Anxiety and stress: The Ins and Outs
The incidence of anxiety and stress is commonplace in today’s society. Anxiety is something we all feel and serves a very useful purpose in our lives. But when these emotions become overwhelming they can cause serious complications in your daily routine.
The theory that stress is the contributing cause of anxiety is widely known. Thus, in order to effectively overcome anxiety, stamping out the root of the problem is advised. Knowing what causes you the undue amount of stress is often the optimum diagnosis. The problem is that stress is a subjective disorder and hundreds of factors can lead to the culmination of stress.
Endorphins are the body’s inherent pain reliever and is known to help enhance mood. However, when there is an undue amount of stress and anxiety, the release of this neurotransmitter is hindered, causing the effects to become limited and diminished. The body then feels an elevated sense of dread.
This heightened state brings forth feelings that causes them to panic at an irrational level rendering them dysfunctional and hysteric. While the panic attack itself is not physically harmful, repeated bouts of emotional upheaval of this magnitude generates a cascade of destructive side effects.
The Start Of The Cycle
A full blown panic attack that is triggered by excessive worrying often strikes a person in one swift motion. There is no way of preempting the attack. The affected person becomes restless, and their hands begin to sweat. Their complexion also turns pale or flushed, and is always clammy. Their brain goes into overdrive and they begin to assess their current situation inaccurately. They think they are trapped in a predicament and terror soon fills their hearts. They become stricken with fear and they feel that their lives are threatened. The duration of the attacks can vary from minutes to hours, though the average length is 30-45 minutes. The traumatic experience often takes a toll on one’s physical and mental being.
The long term effects of anxiety and stress can be equally as devastating. Chronic fatigue occurs because worry is so overwhelming that it interrupts normal sleep patterns. The accompanying tension brings headaches and irritability, clenched jaws and grinding teeth. Difficulty concentrating is enhanced by extreme irritability which culminates in explosive behavior.
If treatment is not immediately sought, the victim can develop agoraphobia, which is a fear of the outdoors. He will refuse to leave the safety of his house. This only aggravates matters because now he has another problem on his hands, and he will to worry about his anxiety attacks.
Treatment and Road To Recovery
There are many physiological problems associated with anxiety and stress. These include thyroid disorders, hypoglycemia, heart attacks and several other myocardial complications. To treat these complications, the root of the problem must be eradicated. Some effective treatments for mood disorders include psychotherapy, medications and behavior modification.
It is imperative that the sufferer introduce changes to his existing lifestyle.These include regular exercises and a healthier diet. Not only do exercising have physical benefits, it is a great stress-reliever as it helps the victim to channel his stress and blow it off in a productive manner. Consuming healthy food and health supplements will allow one to enjoy mental wellness. Hypnotherapy has been found to be effective in alleviating some phobias. Where anxiety attacks are concerned, early detection is the key. The sooner you are cured of the symptoms, the greater the chance of you curbing your episodes.
Trevor Mosley was once a sufferer of anxiety and panic attacks. Head along to his website today in order to discover how you can defeat your anxiety and panic attacks for good.