Causes of Agoraphobia

Posted on 19 October 2009 by danielle

Agoraphobia is derived from the Greek words Agora and Phobo. The meaning of this is fear of marketplace. This kind of disorder is not fear of open spaces. Instead, it is a fear of crowded events or places. In this article, I would like to give light on the causes of Agoraphobia.

Having Agoraphobia is a double whammy since it is associated with another disorder called panic attack. A person who has this case is not comfortable to be in a rock concert, the peak hours of the underground, the airport, shopping mall or any assembly where there is a huge space and a lot of people. Hence, sufferers are often perceived as anti-social which is not actually the case.

Their fear is rooted from embarrassment. They are afraid to have a panic attack amidst an event and in front of many people. Also, they are thinking of “what-ifs” when they have an attack. For them, it would be difficult to find a place to hide in an open space.

Mostly, they just prefer to stay inside their homes where they feel face. Even the simple task of going to the grocery to buy the essentials is a difficult task for them. Travelling is also impossible because of their irrational fears regarding their panic attacks and embarrassment.

The usual treatment for this case is cognitive behaviour approach. One popular technique under this approach is cognitive restructuring. This focuses on replacing their irrational fears or beliefs with realistic information. It is actually greatly informational. A simple tactic that can do wonders for the sufferer.

Another treatment available for people with agoraphobia is Psycho-pharmaceutical approach. In this case, a person is given anti-depressants and other medication that would provide chemical balance to lessen their anxiety. Also, some counselling is applied too.

Coping With Anxiety

Posted on 19 October 2009 by danielle

Nervousness is actually a normal mechanism of our body. It is a warning sign when one’s life is in danger. However, this feeling can actually get serious if it is highly intense and frequent. This kind of nervousness can already be characterized as Anxiety. In this article, I’ll be sharing my own experience about coping with anxiety.

It was around my teens when I noticed that I easily feel nervous and panicked. I thought it was just my default and I have nothing to worry about. Until, I was in college when I first experienced a Panic Attack. At first I was nervous, then, I have hard time breathing, I have palpitations and I kind of feel dizzy. I was overwhelmed with the situation that it made my symptoms more intense.

I did not know what to do then. Good thing I have my roommate who helped me go to the hospital.  There, I was told that what I just had was panic attack. My doctor told me to relax and not worry about anything. Actually, it was hard to feel relaxed at the midst of the physical symptoms of my episode. I was given a medication to relax me. After a few minutes, my breathing went back to normal and the remaining symptoms subsided too.

I was not given any medication yet, the doctor recommended me to another expert. I learned more about my case when I visited a psychologist. It was difficult at first to accept that what I have is classified as a disorder.

According to the DSM or Diagnostic Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, these are the usual symptoms of panic attacks: accelerated heart rate, profuse sweating, shaking or trembling, shortness of breath, feeling of choking, chest pain, nausea, feeling of light headed, derealisation and depersonalization.

Most of the time, the attack is consisted of combination of the mentioned symptoms. Also, as the attack progresses the symptoms also intensifies. It may start with shortness of breath that eventually affects other parts of your body. Hence, it is best to focus on your breathing to cease other symptoms from surfacing.

From the American Psychological Association or APA, an episode usually lasts for thirty minutes or less. On the other hand, anxiety can also be as short as 15 seconds. There are also cases where in episodes go in a cyclic series, lasting for a longer period, sometimes even hours.

As I have mentioned awhile ago, the popular first aid for your attack is to focus on your breathing. What you should do is to normalize your breathing. To do this, you may use your cupped hands to cover your nose and mouth. Then, breathe-in and breathe-out through until you feel that you are breathing normal again. You may also use a brown paper bag to control the air the volume that you are inhaling.

For our information to be balanced, I want to mention that there are those who critique of the importance of paper bag breathing. This kind of practice has the hazard of limiting the oxygen that goes inside the body. What it does is increase the carbon dioxide that a person inhibits.

An alternative for the paper bag theory is initially determining if there is a hyperventilation in the case. If there is a necessity to balance the oxygen and carbon dioxide of the victim, a perfect tactic would be to extend their out breathe by humming or counting.

Now, let us go to the triggers of the attack. Other people have Agoraphobia which is associated with panic or anxiety attacks. This agoraphobia is another form of disorder. Those who have this case find it very had to be in a crowded place. They fear that they might have an attack at the midst of the crowd and they may not be able to escape successfully.

So, places like the subway or underground, concerts and other crowded events are the usual situation that people with Agoraphobia avoid. Another thing that they fear of is being embarrassed in front of other people. The name of this disorder is derived from the Greek words agora and phobos, when translated means fear of marketplace.

Another trigger of panic is phobia. This can be a fear you have for an arachnid or an enclosed placed which is popularly known as claustrophobia. One of the most popular triggers of nervousness is public speaking. I too am not comfortable in such setting.

For treatment, experts usually recommend cognitive behavioural approach. The first part of this therapy is greatly informational. Victims, like me, found this information vital in for our survival. This simple step allows us to protect ourselves from an incoming attack. Moreover, we no longer have to feel an “extra” anxiety for now knowing what is happening to our body.

A lot of people who have panic disorder feel that they are “going insane” or that their attack might continue to a heart attack. Hence, cognitive restructuring or changing one’s way of thinking guides the sufferers to replace these thoughts with realistic and proper way of viewing their panic episodes.

If you haven’t consulted your doctor and you have the same symptoms as I had. It is best to go to the experts and be informed of what you really have. This will give you peace of mind and the right information that you need. You will be surprised that there is nothing to be afraid of from learning about your health. So, good luck and I wish you well.

Treatment for Agoraphobia

Posted on 13 October 2009 by simon

A crowded place is a huge no for those who have Agoraphobia. It’s difficult for them to be in the public due to the fear that they might have an anxiety attack in the midst of this event or place. Yes, this episode is associated with panic or anxiety attack. Hence, in this article I will be discussing the possible treatment for agoraphobia.

The most important part of treatment is determining whether you really have a case of Agoraphobia or not. This episode is characterized by fear of crowds, fear of public transportation, social isolation and panic attacks. A concrete example would be concert. People with agoraphobia often avoids this event because they are afraid that they might not escape successfully when their panic surfaces.

Panic attack usually surfaces during Agoraphobia. Its symptoms include palpitation, nervousness, difficulty of breathing, nausea, dizziness and trembling.  There are people who experience all of these symptoms while others only have a few. They even differ in their intensity.

The most important thing to do during this kind of attack is to control breathing. To do this, use a brown paper bag to cover your nose and mouth. This tactic will allow you to control the amount of air you are breathing. Just do breathe-in and breathe-out exercise for the panic to subside.  As an alternative to the brown paper bag, your cupped hands can also do the trick.

The technique that I have given you is first aid treatment for agoraphobia. It does not have the capacity to bring an end to the cycle of this episode. It’s best to consult an expert for you to receive the necessary treatment.

The treatment for Agoraphobia varies. Some experts would make use of psycho therapy, hypnosis, behaviour modification plus breathing exercise. Most of the solutions that will be given to you are combination. Possibly, breathing exercise would be an ad- on since it greatly helps patients to overcome the associated panic attacks.

Stop Panic Attacks

Posted on 13 October 2009 by simon

For victims of anxiety episodes, we all hope that we could simply stop panic attacks in just one night. However, the reality is far from what we are wishing for. Panic Attacks can’t be avoided by just flicking a switch. It’s actually a long process that demands patience and perseverance.

I myself have experienced sleepless nights due to the physical effects of panic attacks.  The palpitation, difficulty of breathing, trembling, nausea and dizziness isn’t good add-ons for a good night sleep. Medication does its work but one solution that will absolutely stop panic attacks has not been found yet. Well, I think that is from a pessimistic point of view.

I believe that anxiety attacks can be stopped with a few alterations to diet and lifestyle. I have tried this system and it does work. First thing that I removed from my diet is caffeine. I don’t need the boost that coffee or soda provides to keep me awake. It will just make me more susceptible to the painful symptoms of a panic episode. Instead, I just eat an apple if there is an urgent need for me to be up late at night. Yes, apple is a good alternative to caffeine.

Second, get rid of nicotine. This substance that can be found on the cigarettes is an upper. Like, caffeine it will give you a supply of unnecessary energy that will make you vulnerable to an attack. You may also want to avoid getting near smokers since second-hand smoking has the same effect. To stop panic attacks, you must protect yourself from its triggers.

Third, observe regular exercise. Spare 30 minutes a day on your tread mill, jog in the park or simply brisk walking. This improves your breathing and exercise helps you get a good night sleep. Also, it reduces stress which is a robust trigger of panic.

We may not be able to stop panic attacks over night but we can actually break its cycle or lessen its episode. Good Luck to us!

How To Cure Panic Attacks

Posted on 07 October 2009 by simon

This article aims to help people who experience intense anxiety by giving easy tips on how to cure panic attacks. The tactics that I will be giving are quick relief that can be done in order to subside the painful symptoms of panic. For people who have this kind of episode, preparedness is one of the best tools they can own.

First, we must be aware of the symptoms of the attack before we delve into the how-to’s of cure. The most common ones are difficulty in breathing, nervousness, palpitation, nausea, dizziness, and trembling. Like the symptoms, triggers of panic attack also vary. Some experience intense nervousness before giving a speech to a crowd, while others feel the symptoms when they see spiders. This presents the connection between fears or phobia with anxiety attack.

On “How to cure panic attacks”, there are different treatments and approach to relieve the episode. There are those who found comfort with therapy, this is usually done with a counsellor or a psychologist. Hypnosis is another option that is available in the market. Although, it’s effect has been a controversy. Lastly, medication, it is another popular option to cure panic attacks.

As I’ve mentioned awhile ago, I will be helping you out on how to cure panic attacks with quick techniques. Symptoms usually start out with difficulty of breathing. This should be the first thing you have to attend to since it affects other signs. To normalize your breathing, use a paper bag to control the amount of air you are inhaling. An alternative to this method is your cupped hands. Simply breathe and breathe out until you no longer feel the difficulty.

For a long-term solution or for stopping future attacks to take place, you must cease from consuming caffeine and sweets. These products give you unnecessary energy which only makes you vulnerable to panic.

How to Evaluate Anti-Depressants

Posted on 05 October 2009 by simon

I can’t take anti-depressants seriously, they are a serious drug, but they’re just a tool.  Nothing to get too hung up about.  This cartoon made me chuckle.  Especially the first square!

How to Evaluate a New Medication

Prozac Flushes: I’m Sweating Buckets

Posted on 20 September 2009 by simon

I’ve always had the ability to get rather warm. Exercise, summer, excitement they all can make me break out in a sweat.

But the Prozac is something else! I’m sweating buckets at the merest exertion now. I break out in a sweat just opening the fridge door.

The summery days and a bit of activity and I’m soaked, dripping in sweat, towelling myself off like a fat bloke.

I’m not sure if it’s going to improve, or what I can do to help it. The only things I’ve thought of is to wear light loose clothing, and carry a towel and a spare shirt in the car, so I can change if I know I’m going to be active.

Added to that I also make sure I take time out to just sit in the shade and chill out, to catch my breath and cool down.

And of course, drink lots and lots of fluids: water, juices etc.

Any tips for getting all hot and bothered whilst on Prozac? Get in touch!

Prozac Dreams

Posted on 20 September 2009 by simon

One of the big side effects of anti-depressants for me is increased dream activity. The 40mg of Prozac I’m currently taking certainly makes me experience a feature film nearly every night.

Prozac dreams are a very commonly reported side-effect. It makes sense, to reduce depression these types of SSRI drugs increase brain activity.

Sometimes the dreams I have can be disturbing: ranging from slightly unsettling to full-on horror-film nightmares. But thankfully, they’re not all like that, some are just happily bizarre. One last night featured a girl I’ve not seen since school as a religious fanatic wearing a broccoli-covered suit. Weird!

I’m not too worried about it, the side-effects of Prozac dreams usually dies down in a few weeks or months. And there are some things you can do to try and help the situation.

1) Be tired! A silly-sounding suggestion perhaps, but if you are properly tired when you go to bed you should sleep deeper.

2) Don’t overstimulate before bed. So don’t stay up late watching fast-paced thrillers or, even worse, horror films. Better to turn the TV off and read a good book!

3) Try herbal sleep remedies. Passion flower, valerian, lavender, hops etc. are all herbs well known for promoting sleep. I find hops are particularly effective. For me they deepen the sleep and put the dreams ‘further away’, so if they are disturbing they bother me less.

4) Have a sleep routine. This is something I’ve always struggled with. I’d go to bed at all sorts of times, and get up at all sorts of times. I’ve followed the advice of others and now get up regularly at 7am-ish every day, including the weekend. I sleep a lot better for it, and now look forward to going to bed early!

If you are on anti-depressants and are effected with excess night-time activity don’t worry, try these simple tips, and be patient, hopefully over the months they will reduce.

Reality Behind Anxiety

Posted on 18 September 2009 by simon

Anxiety has different roots. It can surface because of nervousness or with mere excitement. Your upcoming birthday bash can be a trigger of anxiety. It is also true with the maybe bigger anticipation of a public speech. It can be characterized as a jittery feeling accompanied by a heightened heart rate, and sometimes profuse sweating.

This anxiety is a normal episode that our body goes through due to our intense feelings. However, the simple flutter of the butterflies inside our stomach can actually transform to a disorder. Anxiety becomes an anxiety disorder when the episodes are recurrent and it’s far more intense. The usual symptoms are: difficulty of breathing, palpitations, sweating, dizziness and nausea. These signs tend to get more intense as the attack reaches climax. Hence, the experience usually makes the person more panicky.

The anxiety attack can be dealt with easily. It takes a clear mind and acceptance for the treatment to take effect. One of the most popular tactics is to focus with your breathing. The jittery feeling and palpitations will eventually subside once you have normalized your breathing. Do this by covering your nose and mouth with your cupped hands. This technique saves you from breathing too much air, which can only make your breathing more challenging.

For a long-term treatment, you have to put your lifestyle as the focus of change. Give yourself a minimum of 30 minutes to exercise daily. Also, get rid of the unhealthy nicotine. Smoking is an upper and it tends to increase your energy, allowing your body to be vulnerable with anxiety attack. This is also true with caffeine. Try to minimize your caffeine intake by accommodating decaffeinated coffee in your diet.  Another cause of unnecessary energy is sugar. Observe a diet that is low in this content.

Are Your Panic Attacks Driving You Crazy?

Posted on 18 September 2009 by simon

Road trip is one of the most enjoyable activities that you can have by yourself, with your friends or with your family. A long drive can give you a time to reflect about the future while you listen to your favourite playlist. Too bad, panic attacks would sometimes surface at the worst time… while you are driving. This kind of situation evokes much panic since a car is an enclosed place. Making you feel stuck, pushing your agoraphobia to take place. The perfect time where you can actually say that your panic attacks are driving you crazy.

People who experience panic attacks dread this kind of situation. However, we can’t avoid riding a car or even driving a car on our own. Life still goes on despite panic attacks. Here’s a help for you to avoid your panic attacks from getting in control of your life. At first, set the mood. The best way is to prepare a playlist that includes your favourite songs. The songs can reduce the stress you experience during driving. Also, we tend to sing to our favourite songs allowing a good outlet to release adrenaline and burn energy. Grab something to nibble on while you are driving. The best things to have with you during the drive are berries or sliced fruits.

Yes, it is enticing to smoke while you are driving but the nicotine will only increase the possibility of your panic attack. So, a huge no for smoking! Another tip, forget about the action that’s involved while driving the car. Enjoy the scenery. Breathe the good air. Don’t you ever start a silly race with a fellow driver for this will just entice adrenaline rush. Also, racing can be very dangerous. Lastly, take your mobile phone with you, this will provide you a sense of security. Cell phone allows you not to worry about help when you experience an panic attack.