxiety disorders and stress-related illnesses. Drs. Biederman and Rosenbaum of Harvard University demonstrated that the children of parents with an anxiety disorder were more likely to be shy and inhibited than were children born to parents without anxiety disorders. More importantly, they found that many of the shy children went on to develop anxiety disorders.
4/4/2008 11:44:02 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Symptoms of Panic Attack During a panic attack, some or all of the following symptoms occur: Terror--a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to happen and one is powerless to prevent it Racing or pounding heartbeat Chest pains Dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea Difficulty breathing Tingling or numbness in the hands Flushes or chills Sense of unreality Fear of losing control, going "crazy," or doing something embarrassing Fear of dying
4/4/2008 11:45:01 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Progression of Panic Disorder People who suffer from panic disorder go through a number of stages. 1. Initial Panic Attack Typically, a first panic attack seems to come "out of the blue." It occurs while a person is engaged in some ordinary activity like driving a car or walking to work. Suddenly, the person is struck by a barrage of frightening and uncomfortable symptoms. These symptoms often include: bullet Terror A sense of unreality A fear of losing control These symptoms typically lasts several seconds. But in some cases, it may continue for several minutes. The symptoms gradually disappear over the course of about an hour. People who experience a panic attack suffer extreme discomfort. They fear that they had been stricken with some terrible, life-threatening disease. Some of the victims may feel that they are "going crazy." Many who are having a panic attack usually go the emergency room. Initial panic attacks may occur when people are under severe stress. Some people experience panic attacks after a surgery, a serious accident, illness, or childbirth. Excessive consumption of caffeine or use of cocaine or other stimulant drugs or medicines, such as the stimulants used in treating asthma, can also trigger panic attacks. Panic attacks usually take a person completely by surprise. This is one reason why they are so devastating. The feelings the victims experience are so overwhelming and terrifying that they really believe they are going to die, lose their minds, or be totally humiliated. For some people, the attacks continue and cause much disruption in their lives and suffering. 2. Panic Disorder In panic disorder, panic attacks recur and the person develops an intense apprehension of having another attack. This fear can be present most of the time and seriously interfere with the person's life even when a panic attack is not in progress. The person may develop irrational fears called phobias about situations where a panic attack has occurred. People who develop these panic-induced phobias will tend to avoid situations that they fear will trigger a panic attack, and their lives may be increasingly limited as a result. Their work may suffer, and relationships may be strained. Also, sleep may be disturbed because of panic attacks that occur at night, causing the person to awaken in a state of terror. Some may be so terrified that they may refuse to go to sleep and will suffer from exhaustion. Many people with panic disorder remain intensely concerned about their symptoms. They will keep seeing different doctors with the hope that "the doctor may find something wrong with them that explains these panic attacks. 3. Agoraphobia Panic disorder, left untreated, may eventually develop into agoraphobia. The person becomes afraid of being in any place or situation where escape might be difficult or help unavailable in the event of a panic attack. Agoraphobia affects about a third of all people with panic disorder. Typically, people with agoraphobia fear being in crowds, standing in line, entering shopping malls, and riding in cars or public transportation. They often restrict themselves to a "zone of safety." Any movement beyond the edges of this zone creates mounting anxiety. Most people with agoraphobia continue to have panic attacks at least a few times a month. People with agoraphobia can be seriously disabled by their condition. Some are unable to work. They depend heavily on their friends and relatives for help.
4/4/2008 11:47:59 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Panic Disorders Conventional Treatment Options You can beat Panic Disorder. There are many treatments that work. Medications, psychotherapy, and mind-body interventions either alone or in combination, are effective. You have the choice of several different medications and different psychotherapies. Most of the antidepressant medications also block unexpected panic attacks. Anxiety and agitation can be side effects of antidepressant medications especially in Panic Disorder patients who are very sensitive to these feelings. It is a good idea to begin the medication at a lower dosage than would be the case in depression. Antianxiety drugs such as Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin also reduce panic symptoms and have a much quicker action-usually within days. Unfortunately, these medications are potentially addictive at the relatively high doses required to reliably block panic attacks. This drastically limits their long-term usefulness. Once you start, it is very difficult ever to stop because their withdrawal symptoms perfectly mimic what it is like to have a panic attack. One strategy is to combine the best of both worlds - to begin treatment with very low doses of an antianxiety medication in combination with an antidepressant or psychotherapy. This provides some immediate relief until the antidepressant or psychotherapy has taken effect. The antianxiety medication can then be discontinued (usually in three to six weeks) without provoking withdrawal symptoms. Cognitive/behavioral psychotherapy teaches you how to prevent the escalation of uncomfortable physical sensations into full-blown panic attacks. Sufferers of panic disorders are usually hypervigilant and prone to catastrophize the significance of uncomfortable bodily sensations. The therapy makes them aware that it is normal to experience a wide variety of bodily sensations. They may be asked to do activities such as running up and down several flights of stairs so that they can get used to having a fast heartbeat without freaking out. During and after panic attacks, there is a high likelihood that you are hyperventilating. But you may not be aware of it. A few minutes of rapid, shallow chest breathing can blow off enough carbon dioxide to set off reflexes that make you dizzy. Being dizzy makes you anxious. This increases your hyperventilation. This further amplifies your unsettling body sensations, leading to even more anxiety. This, in turn, cranks up the volume of the physical sensations even further. Therapy can break this vicious cycle. Learning deep breathing and other breathing techniques can make you aware of when you are hyperventilating and teaches you to counteract this by breathing slowly and with your diaphragm.
4/4/2008 11:48:51 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Comparison of Drug Therapy And Psychotherapy Medication/Drug Therapy Advantages Medication works faster. It requires less time, effort, and courage on your part. Disadvantages Medications may have troublesome side effects. Once started on a medication, you often need to stay on it indefinitely in order to keep from having future panic attacks. Psychotherapy Advantages Techniques learned in psychotherapy can be applied indefinitely so that remission is maintained long after the therapy has ended. Some people may feel more in control if they can avoid the need for medication. Disadvantages Psychotherapy takes longer to work initially. It is very labor-intensive. Combination Therapy As mentioned before, one sensible approach is to start medication and psychotherapy simultaneously and then very gradually taper away the medication once the psychotherapy is taking hold and you are feeling better.
4/4/2008 11:51:23 AM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
foxy_woman_49 Omaha, NE age: 50	Golden Rules For Coping With Panic 1.Remind yourself that although your feelings and symptoms are very frightening, they are not dangerous or harmful. 2.Understand that what you are experiencing is just an exaggeration of your normal bodily reactions to stress. 3.Do not fight your feelings, or try to wish them away. The more you are willing to face them, the less intense they will become. 4.Do not add to your panic by thinking about what "might" happen. If you find yourself asking, "What in" tell yourself, "So what!" 5.Stay in the present. Notice what is really happening to you as opposed to what you think "might" happen. 6.Label your fear level from 0 to 10 and watch it go up and down. Notice that it does not stay at a very high level for more than a few seconds. 7.When you find yourself thinking about the fear, change your primary thought. Focus on and carry out a simple and manageable task. 8.Notice that when you stop adding frightening thoughts to your fear, it begins to fade. 9.When the fear comes, expect and accept it. Wait and give it time to pass without running away from it. 10.Be proud of yourself for your progress thus far, and think about how good you will feel when you succeed this time. 11.Remember that a Level 10 panic attack is, by your own personal definition, "the worst. " It is a comforting thought that you have had Level 10s before. They were awful, but temporary, and you did survive. Nothing worse can happen. You have already dealt with "the worst."
4/8/2008 4:46:27 PM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
julymorning07 Saint James, MO age: 55	Wow, thank you so much, foxy, for those posts. Very informative. I've got to print them off and share. Bless you.
4/8/2008 11:06:49 PM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
hollynsher Holiday, FL age: 42	Hi vilobo, I recently read an article about medications found in alot of our water supplies. Our bodies process and eliminate medications every day, we flush or throw away old or unused medications etc... and the study showed that especially in more urban areas, the levels of medication in the water that we drink was exceptionally high. This could be an explaination for the unusual effects you experienced. Just a though I wanted to share.
4/8/2008 11:48:27 PM	minor anxiety/panic attacks
treebeard Corydon, KY age: 48	OMG!!!!! Ok I'm not gonna talk about it publicly. I'm having enough trouble meeting somebody now. And it's having a big effect on meeting people for me. But I would like to talk to someone about it. It scares me bad. Reading through this thread has made so many things fall into place.

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