Panic attacks and panic disorder affect a growing number of people in the US and Western Europe. Those who do not suffer from panic attacks have a hard time understanding how unbearably painful panic anxiety is for those who experience ongoing panic attacks. To the victims of panic disorder, the experience is very visceral; it is a full-blown fight or flight type reaction that can cause the heart rate to increase dramatically and produce profuse sweating and many other physiological and biochemical changes. Imagine walking along a trail and suddenly encountering a mountain lion; that is how it feels for those suffering from panic anxiety – and sometimes much worse.
Panic anxiety is certainly not just “in the mind” as some people might think, but comes from an integrated reaction that involves both mind and body; each supporting the reactive process. However, ultimately it is what happens in the mind that triggers the emotional and physiological processes that produce a full-blown panic attack. Many panic anxiety sufferers are looking for methods to change the underlying mental process that produces anxiety. Many turn to some form of counseling or talk therapy, others prefer a more direct process of therapy such as CBT or Mindfulness Therapy because these attempt to change the internal mechanism that creates the emotional reaction that then triggers the bodily reactions.
At the core of panic disorders you will inevitably find some form of reactive thinking that triggers the panic attacks, and of course the theory behind CBT is that if you can change these habitual patterns of negative thinking and negative beliefs then you can diffuse the panic attacks. In the Mindfulness Therapy approach, we take this a step further, because we realize that the problem is not simply with the content of the thoughts or beliefs or memories, but with the emotional energy that is infused into these particular thought forms. It is this emotional charge that gives such power to negative thoughts, beliefs or traumatic memories. This is why two people can think the same thought but react completely differently – because the emotional charge is different for different people. Therefore, in Mindfulness Therapy the emphasis is on finding ways to change this emotional energy, allowing it to discharge and resolve itself. Then all that remains is an “empty thought” which ceases to have any particular meaning or power to cause anxiety or suffering.
In Mindfulness Therapy, clients/students learn how to “sit” with their emotions. This means that they learn to hold the emotion in their conscious awareness without getting lost in the story or becoming reactive to the emotion with hatred, resistance or avoidance. This fundamental change in relationship from being consumed by an emotion to one of being able to observe the emotion as an object, which we hold in our awareness is pivotal. We call this the Primary Relationship in Mindfulness Therapy, and this provides the best possible conditions in which the emotional charge can begin to discharge itself. Then the negative thoughts and beliefs begin to lose intensity and lose their power over you.
Find a quiet period during the day and practice sitting with your panic anxiety. It is difficult to do this during a panic attack, but quite possible to do when you are not. What you are learning to do is to meditate on the emotion itself, making it the focus of mindful awareness. In this deliberate way you will begin to develop a relationship with the emotion itself that is not based on reactivity, which only reinforces the problem, but on mindfulness, which creates the ideal inner environment for change. It is through repeatedly returning to the emotion and cultivating this non-reactive relationship that you begin to break free from the habitual patterns of reactivity, becoming stronger and more balanced. But, more than that, this mindfulness meditation on the emotion creates the inner space in which the emotion will begin to change and transform itself.
About the Author
Peter Strong, PhD is a Mindfulness Psychotherapist, spiritual teacher and author, based in Boulder, Colorado, who specializes in the study of mindfulness and its application in Mindfulness Psychotherapy for healing the root causes of anxiety, depression and traumatic stress.
Besides face-to-face therapy sessions, Dr Strong offers Online Mindfulness Meditation Therapy through Skype and email correspondence.
Visit http://www.mindfulnessmeditationtherapy.com Email inquiries are most welcome. Request a Skype session today and begin a course of Mindfulness Meditation Therapy.
For centuries, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been using acupuncture to treat a wide range of different diseases and disorders. Put most simply, millions of people accept treatment based on sticking needles into their bodies. This sounds a strange thing to do. Western doctors have been consistently skeptical yet, when you actually look at the theory behind it, there is a remarkable similarity in approach. TCM relies on mapping the human body to identify the critical points for manipulation. These points are essentially the same as the major groupings of nerves recognized as significant in the West. Pain-blocking injections are made into TCM acupuncture points. With reluctance, Western researchers are looking more closely for evidence whether acupuncture is effective. Reluctance because the major drug manufacturers discourage research that might put them out of business. Recently, a clinical trial in Seattle was written up in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Some 650 people suffering back pain were divided into four groups. One received genuine acupuncture, the second a modified version of acupuncture pricking the skin in the right places with wooden toothpicks. The third group were pricked with needles at random. The fourth received conventional physical therapy.
All the participants were given ten sessions over a seven-week period. There were follow-up interview spread over the next year to establish whether there was any lasting effect from any of the treatments. Interestingly, 60% of those receiving the different versions of acupuncture were still reporting benefits at the end of the year. Only 40% of those receiving physical therapy reported any continuing improvement. At one level, this would suggest there is a strong placebo effect from the use of acupuncture, i.e. those who receive the treatment believe it will be effective and so it proves to be. In scientific terms, there’s nothing wrong with this outcome. When 60% of participants report a better quality of life twelve months after the treatment ended, this is strong evidence of the effectiveness of the treatment. Physical therapy is also based on social contact with one human selling the effectiveness to another yet this got a smaller placebo effect.
It’s notoriously difficult to diagnose the cause of back pain. This suggests doctors should be very open-minded when looking for possible treatments. When the mind and body are so closely involved, engaging the mind with acupuncture, no matter whether real or simulated, seems more effective than conventional Western therapy. This is not to deny the role of a painkiller like Tramadol. When the pain grows more serious and mobility is affected, everyone will benefit from taking the drug. But this resort to a drug should be seen as part of a general strategy to encourage mobility. If this is your back, you can take the Tramadol for a short period of time. This should get you through the program of physical exercise, stretching, and hot and cold therapies designed to reduce any swelling and develop better muscle tone to support painless movement. If your problem of back pain is persistent, you should talk to your doctor about acupuncture and some of the alternative therapies. You may find more relief from these treatments than you expect.
About the Author
If you have found this article interesting you can visit its John Scott’s site http://www.medicationsweb.net/articles/treating-back-pain.html for more writings. John Scott has spent years in perfecting his journalist skills and is pleased to share his vision with you.
Minor illnesses when they are not detected and treated earlier will result to serious complications, similarly prolong feelings of loneliness, not being treated can be a start of something more serious to live with. That is depression from loneliness.
Regardless of the cause, you and I feel lonely from time to time. But what kind of loneliness are you suffering from? Understanding what kind of loneliness you are in can help you prevent depression from loneliness. See below the stages of loneliness;
1) Minor Loneliness
· This is a type of loneliness wherein you can see clearly the reason of your loneliness.
· You view that the solution to your loneliness is within your reach even in reality it is sometimes harder than you think. You are positive
· You don’t feel frustrated for not having what you wanted
· A simple smile or handshake can diminish your loneliness
· You see the meaning and importance of life
· You can just kick that loneliness and you will still be fine
· Everyone suffers from this kind of depression
2) Moderate Loneliness
· You feel quite the same as the above but sometimes feeling of insecurities interrupt your positive views.
· Your life seem to go up and down depending on your mood
· Doubling your face; happy to assist others but sometimes crying alone in the room
· You can forget your negative thinking but it comes up from time to time.
. Isolation is becoming your option for your frustrations.
· Starting to view others as an obstacle to your happiness
· Sad songs maybe your choice of music.
· Start thinking to engage in unhealthy vices or maybe you even already started it.
· Your mind is drifting like the waves of the sea
3) Severe loneliness or Depression ( A Terrible Combo)
· Strong sadness is holding your grip almost all the time
· There’s no solution to your loneliness. There’s no way out
· Getting lazy for moves
· No one can cheer you up even your most intimate love one.
· Everything seem hopeless and helpless
. Your negative feelings can ruin your relationship at this point
· Always isolated crying alone in the room
· Even in the middle of the crowd you feel so desperate, frustrated and empty.
· A severe feeling of inadequacy, nothing easier to do but feel self-pity.
· You judge people negatively. You are focusing on their failure and you never see good things in them.
· You don’t listen to counsels. It hurts your pride
· You must be eating a lot or the opposite, drinking alcohol, smoking, abusing drugs, engaging in promiscuous sexual activities or thinking of ending your very own existence.
· You are now experiencing physical problems because emotional stress leads to physical and mental health problems.
· You see your life like a sunset but you don’t think of it as a sunrise early tomorrow
· Officially this is a terrible combo, depression from loneliness
As I mentioned at the outset that minor illnesses if left unchecked can result to more physical, emotional, mental and spiritual dangers. So start gauging your loneliness with the stages above. If you find yourself at the second or third stage which is the terrible combo, you must then act now seek for advices and counsels to prevent depression caused by loneliness.
I wrote this article because as friend of yours who experienced the same as you are experiencing now, why don’t you take a little bit of your time to learn more how to deal with your loneliness?
About the Author
I wrote this article because as friend of yours who experienced the same as you are experiencing now, why don’t you take a little bit of your time to learn more how to deal with your loneliness?
www.howtodealwithloneliness.net
Discover more ways and read more articles:
www.howtodealwithloneliness.net/go/help
We all get “depressed”. When life knocks us down, we can get sad and even depressed. But real depression is much deeper than life’s minor knock downs. It can be very consuming, like you are drowning in a sea of people and problems but you don’t really even know what’s wrong. You can have a loving family or great job and still feel that life doesn’t hold any jewels for you. If this is you, then you may be clinically depressed and can benefit from help with counseling and medication.
Depression comes in many different forms. There are types of depression that are seasonal and come and go with the weather. There are others that stem from your bipolar disorder and others that are triggered after you have a baby. The symptoms of depression can worsen in the presence of other issues like eating disorders or drug and alcohol abuse. Studies have shown that the majority of people who suffer from substance abuse and other disorders can trace the source of their condition to some form of depression.
Psychotic depression is a serious type of disorder. This form of mental illness causes the sufferer to have delusions or see what isn’t there. This can be so dangerous that a person will have to be hospitalized until they are better. Milder cases of depression are called dysthymia and seem to persist constantly. Some other forms cause people to have panic attacks, have insomnia, and eat too much or not enough.
Knowing which type of depression you have may not make you feel better, but it will help to find the best treatment. Different forms of this condition may have very different treatments. Also, knowing that you are clinically depressed may help you to want to talk to someone about the problem. Many people who bottle up their feelings tend to turn to destructive ways to ease the pain. It’s very easy to do when you feel stuck. Digging for the answer is important for getting beyond the problems. Be proactive and find out how to take control of your life and return to a healthier state. Many people benefit from the combination of medication and counseling and can detect the triggers of mood swings before they get overwhelming. Doing this can prevent spending days in bed, hospitalizations or destructive behavior.
About the Author
Find out more about Trauma Psychotherapy and Holiday Depression.
Earlier brain imaging research has demonstrated that meditation can cause significant improvements in areas related to concentration. Conventional wisdom has led to the notion that a considerable amount of time and training was involved in order to achieve this effect. This perceived time requirement has been a barrier for many desiring to meditate.
Fortunately research now reveals that the benefits can be attained in a relatively short period of time. Current research now demonstrates that the mind can be trained much faster than ever previously thought possible.
Psychologists investigating the effects mindfulness meditation, found that people can experience an improvement of cognitive (thinking) functions after only four days of meditating for 20 minutes each day!
The study was conducted by Fadel Zeidan, Ph.D. at Wake Forest University. He said, “In the behavioral test results, what we are seeing is something that is somewhat comparable to results that have been documented after far more extensive training.” The study was conducted at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he was a doctoral student.
“The profound improvements that we found after just 4 days of meditation training- are really surprising,” Zeidan noted. “It goes to show that the mind is, in fact, easily changeable and highly influenced, especially by meditation.”
The study was published in the e April 2 issue of Consciousness and Cognition. The research will was presented at the Cognitive Neuroscience Society’s annual meeting in Montreal, April 17-20.
Sixty three student volunteers participated, with 49 completing the study. They were randomly assigned to two groups. One received the mindfulness meditation training, while the second listened for20 minutes a day to a book that was read out loud.
Before and after the reading and meditation exercises, the students were measured using a variety of tests that assessed their mood and brain function.
The two groups were similar in these measurements at the beginning of the study. They also both experienced improved mood, but the meditation participants only experienced cognitive functioning improvement.
The meditation group scored consistently higher averages than the reading/listening group on all the cognitive tests and as much as ten times better on one challenging test that involved sustaining the ability to focus, while holding other information in mind.
“The meditation group did especially better on all the cognitive tests that were timed,” Zeidan noted. “In tasks where participants had to process information under time constraints causing stress, the group briefly trained in mindfulness performed significantly better.”
Of greatest note was the difference in their response to a computer test. The meditation-trained group averaged aproximately10 consecutive correct answers, while the listening group averaged approximately one.
“Findings like these suggest that meditation’s benefits may not require extensive training to be realized, and that meditation’s first benefits may be associated with increasing the ability to sustain attention,” Zeidan said.
“Further study is warranted,” he stressed, noting that brain imaging studies would be helpful in confirming the brain changes that the behavioral tests seem to indicate, “but this seems to be strong evidence for the idea that we may be able to modify our own minds to improve our cognitive processing — most importantly in the ability to sustain attention and vigilance — within a week’s time.”
The meditation training involved in the study was an abbreviated “mindfulness” training regime modeled on basic “Shamatha skills” from a Buddhist meditation tradition, conducted by a trained facilitator. As described in the paper, “participants were instructed to relax, with their eyes closed, and to simply focus on the flow of their breath occurring at the tip of their nose. If a random thought arose, they were told to passively notice and acknowledge the thought and to simply let ‘it’ go, by bringing the attention back to the sensations of the breath.” Subsequent training built on this basic model, teaching physical awareness, focus, and mindfulness with regard to distraction.
Zeidan compares the four day training to a form of mental calisthenics that prepared their minds for cognitive activity.
“The simple process of focusing on the breath in a relaxed manner, in a way that teaches you to regulate your emotions by raising one’s awareness of mental processes as they’re happening is like working out a bicep, but you are doing it to your brain. Mindfulness meditation teaches you to release sensory events that would easily distract, whether it is your own thoughts or an external noise, in an emotion-regulating fashion. This can lead to better, more efficient performance on the intended task.”
About the Author
Elaine R. Ferguson, MD is a noted holistic medicine physician, author, consultant and lecturer. Her first book, Healing, Health and Transformation: New Frontiers in Medicine, was widely acclaimed by leaders including Deepak Chopra, MD, Larry Dossey, MD, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, MD. Her website, http://www.howtogetwellfaster.com, provides the latest information on medical research regarding a broad range of health related topics.
People don’t like me or don’t care about me, I’m not smart enough, I’m too fat, I’m not good looking,
I’m not good at that, I can’t get up in front of people to speak, etc,etc….These are the kind of
things that refer to people with low self-esteem, right? That is what most people probably think but
there are those that are outgoing, successful, attractive, who have lots of friends and typically seem
to have it all together, but still may feel or make a comment like the ones I mentioned. So would you
say they have low self-esteem?
What is low-self-esteem anyway? Is it just lack of confidence in your abilities? That does not
explain the person who is good at everything but is unhappy with their appearance. Is it the lack
of social interaction skills, because some people are the life of the party but will not get up and speak in
front of a crowd. People have been labeled as having low-self-esteem who are just shy or very
reserved. I don’t think you can say someone has low self-esteem just because they feel inadequate in
some area of their life. They just need to work on that issue to give them the confidence or skills or
the right mindset or physical improvement so they can have joy and peace with themselves and
not worry about what anyone else thinks about them. Then they will be labeled as having high-
self-esteem and everyone will think they are arrogant and full of themselves ! Just Kidding! The
truth is they will feel better about themselves and live better lives.
In the case of someone saying negative things about themselves all the time or not living life
because of thoughts like those mentioned then it might be a more serious problem like depression
in which case they need to see their doctor to get help to overcome it.
About the Author
Helping people improve their quality of life physically,mentally,spiritually and financially
is my goal.To see more like this head over to prioritychanges.com
All persons do not like the smell of which may be a reason for the scarceness in number. For those people, a new version of is launched. Named as electric , this e- works as real . With electric , you will not create any environmental issues.
There are many companies that offer electronic at different price rates. Since there are many companies to choose from, you will find it difficult to select the most reliable and reasonable company from the bunch. You have to consider certain factors while buying electric . First of all you have to ensure that you have sufficient knowledge in all aspects of electric . Adequate information is necessary to buy the quality electronic from the market. You have to ensure the quality, price rates and factors included in the electric before buying the device from the market.
You may have to wander around the city and ask among the friends and relatives. All are enough to tire you. What is the need to search here and there to get quality information on electric? Just enter into the amazing world of internet. Here you can find many websites that offer authentic information on electric . At online, you can find many websites that offer electric at reasonable price rates. Some sites will offer both information and gadgets while others offer any of them. It is good to visit those sites that offer both information and electric . Hence, you will be able to buy the most reliable and reasonable electric via online.
If you are the one looking for some reliable websites that provide quality information on electric , log on to e store. This is the place where you can find out amazing array of information about electric in reader friendly contents.
You have to ensure the quality, price rates and factors included in the electric before buying the device from the market.
You may have to wander around the city and ask among the friends and relatives. All are enough to tire you.
About the Author
E cigarette store also features some electric cigarette cigarettes that fits the budget of people and meets their specific e cig requirements. Then what are you waiting more? Enter into e cigarette store to get relevant information on electric cigarette.
Judging by the number of my friends who are depressed, including manic depression, SAD, and severe depression, it does not seem to be an exaggeration to say that depression is endemic. Looking at the CDC figures which say that up to 40million Americans will be at risk from depression at some point in their lives, makes scary reading, quite frankly.So, what to take for depression is a very relevant and important question.
As well as the actual mental problems associated with low morale, loneliness and hopelessness, there is also the question of the physical symptoms of depression which many people just brush aside. These physical symptoms can be quite debilitating and can range from anything from headaches, to nausea, stomach problems, and strange aches and pains. Not to mention the torture of being plagued by insomnia which has a knock on effect during the day and also never gives us peace of mind.
The Cochrane Report which was published recently has put a very interesting spotlight on the whole issue of what to take for depression. They compared the effects and efficacy of the anti depressants in one group of patients with those who were actually on a herbal treatment consisting mainly of hyperium extract (St. John’s Wort). The results were surprising to say the least!
They found that depressed patients benefited from both types of treatment but there was one big difference. That was that those patients on the herbal treatment were much less troubled by nasty side effects which were generally very mild. The side effects of the anti depressants were felt to be a barrier to progress and ranged from moderate to severe. These ranged from sexual dysfunction to weight problems and there were reports of increased suicidal thoughts in some of the patients.
This is only one report but it does seem to bear out what many patients have experienced after trying a herbal treatment. What to take for depression has been an easy option for them.
Would you like to join them and try for yourself. You will be pleasantly surprised about how easy it is to find the answer to the question about what to take for depression. You will also find that your progress to healthy normal and fulfilled life will be on the fast track again.
About the Author
Depression can be cured. Discover more about what to take for depression Why not visit the website :-
http://www.improve-your-mood.com. Robert Locke has written extensively on Mental Health for many years.
As the author of betrayal of Love and Freedom, and the founder of the online community, MWellA, I want to encourage the millions of people who feel stress is invading their lives. I had a breakdown over 12 years ago and was placed in a mental institution. I was diagnosed at age 45 with Bipolar disorder. I lost family and friends who didn’t understand. I could no longer run the organic food business I helped pioneer (it was worth over $100 million at the time). But I found a way to heal and I now offer nine steps for those who seek to live a balanced life. Below are two of the strategies (in addition to proper exercise, sleep and nutrition):
1) NO!: LEARN TO SAY IT!
• Learn to say NO to your addictions and obsessions. You have to be prepared to identify the addictions and obsessions in your life. These addictions and obsessions are the crutches you lean on when you need to be released from stress, anxiety or depression. Well known examples of such crutches are: recreational drugs, smoking, gambling, food, sex, prescription drugs (i.e., sleeping tablets) and anything we turn to in order to self-medicate anxiety or depression. When you understand that you are medicating yourself with addictions and obsessions in your life, you are embracing an awareness that you are reliant on these agents that act as coping mechanisms but aren’t healthy in the long-term.
• Learn to say NO to the people you love most. You will have to find the strength, the courage and the wisdom within yourself so say “NO” to the people you love most, and others, when necessary. If you are seeking peace of mind, contentment and happiness within, you must follow your inner most feelings, being true to yourself and initiate building an awareness of those feelings as they are the barometer of how you feel about yourself and life.
2) BE IN THE PRESENT -THE POWER OF NOW
• Let go of the past and have no anxiety regarding the future. This is a difficult step that requires much fortitude and takes much time and awareness to master. With the past there is always betrayal and regrets. You could be a child, adolescent or anyone of any age.
• Due to betrayal, we can form resentment and regrets over time, especially if we continue to please others in our lives more than we do ourselves. This makes us vulnerable to those whom we love most in life. And when the people we love hurt us in any way, there is an eruption of anger, hurt and resentment within which releases a deep pain.
• Consider the emotion, anger. There is much anger in the world, which reflects our collective unreleased pain. We get angry with our bosses, family, spouses, neighbors or strangers in so many settings. Why would anyone want to carry all that pain? Therefore it is essential over time that we learn to let go of the past and know that one of the greatest gifts we must embrace is forgiveness.
• To forgive the people we love who have deeply hurt us is to forgive ourselves. This is a reflection of humility as we’re only human and we all make mistakes. When you forgive others, you certainly would attain a greater inner peace and contentment. You will discover the key to celebrating all that life has to offer in the present moment. Any anxiety that you might hold in the future will dissipate in light of your embracing the power of now. Why would you want to be anywhere else?
About the Author
Brian is the Chief Marketing Officer at Planned Television Arts. Planned Television Arts is an independent division of Ruder Finn and is the nation’s largest book promoter.
Did you know that some anti depressants can actually cause symptoms which are even more alarming than depression itself? These can actually be suicidal thoughts, sleeplessness, and more anxiety. This was part of some research done by a Harvard researcher. That is why more and more people are turning now to herbal supplements for depression. The side effects of these supplements are minimal unlike those of the anti depressants which can often be devastating.
Is exercise the answer?.
Dr. Andrew Weil has gone on record as saying that any type of exercise which can break a sweat, is a sure and safer way to treat depression. It is, in fact, difficult to find sports people who are depressed. This is because the endorphins, the feel good hormones, are stimulated after exercise. Some studies show that these effects can last up to twelve hours.
Food allergies.
Some depressed people are unaware that their food allergies may actually be responsible for their depression. The estimates oscillate between 30% to 85% but even we take the lower figure, that is a sizable percentage of the total number of depressed people.
Gingko biloba from China.
Let us look in details at some of the herbal supplements for depression. Gingko biloba comes from China and it is one of the most widely used of all the herbal supplements for depression because it can actually work by increasing circulation to the brain. That means that the neurotransmitters are stimulated and these include serotonin and dopamine which are in part, responsible for our good mood, optimism and confidence about life. Once these neurotransmitters are out of sync, then depression will take a hold and the effects can be devastating as we all know. The cost to the economy can be enormous too.
St John’s Wort.
There is another herb which is known as St. John’s Wort which has done so well in some trials that it is now gaining in popularity. It is also one of the safest herbal supplements for depression on the market to-day. As it has become so popular in Germany, a lot of the trials have been done and published there. It is interesting that its nickname is ‘Nature’s Prozac’ and I think that speaks volumes.
Why not go one step at a time and find out why the company in my website below is one of the most respected and reputable in the USA to-day. This company manufactures one of the best herbal supplements for depression and once you get to their website, you can see what guarantees they are offering and you can see why this claim is not a false one. You will also understand that this could be the key to lift your depression.
About the Author
Depression CAN be treated successfully. Discover more about herbal supplements for depression Why not visit the website:-
http://www.improve-your-mood.com. Robert Locke has written extensively on Mental Health for many years.
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