It is often observed that many people’s top ranking fear is not death but having to speak in public. The joke is that these people would rather be lying in the casket at the funeral than giving the eulogy. Public speaking for people who suffer from panic attacks or general anxiety often becomes a major source of worry weeks or even months before the speaking event is to occur.

These speaking engagements do not necessarily have to be the traditional “on a podium” events but can be as simple as an office meeting where the individual is expected to express an opinion or give verbal feedback. The fear of public speaking and panic attacks in this case centers on having an attack while speaking. The individual fears being incapacitated by the anxiety and hence unable to complete what he or she is saying. The person imagines fleeing the spotlight and having to make all kinds of excuses later for their undignified departure out the office window…

This differs slightly from the majority of people who fear public speaking because their fear tends to revolve around going blank while speaking or feeling uncomfortable under the spotlight of their peers. The jitters or nerves of speaking in public are of course a problem for this group as well‚ but they are unfamiliar with that debilitating threat which is the panic attack‚ as they most likely have not experienced one before.

Public Speaking and Panic Attacks
So how should a person with an anxiety issue tackle public speaking?

Stage one is accepting that all these bizarre and quite frankly unnerving sensations are not going to go away overnight. In fact‚ you are not even going to concern yourself with getting rid of them for your next talk. When they arrive during a speech/meeting‚ you are going to approach them in a new manner. What we need to do is build your confidence back to where it used to be before any of these sensations ever occurred. This time you will approach it in a unique‚ empowering manner‚ allowing you to feel your confidence again. It is said that most of the top speakers are riddled with anxiety before speaking‚ but they somehow use this nervousness to enhance their speech. I am going to show you exactly how to do this‚ although I know that right now if you suffer from public speaking and panic attacks you may find it difficult to believe you can ever overcome it.

My first point is this and it is important. The average healthy person can experience an extreme array of anxiety and very uncomfortable sensations while giving a speech and is in no danger of ever losing control‚ or even appearing slightly anxious to the audience. No matter how tough it gets‚ you will always finish your piece‚ even if at the outset it feels very uncomfortable to go on. You will not become incapacitated in any way.

The real breakthrough for if you suffer from public speaking and panic attacks happens when you fully believe that you are not in danger and that the sensations will pass.

“I realize you (the anxiety) hold no threat over me.”

What keeps a panic attack coming again and again is the fear of the fear — the fear that the next one will really knock your socks off and you feel you were lucky to have made it past the last one unscathed. As they were so unnerving and scary‚ it is your confidence that has been damaged by previous anxiety episodes. Once you fully understand you are not under any threat‚ then you can have a new response to the anxiety as it arises while speaking.

Defeating public speaking and panic attacks…

There is always a turning point when a person moves from general anxiety into a panic attack‚ and that happens with public speaking when you think to yourself:

“I won’t be able to handle this in front of these people.”

That split second of self–doubt leads to a rush of adrenaline‚ and the extreme anxiety arrives in a wave like format. If‚ however‚ when you feel the initial anxiety and you react with confidence that this is not a threat to you‚ you will move out of the anxiety rapidly.

Using this new approach is a powerful ally because it means it is okay to feel scared and feel the anxiety when speaking — that is fine; you are going to feel it and move with and through the sensations in your body and out the other side. Because he or she is feeling very anxious‚ often before the talk has begun‚ that person may feel they have already let themselves down. Now‚ you can relax on that point. It is perfectly natural to feel the anxiety. Take for example the worst of the sensations you have ever experienced in this situation — be it general unease to loss of breath. You will have an initial automatic reaction that says:

“Danger… I’m going to have an episode of anxiety here and I really can’t afford that to happen.”

At this point most people react to that idea and confirm it must be true because of all of the unusual feelings they are experiencing. This is where your thinking can lead you down a train of thought that creates a cycle of anxiety that produces a negative impact on your overall presenting skills.

So let that initial “oh dear‚ not now” thought pass by‚ and follow it up immediately with the attitude of:

“There you are — I’ve been wondering when you would arrive. I’ve been expecting you to show up — by the way‚ I am not in the least threatened by any of the strange sensations you are creating — I am completely safe here.”

Public Speaking and Panic Attacks

The key to controlling your fear of public speaking and panic attacks is that instead of pushing the emotional energy and excitement down into your stomach‚ you are moving out through it. Your body is in a slightly excited state‚ exactly as it should be while giving a speech‚ so release that energy in your self–expression. Push it out through your presentation not down into your stomach. You push it out by expressing yourself more forcefully. In this way you turn the anxiety to your advantage by using it to deliver a speech where you come across more alive‚ energetic and in the present moment.

When you notice the anxiety drop as it does when you willingly move into it. Fire a quick thought off when you get a momentary break (as I am sure you have between pieces)‚ asking it for “more”. You want more of its intense feelings as you are interested in them and are absolutely not threatened by them.

It seems like a lot of things to be thinking about while talking to a group of people‚ but it is not really. You’d be amazed how many different non–related thoughts you can have while speaking. This approach is about adopting a new attitude of confidence to what you might have deemed a serious threat up until now. This tactic will truly help you with fear of public speaking and panic attacks you have associated with them.

If your predominant fear of the speaking engagement is driven by a feeling of being trapped‚ then I would suggest factoring in some mental releases that can be prepared before the event. For example‚ some meetings/speeches allow for you to turn the attention back to the room to get feedback etc. from the group.

If possible‚ you might want to prepare such opportunities in your own mind before the engagements. This is not to say you have to ever use them‚ but people in this situation often remark that just having small opportunities where attention can be diverted for the briefest of moments can make the task seem less daunting. It my even be something as simple as having people introduce themselves or opening the floor to questions. I realize these diversions are not always possible and depend on the situation‚ but anything you can factor in that makes you feel less trapped or under the spotlight is worth the effort and can help alleviate fear of public speaking and panic attacks.

I hope you have found this public speaking and panic attacks page helpful. Please give it some careful consideration and you will realize it contains the truth.

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There is phobia that is linked to the experience of panic attacks‚ and that is agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is the fear of open spaces or of being in crowded‚ public places such as shopping markets. It is a fear associated with leaving a safe zone‚ such as the home.

Because of a feeling of being vulnerable‚ people who experience this fear often suffer from panic attacks in these “open” situations. It is true to say many people who have regular panic attacks experience different degrees of agoraphobia. Some have a lingering background anxiety about being away from home should they experience a panic attack. Other people are so immobilized by this fear that they find it very difficult to leave their home for even a short period.

The thinking behind agoraphobia usually follows the line that were a panic attack to occur‚ who would look after the person‚ how would he or she get the assistance and reassurance they needed? The vulnerability grows from the feeling that once victims of agoraphobia are caught in the anxiety‚ they are suddenly unable to look after themselves and are therefore at the mercy of the place they find themselves in and the strangers around them. In its extreme form‚ agoraphobia and panic attacks can lead to a situation where people become housebound for numerous years. Please note‚ this is by no means a hopeless situation‚ and I always need to reinforce the fact that something only becomes hopeless once the person really believes that to be the case.

Agoraphobia and Panic Attacks

To begin with‚ the primary issue that needs to be addressed is the belief in the safe zone. To clarify‚ when I talk about safe zone‚ I am referring to the zone where the person believes panic attacks do not occur‚ or at least occur infrequently. As comfort is found there‚ it is where the person tends to spend more and more time. The safe zone of anxiety is a myth sustained by the mind. The mind has developed a habit of thinking that dictates that being inside the safe zone is the only place to feel secure and avoid agoraphobia and panic attacks.

If agoraphobia is an issue for you‚ watch as your mind comes up with reasons why it believes only a certain area is safe and another is not. Those reasons range from being near the phone or people you trust to having familiar physical surroundings to reassure you.

The reality of anxiety is that there is no such thing as a safe zone. There is nothing life threatening about a panic attack‚ and therefore sitting at home is the same as sitting under the stars on a desert island. Of course‚ your mind will immediately rush to tell you that a desert island is a ridiculous place to be as there are no hospitals‚ no tranquillizers‚ no doctors‚ NO SAFETY.

You need to review your previous experiences of panic attacks. Aren’t you still here‚ alive and well‚ after all those attacks during which you were convinced you were going to die?

It may be that on occasions you have been driven to the hospital where they did medicate you to calm you down‚ but do you really believe that you would not have survived were it not for the drugs? You would have. If the same bout of anxiety had occurred on this desert island‚ it too would have passed‚ even if you were all alone. Yes‚ when it comes to conditions that need medical attention such as asthma‚ diabetes‚ and a whole litany or other conditions‚ then having medical aid nearby is a big asset‚ but no doctor in the world would tell someone with anxiety that there are only specific safe zones in which she or he can move.

As I know more than anyone how terrifying it can feel to move out of your safe zone as the feeling of fear is welling up inside‚ I do not wish to sound harsh. This course is not about chastising people for their behaviors. It is a way of looking together at solutions and seeing through the myths that form prison walls. The goal is to enable you to return to a richer and more meaningful life and ultimately defeat your agoraphobia and panic attacks. I also realize that people around you cannot understand why a trip to shops would cause you such discomfort. You will have to forgive them and try not to be upset by their lack of understanding of your problem.

If an individual such as a partner or family member has not had a similar anxiety issue‚ that person may often find it hard to understand and empathize with what you are going through. I am sure you have been dragged out of the house numerous times against your will‚ kicking and screaming. This can then lead to tensions and arguments and is upsetting as it can make you feel less understood by those around you. People around agoraphobics are often simply trying what they feel is best. If you can see that their intentions are well meaning (although often misguided)‚ then you will be able to relate to them better and help sooth any potential conflicts.

There is one thing I am sure you will agree with‚ and that is that the only person who will get you out of agoraphobic thinking is yourself. These are your thoughts‚ and only you can begin to change that pattern. Dealing with long term agoraphobia and panic attacks is a slow process to begin with‚ but once the results start happening‚ it moves faster and faster until you reach a point where you will find it hard to believe that going out was such a difficult task.

I hope you have found this agoraphobia and panic attacks page helpful in some way.

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Panic and anxiety attacks while driving

One of the more common questions I am asked is  . Ranging from fear of being caught in traffic to crossing waterway bridges‚ people have many different fears in this area. Often the anxiety stems from a fear of being trapped in the vehicle in gridlock traffic or losing control of the vehicle and causing a collision.

Needless to say‚ even though they may have been battling with a driving phobia for many years‚ almost all of the people I have consulted with have not had their fears of a mishap occur. Let’s look at the primary fear‚ that of having an accident due to the distractions of possible panic attacks while driving.

Panic Attacks Driving
Most people will work themselves into a state of high anxiety even before they have pulled out of their driveway with imagined scenes of causing ten car collisions on the highway because they “freaked out” and collided with another vehicle. If you have such concerns‚ the first important thing to begin with is a review of your driving history. Have you been a reckless driver in the past? Have you a history of bad driving? Most phobic drivers in fact have clean driving records and have never even been in a minor road incident. Anxious drivers are not a deadly hazard on the road; in fact‚ they can be a lot more vigilant than many ordinary drivers who after a long day in the office are virtually asleep at the wheel.

Panic Attacks Driving
As we discussed previously when looking at the biology of anxiety‚ by virtue of his or her condition‚ an anxious driver has a high level of sensory alertness. This level of alertness keeps the driver aware of any potential hazards and focused on the task of driving‚ not daydreaming‚ chatting‚ or rooting around in the glove compartment. This of course is not to suggest that anxious driving is the ideal way to commute (or being excessively worried about panic attacks driving)‚ but I believe it is important to make this point because so many chastise themselves for being anxious in their cars.

If you are generally a good driver‚ then before you set out in your car take confidence in that and reaffirm that fact to yourself. Acknowledging and reaffirming that you are a capable driver will go some way toward alleviating this concern.

Panic Attacks Driving
The second major concern of most phobic drivers is the fear of being trapped in the car in some manner. By this I mean‚ being caught in traffic‚ on busy three–laned motorways‚ on long bridges‚ or even stopping at red lights. When allowed to‚ the mind will run away with this fear and will imagine all kinds of deadly scenarios where you might feel cornered or trapped in your vehicle with no assistance available should you experience a major panic attack driving.

The important thing here is to curb these fears before they take root by offering yourself viable solutions to any of these scenarios and not letting your mind trick you into believing there is a trap ahead. Give it some thought. Is there really any situation‚ such as the ones described above‚ where you truly are trapped with no means of escape?

No‚ of course there isn’t.

Eventually‚ traffic always moves; it does not remain grid locked forever. There is flow‚ and there is always an exit. This may mean having to figure the exit out for yourself‚ but never let these thoughts corner you into thinking that there is no escape. When you counteract these fears with logical solutions‚ you undermine the control that fear holds over you. You begin to see the bluff it is playing to keep you petrified of what could potentially happen out there in the traffic.

Your mind may rebel and come up with the worst possible scenario you may get “stuck in‚” but again‚ is this really the terrifying trap you imagine it to be? Be careful not to let these thoughts trap your thinking. Every minute of the day‚ people’s cars break down in traffic. These drivers have no option but to put on the hazard lights and leave the vehicle. It’s not going anywhere. There you are‚ that is an exit‚ albeit an extreme one; however‚ by using my technique‚ it never needs to come to that. In fact‚ you are going to learn how driving can actually be an enjoyable experience once again.

Panic Attacks Driving
To finish‚ I want to give you some affirmations you can use while out driving. These can be repeated silently or out loud and will help relax and center your mind‚ keeping you focused on driving well.

“I am a competent driver and always arrive at my destination safely.”

“I am calm‚ alert‚ and in full control while driving.”

I hope you have found something useful in this panic attacks driving page.

The “Panic Away” Program:
Proof At Last that Panic Attacks and Anxiety
Can be Eliminated For Good!

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Intrusive Thoughts

In almost all cases of general anxiety‚ the driving factor fuelling the sensations is anxious thinking. Without addressing these intrusive thoughts‚ there can be little success in eliminating the root of the anxiety.

People who experience anxiety and panic attacks frequently have to deal with the negative side–effects of unwanted thoughts that creep into their minds. These thoughts can range from worries about health‚ concern over loved ones‚ or even fears that do not make any rational sense at all but continue to linger in the mind.

Sometimes‚ the unwanted intrusive thoughts come from previous experiences; other times they are simply bizarre‚ leaving the person worried as to why such strange thoughts are occurring. In all these cases‚ the person is upset by the anxious thoughts because they are causing distress and worry. I will guide you through a simple two–step process that is in part related to the One Move which I teach but tailored specifically to dealing with anxious thinking.

Anxious Intrusive Thoughts
Tackling anxious intrusive thinking effectively requires a two–pronged approach. To eliminate the negative thinking patterns‚ there needs to be a shift in attitude along with specific visualization tools.

The Attitude Shift

It is not the intrusive thoughts in themselves that cause you distress. It is how you are responding to those thoughts. It is the reaction you are having to the thoughts that enables them to have influence and power over you. In order to better understand how unwanted thoughts come about‚ it helps to paint a playful visual picture of how this happens. This is a fictional example and will help you better understand how to deal with the issue.

Imagine yourself standing on a street and all around you thoughts are floating lazily by. Some of the thoughts are your own‚ other thoughts are from outside sources you access such as newspapers‚ TV‚ magazines‚ etc. You notice that when you pay attention to a thought it gravitates nearer. The thoughts you ignore float on by.

When you focus and examine a thought up closely‚ you notice how it connects to another similar thought‚ and you find yourself jumping from one thought to the next. Sometimes these are practical‚ day–to–day thoughts such as bills‚ chores‚ etc.‚ or the thoughts can themed by the past or a fantasy/daydream.

In our imagined scenario‚ you unexpectedly notice a thought hovering in front of you that scares you. This thought is called “Fear X.” X could be panic attacks‚ ill health‚ or something bizarre. You find it impossible not to look at the thought‚ and as you give it your full attention‚ this causes it to come closer and closer. When you examine the thought‚ you begin to react with fear as you do not like what you see. You further notice how that initial scary thought is connected to more worrying “what if” thoughts that you also examine in detail. The more you try to escape from the thought by pushing it away‚ the more it seems to follow you around as if it were stuck to you. You try to focus on more pleasant thoughts‚ but you find yourself continuously coming back to the fearful thought.

Intrusive Thoughts…

There is an expression of “thoughts sticking like glue.” The very act of reacting emotionally to the thought glues the thought all the more to you‚ and the more time you spend worrying and obsessing about the thought‚ the more that glue becomes hardened over time. The thought and all its associated connected thoughts are there in the morning when you wake and there at night when you are trying to get some sleep. The thought becomes stuck to your psyche because your emotional reaction to it is its sticking power. Thoughts are a form of energy‚ neither good nor bad. It is how we judge those thoughts that determines how much impact they have on our lives. Thoughts need firstly to be fed by attention‚ but what they really love is a good strong emotional reaction to make them stick!

Thoughts that stay with us are first attracted to us by the attention we pay them and then stuck firmly in place by the level of emotional reaction we have to them.

This is an important point. A thought–even negative intrusive thoughts–can only have an influence over you if you allow it to. The emotional reaction from us is a thought’s energy source. What’s interesting is that either a positive or a negative emotional reaction is fine for the thought. Energy and attention is what it is attracted to. Once you are having an emotional reaction to a thought‚ you will be regularly drawn to that thought until the emotional reaction has lost its energy and faded away.

For example‚ if someone you know pays you a very positive compliment‚ you may find yourself unintentionally drawn to that thought anytime you have a spare moment. You probably find it improves your overall level of confidence and mood throughout the day. Sadly however‚ we tend to focus less on the positive and more on the negative. We seem to forget those positive compliments all too easily and are drawn more frequently to what might upset us. Taking the opposite example‚ if someone you know insults you‚ I am sure that you find the emotional reaction to that thought much more intense and probably very long–lasting.

So the basic pattern of thinking is as follows:

If you are not engaged with an activity or task‚ your mind will tend to wander to any thoughts that you are having a strong emotional reaction to. In general‚ as they are the ones that you are probably reacting most strongly to‚ angry or fearful thoughts seem to surface quickly.

What I am suggesting is that the most ineffective way to eliminate intrusive thoughts is to try and suppress them. Thought suppression studies‚ (Wegner‚ Schneider‚ Carter‚ & White‚ 1987) have proven that the very act of trying to suppress a thought‚ only results in a higher frequency of unwanted intrusive thoughts occurring. This reoccurrence of the thought has been termed the ‘rebound effect’. Simply put: the more you try suppressing a thought‚ the more the unwanted thought keeps popping up (rebounding).

So how do we begin to tackle this problem of intrusive thoughts?

There needs to be a change of attitude. By a change in attitude‚ I mean a change in the way you have been reacting to the intrusive thoughts. A change in attitude will quickly disarm the emotional reaction you are having to the fearful thoughts. Once the emotional reaction has been significantly reduced‚ the anxious intrusive thoughts will dissipate. In the past you have probably tried to rid yourself of the thoughts by attempting to struggle free of them.

The trick‚ however‚ is not to attempt to be free of them but to have a new reaction to them when they run through your mind. We can never fully control what goes through our minds‚ but we can control how we react to what goes on there. That is the key difference between someone who gets caught up in fearful thinking and someone who does not.

The thoughts that terrify us are not fuelled by some unknown force; they are our own. We empower them and equally we dismiss them. When you have an uncomfortable thought you would rather not be thinking‚ your first reaction is usually to tense up internally and say to yourself‚ “Oh no‚ I don’t like that idea. I don’t want that thought right now.” The very act of trying to push these intrusive thoughts away and then understandably getting upset when that does not work causes the thoughts to become more stuck to your psyche.

It’s like saying to your mind over and over again “whatever you do‚ do not think of pink elephants‚” and guess what? You can’t get a single thought in that is not related to pink elephants.

As long as you struggle with the thought‚ your mind‚ like a bold child‚ will keep returning to it. This is not to say your mind is maliciously working against you. It is better to compare the mind to a radar scanner that picks up on thoughts within us that have high levels of emotional reaction connected to them.

To not react emotionally to intrusive thoughts you need to learn to disempower the “fear factor” of the thought; then you must accept and be comfortable with whatever comes to mind. Don’t hide from or push the anxious thoughts away.

So to take an example:

Say you have fear “X” going on in your mind. That fear can be virtually anything your mind can conceive. You know the thoughts are not a realistic fear‚ and you want them to stop interrupting your life.

Next time the fearful thought comes to mind‚ do not push it away. This is important.

Tell yourself that that is fine and that the thought can continue to play in your mind if it wishes‚ but you are not going to give it much notice and you are certainly not going to qualify it by reacting with fear. You know in your heart that the thought is very unlikely to happen. You have a deeper sense of trust and will not be tossed around emotionally all day by a thought. Say to yourself:

“Well that thought/fear is a possibility‚ but it is very remote and I am not going to worry about that right now. Today I am trusting that all is well.”

What is of key important is not to get upset by the thoughts and feelings as they arise. To avoid any fearful emotional reaction to the fear/thought give the fear some cartoon characteristics.

Imagine‚ for example‚ it is Donald Duck telling you that “Something awful is going to happen. Aren’t you scared?” Give the character a squeaky voice and make it a totally ridiculous scene. How can you take seriously an anxious duck with his big feet? This use of cartoon imagery reprograms the initial emotional reaction you might have had to the thought and eliminates any authority the thought may have over you. You are reducing the thought’s threat. When that is done‚ move your attention back to whatever you were doing. Remember‚ you are not trying to push the thought away or drown it out with some outside stimulus.

This takes practice in the beginning‚ but what will happen is that you will find yourself checking how you think/feel less and less during the day‚ and as it does not have a strong fearful emotion connected to it‚ your mind will not be drawn to troublesome intrusive thoughts. To put in another way‚ the thought becomes unstuck and fades away because the emotional reaction has been neutralized. In fact‚ that is the first step to moving away from anxious thoughts — neutrality. It is as if your mental energy was spinning in a negative cycle while you were caught in the anxious intrusive thoughts. Now‚ you are learning to stop the negative cycle‚ and move into neutral (see illustration below).

From this new position of neutrality‚ you will experience a much greater sense of clarity away from the confusion of an overanxious mind. Moving into this mindset of neutrality is your first step. Thoughts generally lead us in one direction or another — a positive cycle (peace/sense of control and order) or a negative cycle (anxiety/ fear/ disorder). The next step is to adopt a relaxed peaceful state of mind and move your energy into a positive cycle of thinking.

You might have wondered why it is that some people seem more susceptible to worries and unwanted intrusive thoughts than others. You now know the answer to that. The difference is that the people who seem carefree are the ones who are not reacting with a strong fearful emotion to an anxious thought. These people see the same array of thoughts as an anxious person‚ but they do not make a fearful thought a part of their lives. They dismiss the thought or laugh it off and have a sense of trust that things will work out fine. They see no point in reacting with fear to these thoughts‚ and that ensures the thought has no power or authority over them.

You may feel that you are by nature an anxious person and that you will always react with fear to these thoughts because you have done so for years. That is not the case. Continuous or obsessive anxious thinking is a behavioral habit‚ and just like any habit it can be unlearned. I have outlined the quickest and most effective way to do this by using a unique shift in attitude. You can undo years of anxious thinking and reduce your level of general anxiety very quickly. All it takes is practice.

The “Panic Away” Program:
Proof At Last that Panic Attacks and Anxiety
Can be Eliminated For Good!

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An anxiety attack sometimes referred to‚ as a panic attack can be a very terrifying experience. The symptoms of anxiety attacks can be very confusing as usually the person has no idea as to why their body is reacting in the manner it is. If you have experienced some of these unusual symptoms (below) while experiencing anxiety let me help you to understand it better and try and put your mind at ease.

Firstly anxiety attacks are very treatable. It is very important that you speak with your doctor if you are experiencing these anxiety attack symptoms in order to receive an accurate diagnosis. Getting your anxiety symptoms investigated after you first experience them will help reassure you that nothing more serious might be wrong.

So what are the typical anxiety attack symptoms?

The most common symptoms of anxiety attacks are:

Palpitations
Pounding heart‚ or an accelerated heart rate
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Shortness of breath
A choking sensation
Chest pain or discomfort
Nausea or stomach cramps
A feeling of being dizzy
Unsteadiness
Lightheadedness or feeling faint
Derealization (a feeling of unreality)
Depersonalization (a feeling of being detached from oneself)
Fear of losing control or going crazy
Fear of dying Numbness or a tingling sensation
Chills or hot flashes
These are some of the possible symptoms of a anxiety attack but what does it actually feel like to experience one?

Usually an anxiety attack begins with an unusual bodily sensation from the list above. The person then reacts with fear that the symptoms are indicators of a much more serious threat and in turn reacts with more fear which escalates into a state of heightened anxiety. A vicious cycle of anxiety and fear can begin.

Typical situations people report having an anxiety attack are:

Driving
Airplanes
Crowded areas
At Night while sleeping

Often anxiety attacks occur in a situation where the person feels they cannot exit easily from such as a meeting‚ or out socializing with others. Many can also experience an anxiety attack for no apparent reason while at home or in the middle of sleep.

People who first experience these symptoms feel a sense of foreboding and that there is something terribly wrong with their health. This is understandable as anyone who has experienced an anxiety attack can tell you how unusual the bodily sensations are.

What initially may have been a once off ‘out of the blue’ anxiety attack‚ can develop into a perpetual cycle of fear and anxiety if not treated. This cycle can last from weeks to years depending on how much help the person receives. I want to point out that anxiety attacks are not a mental illness. The great news is that this disorder is very treatable. You do not have to fear you will spend your life living with this condition.

More often than not‚ the symptoms of anxiety attacks cause people to worry that there is some larger problem lurking behind the unusual sensations. If you have experienced anxiety attack symptoms‚ do not convince yourself that you have a clinical illness. You do not. Experiencing anxiety attacks and their associated symptoms does not mean that you have a physical or mental illness. Your brain is fine; your body is fine. You can return to a more relaxed level of living if you follow the steps and psychological techniques I am going to outline for on this site.

Learn to trust is your body. Yes it may be experiencing a wide range of strange anxiety attack symptoms but it is well able to handle this. During an anxiety attack‚ many of the symptoms are similar to those of a really good workout:

Increased heartbeat rate
Sweating
Increased bodily sensations
Rapid breathing
You do not become fearful of these symptoms while exercising and therefore you should not fear them should they be present while experiencing anxiety.

The fuel that really drives the anxiety symptoms is anxious thinking. The “what if” thoughts that appear during an anxiety attack create the powerful drive that fuels the anxiety much longer than it would normally last.

“What if I have a heart attack”
“What if my mind loses control”
“What if I do something crazy or faint”
“What if I cannot get out of here”

In order to extinguish the fuel that drives the anxiety attack we need to eliminate these anxious thoughts. Tackling anxious thinking effectively requires a two-pronged approach. To eliminate the negative thinking patterns‚ there needs to be a shift in attitude along with specific visualization tools.

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Visualization Tool for Ending and Intrusive thoughts

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If you are on anti–anxiety medication for your panic attacks‚ well done for having gone out and seeking medical advice. Many who experience panic attacks fear that a visit to the doctor will only lead to being told that their condition is much worse than they had imagined. There seems to be too much information out there on panic attack medication that makes one feel guilty and weak‚ simply for using pharmaceuticals to help one through the day.

Medication for panic attacks can be very beneficial if‚ like everything else‚ they are not abused. There are thousands of people who would not be able to hold down a job or regain any sense of a fulfilled life were it not for the medication they have been prescribed with by their doctor. In my mind‚ the danger with medication occurs when the user becomes over–dependent on the panic attack medication‚ when the very thought of forgetting to bring the medication out with you will trigger a panic attack.

Most good medics advise a proper treatment plan‚ ensuring that once the user starts to feel more in control of their panic attacks‚ they will then gradually decrease the dosage. Under no circumstance should such a patient eliminate the use of pharmaceuticals completely without consulting the doctor. When you feel you are making good improvement‚ discuss a reduction of panic attack medication with your doctor.

What are the different kinds of panic attacks medication out there?

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines have shown to be effective in reducing panic attack symptoms in many cases but not in all. It can be taken as a single dose therapy or several times a day for months or years. Side effects include drowsiness‚ decreased mental sharpness‚ slurred speech‚ clumsiness‚ less occupational efficiency‚ sexual side effects‚ low moods‚ irritability‚ agitation and increased susceptibility to the effects of alcohol. Examples of benzodiazepines are Klonopin‚ Valium‚ Serax and Librium.

Tricyclic antidepressants

These drugs are used to treat severe depression or depression with anxiety. Some of these anti–depressants are also used to treat obsessional disorders and panic attacks. Side effects include a dry mouth‚ blurred vision‚ constipation‚ difficulty urinating‚ postural hypotension‚ tachycardia‚ loss of sex drive‚ erective failure‚ sensitivity to sunlight‚ weight gain‚ sedaction‚ sweating‚ jitteriness‚ irritation‚ unusual energy and disturbed sleep patterns. Examples of tricyclic antidepressants are Tofranil‚ Sinequan‚ Anafranil and Effexor.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

These are a newer type of anti–depressant introduced into the US in the 1980s beginning with Prozac. They work differently to traditional antidepressants and by assisting the brain in maintaining levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin which is often found to be low in sufferers of depression‚ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety and panic disorders. Side effects include nausea‚ insomnia‚ headaches‚ sexual difficulties and initial agitation. Examples: Prozac‚ Zoloft and Paxil. Beta blockers

Beta blockers have proven to be helpful in controlling the physical symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks‚ particularly social anxiety and are prescribed to control rapid heartbeat‚ shaking‚ trembling and blushing. The side effects are less than other medications but can cause light–headedness‚ drowsiness‚ short–term memory loss‚ decrease in heart rate‚ insomnia‚ diarrhea‚ cold extremities‚ depression and nightmares. Beta Blockers include Atenolol and Propranolol.

Other panic attack medication

Buspar is a mild tranquilizer and has been approved for use for anxiety with mild depression‚ social phobias and OCD. This drug has few side effects‚ headache‚ drowsiness and dizziness can occur in some cases but this usually clears within a few days of use.

When discussing medication‚ it is only right to examine natural or herbal methods‚ which are becoming increasingly popular‚ to lessen the strength and frequency of panic attacks. The argument of using a natural approach is that they tend to be less addictive and have fewer side–effects than conventional medicine. The most effective natural approach I want to mention briefly is Bach herbal remedies.

The late Edward Bach‚ M.D.‚ B.S.‚ M.R.C.S.‚ L.R.C.P.‚ D.P.H. (CAMB.)‚ gave up his practice and research in 1930 to devote his time fully to the finding of the remedies and the perfecting of his method of flower healing. He sought for remedies in the plant world‚ which would restore vitality to the sick and ailing‚ so that the sufferer would be able to overcome their worry‚ their fear‚ or depression‚ and in that manner‚ assist in his own healing.

The remedies used in this method of treatment are all prepared from the flowers of wild plants‚ bushes‚ or trees. None of them are harmful or habit–forming. They are prescribed‚ not directly for the physical complaint‚ but rather according to the sufferer’s state of mind‚ according to his moods of fear‚ worry‚ anger‚ or depression. According to Bach‚ “An inharmonious state of mind will not only hinder the recovery of health and retard convalescence‚ but it is the primary cause of sickness and disease.”

As an example‚ the remedy for terror or extreme fear (rock rose) is given when the patient or those near and dear to him are seized with sheer terror‚ i.e.‚ a panic attack. The nature of the condition‚ or the name of the disease‚ makes no difference. If terror is present‚ then the remedy for terror is the one‚ which the patient (and his family or friends about him) requires.

Along with this‚ a mixture of five Bach flowers‚ aptly named “Rescue Remedy”‚ is good for general day–to–day fear and anxiety or panic attacks. This remedy is commonly used for anxious moments‚ e.g.‚ before exams‚ visits to the dentist‚ or an important interview. Bach Remedies are benign in their action; they do not produce an unpleasant reaction. They are usually taken as a number of drops in a glass of water. Both these herbal products are readily available in most health food stores‚ or over the Internet.

The purpose of this article is to highlight that there are always options when dealing with panic attack medication. Never let your mind mislead you into believing there is no solution.

I am sure you will agree that the only true successful recovery is the one independent of any crutches such as alcohol‚ medication‚ or even an understanding partner or friend. When you start to recover it is important to release any crutches such as panic attack medication. It is important to feel you alone are driving your own anxiety free life and can do so without any aid.

The “Panic Away” Program:
Proof At Last that Panic Attacks and Anxiety
Can be Eliminated For Good!

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It is only when we struggle with‚ or run away from our anxieties‚ that they gain momentum. We can only be victims of fear if we allow ourselves to be.

“Do the thing you are afraid to do and the death of fear is certain.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

We have spoken on this web site about panic attacks in detail now I want to tackle the side–effects of panic attacks. Most people who experience frequent panic attacks describe a lingering background generalized anxiety that stays with them long after the panic attack is over. Panic attacks are not spontaneous‚ random experiences. They are rooted in an underlying general anxiety that acts as the feeding ground for them to occur. Some people claim the attacks come totally out of the blue‚ but in fact on closer examination the person is usually already feeling an above average level of generalized anxiety before the panic attack begins. It is this generalized anxiety that we are going to tackle in this chapter.

People describe the generalized anxiety like a knot in the stomach accompanied by recurring fearful thoughts. This condition is referred to as Generalized Anxiety Disorder or GAD. This generalized anxiety disorder is the breeding ground for future panic attacks‚ and it is important that it be addressed and eliminated so the individual can go about daily business unimpeded by the uncomfortable stress sensations.

If we create a scale of anxiety from 1 to 10‚ a full blown panic attack would register at 10 and total‚ blissful relaxation at 0.

In a typical day‚ the average person in a metropolitan area might have a stress/anxiety rating of somewhere between 4 and 5. In comparison‚ people who experience panic attacks would say they reach the top of the scale (9/10) during the panic attack and do not fully return to feeling normal for quite some time. What is of particular concern is the fact that a large percentage of people never fully return to normal levels.

Many individuals who experience frequent panic attacks often report that they feel themselves to be in a constant state of generalized anxiety‚ floating between 6 and 7 almost everyday. They wake in the morning with the anxiety and go to bed with the same feeling of unease. It is almost as if their body is stuck on a permanent setting of high anxiety. This constant generalized anxiety makes them feel jumpy‚ irritable‚ and physically unwell. The body becomes tense and uncomfortable and the mind obsessed with the anxious sensations. This permanent tension in the mind and body leads to troublesome sensations such as:

Nausea
Dizziness
Exhaustion
Vision problems
Cramps
Intrusive thoughts
Feelings of unreality and depression
This condition (Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD) is frequently connected to the experience of panic attacks.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder
If you have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder‚ do not convince yourself that you have a clinical illness. You do not. This disorder does not mean that you have a physical or mental illness. Your brain is fine; your body is fine. If I had editorial authority over what was printed in text book psychology‚ I would eliminate the use of the term “disorder”. The term is over prescribed and misleading. It conjures up ideas of chaos and a total breakdown of mental function. That is not the case. GAD is a behavioral condition that is habitual‚ and it can be reversed easily by following a series of steps. You can return to a more relaxed level of living if you follow the steps and psychological techniques I am going to outline for you below.

Once people practice the One Move technique for the elimination of the panic attacks as explained in my course‚ the intense fear surrounding the anxiety collapses in on itself. As the panic attacks become less frequent‚ the generalized anxiety begins to evaporate as a state of solid calm returns.

The “Panic Away” Program:
Proof At Last that Panic Attacks and Anxiety
Can be Eliminated For Good!

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Anxiety Cures – A proper diet to help eliminate anxiety…

Water

There is no quicker way to reduce general anxiety than having good eating and drinking habits. One of the most easily implemented and effective additions to your diet is fresh water. Water is a great quencher of thirst — but more importantly here — It is a helpful tool as an anxiety cure.

Nearly every function of the body is monitored and pegged to the efficient flow of water through our system. Water transports hormones‚ chemical messengers‚ and nutrients to vital organs of the body. When we don’t keep our bodies well–hydrated‚ they may react with a variety of signals such as anxiety‚ which we would never think are related to our poor drinking habits.

Diet to Help Eliminate Anxiety : Water
Here are some interesting information about water:

Seventy–five percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated.
In 37% of Americans‚ the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
Regular fresh drinking water is a vital ingredient to your diet when looking at anxiety cures. When we are dehydrated‚ our cells can feel this at a molecular level and communicate this to the subconscious as an underlying subtle anxiety. The key to rebalancing a deficit of fluids is to drink eight glasses of fresh water daily.

Have you noticed the effects of dehydration on your emotions before? If you have ever suffered from a serious hangover from a night out on the tiles‚ you will understand the feeling of dehydration all too well. Hangovers result from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. I am sure many of you are familiar with the tendency to have what has become known as “the hangover fear”. This is a heightened sense of anxiety and jumpiness that results from the dehydration caused by a hangover. The surest way for someone who suffers from anxiety to experience a panic attack is to drink excessive amounts of alcohol and wait for the hangover to set in the following day. Water is a great cure for anxiety in this particular situation.

It is important to be aware that dehydration is a factor that contributes to anxiety and that a diet to help eliminate anxiety should contain ample amounts of fresh water. Personally‚ I have found that not only does regular intake of water ward off subtle feelings of anxiety thus greatly helping as a cure for anxiety‚ but it is also incredibly effective for building stamina and avoiding fatigue.

Diet to Help Eliminate Anxiety
Diet (Food)

On average‚ most people have a very acidic diet‚ which results in not just a lower resistance to stress but to a variety of serious health problems. Your diet is something you can immediately control and help you build your resources of anxiety cures. As you master your diet‚ not only are you improving your overall well–being but are also building up a positive mental attitude‚ which says‚ “I am in control of my body.”

If our internal environment is too acidic‚ this can exaggerate any anxiety we may be experiencing. The body is in a greater state of health when it is balanced internally. What is needed is to bring the body’s internal pH balance into acceptable parameters. The elimination of high anxiety is not easy unless you maintain an alkaline balance in the food you eat. If your food is too acidic or you indulge in excessive amounts of foods‚ your body cannot function at its best. It will have difficulty eliminating toxins from your body‚ and will have less of a buffer zone to stress‚ leaving you feeling vulnerable and shaken when anxiety strikes.

Food such as salt‚ sugar‚ and refined or processed products lower your body’s resistance‚ whereas food such as fruit and vegetables raise it. As you control your body’s needs‚ you empower yourself and gradually build a body that does not feel threatened by an onslaught of high anxiety.

Proteins‚ nuts‚ grains‚ and dairy products (except yoghurt) along with alcohol‚ sugar‚ and salt are acidic foods.

Fruit‚ vegetables‚ and juices‚ are alkaline.

Diet to help eliminate anxiety

For optimum balance you need an 80% alkaline diet. This means concentrating on fruits and raw vegetables using proteins in small quantities for when you need energy. A person with a good diet needs only 50 g of protein a day. This should consist of 7 ounces of animal protein (or a vegetarian equivalent) or 36 ounces of good yoghurt. The rest of your diet to help eliminate anxiety should be alkaline (should you have a very strenuous or physical occupation you may need more than 50 g of protein a day). Below is a more comprehensive list of alkaline foods that will help bring greater balance to your diet and help you cure your anxiety more easily.

Diet to Help Eliminate Anxiety
A diet to help eliminate anxiety should contain….

Parsnips
Rutabagas
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Green Beans
Green Peas
White Potatoes
Tomatoes
Muskmelon
Cantaloupe
Limes
Tangerines
Strawberries
Pineapple
Oranges
Grapes
Apricots
Blackberries
Peaches
Raspberries
Pears
Apples
Beans‚ Dried
Dried Figs
Dried Dates
Bananas
Raisins
Avocados
Prunes
Sweet Potatoes
Watermelons
Honeydew Melon
Almonds
Millet
Molasse
Beet Greens
Celery
Chard Leaves
Watercress
Sauerkraut
Lettuce
Green Limas
Cucumbers
Radishes
Cabbage
Broccoli
Beets
Brussel Sprouts
Carrots
Green Soybeans
Raw Spinach

Minerals to help cure anxiety

Mineral stores in your body have a buffering action on acid and tend to alkalize the acidity in the internal environment. Low or deficient mineral stores can lead to acidic bodily pH. The buffering action of mineral stores keeps the pH toward the healthier and slightly alkaline side of the pH scale. This buffering system is delicately balanced and can get disrupted under mineral–deficient conditions. Both the acid and mineral residues are discarded through the urinary tract. Over time‚ this depletes the mineral stores if they are not replaced. This is the reason we should ensure to get adequate mineral levels in a proper diet to help eliminate anxiety. If we don’t get adequate levels through the fruits and vegetables we eat‚ then we need to use good quality supplement minerals to help aid our efforts to cure anxiety.

Nutrients that are paramount in helping the body cope with stress include B complex‚ raw adrenal concentrate‚ desiccated liver‚ flax seed oil‚ and colloidal minerals. A balanced B–complex vitamin supplement is essential in normal pituitary and adrenal function. Without B complex‚ these glands will not produce adequate hormone levels.

Minerals are absolutely essential in normal bodily functions including autonomic nervous system function. A good example of their importance is demonstrated by the role a mineral‚ such as magnesium‚ plays in bodily functioning. Magnesium is instrumental in over 270 biochemical reactions in the body. It also helps regulate the pH (acid–base balance) of the human physiology. The human body functions within a very narrow pH range. Sodium and potassium are essential in nervous system functioning. Without either one of them‚ our nervous system would be inoperable and we would die. These minerals are usually found naturally in the vegetable that we eat. However‚ the mineral content in vegetables has diminished over the years from the depletion of the soil. Therefore‚ it may be necessary to take mineral supplements as part of a diet to help eliminate anxiety.

The truth is that it can be very difficult to maintain composure and confidence in your ability to handle all that life throws your way if your body is malnourished or deficient in vital foodstuffs. Look after your body’s needs‚ and you will be strengthening your body’s ability to cure anxiety and panic attacks.

I am convinced over the next five to ten years‚ a definitive link will be made between diet and helping cure anxiety. There are some very interesting research currently being conducted in 2004 into the connection between improving schizophrenia dramatically using a gluten–free diet. Although schizophrenia has nothing to do with anxiety or panic attacks‚ it is an example of how science is now looking to foodstuffs and their connection to our mental health.

The “Panic Away” Program:
Proof At Last that Panic Attacks and Anxiety
Can be Eliminated For Good!

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Anxiety and Panic Attack Tips

I want to share with you some powerful tips for dealing with your anxiety and panic attacks. These anxiety tips form some of the latest teachings used in modern methods for dealing with anxiety.

The tips are:

Diet
Exercise
Distraction
Elimination anxious thoughts

The following tips are divided into separate sections.

Anxiety and Panic Attack Tips
Read up on each of them as they will strengthen your resistance to anxiety and are very easily implemented into your daily routine.

Diet

Firstly we will look at diet and how it can be very beneficial in warding off excessive anxiety. What you are eating today will have an impact on the level of anxiety you experience tomorrow so it is vital to understand what effect your diet is having on you. The more balanced your diet the easier it is for your mind/body relationship to feel strong and secure. There are certain foods that are good at building inner calm and other ones that you need to avoid.

Exercise

The next anxiety tip is exercise‚ which is often overlooked when talking about excessive anxiety and panic attacks. Besides the obvious health and relaxation benefits‚ exercise gives you a sample of what it is like to put your body into an exerted state just as if you were having a panic attack. This way you can learn to become comfortable with the heightened state of exertion without fearing that your body will not be able to handle it. This is an important connection for your mind to make. There are so many benefits to be obtained from regular exercise I hope you invest time to learn more about them.

Distraction

When nervous we all have had the experience of been distracted by something and as a result feeling more at ease but how does that apply to dealing with panic and anxiety. General anxiety is experienced by many people with panic and anxiety disorders. Distraction helps you to retrain your focus and keep your attention on what is going on around you.

Anxious thinking

All people who have ended panic and anxiety in their lives have in some way either intentionally or unintentionally re–trained themselves to think in a positive constructive manner rather than negative spirals of anxious thought. I will demonstrate the most efficient way to dealing with such anxious thoughts. This is one tip you really must learn about.

Win the battle against depersonlization and anxiety attacks with the PROVEN Anxiety and Panic Attacks Treatment.

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