29 June 2009

Coffee/caffeine, Tea , Coke, Pepsi and Anxiety

Stop! Don't take another sip of that coffee. Here's why...

Caffeine, the stuff found in your coffee, tea, and cola, is
one of the most popular mood-enhancing drugs on the planet.
That's right, caffeine is technically classified as a drug,
and rightly so... it can cause havoc with your anxiety and
worry levels.

Caffeine makes you feel energetic and alert by increasing
levels of brain chemical called norepinephrine. But as with
most things in life, you don't get something for nothing.
Caffeine has a dark side...

"Caffeine is an energy loan shark. What it lends you in the
morning it takes back with heavy interest in the afternoon."
~ Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D.

And every time you drink caffeine your own natural abilities
to produce those feel-good chemicals are reduced, so
eventually you need even more coffee to get the same
alert/energetic feelings. Before long you become dependent
on coffee just to "feel OK." But that's not all...

1. Caffeine increases the levels of your stress hormone
adrenaline. This can trigger feelings of anxiety and cause
sensations of tension and stress. It's not uncommon for such
people to be prescribed anti-anxiety medication, when all
along the symptoms were triggered by caffeine intake. And
every time your body releases more adrenaline unnecessarily,
you are putting more stress and strain on your nervous system,
which ultimately makes you more prone to anxiety.

2. Caffeine blocks the effects of hormones serotonin and
melatonin. When this happens sleep becomes more difficult,
which also makes you more prone to anxiety.

3. Caffeine leeches vital vitamins and minerals out of your
body. Which (guess what?!) makes you more prone to anxiety.

I think you get the message by now. The good news is when you
reduce your caffeine levels you'll find yourself with higher
levels of calmness, more energy, and better sleep. And best
of all, less anxiety and worry. But coming off caffeine can
be tricky, there are some initial downsides...

You'll lose that almost instant energetic caffeine buzz. You
may find, only initially, you get more headaches. And whilst
you're on a caffeine comedown, you'll probably feel cranky
and irritable. Thankfully, all of these downsides are
short-lived.

The best way to become caffeine-free without harsh withdrawal
symptoms is by gradually reducing your intake week-by-week.
Your first job is to get down to just one cup of coffee a
day. So if you drink four cups a day, for the first week
drink three a day, for the second week drink two cups, and
for the third week drink just one cup.

If you are committed to eliminating caffeine from your life
and minimizing anxiety, once you are down to one cup, begin
the week by drinking just half a cup of coffee (that means
putting in half the measure of coffee you usually use, not
just half the amount of water!) For the next week you should
be able to go coffee-free without harsh withdrawal symptoms.

Ideally if anxiety and worry are dominating your life it would
be best to totally eliminate caffeine from your diet
altogether -- you will feel the most benefits that way. But
if you are a coffee/caffeine lover then at LEAST cut back to
100 mg maximum a day. Here are typical caffeine content
levels per drink:

Coffee 90-150 mg
Tea 30-70 mg
Red Bull 80 mg
Dr. Pepper 61 mg
Mountain Dew 55 mg
Surge 51 mg
Tab 47 mg
Coca-Cola 45 mg
Diet Coca-Cola 45 mg
Pepsi Cola 43 mg

It's crazy, just the simple act of having these seemingly
innocent drinks can cause very real anxiety problems. For
some people one cup of coffee is enough to set them up
for a day of worry and anxiety, without them even realizing.



Then What else To Take

01 June 2009

How to Check your Anxiety/Panic Attacks.

Everyone feels anxious but not everyone has an anxiety disorder such as Generalized
Anxiety Disorder. This depends on the force and extent of symptoms and how far they
act as an obstacle to your proper functioning. If fear and worry are present for at least six months and they interfere with your efficiency levels at work, then you definitely have an anxiety disorder.



GAD starts by affecting your thinking, which in turn leads to physical symptoms like
→ Intense worry and tension→ unrealistic perception of problems→ binging→
feeling edgy →restlessness →feeling irritable→ tension→ headaches→ sweating→
lack of focus→ queasiness→ frequent urination→ fatigue →lack of proper sleep →
feeling shaky→ high blood pressure →strokes →heart disease



GAD can trigger phobias, panic disorders, or obsessive-compulsive disorder including
alcoholism or drug addiction.
Here are some common physical symptoms of anxiety or an anxiety disorder




Chest Pain


Racing Heartbeat


Hot or Cold Flushes


Sweating Palms


Cold Hands


Nausea


Short of Breath


Dizziness


Fatigue


Muscle Pain


Headaches


Insomnia




Insecurity


Nervousness


Need to Escape


Fear of Death or Insanity



Here are some common medical conditions that may cause anxiety or an anxiety
disorder


Heart problems


Thyroid Disease


Diabetes


Hypoglycemia


Asthma


Sleep & Adrenal Disorders


Epilepsy & Migraines


Before seeing a psychiatrist, counselor or therapist, please make sure to have your
physician rule out the above medical conditions as the cause of your anxiety.


But still, how can I tell if I really have an anxiety disorder?


There is a thin dividing line between day-to-day anxieties and an anxiety disorder. Here’s
how you can draw a line between the two. If you have been continuously anxious or
worried for months and this is making it difficult for you to function in the real
world, then you are most likely suffering from an anxiety disorder.


What should you avoid if you suffer with anxiety or an anxiety disorder?


If you are anxiety prone, avoid over use of stimulants like caffeine. Don’t go near drugs
like heroin or cocaine as well as decongestants, weight-loss products, or steroids like
cortisone and prednisone. Other culprits of anxiety include:


Birth control pills


High blood pressure & thyroid medication


Inhalers


Herbs like ephedra plus Ma huang


Alcohol withdrawal


Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine or ADHD medication


Xanax or Valium withdrawal



What if you are showing the signs and symptoms of anxiety or an anxiety disorder?



First, you need to seek some professional help. You should see a medical doctor who can
properly diagnose you and make sure your anxiety does not stem from a serious medical
problem. Once you have done this, it is healthy to take the next step of therapy or mental
health counseling.






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14 April 2009

Are You Tired of taking Pills To Treat Your Anxiety

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30 March 2009

Food Habits To Lift Your Mood

Food can play a vital role in maintaining mental health as well as physical health. In general, eating a nourishing diet gives people an overall sense of well-being. There are also some specific nutritional strategies that can help improve mood, maintain healthy brain functioning and help people with depression, anxiety and related disorders.

DIETARY GUIDELINES

The Dietary Guidelines for Adults provide simple instructions for selecting a healthy diet. They are relevant people experiencing a mental illness.

Here are some examples of how the following guidelines can benefit someone with
depression and anxiety, in addition to promoting physical health.

Dietary Guideline

Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious food. Increasing the variety in your diet can help stimulate interest in food when appetite is poor.
Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits. Some of these foods, such as green leafy vegetables, are particularly good sources of folate.
The nutrient folate has been shown to improve the effect of antidepressant Medications.

Eat plenty of cereals (including bread, rice,
pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain.

Wholegrain cereals (those with intact kernels) and many fruits, vegetables and legumes have a low‘glycaemic index’ which means that the sugar in these foods is absorbed slowly into the blood stream. This helps to stabilise blood sugars and optimise mental as well as physical performance.
(To check the glycaemic index of a food visit www.glycemicindex.com)

Wholegrain cereals are good sources of fibre. Eating high fibre foods daily and drinking plenty of water helps prevent constipation, a side-effect of some antidepressant medications. These high protein foods are made up of amino acids – essential nutrients for repairing or building new cells.
One essential amino acid is called tryptophan. Regular consumption of protein-rich
foods ensures a steady supply of tryptophan to the brain where it is used to produce serotonin.
Oily fish, such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, perch, sardines and herring are good sources of long chain omega-3 fatty acids. Consuming about 500 mg a day of long chain omega-3 fatty acids is a good preventative measure for mental health, as well as physical health. Two to three meals a week of oily fish or a weekly dose of one oily fish and one white fish meal, together with some omega-3 enriched foods (such as eggs, bread and milk) will achieve this.

Include milks, yoghurts, cheeses and/or alternatives. Reduced-fat varieties should be
chosen where possible.Dairy products are ready to eat, nutrient-dense foods that can serve as palatable snacks for people experiencing loss of appetite and weight. Low-fat varieties are useful when trying to lose or maintain weight.

Milk is a good source of tryptophan. A warm milk drink before bed can help induce sleepiness. Drink plenty of water. This can help alleviate the side-effects of some antidepressants such as dry mouth and constipation. Drinking plenty of water also helps prevent dehydration. Even mild dehydration can affect mood, causing irritability and restlessness.

Limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake. This assists with weight control and promotes a healthy metabolism and healthy heart.Limit your alcohol intake if you
choose to drink. Heavy drinking can actually contribute to depression or make it worse, since alcohol is a depressant. Even at moderate levels, alcohol can interact with antidepressant medication,reducing its effectiveness.

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03 March 2009

No Link Between Suicide and Mental Illness - Suicide Rate Up

With the suicide rate up it is important to remember an important study finding that there is no strong connection between suicide and mental illness. This finding as per the "Suicide resource center" is very important. The importance of this finding stops us from labeling those who have suicidal thoughts as all mentally ill. There are some mental illnesses that are associated with suicide but to label all suicidal thoughts as a mental illness would be wrong. As the suicide rate increases we must take a closer look at this growing problem.

It was easier to classify suicides when we felt that it was only related to mental illnesses, this allowed the medical association to have a quick answer to a growing problem. It is common for the media to report that a person who was off their medicine committed suicide. Although it is possible that a person off medicine could commit suicide it does not answer the problem of why the person has suicidal thoughts. Medicine can help a person with suicidal thoughts but medicine does not cure the origin of suicide thoughts.

Medicine can help a person function that has suicidal thoughts but the cure of suicidal thoughts does not occur with medicine. Often a person will need medicine forever to function.

If it is not mental illness that is causing a person to have suicidal thoughts what is? Firstly to have thoughts of suicide is to think within that you cannot go on one more day. The person is at the end of their rope. A person may see no end to a problem that is in front of them. The answer to the suicidal person is to end it all. It is an escape from a problem that they believe has no solution. Each case is different but there is a common thread that suicidal people have and that is depression. Depression is a growing problem and it is related in many ways to suicide. This is a critical problem that must be addressed immediately. There can be no delay when a person has a long period of depression or has suicidal thoughts.

This is a life or death situation that must be taken very seriously. Suicidal thoughts can surround a person for a long period of time before they act. There are now other methods that can help a person besides medicine and therapy. Medicine and therapy can help but they are not the only approaches. There has been a new approach that has had results that are very helpful; This "Source Fill" approach is helping many people with suicidal thoughts. The problem of suicide can affect anyone family and suicidal thoughts do not discriminate. One must address the problem urgently; it is a matter of life and death.

Continue: Stop suicidal thoughts here http://suiciderateup.wordpress.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Collin_Camino

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23 February 2009

Panic , Anxiety attacks at Home/Office/Restaurant/Public Places/Cars/Automobiles

Do you suffer from Panic/Anxiety attacks at home, office, restaurant,public places,automiblies and you dont know what to do and how to be normal and avoid panic attacks.

The answer is simple:

Follow the below guidelines and It should help you in some way.

1) Panic attacks are not physical and it happens inside your mind, so just ignore it.
2) Take a Deep breath and think of a funny situation and carry a joke book and read couple of jokes
3) Carry a Water bottle and have a sip and take couple of deep breaths.
4) Avoid coffee.
5) If you are a choclate lover, try and eat a choclate which sweetens your mouth and will help you to cheer up.

There are many things that you can do to avoid panic attacks permenantly as the above methods are temporary.
For permenant cuare with out a medication visit the below link.

Cure for Panic Attacks - no phill involved.

04 February 2009

Fear of Flying/Crashing/panic attacks in plane

Love to travel, yet hate to fly? If you find yourself white knuckling your armrests or gasping for breath whenever your flight takes off, you’re not alone.

Millions of Americans/people have some anxiety over flying, with symptoms ranging from mild concern to paralyzing panic attacks.

How can you learn to cope with your fears?
To begin with, the fear of flying isn’t always about crashing. “In actuality, a large majority of people tend to be claustrophobic, and fear having a panic attack on the plane,” says Dr. David Carbonell, who runs the Anxiety Treatment Center, a private practice in Illinois comprised of a several psychologists specializing in anxiety problems. Other issues that can cause panic on flights include a fear of heights or simply a lack of control. In his book, Panic Attacks Workbook: A Guided Program for Beating the Panic Trick, Dr. Carbonell, who has specialized in anxiety treatment since 1987, describes some of the symptoms of these panic attacks, including heart palpitations, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath and chest pain. Situations such as turbulence and takeoff — or simply hearing inexplicable noises on the aircraft — tend to cause the most anxiety.

All of the doctors we spoke with agree that while terrorism is a relatively common concern, fewer people actually sought treatment for their fear of flying after September 11. “I think it actually acted as an additional excuse for people to not get treatment,” says Dr. Gerald Tarlow, co-founder of the Center for Virtual Reality Therapy, a privately-run institute in Calabasas, California that uses virtual reality computers to simulate experiences for patients to confront their fears and phobias. “If they were afraid of flying previously, what they tended to do is say ‘See, it really is dangerous.’”

At the Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland (ASDI), an independent treatment center in Baltimore operating since 1992, Stephanie Thomas explains that those who did develop a phobia of flying after September 11 “already had some kind of anxiety, but 9/11 acted as a catalyst for them to act out on it.”

Of course, there are all sorts of statistics out there to show just how safe flying can be. We’ve all heard that flying is far safer than driving a car. Thomas likes to open her fear of flying courses with the example that, based on statistics, “You’d have to fly every day for 32,000 years before you’re in a fatal crash.”

In fact, statistics compiled by www.planecrashinfo.com state that the odds of being killed on a single flight, out of the top 25 airlines with the best records, are 1 in 6.3 million; for the bottom 25 airlines with the worst records, the odds are 1 in 543,000. But no matter how comforting these numbers may be to some, chances are they are not going to make a big difference to those with a significant fear of flying.

Dr. Carbonell points out that if sufferers don’t know how to cope with their anxiety, their efforts to control it may actually make the situation worse. “They try to pick the best day to fly; they try to pick the safe airline. They do all sorts of things to control their fear, and those efforts make them feel worse, rather than better.”

He also explains how reactions can cause the fear to build upon itself; for example, panicked breathing can lead to hyperventilation, which can cause lightheadedness, dizziness and chest pains. Thomas agrees, “Anxiety is a physiological reaction to perceived danger. Some people like to go on roller coasters for the adrenaline rush. This is the same [type of] situation, but the difference is the interpretation of your reactions. When people try to avoid the fear, it makes it bigger.”

All agree that anxiety is a treatable condition, and use a combination of cognitive and behavioral therapies to deal with the fear of flying. Translation? Learning how to cope with your physiological reactions, and then putting that knowledge to the test on an airplane


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