Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks – Causes and Symptoms

Those that suffer from agoraphobia have to deal with the fear of being in a place where being able to escape would not be easy for them. They would try to avoid going to places such as theaters, malls and especially airplanes. Anywhere that would make them feel confined and make them unable to escape should they have a panic attack would be avoided if at all possible.

If you have agoraphobia you may be afraid to get into a situation that allows no escape and may find yourself scared to leave your home or move freely about. It is believed that of those with a panic disorder, agoraphobia affects about one out three people.

Causes of a Panic Attack with Agoraphobia

One cause may be stress as many people experience their first attack when dealing with a very stressful period of their life. It could be the death of someone very close to them, the loss of a job or going through a divorce.

Genetics may play a role in whether you have panic attacks or not. Some people that have been diagnosed with this disorder also have a family member who has also been diagnosed, but there are many that do not.

Development of Attacks

Panic attacks can happen without any warning. It is believed that many people had their first panic attack while away from home. As more attacks happen you may be inclined to avoid more and more places you believe are triggers for your attacks. Even if your attacks are now more infrequent you may still become anxious in those situations.

Some of the places you might try to avoid are crowds, planes, high places such as bridges and malls or any other location that makes you feel confined and unable to escape. Other symptoms you may experience are fear of losing control, a detachment from others, helplessness, out of body feeling and not wanting to leave home.

Panic Attack Symptoms

Your panic attack may be at its strongest in the first ten or twenty minutes. There are some symptoms that can linger longer, sometimes up to an hour. When you have an attack your body will react as though it really is in danger. You will feel your heart racing and pounding in your chest and you will be faint, sweaty and dizzy.

You may also feel as if you are choking because of your shortness of breath. You might think you are having a heart attack, especially during your first couple panic attacks. Many have the sensation of losing control of their body.

Diagnosing Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia

It can take time to diagnose a panic disorder because the symptoms of this disorder with agoraphobia are similar to other conditions. You should see your doctor as your first step to rule out any other underlying problems by way of a physical exam. It is important to rule out any medical problems you may have. Conditions that could have some of the same symptoms as panic disorders are hormonal imbalance, heart trouble or even substance abuse.

There are three criteria one must meet to be diagnosed for panic disorder. They are having frequent and unexpected attacks, at least one of which is followed by worrying about another attack happening. Also Illness, alcohol, drugs or any other psychological problems are ruled out so they are not the reasons for the attacks.

Diagnosing agoraphobia has two criteria. One is fear of being someplace difficult to get away from if an attack occurs. Another is avoiding places that you feel might trigger a panic attack due to previous experience.

When you talk to a doctor about your problems be honest with them. They can not help you if they do not have all the facts about your situation. Also check out programs that you can use for self help. You may be able to bring your attacks under control by methods that you can use one your own.

Relieve Your Anxiety With This Exercise

If you feel anxiety start to build up try this simple trick to get yourself to relax. In fact this is great for anyone, anxiety attacks or not. This is a simple exercise that you can do at anytime and anywhere to help settle and calm you down.

Simple to do Exercise to Help Relieve Anxiety from tjar12

Now make use of this technique and see how much it will help. Do not give up on this.

Stopping Your Panic Attack

See how a typical panic attack can begin during your everyday life. And importantly learn how to recognize the sensations that you will experience when you are having a panic attack.

Tips to Avoid Anxiety Attacks When Flying

Unfortunately there are those of us that do have a fear of flying. It can be terrifying thinking of getting on the plane and being so high up or just thinking of what could happen if something goes wrong. Check out this article on for some tips on how you can overcome your fear of flying or at least reduce it. How to Avoid Anxiety Attacks When Flying
By John Cielo
Have a fear of flying? You've landed at the right place. Here, you'll discover lots of tips on how to avoid anxiety attacks while flying, and all without the use of drugs.
The fear of flying is very common. And the fear can be so intense that many people just don't fly if they can help it. Of, course there are others who need to fly for business reasons, and others for more personal reasons, such as not wanting to let the family down on holiday trips, etc.
There are medications that can be taken before a flight to try to help calm the nerves and lower anxiety on takeoff and during the flight. But some of these can have some side effects, and in any case, many people just don't like taking these kind of drugs.
But there are natural ways to avoid anxiety attacks while flying that you can implement to help make your flight stress and anxiety free. To understand how these can work, it's worth looking at what causes anxiety attacks in the first place.
What Causes Anxiety Attacks
Anxiety attacks are the physical and mental manifestation of your body's primeval 'fight or flight' response to a 'perceived' physical threat to itself. Your body only needs to 'think' there is a threat, and it'll trigger chemical changes around your body that set you up to be better able to fight against an aggressor or run away to safety.
But there is no physical threat is there? Remember I said it only needs to 'think' there's one. And this perception can be simply through your own anxiety levels rising, through your fear of flying, to such an extent that your subconscious reads that as being the 'threat' and so triggers the fight or flight response.
When this happens, the changes in your body, to instantly prepare you to stand and fight or run away, manifest as the symptoms of an anxiety attack; rapid breathing, racing heartbeat, tightness in the chest, hot / cold flashes, tingling in hands, nausea, a feeling of detachment, a feeling of impending doom, etc.
You can see, then, that anxiety attack symptoms are just the result of your body's natural response to something that doesn't exist. In other words, you aren't in any danger, and these symptoms cannot harm you. It is all a big mistake!
You need to reduce the stress and anxiety that you build up within yourself before the flight. Because it's your very fear of having an anxiety attack during the flight that will trigger the anxiety attack. You see, your fear of an attack builds upon your already (natural) high stress and anxiety, that nearly everyone has prior to travelling, particularly when flying.
But most people don't suffer anxiety attacks when flying, so don't have that in-built fear of one. But folks - perhaps like yourself - who do suffer anxiety attacks, do have this fear, and it builds on your naturally heightened travel anxiety to trigger an anxiety attack.
How to Avoid Anxiety Attacks When Flying
Okay, you now understand what causes your attacks, so how do you avoid anxiety attacks when flying, without drug-based medication?.
The following are practical things you can do to help prevent your general anxiety levels rising too much when travelling by air:-
(1) When planning your trip, make a checklist of all documents you need and tick them off. Also, anything else you need to do, tick those off as you do them. Ensure you're aware of any luggage or other restrictions. Make sure you tick off everything as you do them, so that you don't need to worry like 'did I switch off the...' and 'did I cancel the...' type issues.
(2) Make sure you keep all your documents safe and for easy access. Arrange to get to the airport check-in in plenty of time. That way you can be through and have plenty of time to relax in the lounge.
(3) Don't drink alcohol before or during the flight. It might be tough, I know, but alcohol is a known stimulant so can actually raise your general anxiety levels, making it easier for your 'fear' of an attack to trigger one.
(4) In the same way don't drink too much coffee, tea, fizzy drinks, energy drinks, etc., because they contain the stimulant caffeine.
(5) Do drink lots and lots of water before and during your flight in order to stay well-hydrated.
Next, the following are techniques to follow should you feel an anxiety attack coming on:-
(1) Important! At the onset, repeat to yourself words along the lines of 'I know what this is now, and, I know that these symptoms cannot harm me. I also know that they will pass very shortly. Go on do your worst!'
(2) Breath slowly and rhythmically, not fast and shallow. And not too deeply either. Breath in through the nose and out through your mouth. You do this to re-balance your carbon dioxide / oxygen ratio.
(3) Use 'distraction' to take your focus off of your attack. Try to engage in conversation, read a magazine, listen to music, study a particular facet of the aircraft cabin, etc. Close your eyes and think of a particularly peaceful / happy event in the past and replay it in your mind, over and over again.
You Must Break the Vicious Cycle of Anxiety
The tips above can be very effective in controlling anxiety attacks when flying. But you need to get to a position where you won't even worry about flying and anxiety attacks anymore. How can you do this? You achieve this by eliminating your fear of always having anxiety attacks every time you fly.
It's not the flight that is worrying you, it's the fear of having an attack whilst flying. This is a vicious cycle of general anxiety >> fear of an attack >> an attack >> general anxiety >> fear of an attack >> an attack >> and so on, and on. You must break-out of this cycle to achieve your goal.
John Cielo researches and writes on how to avoid anxiety attacks. Next, to discover the simple 'ONE MOVE' technique that will eliminate your fear factor and so break your vicious cycle of anxiety, please go here now http://eliminatepanicattacks.blogspot.com and prepare to get your old self back again.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Cielo
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Your First Panic Attack - What To Expect

This video explains what someone may experience when having their first panic attack. It sneaks up on you with no warning and leaves you scared because you have never experienced this. Your first thoughts are there is something medically wrong, like a heart attack. Even when the doctor tells you there is nothing physically wrong you may still live in fear of it happening again, waiting for the next episode.
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Is this what you experienced? This may be the more likely way someone had their first panic attack. If you are having panic attacks or anxiety you can overcome it on your own if. Check out Panic Away to see if it is for you. This program has help many people successfully overcome panic and anxiety on their own!

How to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking

The fear of public speaking is a very common thing for people to deal with. It can be a big deal for those with anxiety and those who do not have anxiety issues. The anxiety of public speaking is one of the most common fears that people are afraid of but not many people know what it is that can be done to help overcome those fears.

The fear of public speaking is known as Glossophobia which also has connections to social phobia. It is the fear of being judged which can be triggered by all the people focusing their attention on you while speaking in front of a crowd. When you have doubts of your ability to speak effectively while knowing that people will be paying attention to you, it can create a level of fear that can be terrible for some.

Unfortunately no speech is perfect. Even if you did a great job you will keep dwelling on the mistakes you made and this will help reinforce your fears.

There is the thought that the lifestyle of today has been making the fear of public speaking worse than it has been before. This thought comes from the idea that more people are spending less time out in the public which reduces the amount of time generally talking in front of people. People can become somewhat anonymous when they spend more time online and the skills of being around people can diminish.

With the ability to send emails and the ease of talking on the phone from anywhere you do not have to think about people looking at you and making judgments which can lead to less experience in public speaking as we move into the future.

Your age or experience has no bearing – the lifestyle we live today gives us less personal interaction with other people which in the long run can only lead to more people developing anxiety towards public speaking.

So How Do We Reduce Anxiety towards Public Speaking

It is normal for someone to become anxious before making a speech regardless how good or outgoing they are, that’s human nature. When trying to overcome your anxiety do not expect to become completely anxiety free, it just will not happen. You can get to the point that you can channel that anxiety to give you the ability to give a great speech, not hold you back.

When you are overwhelmed by the fear of public speaking you need help. It is not always easy to overcome this anxiety quickly because we tend to focus on the mistakes and you can convince yourself that you are justified to be fearful.

There are some that get public speaking anxiety just talking with their friends. Anxiety such as that may be related to social anxiety which may take more effort to overcome. In this situation we are talking about being able to speak in front of a group of people in a more formal situation. It could be making a speech or giving a presentation in a meeting either way you will have to deal with your anxiety.

You need to learn some strategies and practices to help overcome your fear of speaking. An important first step for anyone giving a speech or presentation is practicing it. You need to practice for a number of reasons. One is to remember your speech and to be comfortable giving it. It will be more instinctual when you give it. You become more familiar with it so if you get off track it is easier to get back on. Even better is to practice in front of someone because it can help you with your anxiety knowing you are being watched and working your way through it.

Prepare well for your speech do not stop practicing because you feel you know it well. When you reach the point that you are getting sick and tired of it then do you think about stopping. Even then you should go over it again at least three more times. What you are trying to do is go beyond just knowing it well. You want to reach the point that you know it very well, that is the point you are ready to go.

The next step for you is work on getting used to the fears you have about public speaking. This step is done only after you have thoroughly practiced. Now you will use visualization to help get ready. Picture the crowed of people you may be facing. See them as angry and imagine what those angry faces will make you feel like if it was for real. Will it bring on the anxiety you fear?

Visualizing this scenario you should feel some anxiety. Your heart rate may be elevated and your fear level should go up. When your anxiety level gets up there try deep breathing and try to relax. Think about how those angry faces really do like your speech and the angry faces are because they are being overwhelmed by how good it is. Continue trying to calm yourself but keep on with your speech.

One great way to overcome your fear of public speaking is to overcome the idea of being embarrassed. If you can overcome being embarrassed you will be on your way to overcoming some of those fears you have of public speaking and are closer to being cured.

One way to overcome embarrassment is to go outside your comfort zone. Do something in public for example that you would never otherwise do. Whatever it is you chose, do it long enough or enough times that you are used to it and no longer embarrassed. You reach a point that it no longer bothers you and it is not a big deal, in fact you may have fun doing this.

The day of you speech there are some things you can do to prepare your mind. First is to get a good night’s sleep before hand. It may be difficult for some to sleep worrying about the speech

You want to do what you can to calm your mind and relax. Drink plenty of water as being even a little dehydrated can contribute to your anxiety. You can do something physical such as running to help relieve some of your tension.

Have everything you need prepared and ready in advance so you are not scrambling at the last minute to get ready. You can go over your speech one more time and try some of the visualization techniques.

The less anxiety you have this day the better your speech will come across. The buildup of waiting for speech time can wreak havoc on some people, so doing what you can to avoid the pre-speech anxiety can benefit you. Do not worry about everyone else; remind yourself that you have prepared and whatever happens you will get better.

When you begin to make your speech there are some things that you can do to reduce your anxiety. One is to start off strong by using a loud voice. Do not worry about being too loud, it will come across just fine. Some people start off slow with the idea of easing into the speech, starting strong is best for you.

Do not look at anyone in the room. Let your gaze drift around the room while not really focusing on anyone’s face. Remember the angry face visualization to help you here.

If you stumble do not worry about it. Never expect a speech to go perfect, in fact those watching you may not even notice. Well known speakers had troubles stumbling through their speeches; they learned to just keep on going like nothing happened. If you lose your place figure out where you left off and continue.

After you get into the speech there is not much you can do but finish it. When you are done act like you did a great job and worry about any mistakes you made another time. Congratulations you did it, now applaud yourself. Keep in mind that the more speeches you give the easier it is and the better you will get.

You can get past your fear of public speaking if you try the above methods. If you suffer from anxiety on a regular basis then these methods can work to help alleviate that also. Having anxiety problems can accumulate over time to the point that it can cause problems out in the public also. Do what you can to help yourself; there are programs available to allow you to get over your fears on your own.

3 Key Elements to Help Eliminate Your Anxiety

There are many ways to help overcome panic or anxiety attacks and natural methods have shown to be very useful. If you are suffering from panic attacks and have not yet tried these methods give them a try, you may find out it does help you. Below are listed some things to try, of course there are many more but this would be a good start at finding natural cures for your anxiety.

1. There are natural herbs that have been shown to be calming and in turn help reduce anxiety. One of them is Passion Flower which has a long history of use in folk medicine for insomnia and anxiety issues. Chamomile is another herb that can calm your nerves when you are feeling anxious or jittery.

There are also other herbs that are used to relax and you should do your own research to make sure any of these products are right for you. Some of them have been known to have side effects so be sure before using.

2. Learning how to properly breathe would be important for anyone regardless if you are suffering from anxiety or not. Breathing poorly can lead to issues such as hyperventilation which can bring on symptoms of chest pain and rapid heartbeat which are a couple of the signs of an anxiety attack.

Good breathing technique is great way to calm your mind when you are feeling anxious or you feel a panic attack coming. Using the right calming breathing methods will help reduce anxiety and its symptoms.

If you have never tried any calming breathing methods you will find some of them are easy to do while others could take some practice. But the more you use them the easier it becomes as you learn to calm yourself during a panic attack.

One method is simply deep breathing. While it may not be the best way to help relieve an anxiety attack it is still a good tool to make use of. All you need to do is breath deep in and out slowly. Breathe in and let your abdomen expand as if you are breathing into your stomach. What you are doing is getting oxygen deeper into your lungs instead of their upper half. In conjunction with the deep breathing let your mind and body relax.

Best way to do this is find a quite spot and sit in a chair. Sit up with your back straight and your arms on the chair arm rests if there are some. Slowly breathe in for a count of 5 through your nose. Pause and hold your breath for a couple seconds then let your breath out through your mouth for a count of 5 seconds. Let your breath come out quietly, do not force it. Repeat this for at least ten times.

Remember this could take some practice but in short time you will be able to enjoy the way it calms you down. Breathing this way will even lower your blood pressure. One way to verify this is to use one of those blood pressure monitors you see in stores. Check your pressure then do it again after doing some relaxing deep breathing, you will see how it lowers your blood pressure.

3. It has been noted that the diet most people consist on is very acidic. A high acidic diet can result in a lowered resistance to stress and contribute to other health problems. Fortunately your diet is something you can control if you have the discipline to do so. Improving your diet so it is more healthful can build on your ability to resist anxiety attacks. You will find that your mental wellbeing will be improved along with your physical wellbeing.

If your body is in balance it can do a better job of avoiding anxiety, being acidic can compound your problem. Removing acidic food from your diet will bring your body into a healthier state. It may not be easy at first especially when you are used to eating just about anything whether it’s good for you or not.

In addition your body will find it more difficult to remove the toxins from it when you subsist on a high acidic diet. Even over eating can play a role in how your mind and body reacts to situations that may create anxiety in you. Living on a healthy diet will create a buffer zone to help shield you and reduce the stress in your life.

Foods that are acidic and the ones you want to eliminate or reduce are sugar, salt and processed foods. Even dairy products, proteins and grains are acidic to our system. These are examples of food sources that can have a negative reaction to your system and lower its resistance. To improve your body’s resistance to stress, consume more vegetables and fruits.

There is an optimum balance you should keep and that would be about 80 percent alkaline. To achieve this you would need to consume more vegetables either raw or cooked and more fruit products. You do not need as much protein as you think unless you are exercising heavily, so a little lean meat is ok daily.

Of course the above are only three of many things you can do on your own to help prevent anxiety attacks. Do your research and try what you can yourself to have a happier and healthier life.