Firstly, you should understand the fact that even though it involves the brain, anxiety is not a mental illness, but a medical condition, and then you should make this clear to the people around you.

Typically, anxiety is caused by hormonal imbalance, as the hormones progesterone and serotonin will affect your mood and energy levels. Thus, you may explain that your hormones are affecting the chemical secretion in your brain, causing an intensified state of anxiety and subtlety to stressful situations.

Then, proceed to explain what your anxiety attack symptoms may be. Different people have different levels of anxiety and their bodies react differently to hormonal change, thus the symptoms may also differ. Some common symptoms include palpitations, hyperventilation, vertigo, muscle fatigue, frequent urination or diarrhoea, shortness of breath, muscle tension, stomach upset, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, muscle tremors and twitches.

In medical contexts, anxiety attacks are episodes of intense panic or fear. Sometimes, these episodes happen when triggered by a certain stressful situation, but most of the time, they happen out of the blue. These episodes or attacks peak within 10 minutes, and rarely last for more than 30 minutes. However, the symptoms cause a good deal of terror, making you feel as if you are dying or losing yourself. The physical symptoms even mimic that of a heart attack. After experiencing an anxiety attack, you will worry and dread about when another one will strike you again, which can be completely nerve-wracking.

Symptoms for anxiety attacks can be divided into two categories, namely emotional symptoms and physical symptoms. You may only experience one category, or even both. These symptoms, though terrifying, are not harmful and generally pass when your body regains calmness. Do remember to explain that you are not in any immediate danger though they should help to ensure that you do not injure yourself in case you get into a panic fit.

An anxiety patient may only experience a few minor symptoms only, while some unfortunate ones may experience majority of the symptoms. The intensities and the frequencies may differ too. Depending on the gravity of the patient’s condition, there may be few possible combinations of symptoms.

To explain your attacks may not be easy to non-medical practitioners but do try your best to describe how you feel when an attack occurs. You may say that you feel like you are losing control, that your heart pounds very fast and that you can’t catch your breath as an overwhelming feeling crash onto you, or maybe even that you feel disconnected from the world and reality. These explanations may give them a clearer picture of what you are going through when you experience an attack.

Explain that it affects you tremendously, and that it is hard to live with. It can get out of control at times, and that you are constantly filled with worry and fear. You have to make it known to the people around you, as they are the people who will give you the support you need for you to make a recovery. Help them to understand your plight so that they may have a chance to help you.

Lastly, to make them understand about your condition more thoroughly, you can get them to visit medical sites for more information regarding symptoms of anxiety attacks and how to give patients the appropriate support that they need.

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Click Here To Watch how people learned to end their anxiety problem fast!

  ]]> http://www.anxietyattack.org/how-to-explain-anxiety-attack-symptoms-to-other-people/feed/ 2 http://www.anxietyattack.org/treating-anxiety-with-prozac/ http://www.anxietyattack.org/treating-anxiety-with-prozac/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2011 05:12:03 +0000 admin http://www.anxietyattack.org/?p=633

	Watch Real People Discussing Ways To Deal With Anxiety Click here now!

Anxiety disorders may affect you physically, cognitively, and emotionally. If severe enough, it may also lead to panic attacks, which are very alarming experiences. There are a wide variety of drugs used as treatments for anxiety. The more common and frequently prescribed drug is the fluoxetine hydrochloride, known commonly as Prozac.

Prozac, an oral medicine, is classified under serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), used as antidepressant medications. SSRIs have been proven to be extremely effective in treating anxiety disorders. Prozac has a stronger effect on energy levels compared to other SSRIs, making it greatly effective in treating cases where symptoms of depression and lack of energy are dominant. Despite its stimulating properties, it also works well on panic disorders.

Prozac works by halting the destruction of neurochemical serotonin, which controls moods, appetite, arousal, sleeping patterns and pain level of the patient and thus, causing an increase in serotonin levels, and relieves any anxiety symptoms that the patient experiences. An initial dosage of 10-60 milligrams of Prozac is usually prescribed, once a day over a period of 12 weeks. At the end of the prescription period, the dosage will then be reduced so that the levels of serotonin in the brain can be evened out.

There are many rumours about the risks of Prozac as a dangerous drug, but rest assured, if you have been prescribed Prozac by your doctor or psychiatrist, it should be extremely safe and effective for you. Though it may cause certain side effects or complications, these only apply to patients with other health complications, and your doctor or psychiatrist will make sure that it is safe for you before prescribing it. However, it is vital that you understand that you should never self-medicate with Prozac. Not all medications are the same for all patients. Remember to consult your doctor if you’re unsure about your medication regime.

Safe as it is, everyone reacts differently to different drugs. First, the effects of Prozac on foetal development are not yet to be known. Thus, psychiatrists and doctors will not attempt to prescribe Prozac to pregnant mothers. The Prozac treatment is also risky for patients with multiple health complications such as heart attacks, diabetic, seizures, liver disease, low blood sodium, bipolar disorder and bleeding disorders such as prolonged bleeding. Be sure to tell your doctor about your medical history as accurate as you can as to ensure that the right regime is prescribed to you.

You should also understand about the side effects that are associated with Prozac. Some common side effects include nausea, strange dreams, fever, skin rashes, dry mouth, constipation, diarrhoea and sexual dysfunction such as decrease in sex drive and delayed male ejaculation. However, these symptoms are not much to worry about as these are probably transient side effects, meaning that they are only temporary and will go away as soon as your body accustoms to the serotonin changes. The rest are the reaction to your anxiety levels due to Prozac, and are not as harmful as they seem. If high doses are taken, Prozac may cause an opposite effect, causing restlessness, nervousness or anxiety. Be sure to let your doctor know about these side effects so that he or she can advise you better on this.

Another boon concerning Prozac is that is does not have many withdrawal symptoms, as it has a longer half-life. Hence, the good news is that it will be easier for you to discontinue with the dosage or usage of Prozac the moment your anxiety disorder is cured.

Again, do remember that everybody responds differently to different kinds of drug so it is important to heed your doctor’s advice and never attempt to self-prescribe Prozac. If you take this treatment accordingly, be well assured that Prozac is safe and may be an effective treatment for you.

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The fear of an anxiety attack by itself can trigger an attack. This is true as reported by many anxiety disorder patients and after resolving the “meta” fear, most reported an immediate cessation of anxiety attacks.

Click Here To Learn how to get rid of the fear of anxiety attacks.

  ]]> http://www.anxietyattack.org/treating-anxiety-with-prozac/feed/ 0 http://www.anxietyattack.org/agoraphobia-and-panic-attacks/ http://www.anxietyattack.org/agoraphobia-and-panic-attacks/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:12:26 +0000 admin http://www.anxietyattack.org/?p=528

	How to Deal with Agoraphobia and Anxiety Attacks?

The term ‘agoraphobia’ is related to open spaces, and people often link it to the fear of being in open environments. However, the definition of agoraphobia is much wider and should not be limited to the fear of open spaces. Agoraphobia is actually a type of anxiety disorder, and it is basically an overwhelming fear of a situation or thing that is perceived to have no way of escape. This phobia causes a person to shun situations, activities or things that he or she fears could cause a panic attack. People with agoraphobia tend to become overly afraid that they will not be able to get out of a particular situation, and even if they could, they perceive it to be extremely embarrassing and difficult. 

Agoraphobia is thought to arise as a complication of panic attacks. Agoraphobia steals people’s lives to the extent that some people become so afraid to leave the safety of their home. Sufferers of this kind of anxiety disorder shy away from open spaces such as the mall or cinema, because they perceive there is no place to hide for safety. Statistics reveal that agoraphobia is more common in women than men, and happens between the ages of 20 to 40. It is known that more than 2% of the US population suffers from agoraphobia, and this amounts to more than 3 million adults.

Generally, agoraphobic sufferers have experienced a panic attack in a particular situation, and they will avoid it at all costs because they fear another attack. There are a few theories that explain the cause of this anxiety disorder. One of them states that when a person is repeatedly exposed to situations that trigger anxiety, he or she can develop this kind of phobia. Other theories blame it on mental struggles that leave a person feeling unfulfilled in life, mostly related to the Oedipal complex. Yet, there are many other factors that point the finger at genes and say that this type of phobia runs in families. Apart from that, substance abuse is known to provoke agoraphobia. Misuse of sleeping pills, mainly benzodiazepines, and tranquilizers can cause this type of anxiety attack.

There a several symptoms of agoraphobia that can be identified. The most common one is when people begin fearing that they are going to face a panic attack and firmly believe that an escape is almost impossible or extremely threatening. What is worse, they tend to have a terrible fear of dying and feel totally out of control of their emotions. This feeling is generally accompanied by dizziness, diarrhea and overpowering fear. Besides that, agoraphobia sufferers also tend to have rapid heartbeat and terrible feelings of confusion in terms of direction and position. Agoraphobic people are prone to face sudden panic attacks when they are in situations or locations that they fear. This panic attack usually lasts for about 15 minutes, and could go on for more than half an hour in severe cases, but this happens very rarely. During this time, sufferers can experience shortness of breath, sweating, trembling hands and body as well as nausea.

People who suffer from these panic disorders as a result of agoraphobia can take heart that not all hope is lost. There are a number of ways of treatment that patients can seek. The most common, and probably the most effective, is the cognitive behavior treatment. In this kind of treatment, patients can seek either systematic desensitization treatment or exposure treatment where they are exposed to the panic causing situations until anxiety abates. Another way is through cognitive restructuring where rational and positive beliefs are fed into the person’s mind to replace irrational perceptions. Besides that, they can also undergo psycho pharmaceutical medical remedy which involves the use of antidepressants. Other simpler ways to overcome panic attacks and agoraphobia is to learn simple relaxation techniques and join support groups to share experiences and encourage one another. Of course, needless to say, exercise and a healthy diet is a must.

Click here for more resources on dealing with Agrophobia and Panic Attacks.

Anxiety Symptoms To Watch Out For!

Transcriptions From Video:

Anxiety disorders are a group of related conditions, and because of this reason, most sufferers will have different symptoms. Almost all anxiety disorder sufferers share the same common major symptoms which are severe fears and worries. These are oftentimes unwarranted.

Other than the primary symptoms of irrational and excessive fear and worry, common emotional symptoms of anxiety disorders include:

  More and more people now opt for herbal or natural remedies for anxiety disorders as our society become very health conscious. Well, here’s some great news for those who would like to treat anxiety without medication. These are some of the most common but effective remedies which are used to treat anxiety all around the world.  

St John’s Wort, (Hypericum Perforatum), a plant with yellow flowers, is a widely known herb for anxiety, usually used to treat mild depression in children and adolescents. The flowers are usually used to prepare teas, tablets or capsules and liquid extracts. Clinical trials have proven that this herb is beneficial for patients who suffer from severe depression and anxiety because this plant contains properties that are similar to those in standard antidepressants. It is usually well tolerated, but may contain adverse side effects including abdominal ache, sleeping trouble vivid dreams and headaches. It may also cause multiple drug interactions which is why it is good to take it only for a short period of time.

Valerian, (Valeriana officinalis) is a herbal remedy for anxiety, stress and insomnia. It was historically used as a folk remedy in migraine treatment, as a sedative, anti-convulsant and pain reliever. The effects of consumption will show after a few weeks, but it isn’t advisable to be taken for more than 3 months and shouldn’t be taken together with other medication. This herb may give relief to these anxiety symptoms but will cause abdominal ache due to mild indigestion, allergic reactions, palpitations or headaches when taken in excess. But be warned, most people cannot stand its pungent smell and they prefer taking it in capsule form.

Kava, (Piper methysticum) can be used to treat anxiety and sleeping disorders effectively and has been used for over thousands of years. It has been proven in medical studies that this Kava root has a positive effect on anxiety sufferers. This root has been known to promote relaxation without affecting one’s mental acuity.

Passion flower, (Passiflora incarnate) is possibly one of the best known natural remedy to anxiety attacks and is successfully used to treat Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). It has been proven in clinical trials which were mostly carried out in the EU countries. This herb has been officially approved by the German health community for being an effective remedy to anxiety and insomnia but may cause mild side effects like palpitations and nausea.

Vitamin B1
Natural remedies which are used to treat anxiety are not only limited to herbs. Vitamin B-1 is known for its calming properties. It helps to relief consumers of fatigue, anxiety, irritability. It is advisable for consumers to take this vitamin as a complex supplement since some doctors also recommend vitamins B6 and B12 to anxiety patients.

Natural anxiety treatments aren’t limited to herbs and supplements though. Your diet is important as well and here are a few things that you should do:

Reduce the intake of caffeine. Clinical studies have proven that excessive intakes of caffeine lead to sleeping troubles, twitching, trembling, racing heart, nausea and restlessness – all symptoms that can be associated with anxiety.

Reduce the intake of alcohol. Alcohol depresses the nervous system and alcohol and illegal substances abuse have been linked to anxiety disorders. Social drinkers should consume a glass of wine on occasion and avoid white spirits and hard liquor.

Eat balanced, healthy diet. This will improve your general health, and will help you better manage your anxiety.

Breath, exercise & meditate.
Other other natural treatments like exercise, meditation and yoga are also recommended by many medical practitioners. This is because breathing is an effective way to treat anxiety as shown in a recent study conducted by the researchers of Southern Methodist University. In this study, the patients were required to undergo breathing therapy known as Capnometry-Assisted Respiratory Training CART as a way to relieve anxiety and it significantly improved their anxiety symptoms.

Take a break or two often.
It is advisable to take frequent breaks as we all know, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.  If you have a “9 to 5” job in the office behind the computer, take a walk round the office, refill your coffee, relax your eyes or even do some breathing exercises. You’ll find that you’ll feel much better and more relieved after the break.

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  The fear of an anxiety attack by itself can trigger an attack. This is true as reported by many anxiety disorder patients and after resolving the “meta” fear, most reported an immediate cessation of anxiety attacks.

Click Here To Learn how to get rid of anxiety attacks.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental conditions that affect children and adolescents and some studies suggest that almost one in five kids might have a diagnosable disorder. Anxiety treatments for children can include the intake of medications and therapies, and sometimes different treatments are even combined for greater effect. And even though the anxiety disorders are so widely spread, they are often mistaken for normal conduct, which in turn leads to late diagnosis and treatment. These anxiety disorders can affect the child’s ability to lead normal life, perform well in school, and have a fulfilling adulthood as well.

Common symptoms of anxiety disorders might be physical signs like headaches, muscle tension, abdominal aches, etc. as well as your child being obsessed with worries about normal, everyday activities such as attending school, participating in a sport game, or irrational fears (phobias); frequent and severe panic attacks are also an indication of panic disorder.

The proper diagnosis is usually given after careful evaluation and talking to the child, the parents, and even the teachers. Once your child have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, then you should take some measures to help him or her cope with it – your options include taking your child to a therapist (after you have consulted your child’s doctor), taking a few steps yourself to reduce your child’s stress levels and anxieties, and finally medication. Most children respond well to therapies, with the most popular being cognitive-behavior therapy and medication is only prescribed for kids and adolescents with mild to severe anxiety disorders.

The most often asked question is what anxiety treatments for children and medications can be used to treat their disorders.

The most psychiatric medications used today seem to be the Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs) – they are prescribed to adults and children alike and are used to treat various conditions such as depression, insomnia, personality disorder, and anxiety disorders. These drugs are usually prescribed to kids that have not responded well to therapies and have severe signs of anxiety disorders. Studies have shown in most cases SSRIs are really effective for treating childhood panic disorders and depression, but you should be aware that there are some side effects as well: these can show us abdominal pain, nausea, headache and in very rare cases the SSRIs can lead to suicidal thoughts. In all cases though it is advisable to monitor the changes in the behavior and the mood of the child, and some medical practitioners advise on regular EKG and blood tests too.

The SSRIs are usually taken for a year and in the first few weeks to a month the signs of improvement should be visible. The largest trial so far used fluvoxamine and almost 80% of the children that participated in the trial showed signs of improvement as opposed to 25% of the kids that were given placebo. The side effects were mild, the most common being stomach ache, and have been experienced by more than half of the children that took the drug; the test also showed increased levels of activities among these kids and adolescents, something that is usually not seen in adults taking SSRIs.

Benzodiazepines are also used in rare cases, but they are mostly used for very short-term effect and to suppress child’s irrational fear like fear of flying for example.

Make sure that you pay attention to your child’s needs and worries – if he or she is obsessed with them, then this might be a sign of anxiety. You first step in the right direction should be showing the kid practical ways of coping with his or her worries and fears, but if the symptoms persist, then you should consult a specialist. If medications are prescribed, some benchmarks should be established by the medical practitioner, and periodical evaluation should be made as well, in order to establish that they are actually helping your child battle the anxiety.

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The fear of an anxiety attack by itself can trigger an attack. This is true as reported by many anxiety disorder patients and after resolving the "meta" fear, most reported an immediate cessation of anxiety attacks.

Learn how to get rid of the fear of anxiety attacks, and and your child will be able to cope much better.

	Help Your Child To Get Rid Of Anxiety Attacks Click here now!

What is the most effective anxiety treatments for children?

First of all you should learn what the symptoms of anxiety disorders are since in many cases they fail to get recognized by the parents and thus the treatment is postponed and started way too late. If your child shows excessive worries and unjustified fears, or physical sings of anxiety such as headaches, stomach aches, muscle tension then he or she might suffer from anxiety disorders. In some cases this results in panic attacks as well. If these symptoms persist for at least six months or longer periods, then you should seek professional help.

Finding the best mental health specialist for your child might take some time and research, but you should talk to friends and family, your child’s doctor, and finally check his or her background and “success rate.” This is actually crucial since you are putting your child’s health and future in his hands. Once that professional has diagnosed your child with anxiety disorder, he or she would advise you on the best course of action.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) On almost all cases a therapy is the best anxiety treatment for children and the most common one is the Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This therapy is actually the general terms of various similar therapies, but what all of them have in common is that they are based on the idea that we can control our thoughts and they, in turn, determine our behavior and feelings. Thus, the CBT is an anxiety treatment for children that try to change the way the kid or adolescent feels even though he or she remains in the same situation. The Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy has shown great success in managing anxiety in kids of the age seven to eight years or older, but the most crucial part is the will of the child to take part and learn the new ways of thinking. Parents are involved as well since they have to encourage their children to practice the new skills and help them every step on the way.

Psychoanalytic therapy is an anxiety treatment that is much longer compared to the CBT, it can go on for years and can best be described as “talk therapy” that helps the children and teens manage their anxiety.

Behavioral Therapies are used to help children get over their irrational fears and manage their anxiety reactions.

Self-management – this where the parent plays crucial role. You should consult a mental health professional that would explain you the best way to support your child. This can be an extremely effective anxiety treatment for children and is quite often overlooked. If your child only experiences mild anxiety then showing him a practical and easy way to lessen his or her worries can help enormously. Keep in mind that this takes time and don’t expect to see immediate results, but as long as some progress is made in a six month or longer period, then you are on the right track. If your child suffers from phobias do not force them to face their fears “head-on,” but rather take the prolonged exposure approach – this means letting your child gradually confront the situations that they are scared of.

Medications – these are usually prescribed to children who do not respond well to the previously mentioned treatments and after careful evaluation. The most widely used medications are Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and although they can help you cure your child’s anxiety disorder, you should keep in mind that they come with side effects. These side effects are usually mild, but careful monitoring by a medical practitioner is recommended.

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The fear of an anxiety attack by itself can trigger an attack. This is true as reported by many anxiety disorder patients and after resolving the “meta” fear, most reported an immediate cessation of anxiety attacks.

Learn how to get rid of the fear of anxiety attacks, and your child will be able to cope much better.

	Learn To Get Rid Of The Fear of Anxiety Attacks Click here now!

Once you have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder what is the best way to deal with it?

Get rid of the fear of your fear

Psychologists have confirmed that most anxiety attacks stem from fear. When a fearful thought creeps into the person’s mind, this will trigger an attack. Even the fear of an anxiety attack by itself, is a trigger and it is proven that this “meta” fear can be undone. Once this “meta” fear is resolved, the trigger is no longer there and anxiety attacks will cease to happen.

For a good resource on how to permanently resolve this “meta’ fear, click here.

Understand and analyze your worries

Your first step should be to understand and analyze your worries. Put your mind into work and carefully determine if your worries, fears, or phobias are justified: being afraid of a dog when one is growling at you is more than understandable, staying home all the time because you are afraid of dogs is quite unreasonable. Understanding the nature of your worries will help you decrease their power, it will also help you decide on the practical steps that you can take in order to overcome them.

Postpone worrying

This is not the same as ignoring your worries, this is more telling yourself that there’s no need to worry now about something that is only about to happen two weeks from now. This will actually help you reduce anxiety and is a very simple, yet very powerful technique. In many cases people worry about things that are insignificant or about future events that never materialize – postponing your worries might actually lead to avoiding them altogether.

Take action

Contrary to the popular belief most of us experience mild anxieties quite often. Consider this: you have to submit a large project two weeks from now and you haven’t started with it yet, but you keep worrying about meeting the deadline and finding the time to finish it. However, once you start working on that project, you are taking action, you are in control and your worries are less stressful. Ignoring your troubles and concerns would only make them worse.

Be positive

If you are obsessed with worries and dark thoughts all day long, then this might actually lead to a lot of troubles. This is also commonly known as “the power of thought” – instead of thinking and focusing all your energy on your anxiety, think of how you can successfully resolve your issues or take care of your troubles and this might actually happen.

Write down your worries

This is one of the most powerful ways to fight anxiety. This will also help you easily analyze the nature of your worries – if you are over-concerned with small and unimportant events and issues, then don’t give them a second thought, focus on the most important things in life!

Put a lid on your negative thoughts.

You can spend all day feeling angry and worried about small things or you can force yourself to have much happier thoughts. Yes, you are in control of your own brain and can actually decide on what you are thinking.

Don’t worry too much what other people think or say about you.

Many people are way too concerned what others think about them or if they are well-liked or not. Of course, we live in a society, and we all want to fit in and be well-accepted and appreciated. However, do not be over-consumed by what others think or say about you.

Talk about it

Talking about your worries with a friend or a medical professional will always do your good, for people with severe anxiety disorders few different therapies have been developed and most of them can be quite beneficial, but the above-mentioned actions and steps will help you better deal with your stress and anxiety.

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The fear of an anxiety attack by itself can trigger an attack. This is true as reported by many anxiety disorder patients and after resolving the “meta” fear, most reported an immediate cessation of anxiety attacks.

Learn how to get rid of the fear of anxiety attacks, and you will be able stop your problem naturally and effectively.

  ]]> http://www.anxietyattack.org/dealing-with-anxiety/feed/ 0 http://www.anxietyattack.org/symptoms-of-anxiety-disorder-in-children/ http://www.anxietyattack.org/symptoms-of-anxiety-disorder-in-children/#comments Sun, 09 Aug 2009 08:42:19 +0000 admin http://anxietyattack.org/?p=16

	Help Your Child To Defeat Anxiety And Reclaim His Life Click Here Now!

Anxiety disorders are very common amongst children and adolescents, and it is believed that 13% of them suffer from them. And even though they are very well documented, quite often they are misdiagnosed and if left untreated can lead to even further complications. Stressful events such as loss of parent or sibling, divorce or separation of the parents, abuse, family conflicts, moving to a new location or a new school can cause worries and in most cases these mild anxieties are quite normal. Once they start interfering with the child’s normal activities though, like the ability to learn and perform well in school, the ability to make new friends, and result in loss of normal sleep, then the child is suffering from anxiety disorder.

If a child is experiencing any of the symptoms below almost every day for at least six months, then it is likely that he or she is suffering from anxiety disorder. The most common physical symptoms are stomach ache, headache, muscle discomfort, hyper-activity, sleeping discomforts, diarrhea, feeling sick, chest tightness, etc.

Oftentimes, children do not outwardly show physical symptoms but if you suspect that your child is in a challenging situation, you should also monitor for non-physical symptoms. Some non-physical signs of anxiety disorders to watch out for are:

Worry – this, of course, is normal for any child and is usually experienced before a test, a school play that the child performs in, a field trip, or any other events that the child might see as important. However, children with anxiety disorders seem to worry excessively without any reason and they would worry excessively about school, friends, past or future events, or meeting new people.

Fear of separation is quite normal for infants and toddlers, but if this fear is experienced at a later stage, then this might be a sign of an anxiety disorder. An older child, who refuses to go anywhere without the parent, sleep alone, or go to school alone, might be suffering from anxiety.

Phobias – fear of particular situation that most people don’t find threatening. These phobias can be the extreme fear of dogs, closed spaces, heights, spiders, etc. Usually children with phobias will try everything in their power to avoid situations which scare them.

Panic attacks – just like adults, children can suffer from panic attacks too. In some cases they are associated with other anxiety disorder symptoms like phobias and stress, or they can be totally unexpected and unprovoked. These are often misdiagnosed and not treated on time, which in turn means that they might be experienced in the adulthood too. Panic attacks occur more often amongst teenagers than amongst younger children, and are usually associated with physical symptoms like nausea, palpitations, sweating, shaking, and numbness.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) – children can suffer from OCD just like the adults and in most cases that would translate into constantly washing their hands, repeating a certain “ritual,” or being obsessed with particular thoughts.

Selective mutism – this is a condition where the child stops speaking. It can be caused by other anxiety, as well as some biological factors. This is also quite often misunderstood since parents think that their child is simply refusing to speak while in fact he or she is unable to speak. This makes selective mutism one of the most overlooked anxiety disorders amongst children.

In most cases the anxiety disorders are diagnosed in children between the ages of six and eight, it is also believed that the temperament of the child is of importance as well: children and are shy and introverted are more likely to suffer from anxiety. Parents should always consult a doctor if they suspect that their child is showing symptoms of anxiety disorder since if they are not treated in time, this might lead to difficulties in the adult live of the child too.

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The fear of an anxiety attack by itself can trigger an attack. This is true as reported by many anxiety disorder patients and after resolving the “meta” fear, most reported an immediate cessation of anxiety attacks.

Learn how to get rid of the fear of anxiety attacks, and your child will be able to cope much better.

In many cases it might take years for your anxiety disorder to be diagnosed, this is why it is highly advisable to seek an immediate doctor’s assistance if you experience some of the symptoms listed in this article. Contrary to the popular belief, anxiety disorders and panic attacks are quite common and it is estimated that two out of five people experience mild anxiety attacks in their lives and this is why early diagnosis is vital for successful treatment.

What are the most common physical symptoms of anxiety?


Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
Duspnea can be a symptom indicating various conditions and illnesses like asthma, heart attack, chronic bronchitis, lung disease, etc. However, people with anxiety quite often experience difficulty breathing as well.

Difficulty when swallowing (dysphagia)
This symptom might also be associated with pain, again can be caused by several physical conditions like diffuse spasm, esophageal tumors and neurological disorders, including anxiety.

Chest pains
If you experience chest pains (quite sharp at times) combined with shortness of breath and disorientation, then there is a good chance that it is caused by anxiety. This kind of chest pains are experienced by large number of anxiety sufferers (up to 70-80%) and can be located in the left area of your chest, in the center, or the pain might even “move around.”

Palpitations
Also known as racing, or pounding heart, can be quite normal in many cases such as during exercising or when a person is in a stressful situation, and can be caused by the intake of too much caffeine or some medications, but in rare cases can indicate a serious illness as well. However, if cardiac diseases are ruled out by your doctor, then this might be an anxiety symptom.

Perspiration

This is normal during exercising, or in a hot summer day and sweating is actually necessary for the normal functioning of one’s body. However, it can be caused by various medical conditions, including anxiety.

Dizziness

If you feel dizzy, lightheaded, off-balance, or you might pass out in the next few moments, then this can also indicate anxiety. However, it might be caused by inner ear or other viral infection – make sure to consult a physician if these symptoms persist.

Hot or cold sensations (flashes)
This can also be caused by emotional distress (anxiety) and it is observed that most people with anxiety experience hot flashes rather than cold ones. During a hot flash usually the person feels its upper body getting warmer and this is often accompanied by profuse perspiration. In some cases a hot flash is followed immediately by a cold one.

Constant fear of dying
This condition is also experienced by many anxiety sufferers. Some people report “thinking about dying all the time” and even being scared going to bed due to that fear, for others the sensation is actually associated with the other anxiety symptoms like nausea, palpitations, sweating, even though these are symptoms that do not represent immediate danger.

Trembling or Shaking
This is normally associated with high emotions like anger, rage, and extreme fatigue. If you experience trembling or shaking quite often, then you are better off consulting a doctor. Finding the cause will help you treat and control these symptoms.

Stomach aches (abdominal pain)
Many organs are in the abdomen, which makes adequate diagnosis of the stomach pain quite difficult since it can be caused by many different conditions, one of which is anxiety as well.

Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can be caused by conditions raging from early pregnancy to seasickness, but in some cases are associated with anxiety and fear as well. In most cases these symptoms are experienced only occasionally and tend to disappear when the person learns how to better manage their stress levels and anxiety.

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The fear of an anxiety attack by itself can trigger an attack. This is true as reported by many anxiety disorder patients and after resolving the “meta” fear, most reported an immediate cessation of anxiety attacks.

Click Here To Learn how to get rid of the fear of anxiety attacks.