different things that you can do to stop anxiety attacks

In the last issue we talked about the various treatments available for panic attacks. In this issue we are going to talk about different things that you can do to stop anxiety attacks.

As we well know episodes of anxiety attacks can be uncomfortable, unpleasant and unhealthy. Because of this, most people head to the medicine cabinet for a some fore of relief for their symptoms.

While some may find medications an effective way to battle anxiety, there are more natural and equally effective ways of dealing your excessive emotion without subjecting the body to different negative side-effects.

While all of the techniques that we are going to talk about today are simply a part of living a healthy lifestyle, that doesn’t mean that
they are easy to incorporate into our busy daily routines.

While actually touched on these subjects before, but they play such a vital role in the fight against anxiety that they are well worth
going over again.

Let’s start off with one of the most important and that is exercise.

Exercise is at the top of the list because it improves the overall health of the body and mind.  A mere 30 minutes of exercise, 3-5
times a week is enough to provide you with a nice amount of anxiety relief. Increasing to at least an hour of aerobic exercise
day will provide you with maximum benefits for relieving stress and anxiety.

It doesn’t have to extremely strenuous or all at one time. You can break it up into smaller sessions at different levels of intensity,
because exercise is cumulative. So you can start out with a 10 minute work out in the morning and finish off with a 20 minute walk
after dinner. Find a way to make it enjoyable and easy to include in your daily routine.

Get the right amount of sleep.

A popular adage, “early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise,” speaks of the importance of sleep
in the overall health of a person. It is very important to your overall health to get at least 8 hours of sleep a day. This is a well proven
and effective technique to battle stress as well as ward off anxiety attacks.

Eat a healthy diet.

Along with exercise and sleep, diet plays an important role in the overall health of the body. Eating healthy foods will help your body chemistry maintain normal hormone levels as well as providing increased resistance to common ailments and illnesses that increase the risk of having and anxiety attack.

Avoid unnecessary stress.

Most stressors are unavoidable and it is unhealthy to turn your back to certain situations that need to be addressed. Still, some situations and people cause unnecessary stress that may lead to and anxiety attack. Avoid people that stress you out, learn how to
say ‘no’, trim down your to-do-list, avoid sensitive topics such as politics and religion, etc.

Use relaxation techniques.

Yoga, meditation, Taiji, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization and breathing exercises can reduce anxiety and
promote the feeling of relaxation and emotional well-being.

Keep a positive outlook on life.

While it is very difficult to maintain a good attitude when experiencing an anxiety attack, it is very crucial to be more
conscious and help stay in control over the situation to effectively battle your condition. Don’t  think “Oh no, not again!” or “I can’t
make it though this” when an episode hits you. Remind yourself that it is only temporary and that it will be over soon. This will help
you control your emotions, so that your anxiety will now get worse.

If these techniques don’t  work for you, it is probably time to consult a health professional about the problems you are facing.

Since the symptoms of anxiety attacks may be a result of other psychological and physical conditions, you need to consult your
doctor and get a complete physical in order to rule out any other possible causes.

If the anxiety prevails and symptoms last for more than 1 to 2 weeks, especially if you have no idea why then it is time to seek the help of a trained therapist.

A person with a severe anxiety disorder will usually be prescribed medication, therapy or both. Prescription drugs for anxiety are
usually antidepressants and benzodiazepines. However, they provide short-term relief and thus, other therapy is often
recommended.

Therapy often consists of cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure therapy. They are both effective (especially when
combined with medication) to treat anxiety disorders. Cognitive- behavioral therapy helps patients to replace negative thoughts
with positive ones.

Exposure therapy, on the other hand, helps treat anxiety attacks by subjecting the patients to control fear in a safe and controlled environment. Through repeated exposure, patients gain greater self control and more confidence when facing a fearful situation.

Make sure you look for your next issue soon. We will be talking about the