Curing Social Phobia With These Effective Social Anxiety Treatments

Though it is not as alarming as, say, an episode of an anxiety attack, social anxiety – or social phobia as some circles call the condition – is nevertheless a kind of disorder that impairs our enjoyment of life.  As such, social anxiety must be remedied so that we can experience life as it is meant to be experienced.  Thankfully, there are a variety of social anxiety treatments we can resort to.

But before we can discuss the different kinds of social anxiety treatments one can resort to, let us first discuss the nature of the problem – particularly, what exactly is this thing called social anxiety or social phobia?

Social anxiety is, in essence, the fear of interacting with people. It has different manifestations.  An adult male may experience severely anxious moments when faced with the prospect of talking to someone from the opposite sex.  A person may feel tensed when traversing a crowded avenue.  An adult female may always feel that she is being watched and observed whenever she is in a room with people.  All of these point to social anxiety – the feeling of emotional discomfort, paranoia, and/or concern whenever the subject is placed in situations where he is expected to socialize with other people.

Social anxiety is not a disorder, per se.  It is, in fact, a normal part of growing up. Social anxiety is quite common for young children up to their adolescent years.  It is only when such social phobia continues way past that point that it is considered as a disorder.

Social phobia can be remedied via a variety of social anxiety treatments. These treatments include the following:

- Continuous immersion. Of all the social anxiety treatments, this is the most common and the most efficient.  The subject is placed in social situations and is allowed to develop the skills which he should have developed upon reaching adolescence.  Guidance helps, but is not required.  The subject is expected to eventually feel comfortable with social situations when he is forcibly pushed into such environments.

- Reinforcement. Reinforcement comes in a variety of forms.  “Reality check” statements, by far, are the most effective of these social anxiety treatments.  “What’s there to lose,” “what’s the worst thing that can happen,” and “no pain, no gain” are the most popular of such statements.  They may be gung ho in approach, but they are true and they remind the subject of the real score.  Another popular form of reinforcement places the subject in a position of ascension so that his insecurities will be kept in check.  When speaking to a large crowd, for example, the shy public speaker is often advised to picture his audience naked.  This way, his “fears” would be reversed as, in his mind, the crowd has more reason to be embarrassed than him.

- Pinpointing cause and manipulating effects. Yet another one of the more popular social anxiety treatments involve intervention.  Group therapies usually employ the approach of determining the cause of one’s social phobia so that it can be “cured” and “corrected.”  The first step in this kind of social anxiety treatment is acceptance.  The subject is asked to accept that the problem does exist.  Thereafter, the subject’s history is traced until a causal connection between a potential root and the existing problem can be established.

These are just some of the more common social anxiety treatments.  Indeed, they may sound simplistic.  That’s because social phobia is, in reality, a simple problem.  What makes it complicated is that most people refuse to realize that it is, in fact, a problem.

Analyzing The Different Panic Attack Symptoms

Given the prevalence of panic attack cases in this day and age, knowledge of the different panic attack symptoms have become very essential for each and every one of us.

For example, you’re falling in line for a ticket to watch Wrestlemania 26, and around 100 people are ahead of you.  Chances are high that at least one of them will suffer an episode of a panic attack within the next 12 months.  The numbers reveals how common panic attacks are these days.

But here’s an even more alarming statistic: 72% of people who are suffering from a panic attack don’t even know that they’re enduring such a condition. Though, generally, anxiety attacks are harmless, they can still lead to some dire consequences if the episodes are severe and if the subject is suffering from a pre-existing condition that can be aggravated by a bout with extreme anxiety.

Hence, it is very important to know the different panic attack symptoms so that proper and expedient action can be taken.

Now, here’s the deal about panic attack symptoms.  The subject doesn’t have to experience all of them during an episode.  A combination of any 3 or 4 panic attack symptoms would be enough to establish the existence of the condition.

What are these panic attack symptoms?

- Feeling of impending doom. This is the body’s way of telling us that something is wrong and immediate action must be taken.  This is the only common symptom in all cases of panic attacks.  This is what many people describe as the “fight or flight” syndrome.
- Palpitations, ranging from moderate to severe.
- Cold/warm sweats that isn’t attributable to climatic conditions.
- Inexplicable trembling or shaking.
- A nervousness that won’t go away.
- Feeling of extreme terror and dread.
- Chest pain and/or difficulty breathing.
- Difficulty swallowing or the feeling that you’re choking.
- Numbness in some parts of the body.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness.
- Gastro-intestinal discomfort.
- Nausea.
- Derealization, or the feeling of being detached from reality.
- Depersonalization, or the feeling of being detached from one’s self.
- The feeling of losing control, or the hopeless feeling that you’re going crazy.

Again, not all of these panic attack symptoms have to manifest themselves.  A combination of 3 or 3 of these panic attack symptoms would be enough to come up with a reasonable determination of the existence of an episode.

What should you do when you’re feeling a good number of these panic attack symptoms?

Remain calm.

It’s easier said than done, of course, especially during the period of extreme anxiety.  But you have to try your best to keep yourself together.  Panic attacks last for an average of 10 minutes.  Wait it out by being calm.  Think that it will soon pass, and quickly enough, the episode will be over.

The Big Secret: How To Stop Panic Attack?

I’d like to share a secret on how to stop panic attack.

Are you ready?

Here it is…

The secret on how to stop panic attack is this: there is no secret. The fact is, you cannot stop panic attack once it commences.  The best thing you can do are the following:

1.  Allow the panic attack to play out, since it should last for less than 30 minutes; and
2. Avoid doing anything irrational based on feelings of terror and dread which are, though unrealized at the time, also irrational.

There are a number of ways by which you can remedy the symptoms of a panic attack, but you are completely helpless as to the duration of the episode. Establishing a relaxing breathing pattern, reciting coping statements, engaging in diversionary activities, seeking the company of a person who will remind you of what is real and what is not, and even the intake of anti-anxiety medication like benzodiazepine are not ways on how to stop panic attack.  They are not solutions.  They are not cures.  They are just methods that will help alleviate the plight of the person suffering from an episode.

Just to reiterate, once a panic attack starts, there is no way one can put a stop to it.

However, panic attacks can be avoided. There is no certainty as to a complete prevention of episodes, of course, but the chances of an attack will be significantly lessened.

How to stop panic attack this way?

First, the trigger for the panic attack must be determined.  There are many possible triggers for extreme anxiety, ranging from genetics, to existing psychological disorders like phobias and the likes, to personal tragedies, to constant exposure to stressful environments, to particular medications and how your body reacts to the same, to withdrawal from certain addictions, to consequences of specific illnesses, to particular situations that evoke tension and nervousness.  Knowing what, exactly, causes your panic attack episodes – or knowing the trigger that has the highest likelihood of causing panic attacks in your life – would be a good first step in avoiding such a fate.

Once the trigger, or the potential trigger, is distinguished, half the battle would have been won as avoidance of the cause would also mean avoidance of the result.

Not really a secret on how to stop panic attack, right?  Too simplistic, you might even say.
But stopping the possibility of a panic attack need not be complicated, after all.  It’s a causal dichotomy that can easily be manipulated.

The false belief that there is indeed a secret on how to stop panic attack is what makes matters more confusing than they really are.

What Are The Symptoms Of Mild Anxiety Attack?

What are the symptoms of mild anxiety attack?  The answers to the said question are far more important than what many people think.

Determining the severity of an anxiety attack is essential in determining the proper approach for treating the same.  Mild anxiety attacks, though not necessarily ignorable, are often allowed to play out, mainly because their manifestations are bearable and that they only last for less than 10 minutes, at the average.  Anxiety attacks of more severe natures require a different quantum of care and precautions.

Hence, answering the question “what are the symptoms of mild anxiety attack” would be the first step in distinguishing the gravity of a particular panic attack episode.

So, what are the symptoms of mild anxiety attack?  Basically, they are also the symptoms of panic attacks of a more severe nature. The only difference is that the intensity of the symptoms for a mild anxiety attack are, well, milder than other levels of anxiety episodes.

What are the symptoms of mild anxiety attack then?  Based on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS), they are the following:

- Feelings of uncertainty about particular matters. Sometimes, such uncertainty is directed over things that cannot be immediately determined.

- Tension.

- Terror. This refers to irrational fear which is often of inexplicable origin.

- Inability to sleep, or inability to sleep well. This observation will embrace the 3 days prior to the start of the panic attack episode.

- Difficulties in focusing on particular matters. Cognitive functions are hampered by panic attacks, and one’s concentration is often the aspect that’s hit the hardest.

- Depression. This refers to feelings of hopelessness and despair.

- Muscular pain or discomfort. Abnormalities in muscular functions are some of the psychosomatic effects of panic attacks.

- Sensory problems. Abnormalities in sensory perception are some of the psychosomatic effects of panic attacks.

- Cardiovascular symptoms. Abnormalities in cardiovascular processes are some of the psychosomatic effects of panic attacks.

- Gastro-intestinal issues. Indigestion, diarrhea, and “tummy air” are likewise psychosomatic effects of panic attacks.

- Abnormality in urination. Either the subject finds it difficult to urinate or urinates quite frequently.

The various anxiety rating scales, such as the aforementioned Hamilton Anxiety Scale, are often in the form of interview questions that tackle the symptoms of mild anxiety attack enumerated above.  The gravity of each symptom is weighed in a scale o 0 to 4, with 0 representing the non-existence of the symptom and 4 representing the severest state of the same. Once all the items in the questionnaire are evaluated, the values will be collated.  If the total value corresponds with the lowest bracket of the results table, the panic attack is said to be mild.

Not all of the symptoms of mild anxiety attack should be present.  Experts agree that the presence of 4 or more of the symptoms of mild anxiety attack would be enough to establish the occurrence of an episode.

Find Out More About Panic Attacks and Panic Attack Cures.

How To Stop Panic Attack - The Big Secret: ?

I’d like to share a secret on how to stop panic attack.

Are you ready?

Here it is…

The secret on how to stop panic attack is this: there is no secret.  The fact is, you cannot stop panic attack once it commences.  The best thing you can do are the following:

1.  Allow the panic attack to play out, since it should last for less than 30 minutes; and
2. Avoid doing anything irrational based on feelings of terror and dread which are, though unrealized at the time, also irrational.

There are a number of ways by which you can remedy the symptoms of a panic attack, but you are completely helpless as to the duration of the episode.  Establishing a relaxing breathing pattern, reciting coping statements, engaging in diversionary activities, seeking the company of a person who will remind you of what is real and what is not, and even the intake of anti-anxiety medication like benzodiazepine are not ways on how to stop panic attack.  They are not solutions.  They are not cures.  They are just methods that will help alleviate the plight of the person suffering from an episode.

Just to reiterate, once a panic attack starts, there is no way one can put a stop to it.

However, panic attacks can be avoided.  There is no certainty as to a complete prevention of episodes, of course, but the chances of an attack will be significantly lessened.

How to stop panic attack this way?

First, the trigger for the panic attack must be determined.  There are many possible triggers for extreme anxiety, ranging from genetics, to existing psychological disorders like phobias and the likes, to personal tragedies, to constant exposure to stressful environments, to particular medications and how your body reacts to the same, to withdrawal from certain addictions, to consequences of specific illnesses, to particular situations that evoke tension and nervousness.  Knowing what, exactly, causes your panic attack episodes – or knowing the trigger that has the highest likelihood of causing panic attacks in your life – would be a good first step in avoiding such a fate.

Once the trigger, or the potential trigger, is distinguished, half the battle would have been won as avoidance of the cause would also mean avoidance of the result.

Not really a secret on how to stop panic attack, right?  Too simplistic, you might even say.
But stopping the possibility of a panic attack need not be complicated, after all.  It’s a causal dichotomy that can easily be manipulated.

The false belief that there is indeed a secret on how to stop panic attack is what makes matters more confusing than they really are.

How To Beat Anxiety Prostate Problems

Many people would tend to think that anxiety prostate problems stem from exhausting, terrifying, dreadful and other stressful situations that the subject is exposed to, situations which eventually lead to the development of diseases that affect the exocrine gland of his reproductive system.  This would be a fair assumption, since stress and anxiety weakens our bodies’ defense system and makes our organs more susceptible to degradation.

It is still, however, just an assumption.

The fact is, anxiety prostate problems are related to issues that arise from the development of prostate diseases, and not the other way around.  This is, of course, expected, given the uncertainties involved with the diagnosis of a prostate disease.

A particular study by a French medical group shows that the anxiety level in people who are suffering from prostate problems increases during the period of the same.  The same study revealed that males above the age of 55 displayed a 15% anxiety level when they were presented with a lecture on the dangers involved with prostate problems.  However, when they were subjected to testing, their anxiety level rose to 36%.  The males who were diagnosed with prostate problems maintained a 31% anxiety level.  Males who were diagnosed to be free from prostate problems displayed a decreased anxiety level of 20%, which is still above the earlier number.

These numbers, of course, merely state the obvious about anxiety prostate problems.  The same can be observed with people who are suffering from other diseases, especially those who are suffering from diseases which are quite debilitating and are potentially fatal.

So, how can one deal anxiety prostate problems?

Here are some guidelines:

- Always remember that prostate diseases are treatable.  However, to avail of the less complicated treatments, early determination of the problem and an early pursuit of a remedy would be critical.  But even when it’s “late in the game,” so to speak, prostate problems can still be dealt with.

- Relaxation is your friend at this point in time.  Rest will help your cells regenerate your cells – the prostate cells included.  Being away from stress would also mean minimizing the anxiety you are feeling.

- Seek professional medical help.  Believe it or not, whatever the doctor’s prognosis will be will contribute to your piece of mind.  Not knowing what to expect caused a great part of anxiety prostate problems.

- Learn how to enjoy life. Developing a prostate disease is not the end of the world.  Aside from dietary restrictions and avoidance of stressful situations, nothing has to change.  You can still enjoy the things you’ve always enjoyed doing, albeit, with an eye for a healthier lifestyle this time around.

Anxiety prostate problems can be beaten.  You are not a slave to their whims, so learn how to take control of your life.

The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale – A Method Of Measuring The Severity Of Panic Attacks

If you will find yourself belonging to the 10% of the general population who will suffer at least one episode of a panic attack this year, then a copy of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale would definitely come in handy.

The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, also known by its abbreviation HARS though also called HAS (Hamilton Anxiety Scale) or HAMA in some circles, is a 14-item questionnaire that is meant to determine the severity of a panic attack episode.

A panic attack, though generally harmless, can lead to some dire complications if the episode is severe and it is left unattended.  This is especially true for people who have preexisting respiratory, circulatory and cardiovascular conditions that are worsened by a bout with panic attack.  Hence, determining the severity of an episode is very important, and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale is the best tool in achieving such.

Developed in 1959 by Max Hamilton, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale aims to measure the asperity of panic attack episodes on people.  It does not only serve a metric purpose, however.  It also serves a remedial function – or at least an aid thereto – as it measures the improvements made possible by medication and other therapeutic approaches to the problem of panic attacks.

The Hamilton Anxiety Scale should never be confused with the Hamilton Depression Scale, however.  They may share similar items and questions and they may be developed by the same person, but they are designed differently as they are to measure the severity of two different disorders.

Basically, the HARS/HAMA/HAS is composed of 14 items.  The subject is asked to rate the gravity of each item using a 5-level scale – from 0 to 4, with 4 being the most severe – and afterwards, the results are collated and tabulated to determine the severity of the particular episode.  These 14 items are:

1. Anxiety – feelings of uncertainty about a variety of matters.
2. Tension – inability to relax, nervousness, uneasiness.
3. Fear – feelings of terror about a particular trigger.
4. Insomnia – inability to sleep, but sleep duration during the past 3 nights is also measured.
5.  Difficulty to concentrate or memorize.
6. Depression – feelings of sadness, hopelessness and/or helplessness.
7. Psychosomatic symptoms that affect the muscles.
8. Psychosomatic symptoms that affect the senses.
9. Cardiovascular symptoms.
10. Respiratory symptoms.
11. Gastro-intestinal symptoms.
12. Urinary symptoms.
13. Other symptoms that may be related to the attack.
14. The subject’s behavior during the interview.

The level of severity will be collected and computed after the test.  A severity level of 0 will have an equal amount of value, for example.  A severity level of 1 will have the value of 1, and so on.  If the total value at the end of the evaluation is less than 17, then the panic attack episode will be described as “mild.”  If the value will be somewhere between 17 and 25, the episode will be described as “mild to moderate.”  And if the value will be above 25, the episode will be described as “moderate to severe.”

The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale can be administered by anyone.  However, since the items will be graded by the interviewer, the results will be quite subjective.  This is the primary criticism against the HARS/HAMA/HAS.

Regardless of such subjectivity, the test can still reap determinative results if the interviewer exercises utmost caution in evaluating the subject.

5 TIPS FOR PANIC ATTACKS AND HOW YOU CAN CONQUER THE

More and more people are looking for tips for panic attacks.  The prevalence of the condition is quickly becoming apparent.  Panic attack is one of the most common psychological problems that people have to endure.

For example, if you’re suffering from palpitations for no apparent reason, then there is an 87% chance that you’re in the midst of an anxiety attack.  If you start to sweat profusely despite a friendly climatic environment, there is a 64% chance that you are about to suffer a panic episode.  If you suddenly experience difficulties in breathing, then there’s a 64% chance that anxiety is creeping in.

An estimated 1.7% of adults in America are bound to suffer at least one episode of an anxiety attack per year.  This is, without a doubt, a very alarming number.  And this statistic makes it doubly important for people to learn some tips for panic attacks and how to conquer such episodes.

Here are 5 efficient tips for panic attacks:

1.  Try to remain calm.  This is easier said than done, of course, but it is something that you should consciously pursue when a panic attack commences.  Most of the damage caused by anxiety attacks is done by subject suffering from the same.  He inflicts injuries to either himself or another person while he’s acting on the “fight or flight” compulsion associated with an episode.  By remaining calm – or at least by trying to remain calm – such irrational actions (or reactions) can be avoided.

2. Pace your breathing pattern. Breathe at a relaxed and slowed down pace.  Savor every intake of air.  Concentrate on your breaths.  This will help you recollect yourself, or at the very least, this will help you deviate your attention from your worries.

3. Try to find someone you can trust to accompany you during the episode. Some panic attacks involve derealization (detachment from reality) and/or depersonification (detachment from one’s sense of self) and another person can serve as an anchor to what is real in the here and now.

4. Remind yourself that panic attacks last for only 10 minutes. Make a conscious effort to let it play out.  Excellent tips for panic attacks include the usage of coping up statements that the subject can recite to himself.  Such statements may consist of words like “this will pass,” “this won’t last forever,” or “this won’t kill me.”

5. Take an anti-depressant medicine. This should be considered as a last resort, and only when the panic attack episode is very severe.

As with everything else, the best way to deal with anxiety attacks is by preparing for them.  Learning the tips for panic attacks we have discussed above will sufficiently arm you with the knowledge that will make you conquer the terror of a bout with anxiety.

Self Help Anxiety Tips To Get You Through The Blues

Who needs a psychiatrist when you know some self help anxiety tips, right?

Anxiety is the most common psychological problem that people have to endure.  Anxiety often manifests itself in relatively brief periods – called anxiety attacks or panic attacks – wherein the patient is subjected to overwhelming feelings of terror, dread and impending doom.  It is the most unsettling, the most disturbing and one of the most horrifying experiences a person will have to face.

And sadly, one out of every one hundred adults will have to suffer at least an episode of a panic attack in the course of a year.

Given the prevalence of panic attacks, knowing some self help anxiety remedies will greatly aid you in conquering such episodes and getting past such ordeals.

Here are 7 self help anxiety tips that you can learn and remember for a rainy day:

1. Resistance is futile. Most panic attack episodes become doubly difficult because the subject tries to resist the feeling.  Panic attacks happen.  It will be useless to pretend that they’re not plaguing us.  Accept what’s happening and act accordingly.

2. It’s all in the breathing. Take deep breaths.  Savor every intake of air.  Try to keep a regular pace.  Concentrating on your breathing pattern will help you relax.  This is the most basic of the sex help anxiety tips we will be discussing here.

3. Engage in some diversionary tactics. As much as you can, do some activities that will keep your mind off the terror and dread that will envelop your being.

4. Something worth remembering: panic attacks often last for less than 10 minutes. Remind yourself of this fact so that you can consciously wait it out.

5. Arm yourself with some coping statements, just in case. This is the easiest of the self help anxiety tips.  Coping statements are reassuring words that will remind you that reality isn’t as bad as you think it is.  “This is will pass soon,” “this is only temporary,” “mortality caused by panic attacks are too miniscule in number to even merit some notice,” “this will not kill me” are just some of the things you can say to yourself so that you can better cope up with the panic that will ensue.

6. You need a friend that you can depend on. There is always that possibility that you will suffer derealization (detachment from reality) and/or depersonalization (losing your sense of self) during the episode.  You will need someone you can trust to be with you.  She can act as your anchor to the real world.  She can strengthen your resolve to ward off the fear you’ll be feeling.  She can dissuade you from doing things that can only injure yourself or another person.

7. When all else fails, try some medication. But this self help anxiety tip should only be used as a last resort.  Medication should never be the primary remedy for a panic attack, as dependence on the same may be developed.  Additionally, some anti-depressants are not really safe for people who are already suffering from particular ailments.

What Does Anxiety Attack Feel Like?

Believe it or not, there is 3.7% likelihood that you will suffer a panic attack episode within the year.  How do you know that what you’re feeling is indeed an episode of extreme anxiety?  In other words, what does anxiety attack feel like?

It is critical to know the symptoms accompanying an anxiety attack, mainly because episodes of such a condition are often mistaken for syndromes of a heart attack.  Learning how to distinguish one from the other is very important, as this knowledge may help you save your life.

More than 70% of people who are suffering from a panic attack don’t even realize they are enduring such an episode, hence adding more importance to our goal of finding definitive answers for the question “what does anxiety attack feel like?”  More often than not, failure to realize that a panic attack is ongoing is relatively safe.  Panic attacks are generally harmless, after all.  However, when panic attacks become severe, they may induce harmful reactions from particular people.  Anxiety attacks often cause derealization (detachment from reality) and/or depersonalization (losing sense of one’s self), and a weaker person might act irrationally because of this.  Additionally, a panic attack may aggravate the condition of a person who is already suffering from ailment or illness, such as a congenital heart disease.

Worse, what may seem like a “generally harmless” panic attack may actually be a heart attack.  While the former can be played out as it generally lasts for less than 10 minutes, the latter may be fatal and every second would count.

So, what does anxiety attack feel like?

-  An anxiety attack will always be accompanied by the sense of impending doom.  This is a feeling that invokes fears of approaching death.  It’s your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong.

- An anxiety attack will be accompanied by psychosomatic conditions – physical issues resulting from mental and emotional anguish.  Such psychosomatic conditions may include cardiovascular and/or respiratory discomforts like difficulty in breathing or high blood pressure, gastro-intestinal problems like the accumulation of air in one’s tummy or diarrhea, sensory abnormalities like blurred vision or numbness of the subject’s sense of touch, and muscular concerns like stiffening of muscles or cramps.

- An anxiety attack will also be accompanied by feelings of extreme dread or terror.  Often, you won’t even know what causes your horrified state.

- During an anxiety attack, it is common for the subject to sweat profusely even under friendly climatic conditions.

- Tension is likewise a normal part of a panic attack episode.

If you’ve been wondering about what does anxiety attack feel like, the above enumeration will give you an idea of what to expect during an episode.