What is Anxiety and How Do You Find Real Anxiety Relief? - By Paul Dylan

While it's no secret that we all feel anxious from time to time, for some people anxiety can become so overwhelming it becomes difficult to function.

One of the first steps in finding anxiety relief is defining anxiety and separating how it's different from a simple case of nerves.

Anxiety is often genetic, running in families. In some cases, anxiety could be associated with the life experiences of the person impacted by it; however, because it is biological in makeup, there also may be no clear cut association with any recent event in the person’s life.

It should be noted there are a variety of different anxiety disorders and each one possesses its own marked characteristics. Therefore it's important to find an anxiety relief method that will relieve the root of the problem and not merely mask the symptoms.

Persons who truly suffer from an anxiety disorder may feel anxious a large percentage of the time without any apparent reason at all. In some cases, the person impacted may become so uncomfortable it's difficult for them to function.

Because of the anxiety they experience, they may eventually withdraw from everyday activities. In other cases, the anxiety may only be experienced occasionally but the anxiety attacks are so intense the person experiencing it becomes terrified and may even be immobilized by it.

Other symptoms of a generalized anxiety disorder may also include the following:

* Headaches
* Irritability
* Trembling and/or twitching
* Muscle tension
* Hot flashes or sweating
* Nausea
* Exaggerated startle response
* Difficulty concentrating
* Fatigue
* Feeling as though there's a lump in your throat

These symptoms may be accompanied by:

• phantom physical symptoms
• muscle aches
• inability to relax
• keyed up
• stomach aches
• lightheaded
• frequent trips to the bathroom
• feeling out of breath

When considering possible types of anxiety relief it should be noted that anxiety disorders are the most common of all the many different types of mental disorders.

An anxiety disorder is nothing to be ashamed of or even embarrassed by. The important thing is to find help and anxiety relief techniques that will work in order to help you get back your life.

Due to the large number of people of do suffer from various forms of anxiety disorders researchers are continuing to study the causes of anxiety and different anxiety relief techniques that can help to alleviate the problems associated with them.

It should be understood, although there's often a misconception about this fact, that anxiety can't simply be overcome by sheer willpower.

This isn't a problem that an individual can simply make up their mind to get over. That said; however, there are certainly steps you can take to relieve the symptoms of anxiety disorder.

While there are a number of different anxiety relief techniques that are currently available it's important to discern the difference between anxiety relief methods that merely cover up the symptoms of anxiety and the methods that'll get at the root cause of the problem so that you can begin to recover and get back to normal again.

People with this disorder usually expect the worst of all possibilities. Worrying excessively about money, health, family or work even when there are no signs of trouble; they're unable to relax and often suffer from insomnia.

Excessive worries pertain to many areas, such as:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Some research suggests that GAD may run in families and it may also grow worse during stress. GAD usually begins at an earlier age and symptoms may manifest themselves more slowly than in most other anxiety disorders.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a real medical illness that can be successfully treated with medication and therapy. 

Contributing factors in GAD....

• Parental transference of their fears to their children (children can even learn fears and phobias just by observing the loved ones phobic or fearful reaction to an event or object) also this:

What are the signs and symptoms of the injury?

The physical signs of spousal abuse can include:

• bone fractures 
• injuries on different parts of the body, in various stages of healing 
• unexplained cuts
• head injuries
• bruises

The emotional signs of abuse aren't as easy to see. The victim may have these traits:

• depression 
• feelings of anxiety 
• low self-esteem

What are the causes and risks of the injury?

Spousal abuse happens to people of all religions, ethnic origins and income levels. It happens in both man-woman and same-sex relationships. Women are the victims of domestic violence in 9 out of 10 cases, most often when they're between the ages of 19 & 29.

Recent studies show a man is more likely to abuse his spouse or partner if he has been violent in the past. A partnership also has a higher chance of becoming violent if one or more of the following risk factors are present.  

• At least one partner has committed child abuse before

Experts know that teens who have been abused are at higher risk for other health problems.

However, we don't yet know whether the health problems came before the abuse or if the abuse increased the risk for the health problems.

These problems include:

• teen pregnancy
• alcohol use, including binge drinking 
• cocaine abuse 
• risky sexual behaviors, including sex before age 15 and with many partners 
• smoking 
• suicidal attempts or thoughts 
• unhealthy weight management, including eating disorders

What can be done to prevent the injury?

The best way to prevent abuse is to teach children how to solve problems without using violence. Teenagers and young adults should be taught that it's never OK to abuse a partner. Parents and doctors should provide teens with facts and statistics about dating violence.

The teens should be given specific information about behaviors that are part of dating violence. They should be encouraged to discuss any issues or concerns with a parent or other trusted adult.

Since health concerns such as cocaine use are associated with a higher risk for partner abuse, doctors should address dating violence when treating teens with these health concerns.

Careful screening can help identify at-risk teens and provide a chance to stop the abuse cycle.

As citizens, we can also help prevent the cycle of abuse in our society by pushing for these measures. 

• Make sure judges and police enforce domestic violence laws. This tells abusers that their actions have consequences. It also helps victims feel safer about reporting their abuse. 

• Provide shelters and other support programs that enable victims to leave an unsafe home and avoid further abuse

• Teach abusers how to vent their anger without using violence.

• Offer drug and alcohol treatment when needed

• Train doctors to ask the person they're treating about abuse if they suspect it.

• They also need to be trained to keep careful records of any physical evidence of abuse.

The abuser may need help in the following ways: 

• alcohol and drug treatment 
• treatment to learn how to control his or her anger

What are the side effects of the treatments?

Antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRI's are often used to treat symptoms of:

• depression
• anxiety
• posttraumatic stress disorder, which is also called PTSD

The most common side effects are: 

• dry mouth 
• fatigue 
• headache 
• upset stomach

Some people also become more anxious or irritable. Others may develop sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction.

None of the side effects are long-lasting. Within weeks of starting an SSRI, most people can tolerate the side effects they have. For other people, side effects go away. When they're constant and uncomfortable, a change in the medicine or dosage or the addition of another medicine often helps.

What happens after treatment for the injury?

If antidepressants are used, it may take a few weeks to a month for the full effect to be felt by the person taking them.

Long-term effects can include PTSD. In this case, this disorder is a result of physical, mental, or sexual violence. The victim may have the following conditions: 

• anxiety disorders 
• depression 
• feelings of isolation 
• irritability 
• nightmares and flashbacks 
• a tendency to avoid other people

Even if the victim doesn't suffer from PTSD, he or she may have other long-term effects, such as:

• living in poverty 
• poor self-esteem 
• trouble staying in school or keeping a job

Studies show that half of men who abuse their partners also abuse their children. Abused mothers often have trouble holding jobs. They also need welfare more often. This means that children from abusive homes are at a greater risk of being poor and homeless.

Local, state and federal agencies, including police and social services, keep spousal abuse statistics. Many foundations, such as the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the American Bar Association, also monitor abuse.

Local agencies that receive reports of abuse from healthcare workers and other sources investigate and track high-risk families.

Welcome to the Age of Anxiety: How to cope with the world spinning out of control - by Kathy Moore, MBA, C.Ht.

If the '20's were known as "Roaring," the '60's were about "Flower Power" and the '80's were the "Me Generation," then the 2000's will go down as the "Age of Anxiety."

Even the June 10, 2002 cover of TIME Magazine is entitled: "Understanding Anxiety: Now more than ever, we're worrying ourselves sick!"

It's true! About 1/3 of my practice deals with what I'm required by Texas State Law to refer to as "habitual worry." (The term "anxiety" is reserved for the medical profession... or preachers or lawyers!?)

The TIME article goes on to state:

(1) We live in a particularly anxious age.

(2) 8 months after the 9/11 crisis nearly 2/3 of Americans still think about the attack several times per week.

(3) 19 million Americans are affected by anxiety disorders, but less than 25% ever seek treatment.

My own theory about why so few seek help stems from the comments I hear from those who do show up, like "Oh, thank God! (when I tell them they aren't alone) "I thought I was going crazy!"

Why are we as a nation so scared? And what can we do about it?

1st things, first. I believe a number of factors play into the "excessive worry" epidemic. We're literally overloaded, bombarded, with information daily. This "information crush" has the effect of short circuiting our own electrical systems.

Then, too, people in general have less quiet time and very few understand how to get it. Solitude acts as a safety valve to let off "excess information" steam.

Exercise, especially meditative types like Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates and solitary pursuits like walking or running alone, can serve the same purpose.

Processed foods - really little more than conglomerations of chemicals with refined sugar added - also overload the central nervous system. (Review research at http://www.radiantrecovery.com/)

And, any toxins, including food additives, overload the liver and make it work harder to keep the body functioning properly.

More heavy demands are made on the body by stress, which overload the adrenal glands. Eventually the body just wears out and the coping mechanisms break down, sometimes completely.

The body processes "fear" in a 2 phase approach. When fearful stimuli are perceived, one circuit goes through the amygdala, otherwise known as "fear central."

The amygdala is the tiny almond shaped portion of the brain that doesn't take time to discriminate or reason things out. It just sends out messages to the "fight-or-flight" mechanism that say "Hey, get us out of here!!"

And the body responds blindly. Digestion and reasoning are shut down as blood is moved away from the brain and stomach and toward the arms and legs so we can "run like crazy" or stand up and fight.

A 2nd, slower route is through the cerebral cortex. This portion of the brain takes time to analyze the situation and come up with a game plan.

If it decides, i.e., that the "ghost" was only some sheets "Grandma" hung outside to dry that are now flapping in the breeze, it'll send a message to the amygdala to "stand down."

The only problem with the system is that the fear switch is much easier to turn on than it is to turn off.

In fact, what scientists are beginning to learn is that some people have switches that are stuck in the "on" position (namely chronic sufferers from anxiety disorders, like panic attacks, generalized anxiety, phobias & obsessive-compulsive disorder to name a few.)

So what can you do if you're one of those people who suffer from "excessive fear and worry?"

1st, if you're reading this newsletter, you're probably not interested in a pharmaceutical approach. At best, anti-anxiety medications can help you temporarily while you rebuild your adrenals and the rest of your coping mechanism.

If you do decide to try pharmaceuticals, be sure to ask your physician lots of questions and I recommend reading the drug section of The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, by Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D.

Many of these drugs have serious side effects and some are highly addictive.

From what I've seen, what works best for each person is highly individualized. So, I usually suggest a multiple-prong approach:

(1) Essential oils like lavender can have fairly instantaneous calming effects. A few drops in the bath or a foot soak or dabbed behind the ears work wonders.

(2) Borrowing from the Behaviorists, one of the best treatments "fearful" people can give themselves is usually the hardest for them to follow.

To reduce anxiety and worry, remove as much disturbing stimuli as you can from the environment. Change jobs or take a vacation. Cut back on the amount of activities you try to cram into a week and get more sleep. Delegate. Ask for help.

(3) Spend more time exercising. Exercise produces endorphins, nature's antidepressants.

(4) Breathe--deeply. Oxygen is the #1 ingredient your body needs to survive and thrive.

(5) Try the cognitive approach. Practice becoming aware of negative self talk and transforming it to positives. According to Dr. Bourne, worriers tend to imagine the worst possible scenarios all the time.

One of the best ways to change negative self talk is at the subconscious level. My primary tool is hypnosis. After all, all habits, including the habit of being afraid, are stored in the subconscious mind.

The particular hypnotic techniques I use in working with "excessive worriers" include:

• releasing root causes
• parts therapy (negotiating with the fearful part & getting it to agree to relax)
• desensitization to the fear producing stimuli
• anchoring a "safe feeling" button
• providing post hypnotic suggestions that work automatically to keep the person calm and translogic, which helps move the anxious thinking from the emotional right-brain to the logical left brain.

Once the person can begin to see the problem logically, they can begin to take the actions to heal themselves.

There are many wonderful web sites devoted to "stress management" on the Internet. Check out my web site, www.mooreinspire.com to get links to a few of the best.

Anxiety & Panic: Gaining Control Over How You're Feeling

What is anxiety?

Anxiety can be a normal "alarm system" alerting you to danger. Imagine coming home & finding a burglar in your living room.

Your heart beats fast. Your palms get sweaty. Your mind races.

In this situation, anxiety can provide an extra spark to help you get out of danger. In more normal but busy situations, anxiety can give you the energy to get things done.

But sometimes anxiety can be out of control, giving you a sense of dread & fear for no apparent reason. This kind of anxiety can disrupt your life.

(source familydoctor.org)

Women can experience intense anxiety attacks w/hot flashes during menopause.

Many drugs, including some for high blood pressure, diabetes & thyroid disorders can produce the same symptoms of anxiety.

Withdrawal from certain drugs, often those used to treat sleep disorders & anxiety can also precipitate anxiety reactions.

if you've searched thru the search engines, visited endless websites reading the same descriptions of symptoms & have decided that you may in fact, be experiencing an anxiety disorder or depression....

• have you thought about your coping behaviors?
• what state of mind are you in?
• what's the condition of your relationships, your marriage, your interactions with your children?
• do you get along with your co-workers?

or are you beginning to have a few more drinks at the end of the day to make yourself feel better?

• have you reverted back to smoking pot to zone out at the end of your day?
• are you practicing promiscuous sex?
• are you smoking two packs a day instead of only one?
• what are your coping behaviors?

learn more about self medicating here

Are You Becoming an Alcoholic?
Hosted by: David R. Marks, MD, WNBC, New York
read transcript or click on watch video

"Symptoms" of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

If you should experience any of these symptoms for a period of time that exceeds 6 months, you may be experiencing a mental "disorder."

You should always see a physician for a medical evaluation first, to determine if your symptoms are caused by a physical illness. Look over these symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder & see if you have found yourself experiencing any of them.

If you're finding that you seem to be fixated on a self medicating behavior such as:

• excessively or habitually drinking alcohol
• abusing drugs
• eating too much food, (emotional or comfort eating)
• spending too much money ....

this could be a sign that you may actually be experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder or that something is missing in your life that needs to be fixed.

great or extreme fears:

• running over scenarios in your mind constantly as to how to avoid what "might happen."

• neglect of important matters w/out the ability of clear headed thinking is blocked by the fearful thoughts

• while experiencing high anxiety levels a fear exists of facing normal tasks, procedures & responsibilities

• normal thinking becomes clouded & consequences are blocked out or buried that could occur for the neglect

• paying bills, performing employment responsibilities, fulfilling family responsibilities & many other very crucial tasks are ignored because of a fear associated to dealing w/them

Personal Note: To show you an example of what anxiety can do w/your muscles: I suddenly developed symptoms of carpal tunnel & was diagnosed w/carpal tunnel syndrome, but as quickly as it appeared, it went totally away.

This extreme case can often occur when anxiety & fear become overwhelming over a long period of time.  I also experienced a bout w/crossed eyes - double vision - & needed help to control the muscles around my eyes w/corrective lenses that included prisms. That, too, disappeared quickly & w/out any warning the same way it had appeared.

What Causes an Anxiety Disorder? - By Deanne Repich

"What causes an anxiety disorder? And which of these causes do I have control over?"

Here are answers to these important questions.

What Causes an Anxiety Disorder?

There are several factors that can contribute to an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder is caused by a combination of several of these factors working together over a period of time. Usually one factor alone doesn't result in an anxiety disorder.

Several of the contributing factors are:

• Biological Factors
• Stress Overload / Lifestyle Factors
• Childhood Environment
• Thought Patterns
• Genetic Factors

Biological Factors

We all have an inborn "fight or flight" response designed to protect us from harm. When our survival is threatened, the fight or flight response creates physical and psychological changes that encourage us to act and protect our survival.

These changes include:

• rapid heartbeat
• muscle tension
• shallow breathing and more....

People suffering from anxiety disorders often have a physical overreaction to stress. This overreaction occurs because your body perceives everyday events and situations as threats to survival. In an effort to protect you, your body triggers the fight or flight response even though no real danger exists.

There's some indication that an overreaction to stress is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. However, we don't know what initially causes this chemical imbalance.

It hasn't been proven which occurs first - the overreaction to stress that causes the chemical imbalance, or the chemical imbalance that causes the overreaction to stress.

Can I change it?: Yes. What's important to realize is that if you overreact to stress, you can learn to change it, no matter how it began. You can learn deep breathing techniques, relaxation techniques and techniques such as the Anxiety Pyramid (all included in our course) to train your body to react more calmly.

Stress Overload / Lifestyle Factors

When you experience excessive stress over time, your body can trigger the fight or flight response and start to react to daily events as if they were dangers. Poor lifestyle habits such as overwork, lack of sleep, poor diet and lack of regular exercise can cause unnecessary stress and promote anxiety.

Let's look at an example of how stress overload and lifestyle factors can contribute to anxiety. Donna works 70 hours a week for several years. This puts excessive stress on Donna's body. To make matters worse, Donna is so busy working that she only manages to get 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night, she doesn't exercise regularly and she eats mainly fast food. She can't remember the last time she took time out for herself.

Do you see how Donna's lifestyle creates stress in her life and produces a negative snowball effect?

Over time Donna's body starts perceiving these constant stressors as a threat to her survival. Her body eventually gets "burned out" from repeated unnecessary stress reactions. It's on a constant state of alert - contributing to the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety.

Can I change it?: Yes. You have the power to reduce or eliminate many of the stressors in your life. You do this by integrating healthy lifestyle habits - by making choices that promote calmness, self-care and a balanced lifestyle. For example, sleep 8 hours a night instead of 6. Eat well-balanced, healthy meals. Work 40-50 hours a week instead of 70 and so on.

You can also learn to view stressors in a less anxious way so your body doesn't overreact to stressors when they occur.

Childhood Environment

Your childhood environment affects how you think and act as an adult. Even though the adults around you meant well, as a child you may have learned habits and beliefs that contribute to anxiety.

For example, you may not have been taught to have a sense of control over your world. You may have been expected to achieve as a way of gaining love and acceptance.

You may have been taught all or nothing thinking or were not allowed to freely express your feelings or opinions. You may have grown up in an environment that was not physically or emotionally safe. You may have been frequently judged or criticized. Or you may have grown up watching and modeling adults around you that reacted to life in an anxious way.

Can I change it?: Yes. No matter what your childhood environment was, you can change the anxiety-producing thought patterns and habits you learned then through knowledge and practice.

Thought Patterns

How you think affects how you view the world and how you react to stress. Negative thought patterns like "what-if" thinking, perfectionism, all or nothing thinking, and victim talk can contribute to an anxiety disorder. In fact, negative thoughts can actually create physical symptoms in your body.

Can I change it?: Yes. Research shows that you have the power to change your thoughts, which can in turn affect how you physically and mentally feel. Through healther thoughts, you can learn to view the world in a less anxious way and feel better.

How do you change your thoughts? By using the three "R"s we discussed in the last newsletter: Recognize, Replace, and Reinforce.

Genetic Factors

Research shows that panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder tend to run in families. Although there is some debate, it appears that part of this family tendency is due to how you're brought up (environment) and part is due to genetics. There is some indication that genetic factors are also involved in social anxiety.

Can I change it?: No. We cannot change our genes. That's the bad news. Now here's the good news. You can positively change all of the other factors we discussed that contribute to anxiety.

And like we mentioned earlier, usually one factor alone does not result in an anxiety disorder. This is exciting news! It means that if you learn to successfully address the other factors that contribute to anxiety, you can conquer your anxiety in spite of genetic factors.

Note: If you would like to learn skills to change how
you react to stress, reduce the stress in your life, learn
anxiety-fighting lifestyle habits, and change your anxious
thought patterns and behaviors, try our Conquer Your
Anxiety Success Program, available at:
http://www.ConquerAnxiety.com.

The Truth About Anxiety Disorder & Panic Attacks - By Charles Linden

Every day, I receive dozens of emails & telephone calls from worried anxiety disorder sufferers asking me about medications, therapy & other less conventional treatments; my answer is simple, I DO NOT encourage the use of medication & there are so many therapies available now that it's difficult, especially for anxious people, to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Anxiety is not a mental illness…no more so than smoking or alcohol abuse; all 3 are habitual behaviors born of & perpetuated by conscious repetition.

As the anxiety learning process achieves credibility in a persons mind, new anxious neural pathways are built telling the brain that this new behavior is normal & perfectly appropriate, these are then stored as memory.

As anxiety levels rise the brain continues to learn until a new normal level of anxiety is reached, practically totally inappropriate but physically scary & uncomfortable…but your brain thinks it’s normal.

So when we reach the new level of anxiety & experience the physical manifestations of this new anxious habit such as panic attacks, GAD & agoraphobia (not to mention, the aches, the pains, the shortness of breath etc.), what can we possibly do to return to ‘normal’ levels of anxiety & get on with our lives?

We have to ‘un-learn’ the anxious habit. This sounds simple but it's much more difficult than you'd think. The brain has to forget the old, anxious, learnt behavior & replace it with new more appropriate ‘non-anxious’ behaviour.

This can be done, drug free, without long counselling sessions that cost a small fortune, without ‘face your fear’ tactics or hypnosis.

The way this is done is thru a structured, informative & supportive program, which teaches you exactly what you need to do every day, every hour & every minute in order to quickly & permanently rid your self of your anxiety condition. This can be done & it works if you put the effort in, the only reason for failure is non-compliance… if you do it, it works!

This all sounds really simple & I know that it isn't because I've done it, but it's far simpler than doing what every anxiety sufferer does every day of their lives, avoiding situations, people & places, losing time, money & opportunities & not being able to take advantage of everything life has to offer.

You have the ability to disempower your anxiety disorder now, quickly, simply & permanently, you're the strongest person that you know!

This method has been confirmed by psychologists as THE solution to anxiety disorders…not one of a few solutions but THE method that every recovered anxiety sufferer has subconsciously used to become well again.

I'm sure that other therapies have their place and some alternative therapies provide relaxation & stress relief advantages which assist in the recovery process but bad habits can only be overcome by replacing them with good habits & that IS the answer.

Charles Linden
charles@panic-anxiety.com
www.panic-anxiety.com
www.thelindenmethod.co.uk

Coping Statements for Generalized Anxiety

Purpose: to put a stop to the thoughts that lead to anxiety & to replace those thoughts with realistic, rational thoughts.

Then, when these self-statements are practiced & learned, your brain takes over automatically.

This is a form of conditioning, meaning that your brain chemistry (neurotransmission) actually changes as a result of your new thinking habits.

First, use thought stoppage. Be gentle but firm about it.

"STOP! These thoughts aren't good for me. They're not healthy or helpful thoughts & I've decided to move in a better direction & learn to think differently."

(You're reminding & reinforcing your brain each & every time you make this rational & realistic statement.)

Then, pick 2 or 3 statements from the list below that seem to help you & repeat them to yourself OUT LOUD each day. (You don't have to believe them fully yet that will happen later).

When Anxiety is Near:

General Statements

1. I'm going to be all right. My feelings aren't always rational. I'm just going to relax, calm down & everything will be all right.

2. Anxiety isn't dangerous - it's just uncomfortable. I'm fine; I'll just continue w/what I'm doing or find something more active to do.

3. Right now I have some feelings I don't like. They're really just phantoms, however, because they're disappearing. I'll be fine.

4. Right now I have feelings I don't like. They'll be over w/soon & I'll be fine. For now, I'm going to focus on doing something else around me.

5. That picture (image) in my head isn't a healthy or rational picture. Instead, I'm going to focus on something healthy like _________________________.

6. I've stopped my negative thoughts before & I'm going to do it again now. I'm becoming better & better at deflecting these automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) & that makes me happy.

7. So I feel a little anxiety now, SO WHAT? It's not like its the first time. I'm going to take some nice deep breaths & keep on going. This will help me continue to get better."

Statements to use when

Preparing for a Stressful Situation

1. I've done this before so I know I can do it again.

2. When this is over, I'll be glad that I did it.

3. The feeling I have about this trip doesn't make much sense. This anxiety is like a mirage in the desert. I'll just continue to "walk" forward until I pass right through it.

4. This may seem hard now, but it'll become easier & easier over time.

5. I think I have more control over these thoughts & feelings than I once imagined. I'm very gently going to turn away from my old feelings & move in a new, better direction.

Statements to use when

I feel overwhelmed

1. I can be anxious & still focus on the task at hand. As I focus on the task, my anxiety will go down.

2. Anxiety is a old habit pattern that my body responds to. I'm going to calmly & nicely change this old habit. I feel a little bit of peace, despite my anxiety, & this peace is going to grow & grow. As my peace & security grow, then anxiety & panic will have to shrink.

3. At first, my anxiety was powerful & scary, but as time goes by it doesn't have the hold on me that I once thought it had. I'm moving forward gently & nicely all the time.

4. I don't need to fight my feelings. I realize that these feelings won't be allowed to stay around very much longer. I just accept my new feelings of peace, contentment, security & confidence.

5. All these things that are happening to me seem overwhelming. But I've caught myself this time & I refuse to focus on these things. Instead, I'm going to talk slowly to myself, focus away from my problem & continue w/what I have to do. In this way, my anxiety will have to shrink away & disappear.

-- Thomas A. Richards, Ph.D., Psychologist

Anxiety & Wellness
by: Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Anxiety, just as stress - is everywhere. Everyone has it, some of the time, almost daily. But, some deal w/it & get on w/their lives, others suffer greatly.

Planting Seeds of Happiness
Start with a Random Act of Kindness
by: Deborah A. Park, LPCC

• fear of the unknown
• anxiety
• embarrassment
• humiliation
• distress
• insecurity
• fear of being judged by others
• sadness
• tormented worry
• anticipation of your worst expectations coming true

& that's not all.

You've been experiencing sleep problems as well & you're terribly tired & worn out. Your lack of sleep is causing you to become overly accident prone & you're more likely to trip over your own feet, bump into the corner of the table or knock over a glass of water over your paper work.

When Your Mind Develops A Mind Of Its Own - By Charles Linden

We've all been there… One minute you're listening intently as your mother in law tells you for the 10th time about the people she met on her recent holiday… or to the boss as he delivers a presentation on improving productivity levels (yawn!)

One minute you're listening… the next you're planning the color scheme of the new kitchen or what you're going to be eating for dinner tonight!

Basically, your mind has wandered! It's called 'stream of consciousness' and it happens to us all!

Our minds are designed to work like that, flowing from one thought to the next. It's the basis of intelligent human thought… of creativity… even of survival.

Our brains have to react quickly to changing stimuli and they have to be thinking on many different levels at once. Of course that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to pay attention and stick to the subject at hand!

We should, (Scratch that word "should" from your vocabulary to eliminate guilt feelings, replacing it with "need to.") control our thought patterns sufficiently so we can learn, so we can live. We should be able to apply this control, this discipline, over our wandering minds.

But what about people who experience the kind of disturbing thought patterns where they see themselves hurting themselves?

Or harming loved ones?

Or acting totally out of character, i.e., in a sexual way?

Or behaving in an inappropriately violent or aggressive manner?

These people have NO control over their thoughts. They can't help what they picture in their minds. Sound familiar at all?

These people suffer from anxiety. They may not know it, but anxiety is the CAUSE of these disturbing thoughts.

These clients invariably think they've become anxious as a result of having disturbing thoughts.

That's NEVER the case. Anxiety causes them.

An anxious mind is constantly considering 'what if' scenarios and together with a vivid imagination, this is what fuels these disturbing thoughts.

I've spoken with many people who have these thoughts. I myself experienced them during my anxiety so I know what I'm talking about! People who experience disturbing thoughts become confused, scared and isolated. They worry that they'll act on these thoughts.

So by limiting their experience of life, they (mistakenly) believe they'll somehow control these thoughts and stop them in their tracks.

No. That's not going to happen.

The ONLY way to stop these thoughts is to stop the CAUSE of them – anxiety.

So many people experience disturbing thoughts. They think of jumping from high places… harming their loved ones… hurting themselves. They're controlled by fear because the thoughts can be so intense.

Others experience less distressing thoughts. They may find their minds obsessing over music. They may repeat words over and over… or count… or display irrational behavioral patterns. They lack control over their minds.

But however it manifests itself, these thoughts are simply another symptom of anxiety.

If you're experiencing the kind of thoughts which leave you distressed, the most important thing to remember is that you aren't going to act on them! You aren't a bad person!

They have no control over you! Once you remove the cause of them - the anxiety - they'll just go away. It really is that simple! I only wish it was as simple to keep my mind from wandering when I'm listening to my mother-in-law!

Performance Anxiety

By Margaret Paul, PhD

Beverly had suffered from anxiety most of her life. As a child, she slept poorly & often had nightmares. She bit her nails & would chew on the skin around her nails until they were raw & bleeding.

Beverly had tried many forms of therapy, meditation & medication before consulting with me. She had a strong belief in God & prayed daily. Yet she was still anxious & couldn't understand the source of her anxiety.

Beverly grew up in a "normal" household with two parents who seemingly loved her. Yet as we explored her childhood, it became apparent that, while there was no overt abuse, the covert emotional abuse was constant.

Her parents were highly critical of her & would get angry & withdraw (see silent treatment on emotional feeling's abuse page) when she didn't perform to their expectations. Her mother wasn't affectionate & her father's affection was tinged with sexual energy that frightened her.

Beverly felt tense much of the time in her home. Her parents fought a lot & her mother would often end up crying hysterically while her father withdrew behind his newspaper. What she didn't see in her household was any role-modeling for taking personal responsibility for her own feelings.

Her mother would blame her & her father whenever she was unhappy, while her father would blame her & her mother for his upsets. Beverly always tried to be a good girl & be there for her parents, but no one was ever there for her.

It's easy to see why Beverly was so anxious as a child. But what was causing her anxiety as an adult?

The problem was that Beverly had never learned how to be a loving parent to herself, because her parents hadn't been loving to her or to themselves. She was kind & generous with others, but she tended to ignore her own feelings & needs.

The little girl inside Beverly, her Inner Child, felt alone & abandoned inside most of the time. In addition, she was highly critical of herself, just as her parents had been with her. She was constantly telling herself that she couldn't do anything right.

Beverly was treating herself just as her parents had treated her & themselves. Little Beverly didn't have a powerful loving inner adult to attend to her feelings or speak up for her with others.

Instead, she was neglectful or critical of herself. Due to abandoning herself & not giving herself love & approval, she was constantly seeking approval from others. As a result, Beverly felt anxious in many situations with others - with friends, at work, as well as with her husband & children.

She was constantly trying to "perform" right so people would approve of her or not be mad at her. She was constantly suffering from "performance anxiety."

Beverly saw that much of her anxiety centered around wanting to control how others saw her & treated her. She realized that she judged herself in the hopes of getting herself to perform right. She noticed that she was constantly seeking others' approval because of being so critical of herself.

Learning to be compassionate with herself rather than judgmental was a challenge that took time & dedication. She was so used to judging herself that she would do it without realizing it. Thru her inner work, Beverly became aware of the fact that most of the critical things she told herself about herself were just not true - they were beliefs she had absorbed from her parents but were not the reality of who she was.

As she paid attention to her self-judgments, she noticed that her anxiety was directly related to her judgments, false beliefs & desire to control getting approval from others.

As Beverly slowly learned to be a loving inner parent rather than a critical one, her anxiety gradually diminished. Any time it she felt anxious, she could now trace it back to something she had told herself that not only was not true, but was self-critical.

She discovered that she had been using her spiritual connection as a way of avoiding responsibility for herself, rather than as guidance in what was loving to herself. As she opened to learning about what was loving to herself, she gained more access to & connection w/her spiritual source of guidance.

The more Beverly took loving care of herself, the more inner peace she attained.

Practical Tools for Reducing Anxiety Using Integrated Awareness By Mark Fourman, Integrated Awareness® Teacher

Wars, terrorist attacks, job & family stress. Let’s face it: most of us have something to be anxious about these days.

Anxiety is fear about the future that we keep experiencing for long enough that it becomes a habit. It’s easy to know when you're anxious – the thoughts & feelings are all too familiar.

But how can you dismantle anxiety & get back to a relaxed state that is more pleasant & productive?

This article will show you one way to do just that by using the Body’s Map of Consciousness, which was developed by Lansing Barrett Gresham thru 30 years of empirical research working with thousands of clients.

The Body’s Map of Consciousness is the foundation of the healing discipline known as Integrated Awareness.

Anxiety is a behavior: there are things we do with our body, brain, emotions & energy to feel anxious.

According to The Body’s Map of Consciousness, there are a number of sites in our bodies we use to do this behavior.

By exploring how we use those body sites – by becoming more aware of our behaviors – we can re-pattern them & free ourselves up to create new behaviors. 

I’ve included a personal exploration you can use to discover for yourself how two of those sites – your eyes & the visual cortex in your brain – contribute to your anxiety behaviors.

In the 2nd part of the exploration, you can discover how to use your eyes & visual cortex to reduce your sense of anxiety & return yourself to the present moment.

When you're ready to do the personal exploration, make a time when you'll be undisturbed & can focus on yourself for about 20 minutes. Read thru the entire description before you start. Then refer to the summary notes as a cheat sheet while you actually do the exploration.

Pace yourself so the exploration takes about 20 minutes.

A Personal Exploration

By changing how you see, you can reduce your sense of anxiety.

This exploration guides you to become more aware of feelings that are normally outside of your awareness and for some people may be emotionally evocative.

Before you begin, if you have any conditions that may be made worse by experiencing strong emotions, consult a qualified health care professional. 

Find a chair in which you can sit comfortably upright, where there are no strong lights shining in your eyes. Pick a spot, look at it and focus your attention as narrowly as you can.

Now pick a new spot and focus intently. Continue focusing sharply on new spots so that your sight is darting about the room, each time focusing sharply on something and then moving on to the next spot. Keep doing this for several minutes – until you start to feel a significant increase in your level of anxiety.

While continuing to focus sharply on new spots, take some time to also pay attention to what is going on in the rest of your body. What sites have new or intensified sensations? Gathering this information will be important for shifting your anxiety in the second part of the exploration.

Now that you’ve expanded your awareness of how you make yourself anxious, you can explore how to reduce anxiety and feel comfortable in the present moment.

Close your eyes and adjust yourself to a comfortable posture. You may notice that your eyes have become tight from the previous exploration. Hold the intention to relax your eyes. Do this for long enough that you can feel the beginning of an expansion and softening of your eyes.

Imagine that your gaze is softening. Do this as if you were staring off into space – like the soft focus lens used in romantic photos and movie scenes. When you're ready, open your eyes, keeping a soft focus.

Continue doing this for several minutes. Continue softening your eyes and softening your gaze. As your eyes soften, keep adjusting your posture and the rest of your body to match what's going on in your eyes.

Take a few moments to scan your body. How have the places you identified earlier as being associated with anxiety changed? What other sensations have you become aware of?

Rest and take the time to integrate what you just experienced.

Summary of the Exploration
Exploring Anxiety

1. Create a focused stare and dart your eyes around the room until you notice an increase in anxiety

2. Become aware of what has changed in your sensations

Creating Relaxation

3. Close your eyes and soften them

4. Gently open your eyes and look with a relaxed, soft focus for several minutes

5. Notice what has changed and the differences from when you started the exploration

How Does This Work?

If you’ve done the exploration, you'll have found that the focused stare increased anxiety and the de-focused gaze reduced anxiety – but why did that happen? 

The focused stare with darting eye movements is the pattern we use to search for physical threats. Imagine an early human who thinks he’s seen a tiger and is desperately looking around the savannah to search for it and you get the idea.

This eye movement pattern stimulates the primary visual cortex (a small spot right at the back of your head) which is designed to search for and recognize potential threats. When we activate these patterns, our fear naturally increases. If we do it for long enough, the fear turns to anxiety.

The de-focused gaze is the pattern we use when we feel safe and connected. It's also reminiscent of the pattern that young babies use. They don’t yet know how to focus their eyes and they have no sense of self and other.

They're connected to everything. A defocused gaze activates the secondary visual cortex (a donut-shaped area in the back of your brain that encircles the primary visual cortex) which is responsible for things like non-judgmental perception and recognition of familiar faces. It resonates with connection and belonging.

There are a number of other body sites that participate in patterns of fear and anxiety, most notably the sternum (chest bone), solar plexus and sigmoid colon (which runs from just about the front of your left hip bone down to your rectum).

With the assistance of an Integrated Awareness teacher, you can use similar explorations for recognizing and releasing fear and anxiety at each of them.

Yoga for Treatment of Anxiety and Depression