People are struggling with stress and anxiety more than ever.  The state of the economy around the world has stressed us out and created anxiety on a daily basis for a lot of people.  Coping with stress and anxiety naturally or without the use of prescription medications can be done.  There are natural strategies to help you cope with stress and anxiety that don’t cost a lot of money. Here are 4 simple ways to help you cope with stress and anxiety.

1. Watch this video it’s free to watch and there is nothing to buy.  The strategy is this video will help you cope with anxiety.  It’s is very different than anything you probably have heard of or tried.  It can start helping immediately.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ArtxNt606U

2.  Set a time of day for physical activity

Pick up an activity that you enjoy, so that exercising becomes less of a chore and more of an enjoyment.  Try walking, swimming, bicycling, yoga, or tennis. Regular physical activity is good for the body in many ways.  It helps us to sleep better, allows the mind to relax, and helps to release pent-up emotion. Interestingly, a recent study found that leisure-time physical activity protected a person against the physical symptoms of stress and anxiety.  What mattered wasn’t the person’ level of fitness, but simply the regular participation in enjoyable physical activity.

           3.    Make simple changes to your diet Avoid alcohol, sugar and caffeine.  The caffeine you have today robs your body of tomorrows energy.  Try to wean yourself of caffeine rich beverages like coffee, tea, and colas.  Too much sugar produces a blood sugar rush followed by exhaustion and a low tired feeling.  Alcohol adds added stress to our already stressed glands and organs.

            4.    Give your body the anti-stress nutrients Stress places an increased demand on our body for vitamins and minerals. The B complex vitamins are excellent stress stoppers.  They help to reduce anxiety, help you think more clearly and improve memory.  When we are stressed we typically turn to sweets.  The B vitamins help us regulate sugar metabolism which helps with the sugar cravings. Vitamin C is lost during times of stress and is required in the production of the stress hormones. 1000-3000mg of Vitamin C can help your body deal with stress. Stress decreases the minerals calcium and magnesium.  A deficiency can lead to anxiety and fear. A daily dose of fish oil is known to help with depression and protect against heart disease and cancer.f

When you follow these 4 simple simple steps you will make a significant contribution in how you look and feel.  You will have better relationships and your family will notice a difference in you.  You will also know that you are taking steps in the right directions for a healthier life with less stress and anxiety.  In addition you will decrease the risk of a stress related illness by as much as 90%.

Don’t let stress and anxiety take hold of your life.  Simple self help solutions can make a huge difference in how you feel.

I believe that we must take a look at our-self, get in tune with our body to really make a change in our health and well-being.

Ask yourself these questions….

I get physical activity daily?

I have good eating habits?

I take extra health supplements?

If your answered no the above questions here is a simple often forgotten about recommendation for you to consider…

3 Simple Tools for Stress and Anxiety

1.     Set a time of day for physical activity.

• Pick up an activity that you enjoy, so that exercising becomes less of a chore and more of an enjoyment.  Try walking, swimming, bicycling, yoga, or tennis.
• Regular physical activity is good for the body in many ways.  It helps us to sleep better, allows the mind to relax, and helps to release pent-up emotion.
• Interestingly, a recent study found that leisure-time physical activity protected a person against the physical symptoms of stress and anxiety.  What mattered wasn’t the person’ level of fitness, but simply the regular participation in enjoyable physical activity.

2.    Make simple changes to your diet.

• Avoid alcohol, sugar and caffeine.  The caffeine you have today robs your body of tomorrows energy.  Try to wean yourself of caffeine rich beverages like coffee, tea, and colas.
• Too much sugar produces a blood sugar rush followed by exhaustion and a low tired feeling.  Alcohol adds added stress to our already stressed glands and organs.

3.    Give your body the anti-stress nutrients.

• Stress places an increased demand on our body for vitamins and minerals.
• The B complex vitamins are excellent stress stoppers.  They help to reduce anxiety, help you think more clearly and improve memory.  When we are stressed we typically turn to sweets.  The B vitamins help us regulate sugar metabolism which helps with the sugar cravings.
• Vitamin C is lost during times of stress and is required in the production of the stress hormones. 1000-3000mg of Vitamin C can help your body deal with stress.
• Stress decreases the minerals calcium and magnesium.  A deficiency can lead to anxiety and fear.
• A daily dose of fish oil is known to help with depression and protect against heart disease and cancer.

By following these simple steps you will make a significant contribution in how you feel, and reduce your chance of a serious stress related illness by as much as 90%.

I am always here to help.  Just ask.

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Anxiety Natural Remedies Self Help

Anxiety Disorder: How It Affects Your Work, Family and Social Relationships

Anxiety disorder is an illness that many people do not realize is quite common.  There are approximately 4 million Americans who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder alone and the effects on their lives can sometimes be damaging.  Anxiety disorders prevent an individual from functioning normally in the society he lives in and inhibit his potential for both personal and professional growth.

Here is how it affects lives, families, work and relationships:

Physical symptoms can cause discomfort and more anxiety.

All forms of anxiety disorder manifest through physical symptoms including sweating, trembling, nausea, dizziness, and fainting and muscular tension.  These symptoms are the body’s way to protect itself from what a person perceives as a threat to him.

While anxiety disorder attacks don’t have any actual threats of physical harm, when symptoms appear, they can cause temporary (and sometimes prolonged) periods of agitation and stress that usually lead to feelings of frustration.  People with anxiety disorder are also easily provoked and irritated.  This affects their relationships with their family, friends and colleagues in a negative way.  Episodes of frequent irritability can also cause arguments and misunderstandings, giving way to larger rifts in emotional relationships.

Symptoms may last for days, causing a person to miss school, work and other important events.

Many forms of anxiety disorder have symptoms that can last for a period of time, sometimes several days.  Symptoms may also appear many times over a period of months.  Many persons who suffer from this disorder cannot cope.  As a result, they can’t go to school, drive the car to work or even go to family gatherings.

People with anxiety disorder may evade responsibility.

Many people who suffer from anxiety disorder are aware of their illness.  If they choose to give in to its pressures, they may withdraw within themselves and avoid taking responsibility for their lives and for the lives of those who depend on them.

As a result, many anxiety disorder patients no longer perform normal tasks and duties expected of them.  A parent with anxiety disorder, for example, may be too depressed to take care of the needs of his or her spouse and that of their children.

A person with anxiety disorder will not be able to perform well at work.

He will be too busy worrying about a perceived threat or about another anxiety or panic attack episode to be able to handle his responsibilities at work effectively.  Furthermore, it can cast doubt on his competence either as a member of an organization and may be grounds to deny him of career advancement and promotion.

Normal everyday objects and activities can induce feelings of fear.

Agoraphobics cannot stand enclosed spaces while post-traumatic stress disorder patients will associate harmless objects with their traumatic experience.  Normal things such as elevator and subway rides, doors closing, petty arguments, small misunderstandings can be amplified and perceived as bigger than they truly are.

Anxiety disorder tends to run in families

Studies have shown that children in households where at least one parent suffers from a form of anxiety disorder is at risk of developing a disorder of his own, whether during childhood or later on in his adult life.  This does not mean children of anxiety disorder sufferers are genetically pre-disposed, though.  It just proves that early exposure may have an effect on young children and teens.

Anxiety disorder can cause a loss of self-esteem.

If allowed to go untreated, anxiety disorder has devastating effects on the person’s self-perception.  Often, he or she will feel useless and incapable of success.  He will often be asking himself, “What’s wrong with me?” and not be able to come up with a convincing answer.  He will find small, simple tasks difficult to perform, adding to his feelings of inadequacy.  Already in a sad state of mind, a person with anxiety disorder may slip further into depression unless he seeks treatment.

Anxiety disorder attacks can result in a vicious cycle.

Anxiety begets anxiety.  When an episode of panic attack occurs, for example, the feeling will be so vicious and so unpleasant that a person will dread the next occurrence.  Even if it doesn’t occur, he will live in fear of it ever happening again.  As a result, he will be agitated, angry, sad, and irritable and yes, anxious.

As yet, there is no magic pill that can cure anxiety disorder and rid a person of its symptoms once and for all.  It might require therapy, medication or a combination of both to help a person manage his illness and get his life back to normal once again.  It will take time, patience and strong will but it can be overcome.

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Current Anxiety Disorder Research: What’s Being Done and Why They Should Matter

Anxiety disorder is a mental illness on which a lot of research and studies are still being performed to fully understand how it works and how to treat it.  We have grown by leaps and bounds since anxiety disorder was first observed and recorded hundreds of years ago and yet, we are still probably at the tip of the iceberg in terms of fully understanding what goes on in the brains of people who suffer from this illness.  Here are some of the most recent studies and researches being done for the treatment of anxiety disorder:

What are the recent studies or findings regarding medications used for anxiety disorder?

Generally, anxiety disorder is treated with medication, psychotherapy (behavioral or cognitive) or a combination of both.  Some researchers are performing a clinical trial that tries to examine how effective these treatments are when used either separately or together against obsessive-compulsive behavior, one of the common forms of anxiety disorder.  Researchers also hope to determine how to reduce the relapse rate that rises when drug therapy is stopped.

On medications, a new drug called buspirone has shown promise as an anti-anxiety medication.  However, research is still ongoing on whether it will perform better if used with anti-depressant drugs that have an effect on serotonin.

How do hormones affect anxiety disorders?

To a certain degree, some hormones seem to affect certain forms of anxiety disorder, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.  People diagnosed with the illness have shown to have low levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.  On the other hand, they have extremely high levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine.

Researchers believe the levels of these hormones in the body causes a person to feel anxiety even after some period of time has passed since the occurrence of the stressful event.  High levels of CRF or corticotropin releasing factor might also be the reason why it is so easy to startle people with PTSD.  Researchers hope to find ways to regulate the imbalances in the hormones and manage symptoms.

What about brain imaging technology?

Brain imaging technology along with techniques using neurochemical tests, have been used to treat anxiety disorder.  NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) has used the same technology to be able to observe a living brain and note changes in its parts such as the cortex and the amygdala.  Through controlled observation, scientists will be able to determine whether activity in the brain is abnormal and how certain areas are affected by therapies or medication.

Brain imaging technology has figured significantly recently.  Recent studies conducted on the brains of people with obsessive-compulsive behavior using magnetic resonance showed that their brains contained considerably less white matter than normal subjects.  This indicates that the abnormality in the brains of OCD patients is more widely distributed than it was earlier believed.

Is it possible to predict or prevent the occurrence of mental illness?

Part of research conducted in the field of psychiatry involves prevention efforts.  This focuses on trying to understand how mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders develop and how they can be prevented at certain points.

By knowing how mental illnesses begin, researchers hope to be able to perform interventions at significant points during the course of the disorder.  They also hope to use the newest advances in research performed in the fields of biomedicine, cognitive and behavioral sciences to aid in their efforts for prevention.

Is there a possible genetic pre-disposition for anxiety disorder?

A 2001 study made by the American Journal of Psychiatry seems to show that anxiety disorder in the form of depression and panic disorder run in families.  Children whose parents have been diagnosed or are suffering from anxiety disorder are more likely to develop the disorder themselves.

The study also shows that children may be exposed to specific disorders that produce specific risks.  For example, parents who suffer from a panic disorder may increase the risk of their children developing not only panic disorder but also agoraphobia.  Parents who suffer from depression increase the risk of their children developing social anxiety disorder, disruptive behavior and depression.

While the study shows that children in households where parents have some form of anxiety disorder are at risk, it doesn’t prove whether they are genetically pre-disposed to the illness itself.

However, the study of whether anxiety disorder and other mental illnesses are affected by genetics does not end there.  A project called the Human Genetics Initiative hopes to be able to find the genes responsible for mental illnesses by compiling a registry of all families with a history of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.  By finding a common gene, they may be able to find out whether mental illness can be passed on genetically or not.

How does this study affect treatment?

This study reiterates the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorder.  People in the initial stages of an anxiety disorder must be treated before the illness becomes chronic.  By then, there is a possibility that it will be too advanced to respond to treatments.  Through this study, researchers and psychiatrists hope to be able to develop newer methods and techniques to prevent anxiety disorders in children before they even begin.

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Agoraphobia: What It Is and What You Can Do About It

Agoraphobia, translated roughly from Greek, literally means ‘fear of the marketplace.’  In the past, it was believed to be the debilitating fear of open spaces and public places.  As more studies and research have shown, it is now thought as a result of continued episodes of panic attacks.

Agoraphobia often results when a person becomes extremely fearful of being trapped in a place or situation from which he cannot escape.  He might also believe that escaping from that situation may prove to be difficult or that he may not be able to find help.

As a result, a person with agoraphobia begins to shun public places where there are too many people.  He might also find it too constricting to ride buses, airplanes, cars and trains.  In its severe form, agoraphobia may also keep a person from stepping out of his home, the only place where he feels safest.

Agoraphobia and panic disorder

Agoraphobia is the result of a panic disorder that has remained untreated, ignored or misdiagnosed.  A panic disorder is the result of continued episodes of panic attacks, where a person suffers from intense discomfort and feelings of extreme fear.

Panic attacks can also occur without a warning and affects about one-third of the adult population annually.  It may either occur in isolation or as a result of another disorder such as depression, anxiety or social phobia.  Unlike anxiety, panic attacks can only last for a short while, usually 20-30 minutes.

Agoraphobia does not occur by itself.  It usually makes its first appearance within 12 months of the recurrence of several episodes of panic attacks.  In fact, one out of three people who suffer from panic disorder have a high possibility of developing agoraphobia.  Agoraphobia, like panic disorder, is usually a chronic condition.

Symptoms of agoraphobia

Agoraphobia sufferers experience several symptoms all at once, including heart palpitations or increased heart rate, shortness of breath, numbness, dizziness, chest pain, trembling, sweating, extreme hot or cold, feelings of losing control, going crazy or dying.

While some episodes of agoraphobia can occur without warning, being in certain situations can trigger an attack.  People who suffer from agoraphobia are actually afraid they might have a panic attack.  If they are stuck in a situation where escape or help may prove difficult or awkward such as parties, crowded shopping malls or subways, they become more agitated and their feeling of panic swells.

To avoid the feeling of being ‘trapped’, people with agoraphobia stay away from public places.  This is not because they are afraid of public places per se, but because they do not want to suffer from a panic attack while in those locations.  To feel safe, they instead keep to familiar places, such as their homes or insist in having the constant company of a trusted person.

Treatments for Agoraphobia

The most common treatments for agoraphobia are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or medication.  A combination of both may also be used in certain cases.  CBT is a type of psychotherapy that is also used to treat other mental disorders.  As a treatment, CBT involves altering a patient’s thinking patterns so he can manage and handle his fears.

Patients are taught to understand what agoraphobia is and to accept that the feelings of panic are normal, albeit amplified.  Certain patterns of automatic thinking and behavior during an episode of agoraphobia may also be altered to help the patient cope should one occur.

To help patients handle their reactions, they are also taught to control their breathing as part of coping skills.  CBT also involves exposing a patient to situations or incidents that usually trigger agoraphobia.  CBT as a treatment is quite successful, helping about 85% of panic attack patients recover after only about 10 sessions.

Medication usually involves either anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs.  Anti-depressants serve to reduce or totally prevent episodes of panic attacks, although they usually begin to take effect only after several weeks.  Anti-anxiety drugs, on the other hand, are fast acting and can produce a calming effect in less than an hour.

Therapies used for Agoraphobia

Other forms of treatments and therapies to address and eliminate agoraphobia include family therapy, group therapy using CBT and relaxation techniques using meditation.  Depending on the severity of the patient’s mental condition, a combination of several treatments may be used to produce the desired effect.

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Everything You Need To Know About Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized as a person’s obsession with rituals in order to neutralize intrusive thoughts. This is a major anxiety disorder.

There are recurrent and constant impulses, thoughts or images that the person experiences at any given time. The person tries to suppress or ignore these thoughts, images or impulses through another action or thought. Sometimes the person recognizes his thoughts and regards them as obsession but he is not able to remedy it himself. There is also the tendency to exaggerate small details.

Oftentimes, this disorder is defined as the repetitive mental acts or behavior that the person feels he should perform in order to respond to his obsession. It is as if there are rules and he can never break the rules. These mental acts and behavior are often aimed in reducing distress of the individual. When he does not do the action, the more stressed he would be.

What are the symptoms of OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is manifested in so many forms. If you remember the 1997 movie “As Good As It Gets”, Jack Nicholson is an example of a person suffering from OCD. Another recent one is Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Aviator.”

The symptoms are constantly hand washing, specific counting technique (like counting in fives, grouping objects in threes). There’s also counting the steps from destination A to destination B. They also tend to align objects in right angles.

People with OCD also cancel their bad thoughts and replace them with good thoughts. When they imagine that they are harming a child, they replace it with the child playing happily so that the previous thought can be canceled out.

There are also sexual obsessions. There are some cases when the person does not want these sexual thoughts. Two examples are the fear of being homosexual or a pedophile. In these cases, the sufferers obsess whether they are or are not aroused by people of the same sex or children.

There is also the fear of contamination. You remember how Jack Nicholson would always bring his own plastic utensils to the restaurant. There’s also the scene with Leonardo DiCaprio giving a queasy look after Cate Blanchett drinks from the same bottle of milk as he is drinking. They fear the human body secretions like sweat; saliva, tears or mucus can cause them harm.

There is also the need for the body to always be balance. Jack Nicholson evades cracks on the floor just as Leonardo DiCaprio is seen walking with a cane. (To remind the readers, the Nicholson here pertains to his character in “As Good As It Gets” and the Dicaprio in “The Aviator.” They both played personages with OCD.)

People with OCD know that these behavior and thoughts are irrational but they are still compelled to do what they have already been used to in the first place. If not, there will always be feelings of dread or panic.

It is important to note though that people with OCD have different behaviors than those people who have gambling problems or are over-eaters. People with OCD typically do not experience pleasure from their rituals as opposed to the previously mentioned.

How do you treat OCD?

Interestingly enough, there is no cure for obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, anti-depressants can lessen the panic, anxiety and worry that it may eventually trigger when a particular ritual has not been done.

Medications include SSRIs like paroxetine, sertraline, flouoxetine and fluvoxamine. There are also the tricyclic antidepressants, specifically chlomipramine. SSRIs prevent the serotonin from being pumped right back into its original neuron that usually triggers the panic button to the brain. In that way, the person is eased off his obsessive-compulsive thoughts and excessive anxiety.

It may also be treated with behavioral therapy or cognitive therapy. There are cases that these two therapies are combined with medications. Psychotherapy helps in treating the disorder by exposing the person to a specific technique known as the Exposure and Ritual Prevention or ERP. This gradually makes the person learn how to tolerate his anxiety that is connected to his inability to perform a ritual that he has been used to doing.

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Everything You Need To Know About Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder manifests as apprehension, fear or worry at a heightened level.  This is confirmed if the person is easily embarrassed and is often anxious of practically every situation.

Anxiety, fear and worry when speaking in public is normal but if this reaction is heightened, like fearing the day days or weeks in advance, then that is a different case. The experience of social anxiety disorder is often described as an exaggerated reaction on situations that usually wouldn’t entail that much fear.

Social anxiety disorder is also referred to as social phobia. It refers to long-lasting anxiety that is triggered by extreme stress and the inability to function well in normal daily activities. Others, thus resulting in more fear for the individual, often scrutinize these anxieties. About 13.3% of the general American population suffer or has suffered from social anxiety disorder at a given point in their lives.

What are the symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder?

Blushing, sweating, nausea, trembling and stammering are the common signs that the person is having a panic attack due to discomfort or intense fear. Whenever there are signs, it is better that the person gets an early diagnosis. In that case, the symptoms are minimized and additional problems like depression are prevented. There are also cases wherein people suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder turn to drugs or alcohol in order to lessen what they are afraid of.

Social phobics experience dread that is presented by others. They are overly conscious and they place too much attention on themselves when it comes to any activity. They put the pressure on themselves. They also have the tendency to be too negative.

As for their fear, it is always persistent in one or more situations. He is so afraid to be scrutinized by others that he is afraid to do anything at all. These feared activities include most kinds of social interactions like dating, parties, going to restaurants and talking to strangers.

Physiological effects are also normal to people suffering from anxiety disorder. They are often faced with uncomfortable situations. For children, they often throw tantrums, cry or cling to their parents; while in adults, this is shown by sweating, shaking, nausea and palpitations.

A 2006 study shows that the brain has amygdale.  As mentioned previously, this is a small yet complicated structure that is part of the limbic system. It is so hyperactive that it is responsible for the emotions of an individual. One of these emotions is fear.

How to treat Social Anxiety Disorder?

A person suffering from the disorder may be treated with medication and/or psychotherapy. Recent studies show that the cognitive behavior therapy, whether done on an individual or in groups, are highly effective in providing the remedy for social phobia. The behavioral and cognitive components search for thinking patterns that affect the physical reactions of the individual therefore affecting his whole behavior.

The medication prescribed to the patient often consists of antidepressants. Social anxiety disorders have increased since 1999. Therefore the marketing of drugs to cure it has also increased.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs are a class of antidepressants that are said to be the first choice of professionals in treating social anxiety disorder. These drugs lift the level of serotonin. This is also the first drug that has been formally approved by the FDA or the Food and Drug Administration. There is less risk with this medication. It has also not been subjected to any controversy.

There may be side effects as the body adjusts to the medication. Symptoms such as insomnia, headaches and nausea are normal. There are also changes in sexual behavior. It is not yet sure whether the medication is safe for pregnant women though.

Another remedy for social anxiety disorder is psychotherapy and as we discussed previously it has been proven to be effective to the treatment of panic disorder as well.

It has two main components. The cognitive component assists in making people aware of how they can change thinking patterns to overcome their fears.

The other is gradual exposure where the person is exposed to the anxiety-provoking situations that he is afraid of. Throughout the whole procedure, he eventually learns how to handle his anxieties and worries. This is also termed as anxiety management training.

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Kinds of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorder is a common chronic disorder, affecting women more than men. This can lead to impairment. It is long-lasting anxiety that is not specific to any object or scenario. Therefore, it is free-floating.

People suffering from this disorder often feel nervous, worried or afraid of something but they cannot articulate the reason why. They always fret and are unable to control their worries. There are constant muscle tension and fear reactions thus developing heart palpitations, dizziness, headaches and insomnia. These physical problems are combined with anxiety that makes it difficult for them to deal with normal everyday activities.

1. Panic Disorder

A person suffering from panic disorder has brief attacks that are so intense they tremble and shake. Afterwards, they feel dizzy and have difficulty breathing. A panic attack usually lasts for 10 minutes or maybe even less.

These attacks can happen anywhere anytime. More often than not, they take place after a scary experience or the person is stressed out. Sometimes this can take place when the person is exercising. People who have panic attacks believe they are having a heart attack and they are rushed to the doctor or to the emergency room.

There are changes in heartbeat and the sufferer would think that something is wrong with this heart or he is about to have another attack. Some are so worried about their illness that they quit their jobs and refuse to leave their homes to avoid embarrassment just in case another attack occurs. Panic disorder can be diagnosed when these attacks ultimately lead to a persistent one.

2. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

The best movie example of a person suffering from this anxiety disorder is Jack Nicholson in “As Good As It Gets.” People with OCD are persistent and obsessed with their rituals in order to control the anxieties that are produced by their thoughts. In the end, these rituals control their over-all behavior.

You notice how Jack Nicholson had to switch the light on and off over and over again, just as he has to lock and relock the doors before going to bed? Performing these rituals provide them with some sort of pleasure because it relieves them from a social anxiety.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder affects 2.2 million Americans and this can also be accompanied by eating disorders or depression. It strikes both men and women and the symptoms are prevalent in childhood, adolescence and even in early adulthood. It also runs in families.

3. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This anxiety disorder often develops after a frightening ordeal that involves physical harm or threats. A person who has developed PTSD may be someone who was harmed or has a loved one harmed. He may also be a witness to a harmful event.

PTSD was brought to public attention with war veterans. However, it can also result from traumatic incidents like rape, torture, kidnapping, mugging, car accidents, plane crashes, train wrecks, bombings or natural disasters like earthquakes or floods.

People diagnosed with PTSD are easily startled and emotionally numb. They lose interest in their hobbies and have trouble being affectionate. They are also irritable, aggressive and violent. They avoid the situations that remind them of the traumatizing incident. Anniversaries of the incident are also very difficult to handle.

PTSD affects around 7.7 million Americans and it can occur at any age, even childhood. Women are more likely to have PTSD than men. This disorder runs in families and is accompanied by depression or substance abuse.

4. Social Phobia

This is also known as social anxiety disorder. People who are overwhelmingly anxious or excessively self-conscious are diagnosed with social phobia. They are intense, persistent and are afraid of being watched or judged by others. They are easily embarrassed. They are anxious for days or weeks before a situation they dread.

This fear is so severe that it can interfere with school, work or other everyday activities. Therefore, it is hard for them to make and even keep friends.

People with social phobia recognize their fear of being around people and they know that it is unreasonable but it is difficult for them to overcome this. Even if they do manage to confront what they are afraid of, they are anxious in doing so and are quite uncomfortable.

Social phobia affects 15 million Americans. Women and men are likely to develop this and the symptoms show in childhood or early adolescence. It runs in the family and is often accompanied by depression or substance abuse if people self-medicate their worries.

5. Specific Phobia

This is the strong and irrational fear of a situation or an object. The person recognizes the irrationality of the fear but the anxiety still remains. It is different from panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder because there is a specific situation or stimulus that triggers the fear response.

People with phobias have quite an imagination so they anticipate what they fear with terrifying consequences. They recognize their fear but they are also unable to control it.

6. Generalized Anxiety Disorder

People suffering from generalized anxiety disorder go through daily activities filled with tension and worry even when there is nothing to trigger it. They wait for disaster to happen and are always concerned about money, health issues, family problems and work when there really is nothing to worry about.

A person is diagnosed with GAD if his worries have prevented him from functioning properly for at least 6 months. He cannot seem to get rid of these anxieties even if he recognizes it. They cannot relax and are startled easily. They also have difficulty in concentrating, falling asleep and staying asleep.

GAD affects 6.8 million Americans and two times more women than men. This can begin at any life cycle but there is greater risk between childhood and middle age. It is accompanied with depression and substance abuse.

We will explore each disorder in depth in the upcoming chapters.

College Students Use Alcohol as Way of Coping with Social Anxiety

It’s no secret that alcohol use is alive and well on college campuses across America. New research studies investigate a largely unexplored area — the relationship between heavy drinking and social anxiety.

According to a recent report by the National Institute of Health (NIH), anxiety is a psychological risk factor associated with heavy or problem drinking among college students.

Along with anxiety and other psychological factors, the NIH report suggests that an impulsive personality and a family history of alcohol abuse may be additional risk factors for problem drinking.

People with social anxiety, students and non-students alike, can benefit from these findings by taking action to eliminate risk factors for problem drinking and address their anxiety.

Social anxiety is the most common type of anxiety disorder and it affects 15% of Americans. Social anxiety, also known as social phobia, is diagnosed as overwhelming anxiety, fear, and self-consciousness in everyday social situations.

It triggers a host of physical symptoms, anxious thoughts, and avoidance behaviors.

People that suffer from social anxiety disorder usually realize that their fears are unfounded or extreme, but still feel unable to control their fears that others are looking at or judging them.

What You Can Do

Ask yourself why you drink. Do you drink to relax, to relieve stress, or to help alleviate social fears and anxieties? If any of these reasons describe you, you may be using alcohol in a vain attempt to cope with the root cause — social anxiety.

Drinking large amounts of alcohol may mask the problem for a few brief hours. However, once the mask comes off you are faced with yourself, and your anxiety returns stronger than ever.

In fact, problem drinking hinders you from making positive strides forward in healing because instead of one problem to overcome, you now have two problems, social anxiety AND alcohol abuse.

Related articles to anxiety disorders

• What is Anxiety? (psychcentral.com)
• Alcohol and Anxiety: Alcohol Aggravates Anxiety Symptoms (thindependence.com)
• Young adults ‘anxiety overload’ (news.bbc.co.uk)
• What is the difference between shyness and social phobia? (liveactivecultures.net)

Menopause is a natural process in our lives.  But the symptoms that each of us experience can range from hot flashes, anxiety, panic, depression, night sweats, itchy crawly skin, and a ton more.

Here are some suggestion I have found really helpful in controlling these symptoms.

• No alcohol, just one drink at night can cause night sweats.  Alcohol is processed by your liver and that is where your hormones do there thing.  By drinking alcohol you add an extra burden to your liver making it harder for your liver to do its job.
• Eat a protein snack before bed, this helps balance blood sugar and reduce the chance of night sweets
• Sugar can also be a problem, diet in general is always the first place to start.  Just get rid of the obvious things like excess sugar and caffeine.  Be more aware of what you eat.
• Exercise, many women report this helps them more than anything
• Women’s Formula by Vita Logics works well and is formulated by Jann McBarron MD
• Remefemon is also another great product that gives good results

Detox Health and Wellness Bath

detox bath helps your liver to perform better which will give you better hormone balance, will lessen hot flashes, PMS, and cramps