Only individuals who display the symptoms as included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), a publication of the American Psychiatric Association will be diagnosed with this disorder. This manual is also used by insurance providers as guidelines to reimburse for medical treatment.

Generally, the criteria include: undue anxiety and worry about certain activities or events for most days of the week, which go on for more than six months; having problems or difficulty controlling your feelings of anxiety; feelings of anxiety that causes distress or disrupt your daily life; anxiety attacks unrelated to other mental conditions, and at least three of the following indications in adults or one in children – restlessness or sleep problems, fatigue, muscle tension,  difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

Nowadays, many professional institutions of mental health have brought about the accessibility of anxiety disorder tests to the lay user. With the Internet, you will be able to take a self-assessment quiz to diagnose generalized anxiety disorder in the privacy and comfort of your own abode. However, with the numerous sites available on this topic, you will need to ensure that the test originates from a reputable and reliable source.

Typical questionnaires are made up of true or false questions or multiple choice questions. After taking the test, the results will be rated against a scale determined previously. The test questions are adapted from the professional questionnaires used to diagnose generalized anxiety disorder by professional medical practitioners. You will be able to gain insight to your condition and seek professional help and support accordingly.

One example of a self-test is as follows, developed to assist adults in understanding your conditions. You will need to answer yes or no to the following questions. But keep in mind that this is only a preliminary questionnaire, and should not be used for any diagnosis.

Do you worry excessively about various aspects of life recently?
Do you experience restlessness or edginess?
Are you more easily agitated or irritated than normal by certain events recently?
Do you feel anxious despite knowing the fact that it is unnecessary?
Do you have difficulty focusing or concentrating?
Do you get into arguments with the people around you easily?
Do you take drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, marijuana or amphetamines on a regular basis?
Do you get tired easily as compared to before?
Is it difficult for you to feel relaxed?
Do you experience any emptiness or sadness alongside worry and tension?
Any sleep complications such as difficulty falling asleep, tossing and turning, or light sleep lately?
Do you experience any physical symptoms due to tension such as agitation, chronic stomach upset, diarrhoea, or inability to stay still while sitting or standing?
Is it that the excessive anxiety you experience revolves around topics such as suspicion of disease, gaining weight, separation, rejection or any social engagements?
Do you happen to experience inability to work or get things done due to any or a few of the following: irritability, restlessness, fatigue, sleep complications, and difficulty staying focused?
Have you experienced extreme anxiety that have stayed constant for the past six months or even longer?

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

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	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.

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	Find Out The Link Between Anxiety Disorder and Obesity here

Anxiety disorder can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, shape or size. However, there are researches that are pointing towards a connection between obesity and mental health problems. 

A study by Australian researchers concluded that there is a correlation between obesity and mental health. This study, published by the Australian Health Review, was conducted on more than a thousand volunteers. The obese participants mostly aged 45 and above had reported that emotional problems had a significant effect on their daily working life and social activities. This group of people also showed very low serenity levels, and was less calm compared to those who were smaller in size. This indicates that obese people are more likely to suffer from psychological issues compared to their skinny counterparts.

Generally, people who are obese tend to have a poor self image due to their physical condition. Obesity is definitely linked to many health problems. Obese people may not be able to participate in many physical fitness activities which require speed and agility compared to thinner people. So, it is not surprising how physical problems have an effect on mental health. When a person is labeled as obese, automatically this poor self image will result in lower self esteem, thus causing negatives conditions such as depression.

While some studies say that people who are obese tend to develop panic attacks and other mental health related problems, there are others who say that it really is the other way round. There are studies that indicate people who have mental health problems tend to become obese. The rationale is simple; people who are undergoing depression or mental disorders will not be feeling good about themselves. They tend to be less physically active, and overeat. Therefore, they will be the least motivated to work out, or make a trip to the gym. They tend not to be focused on their physical health, thus making them prone to grow obese.

The debate of whether it was the egg or chicken that came first can go on and on, but there is growing evidence that reveal the link between treatments for anxiety and obesity. Medicine that is used to treat mental health problems have come to be labeled as contributors to a number of obesity cases. The British Journal of Psychiatry published a study in 2009 showing that anxiety causes obesity, not vice versa. This study went further to show that medicine was the cause of obesity, not overeating. According to this study, the culprit was psychotropic medication.

In 2010, findings published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research further confirmed the previous studies. This study revealed that there exists a significant relationship between mood disorders and obesity. According to this study, antidepressant and antipsychotic medications were strongly linked to treatments of anxiety disorder. The study went on to make known that antidepressants and antipsychotics were the significant predictors of obesity.

Research and findings definitely flood us with information about the link between anxiety disorder and obesity. However, depression-obesity experts warn us to be careful while interpreting data. This is because medication is prescribed to patients with mental health conditions for a reason, and sometimes there may not be another alternative medication for the particular condition. It could cause more harm to the patient to switch medication and discontinue use of a certain drug just because of the fear of obesity. It is true that certain medications for mood disorders have a high link to obesity, but it does not mean it should be completely done away with.

The best way to combat the problem of obesity with anxiety disorder, whichever way it is linked, is for the person to join a weight management program. Whatever medication is prescribed to treat a particular condition, physical exercise will only do well for the body overall, in promoting both physical and mental health. So, ultimately, moderation is the key – to take a holistic approach to life without neglecting one part or the other.

Click here to listen how to stop anxiety disorder now. ]]> http://www.anxietyattack.org/is-obesity-linked-to-anxiety-disorder/feed/ 1 http://www.anxietyattack.org/natural-remedies-for-anxiety/ http://www.anxietyattack.org/natural-remedies-for-anxiety/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 07:47:47 +0000 admin http://www.anxietyattack.org/?p=108

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

  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.