Thursday 29 March 2012

What you can do to stop frequent Panic attacks

There’s no need to be serious all the time. Reading The Onion is always good for a laugh, as is viewing a movie that features Leslie Neilsen. Find things that make you laugh and keep them around for when you need a lift.
Panic attacks may be reduced by practicing sensible healthy habits. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine to foster a healthy lifestyle and lessen the effects of panic attacks. Consume nutritious foods. Stay away from highly-processed foods and foods that contain lots of sugar. Always ensure that your mind and body receive adequate rest. You will be less likely to have panic attacks if you feel happy and healthy in your day-to-day life.
You have to have a handle on your emotional well being if stopping panic attacks from occurring is your main goal. Most panic attacks occur when you don’t trust yourself or your reaction to a certain situation. Therefore, if something is troubling you, it’s vital that you share this immediately in as calm of a matter as you possibly can.
Learn and practice relaxation exercises that you can use to head off a panic attack. Learn the techniques well beforehand. Practice yoga when you aren’t panicking, so that you can use it when you are.
Watch out for things that increase your anxiety level. It is vital that you are always aware of your stress and anxiety levels. Becoming more vigilant will help you to regain control over your feelings of anxiety. If you are more aware, you can lessen your attacks and how bad they are.
Learning what triggers a panic attack is extremely important. If you’re upset at somebody and nervously avoiding the discussion with them about the situation, you could trigger an attack. Make sure that you express your emotions and feelings in healthy, positive ways. This will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and helpless, which could trigger an attack.
When you feel a panic attack coming, you should stop what you’re doing, sit down, and breathe. Always breathe slowly through your nose, counting to five as you do, and make sure that your stomach rises. Then, count slowly for five seconds as you breath out of your mouth. Count the total number of breaths. At 10, you should feel calmer and more relaxed.
Splashing water on your face can be beneficial when you are having a panic attack. The water helps to send messages to your brain that disrupts the negative thoughts which may help you to regroup and relax. Simply splash your face with cool water from the sink. Once the attack has passed, dry your face.
Use positive self affirmations and reassuring images to talk yourself out of an oncoming panic attacks. Think logically and realize that the attack will end. You are the one that is in control of the situation. Remind yourself if you have to do so.
Just because you suffer from panic attacks does not mean you are a flawed individual. Surviving a panic attack is actually a show of strength. You can use the tips from this article to help you cope with your attacks. It is possible that you can even eliminate them.

Forces of Nature

Panic Attack Information That Is Sure To Help

You can calm down your panicky feelings by accepting the thoughts and feelings you are experiencing. Feelings are unable to hurt you, and you should use them to try to understand exactly what is causing your anxiety. Accepting all of your feelings may open a door to healing for you.
Self-medication is not the way out of a panic attack, although you might think it is. Alcohol and drugs are not only addictive, but can worsen your symptoms. Book a consultation with your local physician, as he or she will be able to provide you with healthy, effective ways to control your panic attacks.
Panic attacks can often be linked to stress experienced as a child. As a parent, do your best to create a safe environment. Usually the root cause is the person having extremely high standards and expectations cast upon them as a child. Avoid passing on your panic attacks to your children by letting your love show and accepting your child as he is. You will be doing your child a favor for later in life.
If you feel that a panic attack is imminent, try to listen to some of your favorite, calming music. Sit in a calm room and listens to songs you like. Pay close attention to the lyrics. Your symptoms should subside when you direct your thoughts to something else. Your body should begin to relax and the anxiety dissipate.
Talk to your doctor and start a treatment program if the panic attacks are hampering your ability to function. Some people deal with panic using nothing more than willpower and special breathing, but your ideal solution might include medication or therapy. Consult with your physician to come up with a treatment plan that works for you.
If you or anyone you know suffers from the debilitating condition of panic attacks, there are a number of well-known and reputable anxiety and panic disorder associations and groups that may be of help. Look online; there are organizations like The Anxiety Disorders Association of America who are here to help. They may have just the information to meet your needs!
If possible, distract yourself when you feel the beginnings of a panic attack. Focus on the sky, recite a poem or think of a math problem to solve. Anything that will distract you from the panic will be helpful. You can stop an attack and feel better quickly this way.
There are many relaxation techniques that you can learn to diminish the frequency of panic attacks. The simple act of controlled inhaling and exhaling may help you to regain focus and combat the panic attack as it occurs.
Try to get an accurate diagnosis of your anxiety to help you find the correct treatment. The cause of your anxiety problem is an important thing to know when trying to solve it. If you suffer from panic attacks that border on or are uncontrollable, seek the help of a professional immediately.
See if your friend can come and talk to you face to face. This can aid you in feeling better before you know it.
Have you ever had an endless panic attack? You truly have control over your mind and body!
If you spend a lot of time in front of the computer screen, you should consider investing in a kneeling chair to help your condition. While these chairs do not suit everyone, if you struggle with physical posture problems combined with panic attacks, changing to a kneeling chair may help alleviate physical problems caused by poor posture while sitting. Helping your breathing will, at the same time, help with your panic attacks.
Try walking yourself through your panic attack with pleasant, comforting dialogue and serene thoughts. Know that you will get through it. Reinforce the idea that you are in control.
Find help for your panic attack problem. By making a pact with yourself to finally do something about the anxiety, you can now begin to heal. You have to know what it is that you want to surrender to. Let other people help you, and make sure you let yourself help you.
While panic attacks are worrisome, using hard work and patience can help you eliminate them. You should also speak to a health professional about how to treat your panic attacks in a safe manner. Try using the previous tips to help get rid of your panic attacks.

JetBlue pilot suffers possible panic attack mid-flight to Las Vegas

A Jetblue airline was forced to make an emergency landing on Tuesday (March 27), after the pilot experienced  a possible panic attack mid-flight from New York to Las Vegas, and had to be restrained.
Panic attacks are periods of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset and relatively brief duration. They usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and subside over the next several hours (Wikipedia: Panic attack).
According to passengers on the plane, a man in a JetBlue uniform (the pilot) was acting strangely when returning from the toilet. After he realized his co-pilot locked him out of the cockpit, he lost control of himself and began running up and down the isles screaming "They're going to take us down. They're going to take us down. Say the Lord's prayer."
"He started screaming about al-Qaida and possibly a bomb on the plane and Iraq and Iran and about how we were all going down," said one passenger.
Advertisement
The incident takes place just two weeks after an American Airlines flight attendant was taken off a plane for rambling about Sept. 11 and her fears the plane would crash. An aviation expert who spoke on the incident could remember only two or three cases in 40 years where a pilot had become mentally incapacitated during a flight. (see video)

Wednesday 21 March 2012

The Daily Mind



The Daily Mind


Posted: 20 Mar 2012 01:55 PM PDT
Low self-esteem is a problem which affects many of us from time to time. It's certainly something that I've battled with throughout my life. I thought for this particular blog post I would take a look at some strategies to combat low-self esteem and promote feelings of positivity and wellbeing.
Be kinder to yourself
Our self-esteem is based on how we feel about ourselves and, for most of us, we're way too harsh. Take a moment to think about the things you say to yourself. Have a listen to that little voice in your head – is it critical, negative, harsh?
Do you tend to say things to yourself like: "I'm such a failure" or "I never do anything right"? Well, imagine that a friend of yours was feeling down about himself. Would you say those things to him? No! You'd offer support and encouragement wouldn't you? So, why say them to yourself?
Next time you start coming out with self-criticism, try to think of some positive and encouraging words instead. Look at mistakes as learning experiences, forgive yourself and focus instead on your good points and achievements. Don't be so harsh on yourself!
Always hang out with people who make you feel great
Being around people who love and respect you will do your self-esteem no end of good. Have a really good think about the people you know who always put a smile on your face and resolve to spend more time with them because they will lift your spirits.
If certain people have a habit of dragging you down, making you feel depressed or criticising you all the time, then make every effort you can to avoid them. If you simply can't avoid them, then take a look at my earlier article on The Daily Mind about how to cope with
Do things that you enjoy
If there's a particular task you struggle with then you're bound to feel negative and miserable whenever you do this. In my case I'm terrible with numbers – bills, accounts, you name it – I can't get my head round it. This is why I leave these particular jobs to my partner. However, I'm great at cooking and it's something I enjoy, so I take care of this side of our life.
In this sense I try to make sure that I do things I enjoy because they increase my self esteem and feed into that cycle of positivity. Make a list of things you enjoy and know that you are good at – ask a friend to help you – and resolve to do at least one of these things every week.
Practise mindfulness
Following on from that last point, practising mindfulness is a great way of combating the negative self-talk that chips away at our self-esteem. Mindfulness helps to switch off that internal chatter, which the Buddhists call the "Monkey Mind", and instead replace it with clarity, focus and calm.
Mindfulness involves focusing entirely on the present moment, rather than living in the past or looking to the future. It's not about trying to change things but trying instead to accept the way that things are for better or for worse. Here's a simple mindfulness technique that I often practise myself:
Sit somewhere comfortable and quiet where you won't be disturbed. Turn off your phone and any other distractions, like the TV or radio. Close your eyes and take a few deep, calming breaths. Stay this way for at least 10 minutes, just focusing on your breathing.
If thoughts start to pop into your mind, don't get stressed or anxious about them, don't consciously try to get rid of them. Instead, acknowledge them, and then imagine them floating away like clouds in the sky. After the 10 minutes is up, congratulate yourself on having taken time out to relax and still your mind.
About the author: Liz Parry is a writer specialising in holistic health and wellbeing, personal development and spirituality.