What Are The Treatments For Social Anxiety? November 1, 2009
Posted by janey in : anxiety self help , comments closedBeing shy or nervous in social situations doesn’t necessarily point to social anxiety. It’s perfectly fine to feel anxious and nervous sometimes; going on a first date, introducing yourself at a new work place, or giving a public speech. So what identifies social anxiety disorder?
People who suffer from social anxiety are extremely fearful of social experiences. They fear that they may embarrass themselves and be made fun of. The fear is so great that they will normally try and do anything to get out of a social situation.
Just thinking about social confrontations are terrifying and embarrassing for sufferers. This self-negative thinking increases anxiety and apprehension. They feel choked, nauseas and unable to calm their nerves.
They are likely to experience physical anxiety symptoms such as difficulty breathing, trembling, chest pains and a pounding heart. After a bad experience sufferers replay them over in their minds. Experiences like these can severely damage a person’s confidence and make negative associations.
Social anxiety can be treated however with a number of different methods and therapies. Medication is not a cure for social anxiety disorder but it can help combined with therapy. This is because it fails to address the underlying cause of the disorder. The usual prescribed medications are antidepressants, beta blockers and benzodiazepines which can be addictive.
Before taking any medication, realize the dangers and possible side effects. It’s best to speak to a qualified professional before considering medication. There are those that rather not risk the dangers of medication. There are other alternatives to consider.
Therapies include hypnosis and CBT which can greatly reduce and even cure anxiety symptoms. Therapy helps a sufferer manage and even control oncoming symptoms of anxiety little by little. Stress and anxiety can often spiral out of control. Learn to relax and give yourself a proper break. Practicing breathing exercises will help you release unwanted tension and look at problems differently.
Find somewhere quiet to relax or play some soothing music. Focus on slow and deep breaths ensuring that you relax your muscles. It’s a good idea to loosen up your shoulders and even have a stretch before you start.
There are social anxiety books, audios and self-help courses that can be highly effective. Get your life back by getting treatment today. Go to the panic symptoms help blog and find out how to overcome social anxiety.
Social Anxiety October 25, 2009
Posted by janey in : anxiety self help , comments closedSudden anxiety panic attacks are seemingly out of the blue and unprovoked. They are very intense and frightening experiences. Sufferers report that they sense a surging feeling of fear and terror wash all over them.
Symptoms of an attack also include a rapid pounding heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest pains and obsessive thoughts of embarrassment, fear and worry. Dread and fear of something bad happening is a common symptom too.
Panic attacks are usually linked to panic disorder and specific phobias such as agoraphobia. The severity of agoraphobia is varied and in some cases sufferers are able to lead fairly normal lives.
Agoraphobia sufferers may avoid places that are difficult to escape from like a crowded mall or an elevator. They fear that they might experience an anxiety panic attack and lose control.
Although attacks may seem out of the blue, they are just the result of the body’s stress response system. In caveman times when humans hunted prey, the stress response was vital to man’s survival.
The fight or flight response triggers increase in heart rate and blood pressure, a boost in adrenaline and energy. Essentially this would make the hunter ready to stand and fight or flee. Our brain chemistry has remained mostly unchanged even after thousands of years.
Although many scientists believe that the stress response is the cause for many anxiety disorders it does have its uses. The argumentation is that the fight of flight response is frequently and unnecessarily activated.
It’s not likely that you’re going to be hunted down by a lion but it could save you from a thief or a dangerous situation. The negative is that excessive production of hormones such as adrenaline can be damaging for the mind and body. This can sometimes lead to anxiety disorders developing.
Mental illnesses can sometimes be debilitating making life diffciult to cope with. Luckily there are treatments available for anxiety disorders. What’s more, there are therapies and techniques to help deal with anxiety and depression.
