3 Steps to Stopping a Panic Attack in Its Tracks

Most people at some point in their lives will experience one to two panic attacks in their entire lives. It usually occurs when confronted with an extremely stressful situation. This is normal. However, when panic attacks start to occur on a regular basis (several times monthly), it is considered Panic Disorder.

Symptoms of panic and anxiety attacks vary per person but can include the following:

• Nausea
• Sweating
• Rapid Heart Beat
• Increase in body temperature
• An overwhelming feeling of dread or fear
• Dizziness
• Tightness in the chest
• Tingling in the arms and fingers
• Feeling of loss of reality
• Shortness of breath
• Trembling or shaking

If you are in the midst of a panic attack there are some things you can do to calm the affects. They are as follows:

1. Stop Your Racing Thoughts. It is important to remember one of the keys to stopping a panic attack in its tracks is to shut down the thoughts that are occurring. During a panic attack you become confused, stressed and outright terrified. Your mind is thinking damaging and terrifying thoughts such as you are going crazy, losing control or going to die. Stop these damaging thoughts in their tracks by telling yourself, "I am not going to die", "this is only temporary", I have been through this before I can handle it", "everything is just fine". Keep repeating these things to yourself over and over until the damaging thoughts have subsided.

2. Once you have control over your thoughts you want to divert your attention by focusing on something outside of the panic attack such as:

• Mowing the lawn
• Calling a friend
• Bathing the dog
• Doing Sit-ups
• Mopping the Floor
• Putting on some music

Do anything you possibly can to take your focus off of the panic attack.

3. Control you breathing - When having a panic attack most people will tend to breathe erratically or hold their breath. Holding your breath causes carbon dioxide levels to drop, which in turn causes hyperventilation which causes panic attacks. When having a panic attack it is important to breathe in and out deeply from your diaphragm not your chest. By intentionally controlling your breathing you will be able to return your body to a normal state, forcing the panic attack to come to an end.

These a few of the things you can do assist in stopping panic attacks. Just remember a panic attack is your body's reaction to your thoughts. Learn to control your thoughts and you can eliminate panic attacks altogether.

6 Simple Tips to Preventing Panic Attacks

Many people are opposed to taking medications to control their panic attacks and opt for more natural treatments. There are many things you can do right at home that will help to keep your panic attacks under control. Six techniques are listed below.

1. Reduce Your Levels of Stress - You want to reduce the level of stress that you encounter on a daily basis. Try to avoid some of the things that cause extreme stress in your life and that are likely to cause a panic attack. Of course, this is not always possible. If you must do something that causes you extreme stress take a few minutes to prepare for it mentally before carrying out the task. Lowering the level of stress in your life is a quick and easy way to reduce the amount of panic attacks you have.

2. Exercise Regularly - Exercise is one of the most effective treatments for controlling panic attacks. You should perform some type of exercise everyday, whether it be brisk walking, running, weight lifting or some type of aerobic activity. Exercise gives you an overall feeling of well being and reduces feelings of anxiety.

3. Avoid Caffeine - Caffeine stimulates the nervous system and can increase your anxiety levels. You want to avoid products that contain caffeine such as diet pills, energy drinks, cough medicine, coffee, tea, chocolate and soft drinks. Be sure to check the ingredients on food packages to see if they contain caffeine before consuming them.

4. Seek Support From Your Peers - Join support groups in your area. Being able to interact with people who are going through the same thing as you can be very helpful. It will help you to feel connected and know that you are not alone. In addition these groups can help learn to live a normal and productive life despite the disorder. Organizations such as The Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) have meeting in most major cities across the country.

5. Take Time To Relax - Relaxation Techniques such as yoga, meditation and deep breathing have all been found to be very helpful in lowering the risk of panic attacks. All of these techniques are completely natural and are great for your body and overall well being.

6. Get a Good Nights Rest - A well rested body is less stressed and less prone to panic attacks.

Just remember that life does not have to stop because you suffer from panic attacks. Follow the above techniques to begin taking control of your life again. It is also a good idea to speak with your physician for additional ways to control or eliminate your panic attacks.

A Breathing Exercise For Panic Relief

I thought I would write a very short article today on a breathing exercise that really worked for my daughter.

My daughter has not had a panic attack in months she has been doing really well with the programme she has been working on.

So she came home from school today and said she had, had her first panic attack in ages. She forgot to take her mp3 player into school so she didn't have her normal backup of listening panic track, but she did remember a panic attack breathing exercise that I had told her about a few weeks before.

When I had told her about it I got the usual "yes right I'm not really listening" response that you get from a teenage daughter.

But to my surprise she had listened to me and she said it really worked and I even got a "THANK YOU" mum.

This controlled breathing technique is really easy and also very effective.

So all you need to do is breathe in through your nose and count to 7 and then breathe out through your mouth and count to 11.

Do this until you to start to feel calmer.

She said "I don't Know why it worked but it did"

When you are doing this breathing exercise I think you are so focused on counting and breathing that it takes your mind off what it happening.

It also makes sure you are breathing and you are getting the much needed oxygen into your body.

I hope this helps.

As I said my daughter tried this today and she found that her attack stopped really quickly.

I hope it works for you.

How to Stop a Panic Attack - Understanding the Causes and Effect

Panic attack can be a very frightening and disabling condition, thus it is essential that you learn how to stop a panic attack before it severely affects your personal life.

In order to stop a panic attack, you would first need to understand the causes and implications. Panic or anxiety attack is the body's natural "fight or flight" response to danger. When a person perceives a threat or danger, the body nervous system will be stimulated automatically - releasing adrenaline to help the person escape from danger. During the entire process, the heart rate and breathing rate will increase, muscles will also contract and tense up to prepare for the escape.

However, during a panic attack, this defense system is triggered for no apparent reason - causing you to feel a variety of symptoms that is associated with panic attack.

The important point to note is this: no matter how uncomfortable these symptoms are, you will NEVER die or be harmed in anyway. All this is part of your body's natural panic response and given enough time, they will fade away eventually.

The main and biggest problem for most sufferers however, is that they are unable to accept this truth. They are convinced that they MUST be suffering from "heart attack" or "stroke" and that they are about to die soon. Furthermore, many panic attack sufferers are completely unaware of their condition, which only serve to strengthen their misconception and belief that they are stuck with some "mysterious illness".

Thus, in order to stop a panic attack, you will need to accept these feelings as a natural body response. You need to reassure yourself that you are NOT suffering from "heart attack" and you are not going to "die", "faint" or have this notion that "something terrible is about to happen". If you are able to come to term with these feelings, I can safely say that you are well on your way to complete recovery.

Dealing With Uncertainties Quickly and Effectively

At one time or another, all of us have been plagued by uncertainties. There is no way to get around that occasionally. However, many of us are constantly plagued by feelings of uncertainty. That is no way to live, because you are constantly second guessing yourself and your decisions as well. The good news is that dealing with uncertainties is not that hard. You simply have to follow a few simple tips.

The real key to dealing with uncertainty is realizing with one simple thing: there are some things in our lives over which we have no control. Sometimes, we simply have no control. Things will happen, be they good or bad. Realizing that there are certain things you cannot control is the main goal here.

Of course, in theory, that is very easy to say. In practice, it can be much, much harder to do. However, it is possible to reach that point. No matter where your uncertainties lay, it is possible to banish them.

The first thing you need to know is that these feelings are actually quite natural. They are a part of our inherent, ingrained instinct to survive. Understanding that is one way you will be able to control the uncertain feelings in your life.

To start with, you have got to stop sending yourself negative thoughts. Also known as "worry thoughts," these are the little "what if" games so many of us play with ourselves. However, when you spend all day worrying, then you are basically setting yourself up to worry the next day as well - and the next day, and the next.

Being afraid is setting yourself up for failure. Take a moment and look at yourself in the mirror. Then say to yourself, "The only person who has control over me is me. I can only control myself." You cannot control the weather. You cannot control what your friend will do. You cannot control that which is not within your grasp.

All you can do is give everything your all. You can work towards your goals. As long as you have done your best, your responsibility is over. You can only affect the outcome of an event by controlling how you yourself behave.

How to Eliminate Anxiety in Sexual Frustration

Stop with thy incessant babble. You sound like a broken tiny tears' doll repeating 'wha wha' in unison with a wind-up faded circus themed jack in the box. Up and down, up and down saying the identical words trying to prove to anyone lame enough to listen how important you are and how vitally imperative what you have to say is. Don't look now but no one is listening to your sad story, again. What time you are not babbling on and on about what you do for others and how they don't appreciate you, take you for granted, use you for their benefit, you are whining about how hard your life has been and how you always get the short end of the stick. Have you ever stopped to take a breath to realize just how much you are creating your own misery? You can babble all you care to but the truth stands while the rest falls away.

Check the temperature of your environment to see how many people are slowly exiting your life, refusing to be in your presence and avoiding you at all costs. Could it possibly be that you are the source of your irritation and not the other way around? How many times do you repeat how much you've done for someone or "after all the help I've given them and then they go and treat me like that." If you are aware and have recorded (either mentally, figuratively, or physically, the supposed 'help' you've offered, you are an emotional tyrant invested tax collector who feeds off the misery you project onto others.

Instead of complaining, moaning, groaning, droning, looking for sympathy and gossiping about the ones who have done you so wrong, look to the source: YOU. Get the actual fully animated sickening picture of your exhausting emotional display. You are so miserable but refuse to 'shut up' long enough to see the wolf in the woods, howling. {He yelps at the full moon as if it's wrong to be in the sky.} You are spoiled beyond compare! The distorted focus, (which is the source of your misery and despair) is a blood tinged key locked up in the past which you refuse to release. You insist on bathing in the 'blood of old imagined wounds' which you believe are the most severe and should have never taken place.

Big Deal! Whether they occurred or not is not the foreboding issue. The problem lies in the fact that your life is stuck on one track of desperation to hang onto something that is long since evaporated. So much time has elapsed since that so-called unfortunate event, but you won't get in the present. You want to hang onto stinking debris and foul up the fresh air with morbid ancient emotional garbage. Give IT a rest. Give you a break and the others who must be involved with you. No one wants to hear the same old story over and over and over. Is THAT all there is to you life?

It's almost as if you have to let go of that -gripe, offense, abuse, neglect, rape, maltreatment, physical abuse, desertion, abandonment, divorce, affair, sexual misconduct, robbery, lie, death, dishonesty, cheat, murder, disappointment, imprisonment, violation, excessive materiality, and etc., you would lose your identity. NOT so. You are much more than the sum total parts of your life! (And, most especially one event that you have magnified out of all proportion) Why do you need to focus on that all the time? IS it really all you have going for you? Do you honestly believe that you have no other existence outside of the so-called tragedy that occurred?Does it matter to you that you can't find fulfillment in your sexual life?

Life brings to us all a wave of events: some pleasant, others unpleasant. But, no one is overloaded or 'dumped upon' unnecessarily. It does not matter if you don't understand appreciate or value the unfortunate circumstances, the transformation is hidden in the horrendous pain and the complete release of it. "Hurt Me One More Time, Please" should be your mantra not so you can bemoan more but so you can see just how much you need to work on in the grievance department. (Don't you realize, it's a real turn -off-, sexually?) Pain, disappointment, sexual misconduct, emotional distress, depression, health set backs, accidents, unpredicted failures in business, adverse living conditions, weight management, unexpected disturbances, heartbreak in love affairs, and money problems are all part of living on the Earth plane. No one who visits this sphere of mortal activity gets out of here without some part of the "HUMAN" package. It goes with the territory.

So, what are you still grumbling so bitter and resentfully over? Do you think you are exempt from the human race? Afraid not! The more anxiety you need the more you breed. You can stop the flow of incessant fermented soup of slime anytime you so choose. No one other than you can do it. Not only does your mental state, physical well being, financial condition, emotional temperament, but more importantly than all of these incidentals, your musical artistic sexual sensual expression is diminished to the point of non-existence. And, tell me who wants to inhabit the Earth plane not able to flourish attractively, passionately and erotically? In other words, forget totally about PLEASURE! As long as you maintain the bitter grudge, resentment and animosity, you will enjoy no pleasure at all. Period.(First and foremost through sexual avenues)

Hate has a way of dispelling erotic pleasure! If that doesn't matter to you it sure don't matter to me. You're the one who has to live as a dried up prune, feeling cheated, embittered, cynical, old, malicious and spiteful. Won't be attracting much with those attributes? Wealth, health and happiness go hand and hand. Material abundance begins with removing not accumulating. When you have emptied the full vacuum cleaner it can pick up more but not until. To see dreams manifest in your life, you must redirect your attention onto a different realm of activity. You must be where you live now. Not yesterday, 6 months,10 years ago...

PAY ATTENTION! Get your thoughts off of the bad (What you perceive as terrible) and onto the possibility of what can be reaped from your garden of plenty. You do have a garden of plenty, don't you? What is the garden of plenty? It is the sensual sexual sacred artistic vault of potential hidden deep within the recesses of your soul. You do possess a soul and it has a divine intent. This intent includes everything that you have ever encountered. Not some of it. [All of it.] . Don't discount the realm of calamity. It will take some concentrated effort on your part to redirect your thoughts, words and actions. You must begin with ceasing to drag people into old matters of contrite flavors. Place your focus on what is occurring presently without your uttering words of despair and illness. You're only as sick as you want to be. In other words: Get over yourself and how you've been done so wrong. "Don't nobody care." That is where your vital life supporting energy goes building and re-enforcing that ailing foundation. There's no reason to follow that course any longer. Strip the faulty structure of its life supporting beams.

You must not 'change horses in the middle of the stream' by returning to old familiar ways. STAY with process, project, and experiment of releasing the past until you see results. Don't leave the project unfinished. Don't divert your attention no matter how bored, restless, eager, agitated or frustrated you get. Stay with the artistic sexual "YOU" program and do only those things that nurtures a sexually rewarding and satisfying agenda before venturing off into something else. That, alone, is true wisdom. Remember: sexy thoughts first, then, passionate words and last adoring sensual actions work together in an enthusiastic positive precise artistic fashion.

Do not confuse the path or process by saying one thing and doing another. Be loyal to your erotic wisdom and the sensual attracting magic it contains. How much energy and effort and focus will you have to invest? Enough to get a huge everlasting celestial orgasm!

Dealing With and Living With the Fear of Darkness

One of the most debilitating and widespread fears in the world is the fear of darkness. This fear generally presents itself in childhood and if left untreated can continue into adulthood. As with most fears, finding relief will generally take years and as with some fears relief may never be found.

The fear of darkness is very common due to an underlying fear that there is 'something' in the darkness, or a person simply may begin feeling like they are not in 'control' due to the fact that they can't see their surroundings. This fear can grow so intense that a person suffering from it may believe that the darkness is coming down around them. In some cases people will feel like it may consume them.

There are variety of treatment options that people can take when it comes to overcoming this particular fear. The first option is to seek the aid of a trained professional who has a reputation for treating fears. The second option is to seek a more mystical approach in seeking relief through the art of hypnosis.

However, the majority of people will learn to deal with and live with this fear on their own. In fact, the majority of sufferers are fine as long as they have some form of light in the darkness. Using a 'night light' is one of the simplest methods of warding off the darkness. Some parents will give their children flash lights to sleep with in order to give them comfort incase they are unable to deal with the darkness.

If the extent of your fear of darkness is causing you problems in the way that you live your life, then you will want to seek out professional help and guidance immediately. The moment that you allow any type of fear to control you, you will be living a pained existence. It is always better to seek help and to work to overcome your fears no matter how terrifying they may be.

Anxiety Chest Pain - Panic Strikes

Panic Disorder is described by repeated panic or anxiety that usually happens unexpectedly: "out of nowhere ... without warning I felt chest pain and anxiety." Easy situational (phobic) panic may be present, but usually there is no consistent prevention. Unexplainably, when panics happen to occur in crowded areas, sufferers tend to ascribe the episode to being in those places, and they start to stay away from public places as per the disorder called Agoraphobia with Panic Attacks. Avoidance does not happen when panics strike the sufferer is in other spots, like at homeor in a forest-few, if any, agoraphobics avoid places they need to survive.

Anxiety is described by the sudden onset of signs like anxiety chest pain or discomfort; dizziness, or unsteady feelings; paresthesias (usu¬ally numbness and tingling ); hot and cold flashes; faintness; and fear of going crazy, or doing something totally manic during the episode. Each of these signs can be caused by fast breathing. Three manic episode during a three-week cycle are needed to pass the requirements for the diagnosis of this disability, but men and women with , like anxiety chest pain, who fail to experience three manic episodes in such a short time may possibly suffer from a class of Anxiety Disorder.

Women are somewhat more likely than men to suffer from this disorder. The first signs most often occur in high pubescence or early adult life but may begin somewhat earlier or later. Sometimes people suffering describe that it lasts for a short period never to reappear; while other people observe a couple series of panics separated by panic-free periods of time, and a few develop a major disorder with panics and anxiety chest pain. Some men and women use liquor in an effort to avoid panics and anxiety chest pain, which is useless and may lead to the aggravation associated with liquor abuse.

People with Anxiety Chest Pain often demand check up and treatment from general physicians because they are rationally frightened that they may suffer from a medical malady. By the time they reach a doctor, the panic has most often disappeared and the specialist can't find anything mentally misaligned. In the ER, a diagnosis of "acute hyperventilation complex" is often drawn upon, which may initially be satisfying to both doctor and patient but which does little or nothing to ensure a more definitive condition and efficient long-term treatment.

The patient may feel disconcerted that he or she has been confused about nothing but leave reassured by a careful checkup. When the next panic happens, help is often sought again, either from the same or another physician. One experiment figured out that people with a Panic Disorder had seen an average of 10 doctors before the disorder was finally pin pointed. General anxiety may happen between panics, as may some chest pain anxiety and reclusion, although if the latter become more apparent, a diagnosis of Agoraphobia with Panic is made.

The Quick Guide to Anxiety!

Are you plagued by asthma-liked symptoms even though you never had asthma throughout your life? Sometimes the symptoms even escalate to hyperventilation?

Does your mind run amok at times? Thinking "what-if this happens" or "what-if that happens"?

Or you feel the need to chain smoking and drinking excessive alcohol?

These are just some of the symptoms that you are possibly affected with anxiety or panic attack.

What is anxiety? Why did it occur? And what can you do about it?

Anxiety, as explained in Wikipedia, "Is a psychological and physiological state that causes an unpleasant feeling that is associated with uneasiness, fear and worry."

This means that for anxiety or panic attack to occur, you have unintentionally fueled it.

So what are the 2 main things that are fueling anxiety?

1. Stress

Stress is a fuel for many things. Stress causes high-blood pressure, heart attacks, muscle tightness, feeling impatient while flaring up at the slightest unpleasantness, and not forgetting our topic for the day - anxiety.

Do you have a lot of stress lately? Are you always thinking about how much work needs to be done, or how much responsibilities are added to your burden everyday? These stress-inducing thoughts help anxiety to grow in your body.

2. Asking "what-ifs" too much.

Another fuel that adds to anxiety is thinking and worrying a lot. The thoughts of "what-ifs" on the worst-case scenarios keep appearing too often.

"What if this happens...? If this happens, will that happens too...? Oh no! If that happens, what else will happen...?"

As you can see from the above example, it becomes a vicious cycle that runs nonstop.

No wonder they have anxiety!

You now know two of the most common causes of anxiety, what can you do about it?

1. For stress related anxiety due to work, you can start by delegating some of your work to colleagues or subordinate.

You can also list out all your works at the start of the day and categorizes them.

Put an "A", "B" or "C" beside every work that you need to do during the day.

"A" are for the type of work that you definitely must do within the day or else everything else will be affected.

"B" are for the type of work that you have to do but can be put off to the next day if need to after you have completed "A" Category.

"C" are for the type of work that you can either do or ignore after both "A" and "B" Categories are done.

By categorizing all your work, you will find that all the works in "C" Category are the things that take up most of your time previously.

You will find that you have more time to complete the "A" Category.

If you are wondering why I am asking you to do time management, this is because for your case, time is the primary cause for your stress! You are stress because you have not enough time to complete your work!

For those work that you can't decide which list they should go to, delegate to your subordinate or colleague immediately. You are only wasting precious time deciding where to categorize them. Furthermore, since you can't decide on their importance, they are definitely not urgent! Why waste your time on them?

P.S. I would like to credit the above time management to an author whom I've read these suggestions before. The problem is I can't recall who he is and which book I've read it from (I've read too many self-improvement books to remember the author). If you know which author I'm referring to, please send me a comment at my blog. I wouldn't want to give you the feeling that I am stealing his idea. I'll also give you credit here for reminding me.

2. For thinking and worrying too much, you can get rid of this problem easily.

Why? Because it's all in your head! You are the one who cause the anxiety!

Your mind is like a horror movie director. All the movies that your mind directs are getting more and more frightening! They tell of only doom and gloom! So you must hold the director seat yourself and ask your mind to direct another type of movies. Ask your mind to direct a comedy movie and an inspirational movie that talks about success and wealth! And replay this movie!

Have you ever asked yourself this question, "Have what I think and worry in the past, appears in my life?"

I believe the answer is almost none! If this is the case, aren't you worrying about something that has never happened? If you want to imagine the worst-case scenario, not wanting to give yourself any surprises, great. You have done so; now imagine the best-case scenario!

Some of you may say, "What I worried didn't happen, neither did the best-case scenario!"

You may be right about that, but do you want to worry yourself to death, or do you want to live your life happier?

By trying the above-mentioned methods, you may find yourself lowering your anxiety level further.

I sincerely wish you well and towards a better you!

Wishing you all the best!

Even Gandhi Was Anxious

Those of us afflicted with anxiety often find that we are telling ourselves that we are "idiots, should have known better, should be able to do better, should not be anxious in this situation," or any other number of self-critical comments. We often feel as though all we are is anxious, that we are the only ones to blame for our anxious state, and that something is fundamentally wrong with us that makes us less worthwhile than other people. But, are such statements true? Should we really feel bad about ourselves simply because we struggle with anxiety, which can often be very visible to others?

In every sphere of life, from the greatest leaders to the meekest individuals, every person has had struggles, and many times, those who are viewed as the "greatest" failed, sometimes spectacularly. Athletes are one group of people held in high esteem by society. But, everyone knows the troubles that athletes often find. Most notably, O.J. Simpson, a Hall of Fame NFL running back, was recently convicted on multiple charges of robbery. Many of us will also recall how he avoided being convicted for the murders of Ron and Nicole Goldman over a decade ago. During the 1970's, Simpson was hailed as one of the great NFL running backs of his time. But despite his elite status in society, he has failed to overcome his problems, and now finds himself sitting in jail. We do not need to delve into any further detail when discussing the issues of athletes and the law.

The political sphere is another arena where personal struggles have crept into the limelight. Even our nation's forefathers had their own struggles. Recently, it has come to light that Thomas Jefferson most probably had sexual relations with one of his slaves, Sally Hemmings. According to Gee, "Historians have long known that Thomas Jefferson, the third President (1801-1809) fathered a child by one of his slaves" (1998). So, even our nations forefathers had their own struggles, in this case with inappropriate sexual relations. And, is it really necessary to detail the affairs of John F. Kennedy or Bill Clinton?

Finally, if the preceding evidence was not enough to demonstrate to the reader that everyone has struggles which must be overcome, then consider this case. Gandhi, the liberator of India, by all accounts, was a shy, reclusive, and serious person, even into his adulthood. One source states that he was "...a rather unsuccessful, terribly shy lawyer" (Trussell, 2004). Gandhi also was "...too shy to even speak in front of a judge..." when he won his first case which sparked his successful campaign to liberate India (Trussell, 2004). If Gandhi, considered by people everywhere to be one of the greatest leaders this world has ever seen, was shy and unsuccessful as a student and lawyer and yet managed to become what he did, why should you be upset and let your anxiety hold you back? Even though Gandhi was shy, he did continue to take the risks, including a very important one, in that he sued the driver of a stagecoach for making him sit outside the stagecoach simply because he was not white! He did not let his shyness (anxiety), keep him from doing the things that he felt were best for him to do!

The point of this article was not to defame prominent persons in history. Rather, the lesson to learn from this is that every person, no matter how prominent or seemingly unimportant, has struggles which he or she must overcome. We do not all have to become Gandhis and free entire nations, but we do owe it to ourselves to conquer anxiety and do the things that we really want to do! You have no reason to feel ashamed of yourself for being anxious if even the greatest leaders in history were affected by the same issues! If you are sitting at home and feeling sorry for yourself, keep this in mind; regroup, get ready, and get yourself out there and live the life you want to lead!