Photo: geninv.net
An anxiety attack happens when you get your signals mixed up, you have a sudden surge of fear when there is no threat of danger. This causes an adrenalin surge, but you have no way to release this nervous energy, and a panic attack occurs, you find your heart racing, have visual disturbances, feel dizzy, have sweaty palms, a lump in the throat, and wobbly legs.
When you constantly have anxiety symptoms, this anxiety is linked to one of the many types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety and social anxiety.
Anxiety attack symptoms can be helped by relaxation techniques, stress management, and if you stop smoking. There are also various types of anxiety treatment that your physician can help you out with, but be aware that some anxiety medication has side effects.
Anxieties are not the only stress related disorder as rates of depression are higher in today’s world than they have ever been before. Anxiety can also lead to panic attacks and phobias. In the majority of cases a phobia is a rational fear that has been allowed to become uncontrollable - anyone can develop a phobia.
A phobia you often hear about is cats. If you can relate to this then you will probably know that cats seem to hold no respect for your fears, and will often make a beeline towards you. Although this feels like an assault, and you may believe the cat has set about to purposefully intensify your fears, this is not the case. The actual reason for this is that cats like to please and when they sense that you don’t like them and feel your hostility, they try to fix this with affection.
This is really unfortunate because a person who has a phobia, controlling their fear means avoiding what they are afraid of, but unfortunately this does not work because it takes over your life and you worry about it all the time. Unless you do something about it, before a phobia is established it will be permanent, and won’t go away on its own.
However, as with anxiety attacks and anxiety disorders you can help yourself. One method often employed is graduated exposure, but often sufferers do not want to add to their distress, and very rarely accept that there is anything they can do for themselves.
If you are severely phobic then you may be able to get specialist treatment in hospital, but waiting lists can be long, which is why it is really important to implement self-help procedures.
If you want to take the opportunity to challenge your cat phobia try some of the following:
Firstly, in order to control your feelings of anxiety practice relaxation, and breathing techniques.
Then you have to develop a positive attitude towards cats. Start by writing down several statements about cats. These will obviously reflect your fears, so depending on the number of fearful statements you have made, start a new list. This time force yourself to write the same number of nice things about cats.
Now you can discard your negative list and concentrate on all the good things you have written about cats. The next step you will not like, but get a cat book from the library, look at the pictures of the beautiful kittens. Look through the TV guide, and if there is a program on cats, then watch it, admire the commercials that show gentle, loving affectionate cats.
Progress even further by touching a toy cat, put it on your lap and stroke it.
Now comes the time to approach a real cat when you see one in your road. On the first encounter you can shoo it away, and once you understand that you are in control you will not be so afraid. The next time you see a friendly cat you can speak to it, then walk away, or stroke its head and see how approachable it is.
At all times you are always in control, and the more you try this the easier it will get, and the less anxiety you will feel.
Angus has suffered, as have those around him! He has the tee shirt, has walked the walk and can talk the talk. Help is only a click away at http://www.anxietypanicfear.com. Remember there is more than one way to skin a cat and we will be taking a look at more on anxiety and panic attacks in our next article. Untill then http://www.anxietypanicfear.com may help.
Source: ArticleTrader.com
No comments:
Post a Comment