For many people, fear and chronic illness are simultaneous experiences. The stress of having sickness or pain that lingers over a long period of time can add up, causing you to experience anxiety. Fortunately, you do not have to endure this fear alone and can employ several strategies that help....
The greatest fear people experience during a panic attack is that they are going crazy or even that they are having a serious medical problem that will kill them....
In our culture people often feel that anxiety is self-inflicted, reflective of a weak personality, and that proper self-discipline can eliminate psychological symptoms. This is NOT TRUE....
Many people who have problems with anxiety and stress seem to have a heightened sensitivity to the environment and react more strongly to the stimuli around them....
People having panic attacks experience the same physical symptoms as a person in immediate physical danger. Panic attacks are a type of fight/flight response....
Panic attacks are usually a fearful response to internal feelings, wishes and ideas that we unconsciously feel will put us into danger....
A few years ago I worked with a young woman named Lily who had developed symptoms of agoraphobia. This is defined as the fear of being in places or situations from which escape might be difficult or embarrassing, or where help might not be available in the event of a panic attack....
Being worried about real things performs a needed function in our lives - it can lead to action. Needless worry, however, is often harmful, adding unwanted stress and even health risks to our lives....
Panic disorder is a chronic, relapsing, often debilitating condition that can have devastating effects on a person's work, family, and social interactions. Because its symptoms may mimic a variety of medical conditions, panic disorder frequently goes undiagnosed....
Anyone can develop a mental illness you, a family member, a friend, or the fellow down the block. Some disorders are mild, while others are serious and long-lasting. These conditions can be helped. One way an important way is with psychotherapeutic medications....
