Do you have sudden panic attacks? Ever experienced breathlessness, heart racing, blood pressure rising, paranoia, uncontrollable fear, dizziness, nausea, perfuse sweating, chills, trembling, pins and needles one way or another? Do those situations ring a bell ? Then the SOLUTION to your problem my friend, is maybe you are experiencing actual panic attacks.
Facts will exactly inform us that this is an ongoing problem for a lot of people. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, panic disorder has an effect on approximately 6 million American adults over the age of 18 in any given year. The adult population in the United States translates this to about 2.7 percent. Panic Disorder characteristically develops in early adulthood, but it may also begin in childhood or soon after adulthood. Women are more likely as men to acquire the disorder.
Individuals with a first-line biological relative (e.g., mother, father or sibling) with panic disorder are 8 times more probable to develop the condition. The chance is even greater if the family history take account of first-line relatives who build up the disorder before age 20. Studies of identical twins also demonstrate a genetic correlation as both twins are more prone to develop the disorder.
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Like most diseases, those who have Alzheimer's or those who are family members or close friends of those who have Alzheimer's disease may be looking towards alternative treatments in hopes of bring relief or to prolong quality of life to those who suffer from the disease. Alternative treatments may involve herbal remedies, and dietary supplements and others.
A patient or the patient's family should always discuss alternative treatments with the doctor caring for the individual with Alzheimer's when the treatment plan is being devised or modified. Alzheimer's is a complicated disease with no two individuals going through the course of the disease with the exact same symptoms or in the exact same intensity or progression. Many factors should be taken into consideration when designing and implementing a treatment plan. Most treatment plans for those with Alzheimer's involve a combination of medicated and non-medicated methods. Patients or other concerned individuals should, for the safety of the individual with Alzheimer's seek competent medical resources when investigating alternative methods of treating Alzheimer's and consult with the main doctor treating the specific patient before making any changes in the treatment of that individual to prevent side effects or adverse reactions from other elements of the treatment plan with any new alternative treatment.
It is important to investigate any source of herbal or supplemental remedy for quality and respectability of the manufacturer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not do the same rigorous scientific research on these herbal or supplemental remedies as it does on prescription medications therefore it is up to the consumer to make sure that they do adequate amounts of research to validate the claims made by companies selling herbal or supplemental remedies.
Some alternative treatments may have some benefit but they may also cause legitimate concerns regarding effectiveness and safety. When combining alternative remedies with traditional treatments both medicated and non-medicated; it is important to keep in mind the need for not only the effectiveness and safety of such herbal and supplemental remedies but purity, and adverse reactions.
Coenzyme Q10 is one supplement that has been linked with Alzheimer's disease. It is an antioxidant that normally occurs in the body and the body uses it for normal cell reactions. There are no current adequate studies regarding Coenzyme Q10 and its effectiveness for its use in treating those with Alzheimer's disease.
Coral calcium is a supplement that has been given much publicity regarding being a "cure for Alzheimer's disease" and other diseases. In 2003, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) filed complaints against those who distribute and promote Coral Calcium as a "cure for Alzheimer's" because they believed there were no documented support or evidence of the health claims being made by these companies. It is important that anyone taking any herbal or supplements make sure that the companies they are dealing with are reputable.
Ginkgo biloba is a plant extract that possibly contains an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory property that may protect cell membranes and also may regulate neurotransmitter function that may have a positive effect on memory. There was one study done and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1997 that shows modest improvement in the cognitive function of study participants regarding daily living tasks and social behavior but found no overall difference in overall impairment. Further research was determined to be needed. Other studies of Ginkgo biloba are currently being conducted.
Social phobia, like Agoraphobia, was thought to be identical to a fear of spiders or heights, but the trigger is related to social situations. However, this theory has proved to be untrue, and social phobias are now its own family of phobias and are recognized to have distinct symptoms, treatments, and risk factors.
The most common social phobia is a fear of speaking in public, although it is not the only social phobia. All social phobias are based upon a feeling that you will be judged or ridiculed for your actions among other people. This can lead to people who suffer from social phobias to become very shy and isolated which has its own set of risk factors, namely drug and alcohol abuse. Many who suffer from social phobias will frequently drink or use drugs before facing certain social situations so that they will 'loosen up,' but like other phobias, this behavior begins a vicious cycle that only strengthens the social phobia.
Because they appear drunk or high in public, the situation oftentimes will become a self fulfilling prophesy and they do in fact embarrass themselves and put themselves in a position to be judged. What happens is it leads to additional drug as well as alchohol abuse and avoiding situations which are feared; as this progresses they become increasingly entrenched in their isolationism as well as their substance abuse.
Although most people do not understand social phobias, they are all too real for many people. The most common treatment for social phobias is the use of anti-anxiety medication to calm the social phobia sufferer and help them forget about their worries of embarrassing themselves or being judged. However, prescribing anti-anxiety medication can be dangerous if the social phobia sufferer has a drug or alcohol addiction. Anti-anxiety medicine typically intensifies the effects of drugs or alcohol, and they should not be mixed. This factor can complicate the treatment of social phobias if the symptoms have gone untreated for too long.
Because social phobias present much more risk of developing a substance abuse problem than other phobias, like a fear of snakes or heights, etc., it must be taken very seriously. Care must be taken to ensure that a social phobia does not spawn a cycle of substance abuse and isolationism that could ruin someone's life forever. Although it may sound like a stretch, the irrationality of phobias and the addictive natural of drugs and alcohol make sufferers of social phobias extremely likely to get pulled into a lifestyle that they did not want.
If you think that someone you know may have a social phobia, you may need to recommend that they speak to a specialist about their problem. Although most people insist that they do not need any help, treating a social phobia can drastically improve someone's life and relieve them of a lot of anxiety. If you notice unbalanced drug or alcohol use, it is all the more important that you get involved before they create another set of problems for themselves.
If someone who is close to you has a phobia, it can be difficult to understand and deal with. Phobias often seem silly if you have never had a similar experience, and many people who exhibit the symptoms of having a phobia are sometimes suspected of 'faking it.' It is easy to see how a person could suspect someone of faking a phobia for attention. Phobias are irrational fear disorders, which cause phobia sufferers to have strong reactions to things that are not normally seen as serious or threatening. In many cases, people with phobias realize how silly their fear is, but a phobia is an irrational fear, so they know that their fear is unreasonable and has no effect. If someone you know has a phobia, it is helpful to understand what they are experiencing so you can help them or know how to react if you are present for a phobic episode.
Although everyone is a little different, there are a set of physical reactions that go along with a phobic episode. Physical reactions include sweating, increased heart rate, nervousness, and some people can have a full-blown panic attack. Having a phobic reaction can be very confusing because the person reacts to something harmless as if it puts them in a life or death situation. A phobia sufferer may realize that their feelings are not justified, but they are still overtaken by feelings of fear and dread.
The fight or flight response is a term for the biological process your body undergoes when under a lot of immediate stress. The fight or flight response essentially is the result of your brain perceiving a serious threat and adding adrenaline to your bloodstream, making you temporarily stronger, faster, and more able to act instinctively to overcome a potentially life threatening situation. The fight or flight response occurs in different levels; sometimes a little adrenaline is added to the bloodstream, while other times your body is flooded with adrenaline.
Our ancient ancestors relied heavily on this response for survival when the world was not so civilized and they were constantly struggling to survive. Although the fight or flight response is not as crucial today, it is a natural response that can be very helpful, or harmful if it is triggered unnecessarily. The fight or flight response is responsible for news reports of people lifting extremely heavy objects off of people and other extraordinary physical feats.
The fight or flight response is even more developed in wild animals. It is not uncommon for a deer that has been shot through both lungs or the heart to run the length of a football, or for several miles if these vital organs are not hit. When someone has a true phobia, these are the intense feelings that they have to deal with, but instead of escaping an imminent threat, they are responding to a spider, snake, clown, or some other stimulus that triggers their phobia. What is even worse is that many phobias happen in common every day places such as school, work, or social functions where the fight or flight response is totally inappropriate.
Although a person can have a phobia of almost anything, a phobia usually develops as a result of a traumatic experience or an internalized fear. Even if the person knows their phobia is ridiculous, they cannot simply turn it off like a light switch because it causes a complex biological response. There are ways to treat people for phobias, but if you are around someone who is having a phobic reaction, it is helpful to understand what they are experiencing.
Everyone has fears and things they're afraid of, but with some individuals, the fear takes over and becomes a problem. Many people just try to cope and deal with being afraid, but there are things to be done that can help do away with the fear for good. Informing yourself about what scares you and how to rid yourself of the problem is important, so here are a few questions and some answers to get you started:
What is a phobia?
Phobias are irrational disorders and cause a person to be overly frightened of a thing or situation. Many times the person with the phobia realizes how ridiculous their phobia is, but because it is an irrational disorder, they are powerless to resist the effect of their phobia. You can have a phobia of almost anything, but most people have a phobia of a specific thing or event, and do not have any other phobias. Specific phobias develop as the result of an unjustified association in a person's mind. The example that behaviorist used to explain specific phobias was that a person develops a fear of poisonous snakes, but carries that fear over to all snakes, not just the poisonous ones. However, it has been shown that other types of phobias are commonly accompanied by panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorders, in which case anti-anxiety medication is typically used to help bring the phobia under control.
I've heard of all kinds of phobias - are they all the same?
No there are many types of phobias. Ths most typical variety of phobia is known as a specifric phobia. Specific phobias are the fear of a place, thing, or situation, and there are hundreds of designated specific phobias. There are also social phobias and Agoraphobia, which are both very different from specific phobias. Social phobia are the fear of specific social situations that sometimes arise, for instance saying a speech, or being in close proximty to a large crowd of people. Agoraphobia is essentially a fear of panic attacks that lead people to avoid any situation that may trigger a panic attack, or that would embarrass them if they had a panic attack. In addition to there being different types of phobias, phobias can be somewhat mild, or very severe, but they all tend to cause the phobia sufferer to show some physical symptoms of their phobic reaction.
Is there more than one kind of specific phobia?
The different categories of specific phobias are animal phobias, natural environment phobias, situational phobias, blood injection phobia, and other phobias. Animal phobias are the fear of a specific type of animal, like rats, birds, cats, etc. Natural environment phobias are caused by events or situations in the natural world, such as large bodies of water, or bridges, while situational phobias are triggered by a specific event. Common situational phobias include a fear of going to the dentist, fear of swimming, etc. However, it is easy to get confused about what is a situational phobia, social phobia, and Agoraphobia. Blood injection phobias include the fear of bleeding, being hurt, and being operated on. The fifth category of specific phobias is called other phobias. Other phobias are phobias that do not make sense to be in any of the other groups.
Is there any genetic basis for phobias?
Although some phobias do develop without much cause, it has been shown that social phobia and Agoraphobia can be passed on through genetics. However, several of the causes and risk factors for these two phobias can also be passed on through families. For example, it is not uncommon for social phobia and Agoraphobia to be accompanied by obsessive compulsive disorder or panic attacks, which have both been shown to run in families. One risk factor for social phobias is alcoholism, which has also been shown to have some kind of genetic link. Fortunately, these conditions can be controlled with medication, although early diagnosis can be crucial. If any of these conditions exist in your family, you may want to become familiar with the symptoms of these disorders so that you do not fall victim to any of them unnecessarily.
How can I tell if I have a phobia?
Although a trained physician is the best person to decide if you are truly phobic or not, whether or not you have a phobia is determined by the level of fear or anxiety that accompanies the presence of a stimulus. Although most people are uncomfortable around snakes, heights, and large dogs, only a small percentage of those people actually have a phobia. A phobia is characterized by feelings of dread and possible fear of death that is not warranted by the situation. If you get scared by snarling and barking dogs, you do not necessarily have a phobia, since that is a situation that can easily get out of control. However, if you are frightened by the presence of any dog, or even the thought of a dog, you very well may have a phobia. However, a professional is the best person to determine whether you are phobic or not, and decide the proper treatment method.
Because phobias are not a disease in the traditional sense, phobias cannot be cured with a shot or pill like an ordinary disease. In recent years, phobia treatments have been created that allow physicians to free people from the grip of phobias. The nature of phobias has led scientists to understand that the reaction to phobic triggers can be treated, but ultimately you must deal with the cause of the phobia.
Phobias are irrational disorders and cause a person to be overly frightened of a thing or situation. Many times the person with the phobia realizes how ridiculous their phobia is, but because it is an irrational disorder, they are powerless to resist the effect of their phobia. As a treatment for phobias, therapists attempt to break the link between the source of the phobia and the anxiety it causes. Therapy can be made easier if the cause of the phobia is known, like a bad childhood experience or something that the patient has come to believe and fear. Ultimately, most phobias can be cured or controlled by dealing with the cause of the phobia in a controlled setting.
Many therapists use 'flooding' to help patients face their phobia. Flooding is a form of exposure therapy where a patient confronts their fear until it melts away. Flooding is effective because the mind forms strong instinctive links between cause and effect. After experiencing the cause of the phobia in a controlled setting with no negative effects, the link between the cause of the phobia and the emotional response is weakened. However, flooding may need to be done in several sessions to truly take effect, and some people's phobias are too strong to actually face and must be imagined instead.
Counter conditioning is another way therapists help patients control their phobic reactions. Counter conditioning is based on replacing fearful reactions with relaxation techniques. This requires self awareness and control to be successful, but therapists have found counter conditioning effective if taught under controlled conditions. Relaxation can be achieved through breathing exercises and maintaining mental focus and perspective. Therapists who use counter conditioning also use desensitization to help patience rid themselves of their phobias. The therapist and patient determine a hierarchy of things or situations that cause the phobic reaction, and confront the least frightening stimuli first and work towards confronting the most frightening thing or situation.
In some people, particularly those who experience social phobia, anti-anxiety medication can help reduce phobic symptoms and keep their phobia under control. This is most useful in patients who suffer from panic attacks because of their phobia.
Phobias can be overwhelming and require a psychologist to conquer the phobia, although some can overcome a phobia without much outside help. Some phobias can be ended by confronting whatever triggers the phobic reaction, but this is far too uncomfortable for some people.
Of all phobias, Agoraphobia may have one of the best stories. You see, for many years it was thought that Agoraphobia was very different from what its actual nature is. Agoraphobia means 'fear of the market place,' and was thought to be a specific situational phobia of going in public. However, we now know that the condition known as Agoraphobia is not a specific phobia or a social phobia, but something altogether different.
Although there is a specific fear of going into public, Agoraphobia is a little different than any other phobia. Instead of simply having an irrational uncontrollable fear of an object or situation, Agoraphobics fear panic attacks. Agoraphobics become very concerned about the idea of having a panic attack and how they would deal with a panic attack in different scenarios. This can lead to many Agoraphobics staying in their home for years.
Essentially the fear of having a panic attack is so great that people who begin having frequent panic attacks become hyper sensitive to the precursors for a panic attack, like increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and sweaty palms. Because of the irrationality of these disorders, a slight increase in heart rate, even if it is normal (from climbing stairs, drinking caffeine, etc.), will make them begin to worry that they may be having a panic attack. The thought of the panic attack is the trigger for Agoraphobia, which causes them to have an actual panic attack.
As the panic attacks become more and more frequent, a person with Agoraphobia begins to worry also about the awkwardness of having a panic attack someplace that they cannot escape or will have to endure their panic attack in front of other people. This leads to increased panic attacks in places they are concerned about, which eventually leads to Agoraphobic people being hemmed in to certain areas and cause them to completely avoid many activities and places because of their fear of having a panic attack. Many Agoraphobic people are afraid of leaving their home, while even more severe cases limit people to only a few rooms in their house.
Before Agoraphobia was recognized as its own distinct disorder, treatment was hit and miss, but now Agoraphobia can be treated with success. Treatment for Agoraphobia is typically twofold. Anti anxiety medication is usually prescribed to suppress and control the panic attacks. When the panic attacks are somewhat under control, the Agoraphobia sufferer can be shown how to deal with panic attacks when they come up, and they can slowly take on activities they normally would not dream of. One step people with Agoraphobia may do to conquer their fear is to induce panic attack symptoms, such as increased heart rate, and focus on convincing themselves that it is normal and they are not having a panic attack.
Luckily diagnosis and treatment of phobias have improved and doctors can treat phobia sufferers for their afflictions. Because of the use of anti anxiety medication, Agoraphobics can lead a happy and normal life.
